Lancet magazine

1. A lancet magazine, comprising:

a plurality of lancets for generating a puncture wound for collection of a sample of a body fluid;

each lancet having a respective drive mechanism coupled thereto, each drive mechanism comprising at least one pretensioned drive element which releases mechanical energy to accelerate the respective coupled lancet for a puncturing movement when the drive mechanism is triggered; and

each drive mechanism comprising a monolithic drive arm which carries its respective lancet and which moves from a bent starting position to a stretched position during an advancing phase of a puncturing movement;

wherein each drive arm carries its respective lancet during a return phase which follows the advancing phase, each respective lancet being retracted during the return phase and each drive arm moving from the stretched position to a bent end position; and

wherein, in the bent end position, the drive arm is bent in a direction substantially opposite to the bending direction of the starting position.

2. The lancet magazine of claim 1 , wherein the drive arm comprises an articulated lever.

3. The lancet magazine of claim 1 , wherein the drive arm and the pretensioned drive element are separate parts of the drive mechanism.

4. The lancet magazine of claim 1 , wherein the drive arm comprises the pretensioned drive element.

5. The lancet magazine of claim 1 , wherein the lancets are arranged in the lancet magazine in the form of a ring.

6. The lancet magazine of claim 5 , wherein the lancets extend in a radial direction.

7. The lancet magazine of claim 1 , further comprising a magazine housing having a plurality of exit openings, a point of each lancet passing through a respective one of the exit openings during a puncturing movement.

8. The lancet magazine of claim 1 , further comprising a puncturing device associated therewith, the puncturing device comprising:

a compartment for accommodating the lancet magazine;

a housing opening configured to be pressed against a body part in which a puncture wound is to be produced.

9. A puncturing system, comprising:

a housing in which a plurality of lancets are arranged;

each lancet having a respective drive mechanism coupled thereto, each drive mechanism comprising at least one pretensioned drive element which releases mechanical energy to accelerate the respective coupled lancet for a puncturing movement when the drive mechanism is triggered; and

each drive mechanism comprising a monolithic drive arm which carries its respective lancet and which moves from a bent starting position to a stretched position during an advancing phase of a puncturing movement;

wherein each drive arm carries its respective lancet during a return phase which follows the advancing phase, each respective lancet being retracted during the return phase and each drive arm moving from the stretched position to a bent end position; and

wherein, in the bent end position, the drive arm is bent in a direction substantially opposite to the bending direction of the starting position.

10. The lancet magazine of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of drive elements are simultaneously in a pretensioned condition prior to initial use of the lancet magazine.

11. A lancet magazine, comprising:

a plurality of lancets for generating a puncture wound for collection of a sample of a body fluid;

each lancet having a respective drive mechanism coupled thereto, each drive mechanism comprising at least one pretensioned drive element which releases mechanical energy to accelerate the respective coupled lancet for a puncturing movement when the drive mechanism is triggered;

each drive mechanism comprising a drive arm which carries its respective lancet and which moves from a bent starting position to a radially extended position during an advancing phase of a puncture movement in a radial puncturing direction; and

a ring member, each of the plurality of drive arms extending radially outwardly from the ring member and wherein movement of the drive arms to the radially extended position moves a respective one of the lancets in the radial puncturing direction.

12. The lancet magazine of claim 11 wherein each of the drive arms comprises a lancet holder.

13. The lancet magazine of claim 12 wherein each of the plurality of lancets are formed of steel and are fitted in one of the lancet holders.