EP0732590A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Dispensing instrument for fluid monitoring sensors
Assignee: Bayer Corp
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Filing: 1996-01-09
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2016-01-09
Abstract
Abstract A sensor dispensing instrument is adapted to receive a generally circular sensor pack containing a plurality of blood glucose sensors. Each of the sensors are disposed in sensor cavities, each of which is in fluid communication with a corresponding desiccant cavity and has a support wall that assists in directing the sensor as its being ejected from the cavity. The sensor pack is loaded on an indexing disk in the instrument such that when a slide actuator on the instrument is moved toward a testing position, a feed mechanism engaged by the slide actuator moves a knife blade thereon toward one of the sensor cavities. The knife blade pierces a portion of a foil covering the sensor cavity and engages the sensor disposed in the cavity to thereby eject the sensor from the sensor cavity. The continued sliding of the slide actuator toward its testing position results in the sensor being completely ejected from the sensor cavity and disposed in a testing position with a testing end of the sensor projecting from the instrument. Once the blood analyzing test is completed, the slide actuator is moved in the opposite direction towards its standby position. As the slide actuator is moved away from its testing position, the indexing disk with the sensor pack thereon is rotated so that the next one of sensor cavities is positioned so that the sensor therein can be used for the next blood glucose test that is to be performed. The instrument includes circuitry to obtain test data from the sensor pack and to display testing data.
Inventors
- 👤 Steven C. Charlton
- 👤 Anne T. Miller
- 👤 Joseph L. Moulton
- 👤 Matthew A. Schumann
- 👤 Dennis Slomski
- 👤 Frank W. Wogoman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 10:20
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N1/00; G01N33/00; G01N33/48; G01N33/483; G01N33/487; G01N33/4875; B; B01; B01L; B01L99/00; G01N35/00; G01N35/00029; G01N2035/00089; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T436/00; Y10T436/11; Y10T436/110833; Y10T436/112499
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
200 words
A sensor dispensing instrument for handling of a plurality of fluid sensors comprising: an outer housing; a sensor pack having a plurality of sensor retaining means, each of which sensor retaining means being adapted to accommodate one of said plurality of fluid sensors and is at least partially enclosed by enclosure means, said sensor pack being disposed in said housing such that one of said sensor retaining means is disposed in a feed position; a driver means disposed in said housing, movable between a first position and a second position, and having a cutting means pivotally mounted thereon, said cutting means riding on a cam track disposed in said housing such that said cutting means is moved towards one of said plurality of sensor retaining means that is in said feed position as said driver means is moved towards said second position in order for said cutting means to pierce said enclosure means, engage said sensor disposed in said sensor retaining means and advance said sensor from said sensor retaining means into a testing position as said driver means is moved from said first position toward said second position; and holding means to maintain said sensor in said testing position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
51 words
A sensor dispensing instrument as set forth in claim 1 wherein said cutting means further severs said enclosure means after engaging said sensor and forces said sensor through said enclosure means from said sensor retaining means, said sensor being guided into said testing position by guide means disposed within said housing.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
63 words
A sensor dispensing instrument as set forth in claim 2 wherein said sensor includes sensor contacts, said holding means includes contact means , and said driver means includes cam means engaging said holding means as said sensor is disposed in said testing position such that said sensor is maintained in said testing position with said contact means being coupled to said sensor contacts.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
A sensor dispensing instrument as set forth in claim 3 wherein said sensor dispensing instrument includes data processing means coupled to said contact means through said holding means to process data obtained from said sensor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
59 words
A sensor dispensing instrument as set forth in claim 1 including lift spring means and wherein said cutting means rides on said lift spring means as said driver means is being returned towards said first position so that said cutting means is moved away from said sensor pack as said driver means is being returned toward said first position.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
48 words
A sensor dispensing instrument as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said sensor retaining means includes a sensor cavity and a desiccant cavity, said desiccant cavity of each of said sensor retaining means being in fluid communication with said sensor cavity of said sensor retaining means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
37 words
A sensor dispensing instrument as set forth in claim 6 including desiccant material in each of said plurality of desiccant cavities so that each of said plurality of sensor retaining means is maintained in a desiccate state.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
136 words
