Biological testing system

• US 20060052682A1
• Filed: 09/07/2004
• Published: 03/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roche Diabetes Care Inc. (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Operations Incorporated (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: Joseph, Abner D., Schlanser, Jack
• Granted Patent: US 7,641,777 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/372
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/3273 Devices therefor, e.g. test element readers, circuitry details not specific to biochemical electrodes G01N33/4875
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/721 cooperating directly with the edge of the rigid printed circuits
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/144444 Glucose

Abstract

A connector for establishing electrical connection between a testing device and a test strip with a biological fluid thereon includes a contact pad on the test strip, and one or more contact wires in the testing device. When the strip is inserted into the testing device, the end of the strip engages with a bight in the contact wire, pushing the contact wire in a direction normal to the direction of insertion. The movement of the contact wire forces a second portion of the wire against a part of the housing, thereby deforming the wire and moving another portion of the wire toward the contact pad. Some embodiments of the invention include 4, 6, 8, 15, or more contacts, which may be situated so as to receive the end of the test strip substantially simultaneously, or may be staggered in 2, 3, or more rows to spread out the resistance to movement presented.

Claims

1. A connector for use in a test meter adapted to measure an analyte of interest in a biological fluid applied to a test strip having at least one contact pad for mating with the connector, said connector comprising:

a housing having an opening therein for receiving the test strip when the test strip is moved in an insertion direction; and

at least one contact wire disposed adjacent the opening, the contact having a proximal portion and a contact portion disposed between the proximal portion and the opening, the contact wire being disposed in relation to the opening such that insertion of the test strip in the insertion direction allows the test strip to pass adjacent the contact portion without touching the contact portion and initial engagement of the test strip with the contact wire occurs at the proximal portion;

wherein insertion of the test strip into the opening in the insertion direction causes the test strip to push the proximal portion away from the test strip; and

wherein further insertion of the test strip causes the contact wire to engage the housing and deflect therefrom, thereby pushing the contact portion toward the test strip and into engagement with the at least one contact pad.

2. The connector of claim 1, wherein the contact portion of the contact wire applies a force to the housing in a direction substantially normal to the insertion direction of the test strip.

3. The connector of claim 1, wherein the at least one contact wire comprises more than 2 contact wires.

4. The connector of claim 1, wherein the at least one contact wire comprises more than 6 contact wires.

5. The connector of claim 1, wherein the contact portion of each contact wire is made of a copper alloy.

6. The connector of claim 1, wherein the contact portion of each contact wire is made of an iron alloy.

7. The connector of claim 1, wherein the contact portion of each contact wire is plated with nickel.

8. The connector of claim 1, wherein the contact portion of each contact wire is plated with NiPd.

9. The connector of claim 1, wherein the contact portion of each contact wire is plated with NiCo.

10. The connector of claim 1, wherein the contact portion of each contact wire is plated with Pd.

11. The connector of claim 1, wherein the contact portion of each contact wire is plated with PdCo.

12. The connector of claim 1, wherein the contact portion of each contact wire is plated with Sn.

13. The connector of claim 1, wherein the contact portion of each contact wire is plated with SnPb.

14. The connector of claim 1, wherein the contact portion of each contact wire is plated with Ag.

15. The connector of claim 1, wherein the contact portion of each contact wire is plated with Cu.

16. The connector of claim 1, wherein the contact portion of each contact wire is plated with Au.

17. The connector of claim 1, wherein the contact portion of each contact wire is plated with German Silver.

18. A connector for use in a test meter adapted to measure an analyte of interest in a biological fluid applied to a test strip having at least one contact pad for mating with the connector, said connector comprising:

a housing having a top portion and a bottom portion in substantially rigidly fixed spatial relationship and defining a slot therebetween; and

at least one contact wire for establishing electrical contact with a respective one of the at least one contact pad of the test strip when the test strip is inserted into the slot, each at least one contact wire comprising a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion;

wherein for each of the at least one contact wires, when the test strip is inserted through the slot;

the test strip passes between the first portion and the housing bottom portion and does not touch the first portion;

after passing the first portion, the test strip passes between and touches both the third portion of the contact wire and the bottom portion of the housing, the third portion of the contact wire moving away from the bottom portion of the housing and biasing the test strip toward the bottom portion of the housing;

in response to the contact wire moving away from the bottom portion of the housing, the second portion of the contact wire applies a force to the housing top portion; and

in response to the contact wire applying a force to the top portion of the housing, the contact wire is deformed so that the first portion of the contact wire contacts the respective at least one contact pad on the test strip.

19. The connector of claim 18, wherein the second portion of the contact wire applies a force to the housing top portion in a direction substantially normal to the direction of insertion of the test strip.

