Methods and apparatus for expressing body fluid from an incision

A device for expressing bodily fluid from an incision in the skin, the incision being formed at an incision site in the skin surface, the device comprising:

• a skin stimulating member including at least three pins and at least three spaced-apart skin-engaging surfaces arranged around the incision site, said skin stimulating member having
• a first position with the skin-engaging surfaces contacting the skin and located at initial, outer positions, and
• a second position with the skin-engaging surfaces engaging the skin and located at constricting, inner positions, said inner position of each skin-engaging surface being in a radially-inward direction toward the incision site from the corresponding outer position,
• wherein each skin-engaging surface pivots around one of the pins when moving between the first and second positions, and
• wherein said skin-engaging surfaces include the surface of at least one roller.

A method for expressing bodily fluid from an incision in the skin, the incision being formed at an incision site in the skin surface, the method comprising:

• positioning at least three spaced-apart skin-engaging surfaces around the incision site and in contact with the skin;
• pivoting each skin-engaging surface around a pin;
• moving the at least three spaced-apart skin-engaging surfaces in radially-inward directions toward the incision site from outer to inner positions;
• constricting the skin with the skin-engaging surfaces in the inner positions;
• extending a lancet connected to the at least three spaced-apart skin-engaging surfaces between the skin-engaging surfaces;
• and penetrating the skin with the lancet.