A sensor dispensing instrument as set forth in claim 1 wherein said sensor pack includes a base portion in which said sensor retaining means are formed, wherein said enclosure means is a foil that is heat sealed on said base portion about the outer peripheral edge of said base portion and about each of said sensor retaining means to seal said sensor retaining means with said sensors therein, and wherein each of said sensor retaining means includes a sensor cavity having a support wall on which said sensor is disposed that extends in a radial direction from adjacent the peripheral edge of said base portion toward a center of said base portion, said support wall having a sloped portion that is sloped toward said foil in a direction toward said peripheral edge of said base portion.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
62 words
A sensor dispensing instrument as set forth in claim 8 wherein said sensor is advanced along said sloped portion of said support wall of said sensor retaining means as said sensor is forced through said foil so that said sensor avoids said heat seal of said foil to said base portion as said sensor is advanced out of said sensor retaining means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
151 words
A sensor dispensing instrument as set forth in claim 1 including label means on said sensor pack having data thereon, including circuit means disposed in a first case portion of said housing, including calibration means disposed in a second case portion of said housing for contacting said label means in order to obtain data therefrom, said first and second case portions being pivotable with respect to each other between open and closed states, and including a somewhat flexible elastomeric connector that is disposed in a serpentine configured channel for connecting said circuit means to said calibration means when said first and second case portions are in said closed state, said connector being maintained in said channel when said first and second case portions are in said open state and is compressed between said circuit means and said calibration means when said first and second case portions are in said closed state.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
A sensor dispensing instrument as set forth in claim 10 wherein said channel includes alternating opposed ridges extending inwardly from opposite side edges of said channel.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
215 words
A sensor dispensing instrument for handling of a plurality of fluid sensors comprising: an outer housing; a sensor pack having a plurality of sensor retaining means, each of which sensor retaining means being adapted to accommodate one of said plurality of fluid sensors and is at least partially enclosed by enclosure means; indexing means mounted in said housing, said sensor pack being disposed on said indexing means so as to be advanced as said indexing means is advanced such that one of said sensor retaining means is disposed in a feed position; a feed means disposed in said housing and movable between a first position and a second position, said feed means piercing said enclosure means to enter one of said plurality of sensor retaining means that is in said feed position and advancing said sensor from said sensor retaining means into a testing position as said feed means is moved from said first position toward said second position; and indexing drive means associated with said feed means and said indexing means to advance said indexing means as said feed means is returned to said first position so as to position another one of said plurality of sensor retaining means in said feed position as said feed means is being returned to said first position.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
87 words
A sensor dispensing instrument as set forth in claim 12 wherein said feed means includes a driver means and a cutting means pivotally mounted on said driver means, said cutting means riding on a first portion of a cam track disposed in said housing such that said cutting means is moved towards said sensor retaining means as said driver means is moved towards said second position in order for said cutting means to pierce said enclosure means and engage said sensor disposed in said sensor retaining means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
50 words
A sensor dispensing instrument as set forth in claim 13 wherein said cutting means severs said enclosure means after engaging said sensor and forces said sensor through said enclosure means from said sensor retaining means, said sensor being guided into said testing position by guide means disposed within said housing.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
59 words
A sensor dispensing instrument as set forth in claim 13 including lift spring means and wherein said cutting means rides on said lift spring means as said driver means is being returned towards said first position so that said cutting means is moved away from said sensor pack as said feed means is being returned toward said first position.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
77 words
A sensor dispensing instrument as set forth in claim 12 wherein said sensor includes sensor contacts, said sensor dispensing instrument includes contact means with positioning means thereon, and said feed means includes a cam means engaging said contact means as said sensor is disposed in said testing position such that said positioning means is forced against said sensor to maintain said sensor in said testing position and assures said contact means are coupled to said sensor contacts.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
31 words
A sensor dispensing instrument as set forth in claim 16 wherein said sensor dispensing instrument includes data processing means coupled to said contact means to process data obtained from said sensor.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
132 words
