HK1138170B - Pricking device - Google Patents

Description

Pricking instrument

The invention relates to a pricking device (Stechgeraet) for taking a sample of body fluid, comprising a container (Aufnahmefach) for receiving a lancet magazine having a plurality of lancets (Lanzetten), which are arranged transversely to the longitudinal direction of the lancet magazine and have lancet tips for producing pricking holes (Einstinchwunded), and a transport device for successively bringing the lancets of the lancet magazine into a pricking position by transferring the lancet magazine inserted into the container, and a pricking drive (Stechantrib) for moving the lancet located in the pricking position. The invention also relates to a pricking system (Stechsystem) and a cassette with a lancet storage tape for a pricking instrument, and to a method for separating a lancet tip (Lanzettenpimtz) from a lancet storage tape.

Such pricking instruments and the associated lancet storage tapes comprising lancets arranged transversely to the longitudinal direction of the lancet storage tape are known from documents US2003/0199906 a1 and DE 2803345B 1. The lancet storage tapes described in these publications comprise a flexible carrier on which the lancets are arranged and a sterile protection (Sterilschutz) covering the lancets. The sterility protection of the known lancet storage tape is formed by a film which has to be removed before the lancet can be used for pricking. The known pricking systems require a relatively high instrument cost for removing the sterile protection.

The object of the invention is therefore to indicate a way of indicating how the lancets of a lancet magazine can be provided for pricking at low cost in a pricking instrument of the type mentioned at the outset.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by a bending device (Biegeeinrichtung) for bending a section (Abschnitt) of the lancet storage tape in the longitudinal direction of the lancet storage tape and thereby separating the lancet tip of the lancet from the lancet storage tape for pricking.

The bending device according to the invention can be mounted at a pricking instrument. It is also possible in particular to mount the bending device on a cassette which is inserted for use into a receptacle of the pricking instrument. The tape cassette forms a piercing system with a piercing instrument into which the tape cassette is inserted for use.

The pricking instrument or pricking system according to the invention can also be implemented without a replaceable cartridge, wherein no replacement of the lancet storage tape is provided and the pricking instrument or pricking system is discarded as a disposable item after all the lancets of the lancet storage tape have been used.

Within the scope of the present application, a lancet tip is understood to be the front end of the lancet which is used for pricking.

If the lancet storage tape, which contains a plurality of lancets arranged transversely with respect to the longitudinal direction of the lancet storage tape, is folded or bent in the longitudinal direction, the lancets in the bent section of the lancet storage tape largely retain their orientation (orientiierung). This causes the tip of the lancet to lift from the storage tape (abhebeh) and penetrate through the sterile protective or carrier layer. In this way, the lancet tip of the lancet can be separated from the lancet storage tape for pricking, so that the lancet is ready for pricking. The lancet need not be completely separated from the lancet storage tape by bending of the lancet storage tape. It is sufficient if, by bending, the lancet tip (which, during pricking, penetrates into the skin of the body part lying against the pricking instrument) is separated from the lancet storage tape. By bending, the front lancet section (i.e., the section to which the lancet tip belongs) is separated from the lancet storage tape.

The pricking instrument according to the invention forms a pricking system with a lancet storage tape with a plurality of lancets arranged transversely to the longitudinal direction of the lancet storage tape. Another aspect of the invention relates to a method for separating a lancet tip from a lancet storage tape, wherein the lancet storage tape is bent in a longitudinal direction such that the lancet tip is lifted off the lancet storage tape, and a bending device arranged in a pricking instrument is used for bending the tape. Preferably, the bending of the tape is effected by means of the bending device acting on the longitudinal edge of the lancet storage tape.

The lancet storage tape of the pricking system according to the invention can be constructed, for example, similarly to the lancet storage tapes known from the documents US2003/0199906 a1 or DE document 2803345B 1 and comprises a flexible carrier layer on which the lancets are arranged and an aseptic protection covering the lancets. The sterile protection can be embodied, for example, as a film, in particular made of plastic or paper, or as a silicone layer (silikonsschicht). Another possibility for the lancet storage tape consists, for example, in arranging the lancets on a carrier tape made, for example, of paper, plastic film and/or metal film and folding the carrier tape such that the lancet tip is covered and thus protected from harmful environmental influences. In principle, it is also possible to arrange the lancets on the carrier tape to be rolled up such that the lancets are protected from harmful environmental influences between the upper side and the lower side of the carrier tape in the lancet storage tape roll thus formed.

