Low cost disposable lancet

A safety lancet device, comprising:

• a thumb rest;
• a finger rest disposed opposite to said thumb rest;
• a detent arm coupled to said thumb rest;
• a beam keeper arm coupled to said finger rest, said beam keeper arm slidably engaging along said detent arm from a first position to a second position when a user compresses said thumb and finger rest together to operate said lancet device;
• and
• a pivotally coupled beam member having a cutting blade disposed at an end thereof, said end of said beam member engaging said beam keeper arm in said first position and disengaging said beam keeper arm in said second position, wherein said beam member resiliently deflects in a first direction as said beam keeper arm moves from said first position to said second position thereby causing a buildup of a biasing force in said beam member, said biasing force causing said beam member to accelerate said cutting blade through said aperture in said lancet device to incise the user's skin when said beam member disengages said beam keeper arm in said second position.

A unitarily formed safety lancet device, comprising:

• a thumb rest;
• a finger disposed opposite to said thumb rest;
• a detent arm coupled to said thumb rest;
• a beam keeper arm coupled to said finger rest, said beam keeper arm slidably engaging along said detent arm from a first position to a second position when a user compresses said thumb and finger rest together to operate said lancet device;
• a pivotally coupled beam member having a cutting blade disposed at an end thereof, said end of said beam member engaging said beam keeper arm in said first position and disengaging said beam keeper arm in said second position, wherein said beam member resiliently deflects in a first direction as said beam keeper arm moves from said first position to said second position thereby causing a buildup of a biasing force in said beam member, said biasing force causing said beam member to accelerate said cutting blade through said aperture in said lancet device to incise the user's skin when said beam member disengages said beam keeper arm in said second position, said acceleration of said beam member and said cutting blade operating to resiliently deflect said beam member in a second direction, building up a second biasing force which causes said beam member to return to a non-deflected position thereby withdrawing said cutting blade from the user's skin and back through said aperture;
• and
• cover means disposed on first and second sides of said safety lancet device for preventing contact with said cutting blade.