Lancet system

A lancet magazine for storing lancets comprising

• a storage area for storing a plurality of longitudinal, essentially needle-shaped lancets, the lancets being stored laterally side-by-side;
• and
• a withdrawal area wherein at least a tip of a lancet may be extended out of the magazine during a lancing process;
• and
• a transport unit to transport the lancets from the storage area into the withdrawal area;
• the withdrawal area also including an area for receiving a drive element for driving a lancet in the withdrawal area out of the magazine during a lancing process;
• and an area for receiving a retraction device separate from the transport unit and the drive element for interaction with any lancet located in the withdrawal area to automatically move the lancet from a lancing position back into a resting position after the lancing process has been completed.

A lancing device suitable for use in a system for storing and providing lancets comprising

• i) a storage area to store the lancets;
• ii) a withdrawal area to guide at least a tip of each lancet out of the system during the lancing process;
• iii) a transport unit to transport lancets from the storage area to a Testing position in the withdrawal area;
• iv) a drive unit area having a drive element separate from the transport unit, the drive unit being movable to carry out a lancing process wherein a lancet in the withdrawal area moves from its resting position into a lancing position;
• and
• v) a retraction device separate from the drive unit and the transport unit for interaction with any lancet located in the withdrawal area to automatically move the lancet, after completion of the lancing process, from its lancing position back into its resting position.