PACKAGING SYSTEM

• US 20090321287A1
• Filed: 12/19/2008
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roche Diabetes Care Inc. (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Operations Incorporated (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: Roe, Steven N., List, Hans, Zimmer, Volker, Kraemer, Uwe
• Granted Patent: US 8,020,703 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 206/223
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150022 for capillary blood or interstitial fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150358 Strips for collecting blood, e.g. absorbent optical reagent test strips G01N21/8483; chemical reagent test strips G01N33/4875, G01N33/52
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150419 comprising means for capillary action
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150702 fully automatically removed, i.e. the removing does not require any action by the user
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15128 comprising 2D- or 3D-shaped elements, e.g. cams, curved guide rails or threads comprising tooth-shaped elements A61B5/15132
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15151 Each piercing element being stocked in a separate isolated compartment
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15167 Characterized by a folded strip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15169 Characterized by a rolled strip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15173 Characterized by propelling the piercing element parallel to the direction of movement of the strip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15176 Stocking means comprising cap, cover, sheath or protection for aseptic stocking
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15184 Piercing device comprising a separate compartment or unit for used piercing elements separate compartments for used piercing elements in stocking means A61B5/15178
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/3001 for sharps
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/0472 the band being wound in flat spiral, folded in accordion or the like

Abstract

A system comprising disposable medical devices and a packaging strip comprising a plurality of chambers containing the disposable medical devices. The strip is folded along breadthwise running fold lines to form a series of loops, each loop comprising opposing sections. The opposing sections of at least some of these loops are sealed to each other thus forming chambers between said sections. A cartridge contains such a packaging strip.

Claims

1. A packaging system comprising disposable medical devices and a packaging strip comprising a plurality of chambers containing the disposable medical devices, the strip being folded along breadthwise running fold lines to form a series of loops, each loop comprising opposing sections, and

the opposing sections of at least some of the loops being sealed to each other thus forming chambers between said sections.

2. Packaging system according to claim 1, wherein the sections of the strip are sealed by means of an adhesive.

3. Packaging system according to claim 2, wherein the adhesive allows chambers to be opened by peeling the opposing sections apart.

4. Packaging system according to claim 1, wherein the strip is made of release paper.

5. Packaging system according to claim 1, wherein a section of the strip forming a chamber bottom is arranged on top of a section of the strip forming a chamber top of an adjacent chamber.

6. Packaging system according to claim 5, wherein loops forming adjacent chambers of the strip are fixed to each other by a releasable adhesive, preferably an adhesive patch, placed between a section forming a chamber bottom of a first chamber and a section forming a chamber top of a second chamber.

7. Packaging system according to claim 1, wherein the chambers of the strip comprise a frame forming sidewalls of the chambers.

8. Packaging system according to claim 1, wherein the chambers of the strip are arranged on top of each other.

9. Packaging system according to claim 1, wherein the loops of the strip are arranged and sealed in such a way that when the strip is subject to a tensile stress, e.g. by pulling at an end of the strip wherein the other end is held fixed, causes the loops to unfold and the chambers to open one after the other.

10. Packaging system according to claim 9, comprising a holding means for holding the strip against a pulling direction in order to assist opening a chamber of the strip.

11. Packaging system according to claim 1, wherein the strip comprises service loops that are formed between succeeding chambers in order to ensure that medical devices comprised in the chambers are located on the same side of the strip.

12. Packaging system according to claim 1, wherein the distance between subsequent chambers of the strip in the unfolded position of the strip is in the range of 3 cm to 20 cm, preferably in the range of 5 cm to 10 cm.

13. Packaging system according to claim 1, wherein the strip comprises in its longitudinal direction an alternating sequence of chambers comprising two types of medical devices, e.g. an alternating sequence of chambers comprising a lancet in one chamber and comprising a test element in a subsequent chamber.

14. Packaging system according to claim 1, wherein the chambers of the strip contain a desiccant in addition to the disposable medical device.

15. Packaging system according to claim 1, wherein the medical device is constructed as a lancet.

16. Packaging system according to claim 15, wherein the lancet comprised in a chamber is directed in the longitudinal direction of the strip.

17. Packaging system according to claim 15, wherein the lancet is fixed to the strip with its back end opposed to the front end intended to puncture skin.

18. Packaging system according to claim 1, wherein the medical device is constructed as an integrated device comprising a lancet and means for receiving a sample of a body fluid from a puncture wound created by piercing with the lancet.

19. A cartridge containing a packaging system according to claim 1, the cartridge having a slot-shaped opening for pulling an end of the strip out.

20. Cartridge according to claim 19, wherein the end of the strip protrudes through the opening.

21. Cartridge according to claim 19, comprising a holding means for holding the strip against a pulling direction in order to assist opening a chamber of the strip.

22. Cartridge according to claim 21, wherein the slot-shaped opening is constructed as an active door and provides the holding means according to claim 18.

23. Packaging system according to claim 1 comprising an actuation means with a lever mechanism for actuating a medical device of an open chamber of the strip.

32. Packaging system according to claim 1, comprising a cartridge that includes a fresh module comprising unused medical devices in the packaging strip, an actuation module comprising an actuation means, and a waste module for taking up used medical devices and the corresponding part of the strip.

33. Packaging system according to claim 32, wherein the actuation means includes a lever mechanism for actuating a medical device of an open chamber of the strip.

34. Packaging system according to claim 32 in which the actuation means includes a lever mechanism for actuating the disposable medical devices of the packaging strip that is elongated in a longitudinal direction, wherein the medical devices are placed on the packaging strip parallel to the elongated direction of the strip before they are actuated by the actuation means,

wherein

the medical devices are fixed with one end to the packaging strip, for example by an adhesive,

the lever mechanism is constructed to move the medical devices together with the section of the strip to which they are fixed by moving the strip, and

the strip is folded by the actuation means in a loop for moving the medical device.

24. Actuation means with a lever mechanism for actuating disposable medical devices of a packaging strip that is elongated in a longitudinal direction, wherein medical devices are placed on the packaging strip parallel to the elongated direction of the strip before they are actuated by the actuation means,

wherein

the medical devices are fixed with one end to the packaging strip, for example by an adhesive,

the lever mechanism is constructed to move the medical devices together with the section of the strip to which they are fixed by moving the strip, and

the strip is folded by the actuation means in a loop for moving the medical device.

25. Actuation means according to claim 24, wherein the medical device is a lancet and the lever mechanism is designed for performing a piercing movement with the lancet.

26. Actuation means according to claim 24, wherein the lever mechanism is designed to turn the direction of the medical device by about 90°

into a buckleproof position of the strip.

27. Actuation means according to claim 26, wherein the lever mechanism comprises a roller over which the strip is guided with tension in its longitudinal direction for enabling turning the direction of the medical device without exerting a peeling load onto the strip or onto the fixing of the medical device to the strip and without bending the medical device.

28. Actuation means according to claim 26, comprising a spring storage strip device for paying out the packaging strip with tension in its longitudinal direction for enabling turning the direction of the medical device without having to turn back a reel of a winding device onto which the strip is wound.

29. Actuation means according to claim 24, wherein the lever mechanism comprises a locating surface providing a reference surface for placing the actuation means in a defined distance with respect to skin to be pierced by the actuation means.

30. Actuation means according to claim 29, wherein the strip is placed between the locating surface and the skin to be pierced by the actuation means.

31. Actuation means according to claim 24, wherein the actuation means comprising a moving mechanism by which the actuation means can be moved to skin to be pierced with a lancet of the packaging strip until the packaging strip clings to the skin to be pierced before a piercing movement with the lancet is performed.