Patent ID: 7972349
Filing Date: 2011-07-05
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A blood sampling device comprising: a housing; a spring loaded needle-carrying lancet located within the housing; a cap releasably attached to said lancet adjacent said needle; and a trigger-releasable latch to hold the lancet within the housing such that an exposed needle cannot project through an opening at one end of the housing until the latch is released by the trigger, the cap extending to project from an attachment to said lancet through the opening at one end of the housing and having at least one locating member fitting into at least one cooperating feature of an outer wall of the housing, and the cap holding the lancet against movement relative to the housing, the cap being twistable to release the at least one locating member from the at least one cooperating feature such that the cap can be detached from the housing and from the lancet, the lancet having a spring loading to urge the lancet in a direction towards the opening in the housing, wherein said trigger releasable latch and said lancet have respective opposed latch surfaces engageable to retain said lancet in said housing until release of said latch, and said cap is adapted to hold the lancet in a position in which the lancet latch surface is spaced rearwardly of and out of engagement with the latch surface of said trigger-releasable latch until said cap is detached from the housing and from the lancet.