Safety lancet assembly

Abstract

A lancet assembly comprising an elongated lancet and a plurality of cooperative members at least some of which are movable relative thereto so as to selectively orient the lancet in a covered position, operative position or protected position. The plurality of members each comprise at least one coded structure visually indicative of the lancet being in one of the aforementioned positions dependent at least in part on which one or more of the coded structures are predominantly observable. The coded structures may comprise color codings which may be visually distinguishable or visually indistinguishable from one another. Coded structures other than color codings may be utilized.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A lancet assembly comprising: 
 a) a lancet having a penetrating tip formed on one end thereof,    b) a plurality of members disposable relative to said lancet to define at least an operative position and a protected position of said lancet, and    c) at least some of said plurality of members including a coded structure disposed thereon and being indicative of said lancet being at least in said operative position or said protected position.    
     
     
         2 . A lancet assembly as recited in  claim 1  wherein said plurality of members including said coded structures disposed thereon are structured to be visually indicative of a change in orientation of respective ones of said plurality of members.  
     
     
         3 . A lancet assembly as recited in  claim 2  wherein said coded structures of respective ones of said plurality of members are disposed in a visually observable position or a visually non-observable position dependent on the orientation of said plurality of members relative to said lancet.  
     
     
         4 . A lancet assembly as recited in  claim 1  wherein said coded structures comprise a plurality of color codlings at least some of which are visually distinguishable from one another.  
     
     
         5 . A lancet assembly as recited in  claim 3  wherein said coded structures comprise a plurality of indicia at least some of which are distinguishable from one another.  
     
     
         6 . A lancet assembly as recited in  claim 1  wherein at least some of said plurality of members are movable relative to said lancet to define said operative position and said protected position.  
     
     
         7 . A lancet assembly as recited in  claim 6  wherein at least some of said plurality of members are selectively movable relative to said lancet to further define a covered position of said lancet.  
     
     
         8 . A lancet assembly as recited in  claim 7  wherein said coded structures on at least some of said plurality of members are disposed and structured to provide a visual indication of the relative orientation of said plurality of members and said lancet being in said operative position, said protected position or said covered position.  
     
     
         9 . A lancet assembly as recited in  claim 8  wherein at least some of said coded structures are visually distinguishable from one another.  
     
     
         10 . A lancet assembly as recited in  claim 9  wherein said coded structures comprise a plurality of color codlings at least some of which are visually distinguishable from one another.  
     
     
         11 . A lancet assembly as recited in  claim 9  wherein at least some of said coded structures are visually indistinguishable from one another.  
     
     
         12 . A lancet assembly as recited in  claim 11  wherein said coded structures comprise a plurality of color codlings at least some of which are visually distinguishable from one another.  
     
     
         13 . A lancet assembly as recited in  claim 11  wherein said coded structures comprise a plurality of indicia.  
     
     
         14 . A lancet assembly comprising: 
 a) a lancet having a penetrating tip formed on one end thereof,    b) a retaining member fixedly secured to said lancet in spaced relation to said penetrating tip,    c) a protective member being at least initially movable relative to said lancet and positionable between an operative position and a protected position, and    d) a plurality of coded structures formed on said retaining member and said protective member and being indicative of said lancet being in at least said operative position or said protected position.    
     
     
         15 . A lancet assembly as recited in  claim 14  wherein said plurality of coded structures are structured and disposed to provide a visual indication of said lancet being in said operative position or said protected position.  
     
     
         16 . A lancet assembly as recited in  claim 15  wherein at least some of said coded structures are visually distinguishable from one another.  
     
     
         17 . A lancet assembly as recited in  claim 16  wherein at least some of said coded structures are visually indistinguishable from one another.  
     
     
         18 . A lancet assembly as recited in  claim 17  wherein at least one of said retaining member or protective member includes said coded structures thereon being both visually distinguishable and visually indistinguishable from others of said plurality of coded structures.  
     
     
         19 . A lancet assembly as recited in  claim 14  further comprising a cover member movably disposed relative to said lancet and positionable into and out of a covered position.  
     
     
         20 . A lancet assembly as recited in  claim 19  wherein at least one of said plurality of coded structures is formed on said cover member, said one coded structure being at least partially indicative of said lancet being in said covered position.  
     
     
         21 . A lancet assembly as recited in  claim 20  wherein said plurality of coded structures comprise a plurality of color codings disposed on said retaining member, said protective member and said cover member, said plurality of color codings are disposed in either a substantially observable position or a substantially non-observable position dependent on the relative orientation of said retaining member, said protective member and said cover member.  
     
     
         22 . A lancet assembly as recited in  claim 21  wherein one or more of said plurality of color codings disposed in said observable positions being indicative of said lancet being in one of said operative position, covered position or protected position.  
     
     
         23 . A lancet assembly as recited in  claim 22  wherein said covered position is defined by said penetrating tip extending outwardly from said protective member and in enclosed relation by said cover member.  
     
     
         24 . A lancet assembly as recited in  claim 23  wherein said covered position is further defined by color codings of both said cover member and said retainer member being predominantly observable.  
     
     
         25 . A lancet assembly as recited in  claim 24  wherein said color codings of both said cover member and said retainer member are substantially visually indistinguishable.  
     
     
         26 . A lancet assembly as recited in  claim 22  wherein said operative position is defined by said penetrating tip extending outwardly from said protective member in an exposed orientation.  
     
