Lancet device with retractable sharps member

The present invention relates generally to protection against an accidental sharps injury or stick. More particularly, the present invention relates to a retractable lancet device for protection from an accidental sharps injury or stick from a used sharps member of the type commonly associated with finger sticks. A retractable sharps assembly comprising a housing and a sharps unit. The housing comprises first and second open ends and a shoulder proximate the first end. The sharps unit generally comprises a frame, a shelf having a sharps member extending therefrom positioned in the frame, and at least one elastic member extending between the shelf and the forward end. As the frame is inserted into and moved forward in the hollow housing, the shelf is retained by the shoulder such that the elastic member is loaded between the shelf and forward end. A trigger mechanism interacts with the shoulder and disengages the shelf. The load in the elastic member drives the sharps member towards the forward end and through the second end opening, and simultaneously compresses the elastic member. The elastic member thereafter relaxes to retract the sharps member within the housing.