Patent ID: 7226450

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: a. a tissue penetrator disposed in a distal portion of the apparatus; b. a solenoid for controlling penetrator penetration speed and depth; c. a motor adapted to rotate the solenoid and the penetrator, d. a power supply and associated circuitry for supplying electrical power to the solenoid; e. a switch for starting and stopping the solenoid; f. a housing surrounding the penetrator, the solenoid and the power supply; and g. a disposable, biased retractable protector having a septum at its distal end and a bias member, where the protector is detachably connected to a distal end of the apparatus and protects a tip of the penetrator and where electric power supplied to the solenoid allows the penetrator to penetrate a tissue site at a controlled rate and to a controlled depth.