Cassette of lancet cartridges for sampling blood

A cassette device for an apparatus for sampling blood from a patient, comprising:

• (a) at least one test cartridge having a case and a lancet, the case including a cavity for collecting blood for analysis, the case further including two surfaces on opposite sides to facilitate stacking test cartridges together for storage in the cassette device, the lancet having a tip and being housed in the case and operatively connected thereto such that the lancet can be driven to extend the tip outside the case for lancing the skin of the patient to yield blood, the lancet being returnable into the case after lancing for safe disposal;
• and
• (b) container having a first compartment for storing a plurality of new test cartridges including said at least one test cartridge and a second compartment for storing spent test cartridges, for loading one of said new test cartridges from the container to an actuator that can drive the lancet to lance the skin of a patient.

A cassette device for an apparatus for sampling blood from a patient, comprising:

• (a) at least one test cartridge having a case and a lancet, the case including a longitudinal axis parallel to which the lancet can extend, the lancet having a tip and being housed in the case and operatively connected thereto such that the lancet can be driven to extend the tip outside the case for lancing the skin of the patient to yield blood for analysis, the lancet being returnable into the case after lancing for safe disposal;
• and
• (b) container having a cassette axis upon which the container can turn and having slots for holding test cartridges including said at least one test cartridge, each slot for holding a test cartridge, wherein the container can turn to expose test cartridges one at a time to associate with a driver to drive the lancet to lance the skin of a patient.