A body fluid sensing device with a body fluid capture structure and a body fluid measurement sensor positioned in the body fluid capture structure. A capacitance sensor is coupled to the body fluid measurement sensor. The capacitance sensor is used to assist in the positioning of a body part relative to the body fluid capture structure.

A tissue penetrating system has a housing member, a plurality of penetrating members positioned in the housing member and a plurality of sample chambers. Each sample chamber is associated with a penetrating member. A tissue stabilizing member has a tissue interface surface configured to be applied to a tissue surface and provide for spontaneous flow of blood for sample capture. The tissue stabilizing member is coupled to the housing.

A lancet driver is provided wherein the driver exerts a driving force on a lancet during a lancing cycle and is used on a tissue site. The driver comprises of a drive force generator for advancing the lancet along a path into the tissue site, and a manual switch for a user interface input.

A body fluid sampling system for use on a tissue site includes a single drive force generator. A plurality of penetrating members are operatively coupled to the force generator. The force generator moves each of the members along a path out of a housing with a penetrating member exit, into the tissue site, stops in the tissue site, and withdraws out of the tissue site. A flexible support member couples the penetrating members to define a linear array. The support member is movable and configured to move each of the penetrating members to a launch position associated with the force generator.

A lancet needle with an alignment and engagement notch, with material of the lancet body extending into the notch to more securely retain the needle to the lancet body, whereby a shorter needle can be utilized than with typical lancets. The notch optionally also provides a registration point for rotational and/or axial alignment of the needle during overmolding to form the lancet body, for example to maintain consistent positioning of the needle's beveled point.

A lancet needle with an alignment and engagement notch, with material of the lancet body extending into the notch to more securely retain the needle to the lancet body, whereby a shorter needle can be utilized than with typical lancets. The notch optionally also provides a registration point for rotational and/or axial alignment of the needle during overmolding to form the lancet body, for example to maintain consistent positioning of the needle's beveled point.

A puncturing system has a carrier tape carrying multiple lancets, a device housing comprising a conveying facility for moving the lancets into a usage position consecutively by moving the carrier tape in a conveying direction, a puncturing drive for accelerating one of the lancets that is positioned in the usage position in a puncturing motion, an opening in the device housing for touching against a body part in which a puncture is to be made by the puncturing motion of one of the lancets, an actuation facility for driving the conveying facility, and an unlockable interlock comprising a stop that blocks further transport of the carrier tape as soon as one of the lancets has reached the usage position.

The application relates to a lancing device for obtaining samples of body fluid, said device comprising: a base body which is rotationally symmetrical with relation to the longitudinal axis thereof and on one longitudinal end of which a positioning surface with an exit opening is arranged; a lancet cartridge for receiving a plurality of lancets; a drive device for moving a lancet held in the lancet cartridge back and forth along the longitudinal axis; and a transport device for transporting lancets on a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The exit opening is located substantially centrally in the positioning surface and the lancet cartridge has a guide track for the lancets, in which track said lancets can be positioned in such a way that their tips can emerge from the exit opening during the movement back and forth.

The invention concerns lancets with a lancet needle, the tip of the lancet needle being embedded in an elastic material. Furthermore the invention concerns lancets where the tip of the lancet needle is surrounded by a hollow body which partially consists of an elastic material that can be pierced by the tip of the lancet needle during the lancing process and which reseals the tip of the lancet needle in the hollow body when it is retracted. In addition the invention concerns a lancet magazine in which the lancets are accommodated in individual chambers, each chamber having an opening through which the tip of the lancet needle can pass, which is sealed by an elastic material. Finally the invention concerns the use of an elastic material as a component of a lancet or a lancet magazine to maintain the sterility of at least the tip of a lancet needle in the unused state and to hygienically protect at least the tip of a lancet needle in the used state.

A tissue penetration device includes a magnetic source that produces a controllable magnetic field in a magnetically active region adjacent the magnetic source. A magnetic member is disposed at least partially in the magnetically active region. A permanent magnet is disposed at a proximal end of the magnetically active region for zeroing the position of the magnetic member while the tissue penetration device is inactive.