Further details and advantages of the invention are explained with the aid of embodiments and with reference to the drawings. The features described herein may individually or in combination form the subject matter of the claims. Like and corresponding parts are designated with identical reference numerals. Wherein:

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a lancing instrument according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows a schematic inside view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 with the lancet storage tape inserted prior to the bending process;

fig. 3 shows a view turned through 90 ° with respect to fig. 2;

FIG. 4 shows the view according to FIG. 2 after the lancet storage tape is bent;

fig. 5 shows a view turned through 90 ° with respect to fig. 4;

FIG. 6 shows the position of the lancet storage tape relative to the bending device after lancing;

fig. 7 shows a view turned through 90 ° with respect to fig. 6;

FIG. 8 shows the lancet storage tape in a sample receiving position;

fig. 9 shows a view turned through 90 ° with respect to fig. 8;

fig. 10 shows an embodiment of a cassette in a schematic view;

FIG. 11 shows the embodiment shown in FIG. 10 in a side view;

FIG. 12 shows a schematic view in plan view of another embodiment of a lancing instrument according to the present invention;

FIG. 13 shows a side view in relation to FIG. 12 prior to a pricking movement (Stichbewegung);

FIG. 14 shows a side view of FIG. 12 during a lancing movement;

FIG. 15 shows a schematic view of another embodiment of a lancing instrument according to the present invention in plan view prior to a lancing movement;

FIG. 16 shows a side view of FIG. 15 prior to a lancing movement;

FIG. 17 shows a plan view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 15 during a lancing movement; and

fig. 18 shows a side view in relation to fig. 17 during a pricking movement.

Fig. 1 shows in a schematic representation an embodiment of a pricking instrument 1 according to the invention for taking a sample of bodily fluid. The pricking instrument 1 has an instrument opening 2 against which a body part is pressed in order to create a puncture. The pricking instrument 1 further comprises an operating element 3 in the form of a key and a display device 4 in the form of a liquid crystal display for displaying the result of the detection. The pricking instrument 1 has a container (not shown) for a lancet storage tape. The container has a closable opening on the back side of the embodiment shown in fig. 1.

The pricking instrument shown in fig. 1 forms a pricking system together with the lancet storage tape 5 shown in fig. 2 to 9. The lancet storage 5 supports a plurality of lancets 6, the lancets 6 being arranged transversely to the longitudinal direction of the lancet storage 5 and each having a lancet tip 6a for producing a puncture. Fig. 2 to 9 show in a schematic representation the inner part of the instrument with the lancet storage tape 5 inserted into the pricking instrument 1 (in different operating positions), by means of which the operation of the pricking instrument 1 will be explained below.

The lancets 6 of the lancet storage 5 inserted into the pricking instrument 1 can be brought in sequence into the pricking position by the transport device. The lancet 6 in the pricking position is oriented with its lancet tip 6a from the inside of the pricking device 1 towards the device opening 2. In fig. 2 and 3, the lancet storage 5 is positioned in such a way that the lancet 6 is in the pricking position.

The transport device can be, for example, a winding device (wickelenarichtung) with which the lancet storage tape 5 (which lancet storage tape 5 is, for example, rolled up or folded in zigzag form into a stack in the container of the pricking instrument 1) can be rolled up after use and moved in the longitudinal direction in this way. The lancet storage tape 5 can, for example, be contained in a cassette which is inserted into the pricking instrument for use.

The lancet 6 (as shown in fig. 2) in the pricking position, i.e. with its lancet tip 6a pointing towards the instrument opening 2, can be moved by the pricking drive 8. In the embodiment shown, the lancing drive 8 comprises a holder (Halterung) with a slit 9 through which slit 9 the lancet storage tape 5 is guided. During pricking, the pricking drive 8 moves together with the holder in the pricking direction (einstinchthichung) and thereby accelerates the section of the lancet storage tape 5 located in the slit 9 together with the lancet 6 located in the pricking position, so that the lancet 6 pricks with its tip 6a into the body part pressed against the instrument opening 2. During the pricking, the lancet 6 remains connected to the lancet storage 5, since only the lancet tip 6a is lifted off the lancet storage 5 during the bending process.

