Depth-adjust mechanism for lancing device

A depth-adjustment mechanism for a lancing device, the lancing device comprising a lancet carrier holding a lancet and translatable axially through a lancing stroke, a drive spring adapted to propel the lancet carrier through a forward phase of the lancing stroke to an extended position for lancing, and a return spring adapted to retract the lancet carrier from the extended position, the depth-adjustment mechanism comprising:

• an adjustably positioned stop surface;
• a movable adjustment control member operably coupled to the stop surface;
• and
• a resiliently deflectable leg formed by the return spring and including an extension arm attached to the distal end of the deflectable leg, the extension arm extending transversely across an axis defined by the lancing stroke, contacting the stop surface in the lancet-carrier extended position, and operably interposed between the lancet carrier and the stop surface,
• wherein the lancet carrier engages and deflects the deflectable leg in the forward phase of the lancing stroke, and the extension arm then engages the stop surface to stop the extension-arm and deflectable leg deflection and thus stop the forward motion of the lancet carrier at the extended position, wherein the extension arm being operably interposed between the lancet carrier and the stop surface produces a non-instant stop of the lancet carrier at the extended position to reduce vibration for a less painful lancing experience, and wherein the control member is adjustably positionable to move different portions of the stop surface into an engagement position where they are contacted by the extension arm to adjust the extended position and thereby adjust a penetration depth of the lancet;
• wherein the return spring is a torsion spring.