Blood testing apparatus having a rotatable cartridge with multiple lancing elements and testing means

Abstract

This invention relates to a blood testing apparatus comprising a device for withdrawing blood containing a pricking element, a membrane-type testing means, defining a measuring field, an evaluating device comprising an electronic evaluation system and a display device forming a complete system which can be manipulated as a single piece of apparatus. The aim of the invention is to develop said apparatus in such a way that it is user friendly. The invention is characterized in that a plurality of testing means can be inserted into the apparatus and brought successively to a work position to carry out several measurements wherein said testing means can cooperate together with the evaluating device. The blood withdrawing device also comprises a plurality of pricking elements and each respective testing means is positioned in a work position, wherein a pricking element is pushed through the testing means and pricks the skin surface of the user. The pricking position associated with the work position is disposed in such a position on the device that the blood withdrawn from the surface of the skin can impinge upon the testing means.

1 . A blood testing apparatus, comprising:
 a housing;   a disposable configured to be positioned in the housing;   a carrier rotatably positioned in the disposable; and   a plurality of penetrating members and a plurality of sample chambers, each of a sample chamber being associated with a penetrating member to provide for multiple measurements of an analyte from a blood sample, the plurality of penetrating members and plurality of sample chambers being coupled to the carrier.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the housing, disposable, carrier, plurality of penetrating members and plurality of sample chambers form a single device. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of a sample chamber has a volume that does not exceed 1 micro liter. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 A display at an exterior of the housing and configured to display one or more lancing parameters.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the penetrating members and the sample chambers are arranged on the same carrier that can be handled manually. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the carrier includes a first carrier part for the sample chambers and a second carrier part for the penetrating members. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the first and second carrier parts are configured to be assembled to form a manually operable unit. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the first and second carrier parts are configured to be linked together in a rotationally fixed manner. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the carrier includes a central recess within which a drive device is provided. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the carrier is in the form of a ring and is rotatable about a center of the ring. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a drive device for the carrier that includes internal gearing.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the penetrating members are arranged on the carrier in such a way that when they are in a launch position, they execute a launch movement in a radial direction with respect to a rotatability of the carrier. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the penetrating members are arranged on the carrier in such a way that when they are in a launch position they execute a skin penetration movement in an axial direction with respect to a rotatability of the carrier. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of penetrating members are surrounded by a sterility barrier on the carrier before execution of a skin penetration event. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sample chambers are arranged on the carrier in such a way that they are axially oriented with respect to a rotatability of the carrier. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the housing has an outside contour that is essentially in the form of a circular disk.