Storage container for biosensor test elements

• US 10,071,380 B2
• Filed: 02/02/2018
• Issued: 09/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roche Diabetes Care Inc. (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Roche Diabetes Care Inc. (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: Chan, Frank A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pickett, J. Gregory
• Assistant Examiner(s): WEINERTH, GIDEON R
• Application Number:
  US15/887,221
• Publication Number:
  US 20180154365A1
• Time in Patent Office: 221 Days
• Field of Search: 220 2389, 422558, 422561
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/30 Containers specially adapted for packaging, protecting, dispensing, collecting or disposing of surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments for wound clamps A61B17/10; for ligaturing clips A61B17/122; packages or dispensers for surgical gloves or finger-stalls A61B42/40
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/022 Variable spacings
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/025 Align devices or objects to ensure defined positions relative to each other
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/028 Modular arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/043 Hinged closures
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0609 Holders integrated in container to position an object
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0825 Test strips
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0832 cylindrical, tube shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0851 Bottom walls
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0858 Side walls
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/508 rigid containers not provided for above
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 9/52 Supports specially adapted for flat sample carriers, e.g. for plates, slides, chips
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/48778 Containers specially adapted therefor, e.g. for dry storage

Abstract

A component for a storage container configured to receive vertically oriented articles. The component includes a tubular sidewall extending longitudinally from a base, and at least one spacer portion extending from an underside of the base and configured for engagement with an interior surface of a corresponding storage container. The component also includes at least one pair of retainer elements extending laterally from an inner surface of the tubular sidewall and inwardly into an interior region of the component, and with the retainer elements being oppositely oriented and configured to retain a vertically oriented article therebetween by frictional engagement with opposite longitudinal edges of the article, and wherein an insertion force for resilient deflection of the retainer elements during insertion of the article is less than a removal force for resilient deflection of the retainer elements during removal of the article.

Claims

1. A component for a storage container configured to receive vertically oriented articles, the component comprising:

a tubular sidewall extending longitudinally from a base, the tubular sidewall comprising an inner surface and an outer surface, the base comprising a support surface and an underside;

an interior region defined by the inner surface of the tubular sidewall and the support surface of the base, the interior region extending along a longitudinal axis and having a height dimension, a width dimension, and a length dimension; and

at least one spacer portion extending from the underside of the base and configured for engagement with an interior surface of a corresponding storage container, wherein the spacer portion extending from the underside of the base has an adjustable height dimension and is positioned in abutment against an adjacent portion of the storage container to position the insert at a select height within the inner chamber of the storage container, and wherein the spacer portion includes at least one removable tab that is selectively removable from a remainder of the spacer portion to vary the adjustable height dimension and correspondingly adjust the select height of the insert within the inner chamber of the storage container.

2. The component of claim 1, wherein the spacer portion includes a plurality of the removable tabs, one or more of the removable tabs being selectively removable from a remainder of the spacer portion to vary the adjustable height dimension and correspondingly adjust the select height of the insert within the inner chamber of the storage container.

3. The component of claim 1, wherein the at least one removable tab is attached to a remainder of the spacer portion by an interface region configured to allow selective removal of the at least one removable tab from the remainder of the spacer portion.

4. The component of claim 3, wherein the interface region comprises a region of reduced strength defining a fracture initiator zone configured to facilitate a fracture along the region of reduced strength to allow for selective removal of the at least one removable tab from the remainder of the spacer portion.

5. The component of claim 4, wherein the spacer portion includes a plurality of the removable tabs, one or more of the removable tabs being selectively removable from the spacer portion along the fracture initiator zone to allow for selective removal of one or more of the plurality of removable tabs to vary the adjustable height dimension and correspondingly adjust the select height of the insert within the inner chamber of the storage container.

6. The component of claim 3, wherein the interface region is defined by a localized reduced thickness of the spacer portion.

7. The component of claim 6, wherein the localized reduced thickness of the spacer portion is defined by one or more grooves extending along a length of the spacer portion.

8. The component of claim 1, wherein the at least one spacer portion comprises a strut extending axially from the underside of the base and defining a strut height defining the adjustable height dimension, and wherein the strut has a distal end positioned in abutment against a bottom wall of the storage container to position the insert at the select height within the inner chamber of the storage container.

9. The component of claim 1, further comprising at least one pair of retainer elements extending laterally from a portion of the inner surface of the tubular sidewall and inwardly into the interior region, the retainer elements of the at least one pair being oppositely oriented and configured to retain a vertically oriented article therebetween by frictional engagement with opposite longitudinal edges of the article.

10. The component of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of raised ribs extending laterally from the outer surface of the tubular sidewall and generally along the longitudinal axis, the plurality of raised ribs configured for retentional engagement with an interior surface of the storage container to retain the component within an inner chamber of the storage container.

11. The component of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of divider elements extending inwardly from one or both of the inner surface of the tubular sidewall and the support surface of the base and into the interior region, the divider elements being offset from one another along the length dimension, the divider elements extending along no more than one-half of the height dimension or across less than the width dimension, the divider elements configured for engagement with vertically oriented articles to aid in maintaining the articles in a substantially vertical orientation within the interior region.