In the simplest case, the pricking movement of the holder of the pricking actuator 8 can be transferred to the lancet storage 5 in such a way that the lancet storage 5 rests with its longitudinal edge remote from the lancet tip 6a of the lancet storage 5 on the holder at the bottom of the slit 9. The pricking movement and the reversing movement of the pricking actuator 8 can be better transmitted to the lancet storage tape 5 in that, once the lancet 6 is in the pricking position, the slit 9 is narrowed by a suitable mechanism and the lancet storage tape 5 is clamped in the slit 9 in this way. After the end of the reverse movement, the slit 9 widens again, so that the transport device can continue the movement of the lancet storage 5.

In the embodiment shown, a guide element (Umlenkelement)7a in the form of a guide roller (umlenkrole) is arranged in front of the slit 9 in the transport direction, which guide element 7a deflects the lancet storage tape 5. This facilitates the transfer of the lancet storage 5 through the slit 9 and prevents the lancet storage 5 from jamming in the slit 9. In the transport direction, behind the slit 9, a guide element 7b in the form of a guide roller is arranged, which guide element 7b, like the guide element 7a, provides support for the transport of the lancet storage tape 5 through the slit 9. For the sake of clarity, the guide elements are not shown in fig. 4, 5, 8 and 9.

The tip 6a of the lancet 6 of the inserted lancet storage tape 5 is surrounded by a sterile protector, which in the embodiment shown is constructed as a plastic film, which covers the lancet 6 arranged on a flexible carrier tape. The carrier tape can be produced, like the sterile protection, for example from plastic, paper or metal.

The bending device 10 bends the lancet storage 5 in the longitudinal direction of the lancet storage 5, thereby separating the lancet tip 6a of the lancet 6 from the lancet storage 5. For this purpose, the pricking drive 8 moves the lancet storage tape 5 in the pricking direction such that the lancet storage tape 5 with its longitudinal edge which is at the front in the pricking direction strikes against the bending device 10. Fig. 4 and 5 show a section of the lancet storage tape 5 bent in the longitudinal direction, wherein the pricking drive 8 is moved in the pricking direction. As can be seen from this, the longitudinal edge of the lancet storage tape 5 which is at the front in the pricking direction is bent towards the longitudinal edge which is at the back in the pricking direction by bending in the longitudinal direction, so that the distance between the two longitudinal edges is shortened compared to the unbent state.

During this bending of the lancet storage tape 5, the lancet 6 retains its orientation and thus tears open the sterilization protector covering it (which in the illustrated embodiment is a cover film) or the flexible carrier tape. The lancet tip 6a is lifted from the lancet storage 5 during this bending process and is thus separated from the lancet storage 5, so that a body part pressed against the instrument opening 2 can be pricked with the lancet tip 6a in order to obtain a body fluid sample.

To bend the lancet storage 5, the bending means 10 acts on the longitudinal edge of the lancet storage 5. In the embodiment shown, the lancet storage 5 is moved in the pricking direction starting from the position shown in fig. 2 and 3 until it reaches the position shown in fig. 4 and 5, in which position shown in fig. 4 and 5 the section of the lancet storage 5 is bent in the longitudinal direction by the longitudinal edge of the lancet storage 5 being pressed against the bending device 10 by the pricking actuator 8. In the embodiment shown, the bending of the lancet storage tape 5 in the longitudinal direction and thus the readiness of the lancet 6 for pricking is done in an early stage of the pricking movement. In this way, the risk of contamination of the lancet tip 6a, which is normally present after the lancet tip 6a has been separated from the lancet storage tape 5 due to the penetration of the sterile protection, can be reduced.

It is in principle sufficient to act with the bending device 10 at one point, for example in the vicinity of the lancet 6, on the longitudinal edge of the lancet storage tape 5. However, a better bending can be achieved if the bending device 10 acts on the longitudinal edge of the lancet storage 5 facing the lancet tip 6a at two points spaced apart from one another, so that a section of the tape which is not in contact with the bending device 10 between these two points is bent and the lancet tip 6a located in this section of the lancet storage 5 does not touch the bending device 10. This can be achieved, for example, by providing the bending device 10 with a slit. In this way, the lancet tip 6a can maintain its orientation and extend into the slit when the lancet storage tape 5 is bent. In fig. 5 it is shown how the bending means 10 presses onto the longitudinal edge of the lancet storage 5 near the left and right side of the lancet 6.

