Cap displacement mechanism for lancing device and multi-lancet cartridge

A lancing device for use with a cartridge having an array of lancets, each lancet including a detachable cap, the lancing device comprising:

• an advancing mechanism adapted to sequentially advance the lancets into an active lancet position;
• a drive mechanism having a drive member adapted to engage and retract an active-positioned one of the lancets to detach the corresponding active-positioned cap, and to drive the active-positioned lancet along a lancing stroke;
• and
• a cap-displacement mechanism including a plunger with a follower surface, the plunger being biased away from the cap of the active-positioned lancet, and a cam surface, wherein the follower surface transcribes the cam surface upon movement of the cam surface relative to the plunger to drive the plunger into engagement with the cap of the active-positioned lancet to displace the active-positioned and detached lancet cap from the lancing stroke path of the active-positioned lancet.

A lancing device for use with a cartridge having an array of lancets, each lancet including a detachable cap, the lancing device comprising:

• an advancing mechanism adapted to sequentially advance the lancets into an active lancet position;
• a drive mechanism having a drive member adapted to engage and retract an active-positioned one of the lancets to detach the corresponding active-positioned cap, and to drive the active-positioned lancet along a lancing stroke;
• and
• a cap-displacement mechanism including a cam-driven plunger, the cap-displacement mechanism being operably coupled to the advancing mechanism so that operation of the advancing mechanism also operates the cap-displacement mechanism to move the cam driven plunger into engagement with the active-positioned and detached lancet cap and move the active-positioned and detached lancet cap from the lancing stroke path of the active-positioned lancet.