Method and apparatus for dispensing diagnostic test strips

• US 20070264165A1
• Filed: 05/09/2006
• Published: 11/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Embecta Corporation
• Original Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Inventors: Lovell, John, Chan, Victor
• Granted Patent: US 7,887,757 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/104
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/0829 by means of an actuator
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/087 by means of an actuator
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 3/24 by pushers engaging the edges of the articles
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/4875 Details of handling test elements, e.g. dispensing or storage, not specific to a particular test method test-elements per se B01L, automatic analysers G01N35/00, in-vivo analysis on the human body for medical diagnosis A61B
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/48757 Test elements dispensed from a stack

Abstract

An apparatus for storing and dispensing a test strip includes a container configured to store a stack of test strips. The container maintains appropriate environmental conditions, such as humidity, for storing the test strips. An engaging member is disposed in the container and is adapted to contact one test strip of the stack of test strips. An actuator actuates the engaging member to dispense the one test strip from the container. Since one test strip is dispensed at a time, the remaining test strips are not handled by the user. Accordingly, the unused test strips remain free of contaminants such as naturally occurring oils on the user'"'"'s hand.

Claims

1. An apparatus for storing and dispensing test strips, comprising:

a container configured to store a stack of test strips;

a roller rotatably disposed in the container, the roller adapted to contact one test strip of the stack of test strips; and

an actuator for actuating the roller to dispense the one test strip from the container.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the roller comprises rubber bonded to a roller insert.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the actuator comprises a thumbwheel.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a locking member engaging the thumbwheel to allow the thumbwheel to rotate in one direction.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising:

a roller gear disposed on the roller; and

an actuator gear disposed on the thumbwheel, the actuator gear engaging the roller gear so that the roller rotates when the thumbwheel rotates.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a motor for driving the thumbwheel.

7. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the actuator comprises a pushbutton that is movable between a resting position and a dispensing position.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

a roller gear disposed on the roller;

a rack disposed on the pushbutton; and

an intermediate gear disposed between the roller gear and the rack so that linear motion of the rack is translated into rotation of the roller.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising at least one track formed in the pushbutton, the track being configured to disengage the rack on the pushbutton from the intermediate gear when the pushbutton is moved from the dispensing position to the resting position.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the intermediate gear is disposed in a slot that allows the intermediate gear to move so that the rack on the pushbutton is disengaged from the roller gear when the pushbutton is moved from the dispensing position to the resting position.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a biasing element for urging the stack of test strips stored in the storage container into contact with the roller.

12. An apparatus for storing and dispensing test strips, comprising:

a container configured to store a stack of test strips;

a lid connected to the container by a living hinge; and

a linkage assembly operatively connected to the lid, the linkage assembly adapted to contact one test strip of the stack of test strips,

wherein, when the lid is opened, a test strip is dispensed.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the linkage assembly comprises:

a first arm member connected to the lid;

a second arm member connected to the first arm member by a living hinge; and

a third arm member connected to the second arm member by a living hinge, the third arm member contacting the one test strip so that the test strip is dispensed when the lid is opened.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the third arm member comprises at least one guide member configured to travel with respect to at least one rail located on a side wall of the container.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the linkage assembly comprises:

a slider arm connected to the lid, the slider arm having a slot that engages a boss on the container;

a first linkage member connected to the slider arm; and

a second linkage member connected to the first linkage member, the second linkage member contacting the one test strip so that the test strip is dispensed when the lid is opened.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a biasing element for urging the stack of test strips into a position such that the linkage assembly contacts one test strip of the stack of test strips.

17. An apparatus for storing and dispensing test strips, comprising:

a container configured to store a stack of test strips;

a spring disposed in the container, the spring adapted to contact one test strip of the stack of test strips; and

an actuator for actuating the spring to dispense the one test strip from the container.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the spring comprises a spiral pusher spring.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the actuator comprises a thumbwheel connected to the spiral pusher spring by a gear train so that rotation of the thumbwheel causes the spring to dispense the contacted test strip.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

a rack connected to the spring;

a pinion engaging the rack; and

a thumbwheel engaging the pinion so that rotation of the thumbwheel displaces the rack and causes the spring to dispense the contacted test strip.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the actuator comprises a lever arm that pivots about a pivot point, an end of the lever arm being connected to the spring to drive the spring so that pivoting of the lever causes the spring to dispense the contacted test strip.

22. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a biasing element for urging the stack of test strips into a position such that the spring contacts one test strip of the stack of test strips.