     
         27 . A lancet assembly as recited in  claim 26  wherein said operative position is further defined by said color codings of said retaining member and said protective member being predominantly observable.  
     
     
         28 . A lancet assembly as recited in  claim 27  wherein said color codings of both said retaining member and said protective member are visually distinguishable from one another.  
     
     
         29 . A lancet assembly as recited in  claim 22  wherein said protected position is defined by said penetrating tip disposed in a covered, non-exposed orientation within said protective member.  
     
     
         30 . A lancet assembly as recited in  claim 29  wherein said protected position is further defined by said color codings of said retainer member and said protected member being predominantly observable and said retainer member including at least two color codings visually distinguishable from one another.  
     
     
         31 . A lancet assembly as recited in  claim 30  wherein said color coding of said protective member is visually distinguishable from each of said at least two color codings of said retainer member.  
     
     
         32 . A lancet assembly comprising: 
 a) a lancet including a penetrating tip formed on one end thereof,    b) a retaining member fixedly secured to said lancet in spaced relation to said penetrating tip,    c) a protective member being at least initially movable relative to said lancet and positionable between an operative position and a protected position,    d) a cover member movably disposed relative to said lancet and positionable into and out of a covered position,    e) each of said retaining member, protective member, and covered member including at least one coded structure positionable in either a substantially observable or a substantially non-observable position dependent on the orientation of said protective member and said cover member relative to said lancet, and    f) predominantly observable ones of said coded structures being indicative of said lancet being disposed in said operative position, said covered position or said protected position.    
     
     
         33 . A lancet assembly as recited in  claim 32  wherein said coded structures comprise at least one color coding disposed on each of said retaining member, said protective member and said cover member.  
     
     
         34 . A lancet assembly as recited in  claim 32  wherein said covered position is defined by said penetrating tip extending outwardly from said protective member and in enclosed relation by said cover member.  
     
     
         35 . A lancet assembly as recited in  claim 34  wherein said covered position is further defined by said coded structure of both said covered member and said retainer member being predominantly observable.  
     
     
         36 . A lancet assembly as recited in  claim 35  wherein said coded structure of both said cover member and said retainer member are substantially the same.  
     
     
         37 . A lancet assembly as recited in  claim 32  wherein said operative position is defined by said penetrating tip extending outwardly from said protective member in an exposed orientation.  
     
     
         38 . A lancet assembly as recited in  claim 37  wherein said operative position is further defined by said coded structures of said retaining member and said protective member being predominantly observable.  
     
     
         39 . A lancet assembly as recited in  claim 38  wherein said coded structures of both said retaining member and said protective member are different.  
     
     
         40 . A lancet assembly as recited in  claim 32  wherein said protective position is defined by said penetrating tip disposed in a covered, non-exposed orientation within said protective member.  
     
     
         41 . A lancet assembly as recited in  claim 40  wherein said protective position is further defined by said coded structures of said retainer member and said protective member being predominantly observable; said retainer member including at least two coded structures being visually distinguishable from one another; said coded structure of said protective member being visually distinguishable from each of said at least two coded structures of said retainer member.  
     
     
         42 . A lancet assembly as recited in  claim 32  further comprising a coupling assembly disposed at least partially on both said retainer member and said protective member and structured to fixedly dispose said protective member in said protected position.  
     
     
         43 . A lancelet assembly comprising: 
 a) a lancet having a penetrating tip formed on one end thereof,    b) a plurality of members disposable relative to said lancet to define a protected position in at least two operative position of said lancet, and    c) said two operative positions comprising a non-exposed tip positioned and an exposed tip positioned.    
     
     
         44 . A lancet assembly as recited in  claim 43  further comprising a biasing assembly disposed to normally biased at least some of said plurality of members into one of said non-exposed tip position or said exposed tip position.  
     
     
         45 . A lancet assembly as recited in  claim 44  further comprising a coupling assembly interconnected between at least some of said plurality of members and structured to fixedly orient said lancet in said protected position.  
     
     
         46 . A lancet assembly as recited in  claim 44  wherein said coupling assembly is further structured to allow selective orientation of said lancet between said non-exposed tip position and said exposed tip position.  
     
     
         47 . A lancet assembly as recited in  claim 44  wherein said biasing assembly is disposed to normally orient said lancet into said non-exposed tip position; said biasing assembly structured to permit selective orientation of said lancet from said non-exposed tip position into said exposed tip position.  
     
     
         48 . A lancet assembly as recited in  claim 43  wherein at least some of said plurality of members include a coded structure disposed thereon and being indicative of said lancet being at least in said protected position or at least one of said operative positions.  
     
     
         49 . A lancet assembly as recited in  claim 43  further comprising a coupling assembly interconnected between at least some of said plurality of members and structured to selectively maintain orientation of said lancet in either said two operative positions or said protected position.  
     
     
         50 . A lancet assembly as recited in  claim 49  wherein said coupling assembly is structured to fixedly orient said lancet in said protected position.  
     
     
         51 . A lancet assembly as recited in  claim 49  wherein said coupling assembly is further structured to allow selective orientation of said lancet between said non-exposed tip position and said exposed tip position.  
     
     
         52 . A lancet assembly as recited in  claim 51  wherein at least some of said plurality of members include a coded structure disposed thereon and being indicative of said lancet being at least in said protected position or at least one of said operative positions.