Method of Dispensing A Test Strip

• US 20080217353A1
• Filed: 03/06/2007
• Published: 09/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lifescan Incorporated (Duv Holding Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lifescan Incorporated (Duv Holding Corporation)
• Inventors: Macleod, Andrew, Weber, Barry, Hourmand, Yannick Pierre, Impey, Benjamin Erland, Newman, Michael John, Earnshaw, Edwin Paul
• Application Number:
  US11/682,677
• Publication Number:
  US 20080217353A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 221/210
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/48757 Test elements dispensed from a stack

Abstract

In one aspect, a method of dispensing a test strip is provided in which the dispensed test strip remains stationary while the inner housing moves within an outer housing. In another embodiment, a test strip dispenser is provided that dispenses one test strip at a time. The test strip dispenser includes a movable inner housing nested inside an outer housing. A test strip dispensing system is also described.

Claims

1. A method of dispensing a test strip, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of test strips disposed in a test strip dispenser having a housing and a meter having a strip port;

coupling the strip port of the meter with the housing of the test strip dispenser;

moving the housing along a guide member from a first position to a second position while holding a first test strip stationary; and

removing the first test strip from the housing.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises an inner housing located inside an outer housing.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the coupling comprises engaging the strip port connector to the inner housing.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the moving the inner housing step comprises biasing the inner housing along a linear path.

5. The method of claim 2, further including biasing the inner housing toward the opening in the outer housing to move a second test strip into a dispensing position.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the inner housing is biased along a linear path.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the providing comprises:

stacking the plurality of test strip face to face from an upper surface to a bottom surface in the inner housing; and

biasing the plurality of test strips towards the bottom surface.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the moving comprises preventing the inner housing from moving towards the first position when the strip port connector fails to engage with the first test strip.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the providing comprises forming a window in the inner housing to allow for visual determination of the number of strips disposed in the inner housing.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein the providing comprises forming the inner and outer housing of a generally transparent material.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the test strip dispenser comprises:

an inner housing having an interior volume to store a plurality of test strips, the inner housing having an aperture through which a test strip is dispensed, the inner housing including a groove,

a spring that biases the inner housing in a first direction; and

an outer housing having an opening in substantial alignment with the aperture of the inner housing to allow for passage of the test strip, the outer housing having a guide member that mates with the groove of the inner housing.