Automatic retractable lancet assembly

Claim 1

A throw-away single use automatically retractable lancet assembly, comprising (a) a housing: (b) an aperture positioned in one end of said housing; (c) a lancet in said housing adjacent said aperture, said lancet mounted for reciprocable movement through said aperture; the improvement characterized by (d) lancet actuating means mounted in said housing in the end thereof opposite said aperture; (e) a first spring mounted in said housing and positioned between said lancet actuating means and said lancet; (f) said first spring being movable from a first compressed position to a second relaxed position upon release to cause movement of said lancet outward through said aperture for penetration of the skin of a patient; (g) means for dissociating said first spring in said second position from further movement of said lancet; (h) said lancet actuating means movable through said housing end from a first non-charge position to a second charge position for moving said first spring from a relaxed state to a compressed state; (i) release means in said housing for retaining said first spring in said first position and for the release of said first spring to cause the said movement thereof from said first position to said second position for causing outward movement of said lancet through said aperture; (j) a second spring positioned between and connecting said first spring and said lancet; (k) said second spring being movable from a first relaxed position maintained at both the non-charged and charged position of said actuating means with said lancet withdrawn from said aperture; (l) to a momentarily extended condition momentarily thrusting said lancet through said aperture back to a relaxed position with the lancet withdrawn from the aperture.