Patent ID: 8303615

Claim:
A lancing device comprising: a main housing enclosing a portion of a lancing mechanism, the lancing mechanism including a lancet holder attached to a shaft, the lancet holder being adapted to receive a lancet and having a slot formed therein, the lancing mechanism being adapted to move between a rest position, a cocked position, and a puncture position; a movable housing adjacent the main housing, the movable housing being adapted to move from a rest position to a cocking position and a lancet-release position; and a pushbutton adapted to allow the lancing mechanism to move from the cocked position to the puncture position upon depression of the pushbutton in the general direction of the main housing, the pushbutton including a lancet-release tab formed thereon, the lancet-release tab being adapted to extend into the slot formed in the lancet holder and engage the lancet in response to the depression of the pushbutton, wherein the lancet is released from the lancet holder in response to the continued depression of the pushbutton and the movable housing being moved from the rest position to the lancet-release position.