In the embodiment shown, the bending device 10 has two bending surfaces 10a which extend obliquely with respect to the pricking direction at a distance from one another. As is shown in particular in fig. 2 and 4, such a curved surface 10a can be formed in a fork-like manner, for example in the form of a web (step), which extends in a straight line in the exemplary embodiment shown. In principle, the curved surface 10a may also be curved. It is sufficient if a longitudinal edge of the lancet storage 5 pressed against the curved surface 10a is broken (enableen) so that the respective section of the lancet storage 5 is bent in the longitudinal direction. When the section of the lancet storage tape 5 is bent in the longitudinal direction, an arch will be formed which extends in the longitudinal direction and can be seen in fig. 4 and 5.

The embodiment shown in fig. 1 has a test device 12 for testing a sample of bodily fluid. Such a test device 12 may be a photometric test device, by which a color change (Verfarbrung) of a test zone containing an indicator reagent that causes a analyte concentration dependent color change of the test zone is detectable. For example, the test device 12 can also be an electrochemical test device, with which a measurement current dependent on the analyte concentration can be detected. Suitable testing devices can, for example, be integrated in commercially available hand-held analytical devices with which, for example, a diabetic patient can monitor his blood glucose level. In addition to the lancet 6, the lancet storage 5 also supports the test section 13, so that a body fluid sample can be obtained with the described pricking system and subsequently tested, for example, for measuring the glucose content.

The test device 12 of the pricking device 1 interacts with a test field 13 of the lancet holder 5, which test field 13 receives the body fluid sample flowing out of the produced pricking opening. This will be described below with the aid of fig. 6 to 9.

The action of the bending mechanism 10, which starts with the pricking movement, on the lancet storage 5 is ended by a subsequent reverse movement in which the lancet drive 8 and the section of the lancet storage 5 arranged in the slit 9 are returned again into their starting position shown in fig. 2 and 6, so that the bending device 10 is no longer pressed against the lancet storage 5. In order to receive a body fluid sample, the action of the bending mechanism 10 on the lancet storage tape 5 is interrupted after the pricking, so that the bent lancet storage tape section returns to its flat state (which is shown in this state in fig. 6, for example).

Subsequently, the transport device continues the movement of the lancet storage 5 such that the test section 13 of the lancet storage 5 is aligned with the instrument opening 2 and the previously produced puncture of the body part pressed against the instrument opening 2 (fluchtet). Thereafter, the pricking driver 8 again moves the lancet storage tape 5 in the pricking direction, and thereby, the bending mechanism 10 again bends the lancet storage tape 5 in the longitudinal direction. Here, the lancet storage tape 5 rests with a partial surface at the body part (in which the puncture is created). In the embodiment shown, this part surface (with which the lancet storage tape 5 is placed against the body part) contains the test section 13. That is, the lancet storage 5 is pressed again with its longitudinal edge against the bending device 10 in this operating step.

By receiving the body fluid sample by placing the lancet storage tape bent in the longitudinal direction against the body part in which the puncture is made, contamination of the puncture instrument can advantageously be avoided. The used lancet and the body fluid sample that has been tested can be discarded together with the used lancet storage tape in a hygienic and user-friendly manner.

In the embodiment shown, the bending device 10 bends the lancet storage tape 5 in the longitudinal direction at an angle α of about 45 ° shown in fig. 8. In the embodiment shown, the lancet storage tape is bent at least 25 °, in particular at least 30 °. Particularly preferably, for receiving a body fluid sample, the bending angle is 40 ° to 90 °, so that an advantageously large partial surface of the lancet storage tape 5 rests against the relevant body part for receiving the body fluid sample.

After receiving the body fluid sample, the pricking drive 8 moves the lancet storage tape 5 back again, i.e. separates it again from the bending device 10 and thus interrupts the action of the bending device 10 again, so that the bent lancet storage tape section returns to its flat state again. Subsequently, the transport device transports the lancet storage tape 5 a further step in order to transport the test field 13 wetted with the body fluid sample to the testing device 12. The test device 12 then interacts with the test zone 13 to determine the analyte concentration (e.g., glucose concentration) of the bodily fluid.

Fig. 10 shows a schematic view of an embodiment of a tape cassette 20, the tape cassette 20 carrying a lancet storage 5, the lancet storage 5 supporting a plurality of lancets, the lancets being arranged transversely to the longitudinal direction of the lancet storage 5. The tape cassette has bending means 10 in order to bend the section of the lancet storage tape 5 in the longitudinal direction of the lancet storage tape and thereby separate the lancet tip of the lancet from the lancet storage tape 5 for pricking.

