Patent ID: 8029442

Claim:
A sensor inserter assembly comprising: a housing detachably coupled to a mount; an analyte sensor; an introducer sharp having a retention element disposed on a planar surface for releasably retaining the analyte sensor; and an actuator moving the introducer sharp and the analyte sensor in an insertion direction from within the housing to an extended position in which at least a portion of the introducer sharp and at least a portion of the analyte sensor protrude from the housing, the mount maintained in a fixed position relative to the housing while the introducer sharp moves in the insertion direction, the at least the portion of the analyte sensor adapted to be maintained in fluid contact with an analyte at the extended position, the actuator being automatically moved in a retraction direction when the at least the portion of the introducer sharp and the at least the portion of the analyte sensor protrude from the housing, wherein moving the actuator in the retraction direction causes the introducer sharp to move in the retraction direction from the extended position to a retracted position in which the introducer sharp is retracted entirely within the housing and separated from the analyte sensor, the analyte sensor detaching from the retention element of introducer sharp when the actuator moves the introducer sharp in the retraction direction, wherein the distance between the extended position and the retracted position is a fixed distance; wherein the actuator is axially aligned with the sensor and the introducer sharp along the insertion and retraction directions.