Body fluid testing device

• US 20050232815A1
• Filed: 06/23/2005
• Published: 10/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roche Diabetes Care Inc. (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Operations Incorporated (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: Zimmer, Volker, Schrem, Hugo, Ruhl, Werner
• Granted Patent: US 7,582,258 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/66
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00089 Magazines
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/48764 Test tape taken off a spool
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00009 provided with a sample supporting tape, e.g. with absorbent zones
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00029 provided with flat sample substrates, e.g. slides G01N35/028 takes precedence

Abstract

Body fluid testing device for analyzing a body fluid comprises a test media tape adapted to collect the body fluid. The test media tape comprises a tape and test media portions. A free tape portion without test medium is located between successive test media portions. The testing device further comprises a supply portion. The supply portion comprises a housing in which uncontaminated test media tape is contained. The housing further has an opening for withdrawing test media tape from the housing. The testing device further has a sealing means for closing the opening against the surrounding. A free tape portion of the test media tape is located between a wall of the housing and the sealing means when the sealing means closes the opening. Further aspects concern a test media cassette with sealing means and a method for providing test media while holding them sealed against humidity during onboard storage.

Claims

1. A body fluid testing device for analyzing a body fluid, comprising:

a test media tape adapted to collect the body fluid,

said test media tape comprising a tape and test media portions, wherein a free tape portion without test medium is located between successive test media portions,

said testing device further comprising a supply portion

wherein said supply portion comprises a housing in which uncontaminated test media tape is contained, said housing further having an opening for withdrawing test media tape from the housing,

said supply portion further having a sealing means for closing said opening against the surrounding, wherein a free tape portion of said test media tape is located between a surface (typically a wall of the housing) and the sealing means when said sealing means closes said opening.

2. A body fluid testing device according to claim 1, wherein said tape in said free tape portion has a thickness of less than 100 micrometers.

3. A body fluid testing device according to claim 1, wherein said sealing means or said housing comprises a gasket having a shore hardness of less than 70.

4. A body fluid testing device according to claim 1, wherein said sealing means comprises an annular gasket, said annular gasket pressing onto a wall of said housing annularly located around said opening when said sealing means closes said opening.

5. A body fluid testing device according to claim 1, wherein said sealing means has a first and a second lip of sealing material, wherein said first lip is inclined apart from said opening and said second lip is inclined towards said opening.

6. A body fluid testing device according to claim 1, wherein said housing has an internal channel which is the sole air connection between a storage portion of said housing and the surrounding and said test media tape runs through said channel when leaving the housing via the opening of the housing.

7. A body fluid testing device according to claim 6, wherein the length of said channel is equal or shorter than the length of a free tape portion between successive test media.

8. A body fluid testing device according to claim 1, wherein said sealing means has a lever for opening the sealing of the housing, the lever being actuated by tension applied to the test media tape.

9. A body fluid testing device according to claim 1, wherein said device further comprises a waste storage portion for storing a contaminated section of the test media tape.

10. A body fluid testing device according to claim 9, wherein said device further comprises an exposure portion positioned between the supply portion and the waste storage portion, the exposure portion being adapted to expose a section of the test media tape to the body fluid.

11. A body fluid testing device according to claim 1, wherein said supply portion is a removable cassette.

12. A body fluid testing device according to claim 10, wherein

the supply portion includes a supply reel, and the uncontaminated section of the test media tape is wound on the supply reel;

and

the waste storage portion includes a storage reel, wherein the contaminated section of the test media tape can be wound on the storage reel.

13. The device of claim 1, further comprising a piercing device adapted to pierce skin.

14. The device of claim 1 further comprising a sensor for sensing a change of a test medium induced by reaction with said body fluid.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the sealing means can assume a first position in which the sealing means closes the opening of the container and a second position in which the opening is opened so that test media tape can be withdrawn out of the housing.

16. Body fluid testing device according to claim 1, wherein the sealing means is a form fitting sealing means.

17. Body fluid testing device according to claim 1, wherein said sealing means is a hydraulic sealing means.

29. The device of claim 1, wherein the sealing means includes a deformable gasket.

18. A test cassette for housing test media tape for sampling body fluid, comprising:

a housing including a supply portion in which an uncontaminated section of the test media tape is enclosed, said test media tape comprising a tape and test media portions, wherein a free tape portion without test medium is located between successive test media portions,

said housing further having an opening for withdrawing test media tape from the housing,

said test cassette further having a sealing means for closing said opening, wherein a free tape portion of said test media tape is located between a surface (typically a wall of the housing) and the sealing means when said sealing means closes said opening.

19. A test cassette according to claim 18, further comprising a waste storage portion for receiving test media tape that is contaminated with past samples of the body fluid.

20. A test cassette according to claim 19, the cassette further having an exposure portion at which the test media tape can be exposed to the surrounding.

21. A test cassette according to claim 18, wherein said tape in said free tape portion has a thickness of less than 100 micrometers.

22. A test cassette according to claim 18, wherein said cassette has a recess for receiving a sensor from a testing device.

23. A test cassette according to claim 18, wherein said housing has an internal channel which is the sole air connection between a storage portion of said housing and an opening of the housing to the surrounding and said test media tape runs through said channel when leaving the housing via the opening.

24. A test cassette according to claim 23, wherein successive test media have a distance, said distance being chosen that when a first test medium leaves the cassette via said opening the successive test medium is still located inside the storage portion.

25. Test cassette according to claim 18, wherein said sealing means can assume an open-position for withdrawing test media tape from the supply portion.

26. Method of providing a test medium for the testing of body fluid comprising the steps of

providing a supply portion comprising a housing in which uncontaminated test media tape is contained, said housing further having an opening for withdrawing test media tape from the housing, said supply portion further having a sealing means which closes said opening against the surrounding,

actuating the sealing means to open said opening of the housing

withdrawing test media tape from the housing to expose an unused test medium.

27. A method according to claim 26, further comprising the step of closing the opening after having exposed said unused test medium, wherein a tape portion without test medium is located between a surface (typically a wall of the housing) and the sealing means when said sealing means closes said opening.

28. A method of analyzing body fluid comprising the steps of claim 26, further comprising the step of applying said body fluid to said exposed test medium and conducting analytical testing.