All statements regarding the bending device 10 of the embodiment described above with reference to fig. 1 to 9 and the bending process are applicable to the embodiment shown in fig. 10. As in the case of the bending device of the exemplary embodiment described above, the bending device 10 is also embodied as two webs extending obliquely to the piercing direction. In the embodiment shown, the bending device is fixed at the frame 24 of the cassette 20, as can be seen most clearly in fig. 11, which fig. 11 is a schematic side view in relation to fig. 10.

The frame 24 of the cassette supports a storage roller (vortatrolle) 21 and a transport roller (Foerderrolle)22, the lancet storage tape being wound with unused lancets on the storage roller 21 and used sections of the lancet storage tape 5 being wound on the transport roller 22. The transport roller 22 has a central recess with a contour other than circular, in the embodiment shown a star-shaped contour, in order to be coupled to a driven shaft of the pricking instrument 1 when the tape cartridge 20 is inserted into the pricking instrument 1.

The lancet storage tape 5 is guided through the coupling 23 in the tape cassette 20 by means of guide rollers 7a, 7 b. When the tape cassette 20 is inserted into the pricking instrument 1, the coupling 23 is coupled to the pricking drive 8 of the pricking instrument 1, so that the coupling 23 can be moved in the pricking direction. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the coupling 23 has a coupling element 23a in the form of a pin for coupling to the pricking drive 8 of the pricking instrument 1. The coupling element 23a has a slot or groove through which the lancet storage tape 5 is guided. In the reciprocating linear movement of the coupling 23, the lancet storage tape 5 follows in the pricking direction, so that its longitudinal edge strikes against the bending device 10 and the lancet storage tape is bent. In this bending of the lancet storage 5, the tip of the lancet 6 is separated from the lancet storage 5 for pricking.

Fig. 12 shows a plan view of a further embodiment of the pricking instrument or pricking system in a schematic view, wherein the lancet storage 5 is bent in the longitudinal direction such that the lancet tip of the lancet 6 emerges from the lancet storage 5. But unlike the embodiments described above, it does not act on the longitudinal edges of the lancet storage tape 5 in order to bend it. Instead, this bending is effected in such a way that, during the pricking movement, the longitudinal edge of the lancet storage tape 5 which is at the front in the pricking direction is subjected to a greater stress than the longitudinal edge which is at the rear in the pricking direction. This point will be explained below with reference to fig. 12 to 14.

In the exemplary embodiment shown schematically in plan view in fig. 12 and shown in fig. 13 and 14 before or during the pricking movement, the pricking movement takes place in the direction of the geometric axis of rotation of the transport roller 22. Similarly to the embodiments described above, the lancet 6 in the pricking position is held together with the section of the lancet storage tape 5 that supports the lancet 6 in the holder of the pricking drive 8. The holder has a slit 9, through which slit 9 the lancet storage tape 5 is guided. As in the embodiment described above, the holder is arranged between two guide elements 7a and 7b (e.g. two pins), the lancet storage tape 5 being guided past the guide elements 7a and 7b and the guide elements deflecting the storage tape (in fig. 12 at an angle somewhat greater than 90 °), i.e. changing its direction of movement. In contrast to the exemplary embodiments described above, the holder is not arranged in line with the guide elements 7a, 7b, but is offset transversely to the pricking direction. Thus, the section of the lancet storage tape 5 that leads to the holder encloses an angle of less than 180 ° with the section of the lancet storage tape 5 that exits from the holder.

Upon piercing, the holder moves from the starting position shown in fig. 13 to the position shown in fig. 14. Here, the tape section held by the holder is moved out of the winding plane (in which the lancet storage tape 5 is wound by the transport roller 22). By arranging the holder offset transversely to the pricking direction between the guide elements 7a and 7b, the longitudinal edge of the lancet storage tape 5 preceding in the pricking direction is subjected to tensile stress during this movement. This tensile stress causes the longitudinal edge which is forward in the piercing direction to bend towards the guide elements 7a and 7 b. The curved longitudinal edge of the lancet storage tape 5 is indicated by an arrow in fig. 14. In this way, in the embodiment shown in fig. 12 to 14, the bending of the lancet storage tape 5 in the longitudinal direction is also achieved without acting on the longitudinal edge to be bent.