23. An apparatus for storing and dispensing test strips, comprising:

means for storing a stack of test strips;

means for contacting one test strip of the stack of test strips; and

means for actuating the contacting means to dispense the contacted test strip.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the contacting means comprises a roller.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the roller comprises rubber bonded to a roller insert.

26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the actuating means comprises a thumbwheel.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, further comprising a locking member engaging the thumbwheel to allow the thumbwheel to rotate in one direction.

28. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the actuating means further comprises:

a roller gear disposed on the roller; and

an actuator gear disposed on the thumbwheel, the actuator gear engaging the roller gear so that the roller rotates when the thumbwheel rotates.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, further comprising means for driving the thumbwheel.

30. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the actuating means comprises a pushbutton that is movable between a resting position and a dispensing position.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the actuating means further comprises:

a roller gear disposed on the roller;

a rack disposed on the pushbutton; and

an intermediate gear disposed between the roller gear and the rack so that linear motion of the rack is translated into rotation of the roller.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, further comprising at least one track formed in the pushbutton, the track being configured to disengage the rack on the pushbutton from the intermediate gear when the pushbutton is moved from the dispensing position to the resting position.

33. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the intermediate gear is disposed in a slot that allows the intermediate gear to move so that the rack on the pushbutton is disengaged from the roller gear when the pushbutton is moved from the dispensing position to the resting position.

34. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the contacting means contacts an edge of one test strip of the stack of test strips.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein:

the actuating means comprises a lid connected to the container by a living hinge; and

the contacting means comprises a linkage assembly operatively connected to the lid.

36. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the linkage assembly comprises:

a first arm member connected to the lid;

a second arm member connected to the first arm member by a living hinge; and

a third arm member connected to the second arm member by a living hinge, the third arm member contacting the one test strip so that the test strip is dispensed when the lid is opened.

37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the third arm member comprises at least one guide member configured to travel with respect to at least one rail located on a side wall of the container.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the linkage assembly comprises:

a slider arm connected to the lid, the slider arm having a slot that engages a boss on the container;

a first linkage member connected to the slider arm; and

a second linkage member connected to the first linkage member, the second linkage member contacting the one test strip so that the test strip is dispensed when the lid is opened.

39. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the contacting means comprises a spring.

40. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the spring comprises a spiral pusher spring.

41. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein the actuating means comprises a thumbwheel connected to the spiral pusher spring by a gear train so that rotation of the thumbwheel causes the spring to dispense the contacted test strip.

42. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the actuating means comprises:

a rack connected to the spring;

a pinion engaging the rack; and

a thumbwheel engaging the pinion so that rotation of the thumbwheel displaces the rack and causes the spring to dispense the contacted test strip.

43. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the actuating means comprises a lever arm that pivots about a pivot point, an end of the lever arm being connected to the spring to drive the spring so that pivoting of the lever causes the spring to dispense the contacted test strip.

44. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising means for urging the stack of test strips into a position such that the contacting means contacts one test strip of the stack of test strips.

45. A method of storing and dispensing test strips, comprising:

arranging a plurality of test strips to form a stack of test strips;

storing the plurality of test strips in a storage container;

urging the stack of test strips toward a dispensing position;

a step for engaging the stack of test strips with an engagement member;

actuating the engagement member to dispense the engaged test strip; and

urging the remaining test strips toward the dispensing position so that another test strip is placed into a dispensing position.

46. The method of storing and dispensing test strips according to claim 45, wherein the engagement member comprises a roller.

47. The method of storing and dispensing test strips according to claim 46, wherein the step of actuating the engagement member comprises the step of rotating a thumbwheel which is operatively engaged with the roller.

48. The method of storing and dispensing test strips according to claim 46, wherein the step of actuating the engagement member comprises the step of activating a pushbutton which is operatively engaged with the roller.

49. The method of storing and dispensing test strips according to claim 45, wherein the engaging member contacts an edge of one test strip of the stack of test strips.

50. The method of storing and dispensing test strips according to claim 49, wherein the step of actuating the engagement member comprises the step of rotating a thumbwheel which is operatively engaged with the engagement member.

51. The method of storing and dispensing test strips according to claim 49, wherein the step of actuating the engagement member comprises the step of opening a lid of the storage container, which is operatively engaged with the engagement member.

52. The method of storing and dispensing test strips according to claim 49, wherein the step of actuating the engagement member comprises the step of pivoting a lever which is operatively engaged with the engagement member.