Patent ID: 7512432

Claim:
A device to index a sensor array comprising: (a) a housing; (b) a sensor array comprising a first test sensor element and a second test sensor element disposed within said housing, said second test sensor element disposed adjacent to said first test sensor within said housing; (c) a lancet within said housing; (d) multiple hingedly-coupled elements within said housing that are linked together one after another forming a chain of elements; (e) an arcuate feed track defined within said housing; and (f) mechanical linkages within said housing to automatically index the sensor array by advancing the chain of elements along the arcuate feed track immediately behind one of the first and second test sensor elements to position said one of said first and second test sensor elements beneath a skin distension cup, which defines an opening in the housing for receiving a blood sample following skin penetration by the lancet through the opening, and (g) a CPU for calculating a concentration of an analyte in the blood sample once an adequate blood sample has reached a reactive area of said one of said first and second test sensor elements, and (h) each of said first and second test sensors having a coupling element or surface that is adapted to both: (1) engage with the coupling element or surface on the other of the first and second test sensors in a removable manner; and (2) decouple from the coupling element or surface on the other of the first and second test sensors; (i) wherein following said calculating, said one of said first and second test sensor elements is removed from the housing to make way for performing a next test with the other of said first and second test sensor elements.