Patent ID: 7837633

Claim:
A lancing device for use with a cartridge assembly having an array of lancets, each lancet including a detachable cap, the lancing device comprising: a housing for receiving the cartridge assembly; an indexing ratchet mechanism adapted to sequentially advance the lancets into an active lancet position; a drive mechanism having a drive member adapted to engage and retract an active-positioned one of the lancets to detach the corresponding active-positioned cap, and to drive the active-positioned lancet along a lancing stroke; a charger mechanism adapted to retract the drive member; a cap displacement mechanism adapted to engage and move the active-positioned, detached lancet cap from the lancing stroke path of the active-positioned lancet; and a slider that is slidable relative to the housing and adapted to actuate the indexing ratchet mechanism, the charger mechanism, and the cap displacement mechanism as the slider is moved between a first position and a second position.