Lancet apparatus for producing a precisely controlled incision

摘要

An apparatus for producing a precisely controlled incision in a bodily surface is provided. The incision device includes a housing and a lancet blade carried by a lancet guide assembly. The lancet guide assembly includes a lancet guide arm mounted within the housing for pivotal movement and a guide surface. The guide surface guides the lancet blade through an arcuate cutting stroke during which the lancet blade extends through an opening in the housing as the lancet guide arm is pivoted between an unfired and a fired position The incision device also includes a trigger mechanism having a trigger arm mounted in the housing for pivotal movement between a ready-to-fire position and firing position. A spring element is arranged within the housing such that it is an unbiased condition when the trigger arm is in the ready-to-fire position and is biased as the trigger arm pivots towards the firing position. The trigger mechanism and spring element are configured such that the biased spring element is released when the trigger arm reaches the firing position and the spring is arranged such that when it is released it exerts a force on the lancet guide arm which pivots the guide arm from the unfired to the fired position and thereby moves the lancet blade through the cutting stroke.