A sensor dispensing instrument as set forth in claim 12 wherein said indexing means is generally circular in shape and includes a plurality of first grooves extending radially from a peripheral edge of said indexing means and a plurality of second grooves, one of said second grooves being associated with each of said first grooves, said second grooves extending curvilinearly with respect to said first groove with which it is associated, said feed means having a pack drive means that travels along one of said first grooves as said feed means is moved from said first position to said second position and travels along said second groove associated with said first groove to thereby rotate said indexing means as said feed means is returned toward said first position from said second position.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
72 words
A sensor dispensing instrument as set forth in claim 18 wherein each of said first grooves includes a ramp means, said pack drive means travels along said ramp means as said feed means is moved from said first position toward said second position, said ramp means preventing said pack drive means from traveling along said first groove as said feed means is being returned towards said first position from said second position.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
65 words
A sensor dispensing instrument as set forth in claim 12 wherein said indexing means is rotatably mounted in said housing and includes pack holding means along its outer peripheral edge and said sensor pack includes sensor holding means adapted to engage said pack holding means to maintain said sensor pack on said indexing means such that said sensor pack will rotate with said indexing means.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
90 words
A sensor dispensing instrument as set forth in claim 20 wherein said sensor holding means includes notches along the outer peripheral edge of said sensor pack into which notches said pack holding means are disposed when said sensor pack is disposed on said indexing means, said notches are positioned on said sensor pack with respect to each of said plurality of sensor retaining means such that one of said plurality of sensor retaining means is positioned in said feed position when said feed means is returned to said first position.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
25 words
A sensor dispensing instrument as set forth in claim 21 wherein said notches and said sensor retaining means are equally spaced on said sensor pack.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
125 words
A sensor dispensing instrument as set forth in claim 12 wherein each of said sensor retaining means includes a sensor cavity and a desiccant cavity in fluid communication with said sensor cavity of said sensor retaining means, said sensor cavity having a support wall on which said sensor is disposed that extends in a radial direction from adjacent the peripheral edge of said sensor pack toward a center of said sensor pack, said support wall having a sloped portion that is sloped toward said enclosure means in a direction toward said peripheral edge of said sensor pack such that said sensor is advanced along said sloped portion of said support wall of said sensor retaining means as said sensor is advanced from sensor retaining means.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
176 words
A method of handling a plurality of fluid sensors comprising: installing a sensor pack on an indexing means disposed in a housing of a sensor dispensing instrument such that one of a plurality of sensor retaining means that is enclosed by enclosure means and accommodates one of said plurality of fluid sensors is in a feed position; actuating a feed actuator means to advance a feed means with respect to said sensor retaining means in said feed position, said feed means piercing a portion of said enclosure means and engaging said sensor disposed within said sensor retaining means so that said sensor in said sensor retaining means is advanced out of said sensor retaining means into a testing position; and returning said feed actuator means to a standby position so as to return said feed means to a standby position and simultaneously therewith advancing said indexing means such that another one of said plurality of sensor retaining means is moved into said feed position as said feed actuator means is being returned to said standby position.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
129 words
A sensor pack for use in a sensor instrument for handling of a plurality of fluid sensors, said sensor pack comprising: a base portion having a plurality of sensor cavities, each of which sensor cavities extends toward a peripheral edge of said base portion and accommodates one of said plurality of fluid sensors; an enclosure means sealed to said base portion to seal said sensor cavities with said sensors disposed therein; and a support wall in each of said sensor cavities on which said sensor is disposed, said support wall extends in a radial direction from adjacent the peripheral edge of said base portion toward a center of said base portion and is sloped toward said enclosure means in a direction toward said peripheral edge of said base portion.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
118 words
A sensor pack for use in a sensor instrument for handling of a plurality of fluid sensors, said sensor pack comprising: a base portion having a plurality of sensor cavities, each of which sensor cavities extending toward a peripheral edge of said base portion and accommodating one of said plurality of fluid sensors; an enclosure means sealed to said base portion to seal said sensor cavities with said sensors disposed therein; and indexing notches along an outer peripheral edge of said base portion and said enclosure means, said notches being positioned on said sensor pack with respect to each of said plurality of sensor cavities in order to properly position said sensor pack in said sensor dispensing instrument.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
23 words
A sensor pack as set forth in claim 26 wherein said notches and said sensor cavities are equally spaced on said sensor pack.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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