In the exemplary embodiment shown in fig. 12 to 14, the bending device is formed in such a way that the lancet 6 in the pricking position is held together with the section of the lancet storage tape 5 supporting the lancet 6 in a holder of the pricking drive 8 which is arranged offset transversely to the pricking direction between the two guide elements 7a, 7b (through which the lancet storage tape 5 is guided) and which performs a movement in the pricking direction during the pricking operation.

In fig. 15 to 18, a further embodiment is shown, in which, similarly to the embodiments described above, the longitudinal bending of the lancet storage 5 is effected without acting on the longitudinal edge of the lancet storage 5 which is in front in the pricking direction.

Fig. 15 shows a schematic plan view of the pricking instrument or pricking system before the pricking movement. The difference from the exemplary embodiment described above is primarily that the pricking direction extends transversely to the geometric rotational axis of the transport roller 22. Thus, the lancet storage tape 5 makes a quarter turn on its way from the storage roller 21 to the holder of the pricking driver 8. A further quarter turn is taken from the holder to the transport roller 22. In this way, the plane of the lancet storage 5 in the holder extends transversely to the plane of the lancet storage 5 in the rolled state.

In the embodiment shown, a quarter-turn rotation of the lancet storage 5 takes place at the guide elements 7a, 7b, the lancet storage 5 being guided past the guide elements 7a, 7b on its way to the transport roller 22 and changing its direction of movement there (in the embodiment shown the direction of movement changes by approximately 90 °). Similarly to the above-described embodiments, the holder is arranged offset transversely to the pricking direction and transversely to the virtual connecting line of the two guide elements 7a, 7b between the two guide elements 7a, 7 b. This can be clearly seen in fig. 16, where the holder is shown to the right of the storage roller 21 and the guide element 7a, i.e. "above" the two guide elements 7a, 7b in fig. 15. Thus, in the embodiment shown in fig. 15-18, the section of the lancet storage tape 5 that leads into the holder and the section of the lancet storage tape 5 that leaves the holder also enclose an angle of less than 180 ° in the transport direction of the tape.

Thus, in the embodiment shown in fig. 15 to 18, tensile stress is also applied to the longitudinal edge of the lancet storage tape 5 that is forward in the pricking direction during the pricking movement of the holder, as in the embodiment described with reference to fig. 12 to 14. The front longitudinal edge of the lancet storage tape 5 yields to this tensile stress by bending towards the rear longitudinal edge in the pricking direction. In this way, the lancet storage 5 is in this embodiment also bent in the longitudinal direction during the pricking movement, so that the lancet tip of the lancet 6 located in the pricking position emerges from the lancet storage 5. In fig. 18, arrows are drawn pointing towards the curved longitudinal edge of the lancet storage tape 5.

In the embodiment shown in fig. 15 to 18, the bending device is also constructed in this way by a special belt guide (i.e. arrangement of the holder relative to the guide elements 7a, 7 b).

List of reference numerals

1 pricking instrument

2 instrument opening

3 operating element

4 display device

5 Lancet storage tape

6-lancet

6a lancet tip

7a guide element

7b guide element

8 pricking driver

9 seam

10 bending device

10a curved surface

12 testing device

13 test area

20 tape box

21 storage roll

22 feed roller

23 coupling

23a coupling element

24 frame

Claims (19)

1. A piercing system for obtaining a bodily fluid sample, comprising:

a lancet storage tape (5) with a plurality of lancets (6), the lancets (6) being arranged transverse to the longitudinal direction of the lancet storage tape (5),

a transport device for sequentially bringing the lancets (6) of the lancet storage (5) into a pricking position by transferring the lancet storage (5) inserted into the container, and

a pricking drive (8) for moving the lancet (6) in the pricking position,

it is characterized in that

A bending device (10) for bending the section of the lancet storage tape (5) in the longitudinal direction of the lancet storage tape (5) and thereby separating the lancet tip (6a) of the lancet (6) from the lancet storage tape (5) for pricking.

2. The lancing system of claim 1, wherein the lance is a hollow cylinder

A cassette with a lancet storage tape (5), which lancet storage tape (5) is provided with a plurality of lancets (6) arranged transversely to the longitudinal direction of the lancet storage tape (5), and

pricking instrument with

A receptacle for receiving a tape cassette therein,

the transport device is used for sequentially carrying the lancets (6) of the lancet storage tapes (5) into a pricking position by transferring the lancet storage tapes (5) of the tape cassettes inserted into the containers, and

the pricking driver (8) is used for pricking the lancet (6) in the pricking position.

