Systems and interfaces for blood sampling

Abstract

The present invention generally relates to systems and methods for delivering and/or receiving a substance or substances such as blood from subjects. In one aspect, the present invention is directed to devices and methods for receiving or extracting blood from a subject, e.g., from the skin and/or from beneath the skin, using devices containing a substance transfer component (for example, one or more needles or microneedles) and a reduced pressure or vacuum chamber having an internal pressure less than atmospheric pressure prior to receiving blood. In some embodiments, the device may contain a “snap dome” or other deformable structure, which may be used, at least in part, to urge or move needles or other suitable substance transfer components into the skin of a subject. In some cases, for example, the device may contain a flexible concave member and a needle mechanically coupled to the flexible concave member such that the needle may be urged or moved into the skin using the flexible concave member. Other aspects of the present invention are directed at other devices for receiving blood (or other bodily fluids, e.g., interstitial fluid), kits involving such devices, methods of making such devices, methods of using such devices, and the like.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 192 . (canceled) 
     
     
         193 . A device for receiving blood or other fluids from a subject, the device comprising:
 a flexible concave member moveable between a first configuration and a second configuration;   an actuator able to move the flexible concave member between the first configuration and the second configuration when actuated;   a needle mechanically coupled to the flexible concave member such that the needle is in a first position when the flexible concave member is in the first configuration and the needle is in a second position when the flexible concave member is in the second configuration;   an applicator region containing the needle at least when the needle is in the second position;   a vacuum chamber having a pressure less than atmospheric pressure;   a piercing member mechanically coupled to the flexible concave member; and   a pierceable surface in fluidic communication with the vacuum chamber, wherein the piercing member is positioned to pierce the pierceable surface when moved by the actuator, and wherein piercing of the pierceable surface creates a fluid communication pathway between the vacuum chamber and the applicator region.   
     
     
         194 . The device of  claim 193 , wherein the device further comprises a collection chamber positioned on the fluid communication pathway between the vacuum chamber and the applicator region. 
     
     
         195 . The device of  claim 193 , wherein the needle is immobilized directly on the flexible concave member. 
     
     
         196 . The device of  claim 193 , wherein the needle is a microneedle. 
     
     
         197 . The device of  claim 193 , wherein the device further comprises a retraction mechanism able to move the needle towards the first configuration after the flexible concave member reaches the second configuration. 
     
     
         198 . The device of  claim 193 , wherein the first configuration is a concave configuration, and the second configuration is a convex configuration. 
     
     
         199 . The device of  claim 193 , wherein the flexible concave member is able to spontaneously return from the second configuration to the first configuration. 
     
     
         200 . The device of  claim 193 , wherein a user of the device can manually move the flexible concave member from the first configuration to the second configuration. 
     
     
         201 . The device of  claim 193 , wherein the vacuum chamber has a pressure, prior to introduction of blood or other fluids from the subject, that is less than about 100 mmHg below atmospheric pressure. 
     
     
         202 . The device of  claim 193 , wherein the vacuum chamber comprises a pre-packaged vacuum. 
     
     
         203 . The device of  claim 193 , wherein the needle is moved from the first position to the second position at a speed of at least about 6 m/s. 
     
     
         204 . The device of  claim 193 , wherein the needle is accelerated from the first position to the second position at at least 100,000 m/s 2 . 
     
     
         205 . The device of  claim 193 , wherein the needle is moved from the first position to the second position in a time of less than about 0.002 s. 
     
     
         206 . The device of  claim 193 , wherein the first position and the second position are separated by a distance of less than about 10 mm. 
     
     
         207 . The device of  claim 193 , wherein the device contains at least two modules manually separable from each other, including a first module comprising the vacuum chamber and a second module comprising the flexible concave member, the needle, and the applicator region. 
     
     
         208 . The device of  claim 193 , wherein the pierceable surface is airtight. 
     
     
         209 . The device of  claim 193 , wherein the piercing member is a piercing needle. 
     
     
         210 . The device of  claim 193 , wherein the device is self-contained. 
     
     
         211 . The device of  claim 193 , wherein the pierceable surface comprises a polymer. 
     
     
         212 . The device of  claim 193 , wherein the pierceable surface comprises a foil.