20. The connector of claim 18, wherein the at least one contact wire comprises more than 6 contact wires.

21. The connector of claim 18, wherein the at least one contact wire comprises more than 2 contact wires.

22. The connector of claim 18, wherein the first portion of each contact wire is made of a copper alloy.

23. The connector of claim 18, wherein the first portion of each contact wire is made of an iron alloy.

24. The connector of claim 18, wherein the first portion of each contact wire is plated with nickel.

25. The connector of claim 18, wherein the first portion of each contact wire is plated with NiPd.

26. The connector of claim 18, wherein the first portion of each contact wire is plated with NiCo.

27. The connector of claim 18, wherein the first portion of each contact wire is plated with Pd.

28. The connector of claim 18, wherein the first portion of each contact wire is plated with PdCo.

29. The connector of claim 18, wherein the first portion of each contact wire is plated with Sn.

30. The connector of claim 18, wherein the first portion of each contact wire is plated with SnPb.

31. The connector of claim 18, wherein the first portion of each contact wire is plated with Ag.

32. The connector of claim 18, wherein the first portion of each contact wire is plated with Cu.

33. The connector of claim 18, wherein the first portion of each contact wire is plated with Au.

34. The connector of claim 18, wherein the first portion of each contact wire is plated with Au over Ni.

35. The connector of claim 18, wherein the first portion of each contact wire is plated with German Silver.

36. A connector for use in a test meter adapted to measure an analyte of interest in a biological fluid applied to a test strip having at least one contact pad for mating with the connector, said connector comprising:

a housing having a housing distal end and a housing proximal end;

a slot formed in the housing distal end for receiving the test strip when the test strip is inserted into the housing in an insertion direction;

a wire cavity defined within the housing and communicating with the slot;

at least one contact wire disposed within the wire cavity for establishing electrical contact with a respective one of the at least one contact pad of the test strip when the test strip is inserted into the slot, each at least one contact wire disposed in the wire cavity and having a contact wire distal end, a contact wire proximal end, and a contact wire bight disposed between the contact wire distal end and the contact wire proximal end;

wherein the wire cavity has a maximum height H measured in a direction substantially perpendicular to the test strip when the test strip is contained within the wire cavity;

wherein each at least one contact wire in a quiescent state has a maximum total contact wire height C between the contact wire bight and the contact wire distal end;

wherein the test strip has a test strip maximum height within the wire cavity of T;

wherein H<

C+T.

37. A testing system comprising:

a housing;

a connector disposed in the housing;

a test strip adapted for insertion into the connector, the test strip having at least one contact pad thereon; and

an electronic circuit adapted to produce an output signal based on the electrical response through the at least one contact pad of the test strip inserted into the connector;

the connector comprising at least one contact wire, each contact wire being configured such that when a test strip is inserted into the connector, the test strip exerts a force against the contact wire, the force deforming the contact wire against the housing to bring the contact wire into electrical communication with a contact pad on the test strip.

38. The testing system according to claim 37, wherein the output signal corresponds to the presence or concentration of an analyte in a sample of bodily fluid that is in contact with the test strip.

39. The testing system of claim 37, wherein the contact portion of the contact wire applies a force to the housing in a direction substantially normal to the insertion direction of the test strip.

40. The testing system of claim 37, wherein the at least one contact wire comprises more than 2 contact wires.

41. The testing system of claim 37, wherein the at least one contact wire comprises more than 6 contact wires.

42. The testing system of claim 37, wherein the contact portion of each contact wire is made of a copper alloy.

43. The testing system of claim 37, wherein the contact portion of each contact wire is made of an iron alloy.

44. The testing system of claim 37, wherein the contact portion of each contact wire is plated with nickel.

45. The testing system of claim 37, wherein the contact portion of each contact wire is plated with NiPd.

46. The testing system of claim 37, wherein the contact portion of each contact wire is plated with Pd.

47. The testing system of claim 37, wherein the contact portion of each contact wire is plated with PdCo.

48. The testing system of claim 37, wherein the contact portion of each contact wire is plated with Sn.

49. The testing system of claim 37, wherein the contact portion of each contact wire is plated with SnPb.

50. The testing system of claim 37, wherein the contact portion of each contact wire is plated with Ag.

51. The testing system of claim 37, wherein the contact portion of each contact wire is plated with Cu.

52. The testing system of claim 37, wherein the contact portion of each contact wire is plated with Au.

53. The testing system of claim 37, wherein the first portion of each contact wire is plated with German Silver.

54. A testing system comprising a test meter adapted to measure an analyte of interest in a biological fluid applied to a test strip having at least one contact pad for mating with a connector disposed within the test meter, said connector comprising:

a housing having a housing distal end and a housing proximal end;

a slot formed in the housing distal end for receiving the test strip when the test strip is inserted into the housing in an insertion direction;

a wire cavity defined within the housing and communicating with the slot; and

at least one contact wire disposed within the wire cavity for establishing electrical contact with a respective one of the at least one contact pads of the test strip when the test strip is inserted into the slot, each contact wire being disposed in the wire cavity and having a contact wire distal end, a contact wire proximal end, and a contact wire bight disposed between the contact wire distal end and the contact wire proximal end;

wherein;

the wire cavity has a maximum height H measured in a direction substantially perpendicular to the test strip when the test strip is contained within the wire cavity;

each contact wire, while in a quiescent state, has a maximum total contact wire height C between the contact wire bight and the contact wire distal end;

the test strip has a test strip maximum height within the wire cavity of T; and

H<

C+T.