3. A pricking system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the lancet storage tape (5) comprises a test zone (13) for testing a sample of body fluid.

4. A pricking system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the lancet tip (6a) of the lancet (6) of the lancet storage tape (5) is surrounded by a sterile protector which is penetrated by the lancet tip (6a) when the section of the lancet storage tape (5) containing the lancet (6) is bent.

5. A tape cassette having

A lancet storage tape (5) with a plurality of lancets (6), the lancets (6) being arranged transversely to the longitudinal direction of the lancet storage tape (5), characterized by a bending device (10) for bending a section of the lancet storage tape (5) in the longitudinal direction of the lancet storage tape (5) and thereby separating a lancet tip (6a) of a lancet (6) from the lancet storage tape (5) for pricking.

6. A pricking instrument for obtaining a body fluid sample, having

A container for accommodating a lancet storage tape (5) with a plurality of lancets (6), the lancets (6) being arranged transversely to the longitudinal direction of the lancet storage tape (5) and having lancet tips (6a) for producing a puncture,

a transport device for sequentially bringing the lancets (6) of the lancet storage (5) into a pricking position by transferring the lancet storage (5) inserted into the container, and

a pricking drive (8) for moving the lancet (6) in the pricking position,

it is characterized in that

A bending device (10) for bending the section of the lancet storage tape (5) in the longitudinal direction of the lancet storage tape (5) and thereby separating the lancet tip (6a) of the lancet (6) from the lancet storage tape (5) for pricking.

7. A pricking instrument according to claim 6, wherein the bending means (10) acts on a longitudinal edge of the lancet storage tape (5) for bending the lancet storage tape (5).

8. A pricking instrument according to claim 7, wherein, for bending the lancet storage tape (5), the bending device (10) acts on a longitudinal edge of the lancet storage tape (5) with at least one bending surface (10a) extending obliquely with respect to the pricking direction.

9. A pricking instrument according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the bending means (10) acts with two bending surfaces (10a) onto the longitudinal edge of the lancet storage tape (5), and wherein the bending surfaces (10a) are arranged at a distance from each other.

10. A pricking instrument according to any of the preceding claims 6-8, wherein the section of the lancet storage tape (5) to be bent is moved in the pricking direction for bending.

11. A pricking instrument according to any of the preceding claims 6-8, wherein the pricking actuator (8) moves the section of the lancet storage tape (5) together with the lancet (6) in the pricking direction for pricking.

12. A pricking instrument according to any of the preceding claims 6-8, characterized by a test device (12) for testing a body fluid sample which is received by bringing a part of the surface of the lancet storage tape (5) which is bent in the longitudinal direction against the body part in which the puncture is made.

13. A pricking instrument according to claim 12, wherein the action of the bending device (10) on the lancet storage tape (5) is interrupted after the pricking, the transport device continues the movement of the lancet storage tape (5), after which the bending device (10) bends the lancet storage tape (5) again in the longitudinal direction and the lancet storage tape (5) rests with a partial surface at the body part in which the pricking is made.

14. A pricking instrument according to any of the preceding claims 6-8 and 13, wherein the lancet storage tape (5) is replaceably arranged in the container.

15. A pricking instrument according to any of the preceding claims 6-8 and 13, characterized by a cassette containing the lancet storage tape (5) replaceably arranged in the container.

16. A pricking instrument according to claim 15, wherein the bending device (10) is mounted at the cassette.

17. A pricking instrument according to any of the preceding claims 6-8, 13 and 16, characterized in that the bending device is formed in such a way that the lancet (6) in the pricking position is held together with the section of the lancet storage tape (5) supporting the lancet (6) in a holder of the pricking driver (8), which is arranged offset transversely to the pricking direction between two guide elements (7a, 7b) and which performs a movement in the pricking direction during pricking, wherein the lancet storage tape (5) is guided past the two guide elements (7a, 7 b).

18. A method for separating a lancet tip (6a) from a lancet storage tape (5), characterized in that the lancet storage tape (5) is bent in a pricking instrument in a longitudinal direction such that the lancet tip (6a) is lifted from the lancet storage tape (5).

19. Method according to claim 18, characterized in that for bending the band (5) a bending device (10) arranged in a pricking instrument is used.