Patent ID: 8251920

Claim:
An apparatus for lancing skin, collecting a liquid sample and determining an analyte concentration of a fluid sample, the apparatus comprising: a housing sized to be handheld and having an outer periphery; a lance for lancing skin, the lance being fully within the outer periphery of the housing in the first predefined position, the lance extending beyond the outer periphery of the housing in the second predefined position so as to create a lance site in skin of a user, the lance being fully within the outer periphery after creating the lance site in the skin of the user; and a sample-collection area being positioned within an effective range of the lance site to collect the liquid sample, the sample-collection area being distinct and separate from the lance; a fluid-testing area being in fluid communication with the sample-collection area, the fluid-testing area assisting in determining the analyte concentration of the fluid sample, the fluid-testing area and the sample-collection area being located in a general fixed relation to the lance, wherein the lance and the sample-collection area simultaneously move in a single generally downwardly direction in forming the lance site and collecting the liquid sample after forming the lance site.