PORTABLE HANDHELD MEDICAL DIAGNOSTIC DEVICES

• US 20110034786A1
• Filed: 08/06/2009
• Published: 02/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roche Diabetes Care Inc. (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Operations Incorporated (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: Ritkowski, Paul S., Kurtock, James R., Davies, Robert G., Blackburn, Michael J., Cadio, Michel A., Davis, Stacia, Gardner, Randy J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,894,933 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/316
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/04 Constructional details of apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0295 Strip shaped analyte sensors for apparatus classified in A61B5/145 or A61B5/157
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/48785 Electrical and electronic details of measuring devices for physical analysis of liquid biological material not specific to a particular test method, e.g. user interface or power supply
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

A portable handheld medical diagnostic device includes a front housing and a rear housing opposite the front housing. The front housing and the rear housing form a protective enclosure. A main circuit board is located in the protective enclosure. The main circuit board includes a controller facilitating a physiologic measurement. A display device is connected to the main circuit board that displays information related to the physiologic measurement. A frame is located in the protective enclosure that carries the display device and locates the display device adjacent the front housing such that the display device can be viewed from outside the protective enclosure. The frame includes a strip port formed integrally therewith that is accessible from outside the protective enclosure.

Claims

1. A portable handheld medical diagnostic device, comprising:

a front housing;

a rear housing opposite the front housing, the front housing and the rear housing forming a protective enclosure;

a main circuit board located in the protective enclosure, the main circuit board including a controller facilitating a physiologic measurement;

a display device connected to the main circuit board that displays information related to the physiologic measurement; and

a frame located in the protective enclosure that carries the display device and locates the display device adjacent the front housing such that the display device can be viewed from outside the protective enclosure, the frame including a strip port formed integrally therewith that is accessible from outside the protective enclosure.

2. The portable handheld medical diagnostic device of claim 1, wherein the frame includes a first board mounting section and a second board mounting section, the display device being mounted at the second board mounting section.

3. The portable handheld medical diagnostic device of claim 2 further comprising a touch sensor circuit board mounted at the first board mounting section.

4. The portable handheld medical diagnostic device of claim 2, wherein the first board mounting section is elevated relative to the second board mounting section.

5. The portable handheld medical diagnostic device of claim 1, wherein the frame and strip port are molded together.

6. The portable handheld medical diagnostic device of claim 1, wherein the main circuit board includes an opening that at least partially receives a battery located in the protective enclosure such that a portion of the battery is located at opposite sides of the main circuit board.

7. The portable handheld medical diagnostic device of claim 6 further comprising a battery contact comprising a spring arm arranged and configured to move the battery from an insertion position to a lock position.

8. The portable handheld medical diagnostic device of claim 7, wherein movement of the battery from the insertion position to the lock position moves the battery beneath overhang structure.

9. The portable handheld medical diagnostic device of claim 1, wherein the frame is sized and configured to align the strip port with a strip reader carried by the main circuit board.

10. The portable handheld medical diagnostic device of claim 1, wherein the display device comprises an electronic paper component.

11. The portable handheld medical diagnostic device of claim 1 further comprising an audio component carried by the frame.

12. The portable handheld medical diagnostic device of claim 1 further comprising a wireless communication board carried by the frame, the wireless communication board configured to connect to an external device.

13. The portable handheld medical diagnostic device of claim 1, wherein the display device comprises an LCD.

14. The portable handheld medical diagnostic device of claim 1 further comprising a user interface comprising:

a button formed by a deflectable component mounted within an opening through the front housing, the deflectable component configured to move relative to the front housing; and

a button actuation assembly located within the protective enclosure, the button actuation assembly including a membrane that spans the opening.

15. The portable handheld medical device of claim 14, wherein the deflectable component is formed of a material that is harder than material forming the membrane.

16. The portable handheld medical diagnostic device of claim 1, wherein the display device comprises a capacitive overlay configured for use in detecting user contact.

17. The portable handheld medical diagnostic device of claim 1, wherein the physiologic measurement is a blood glucose measurement.

18. The portable handheld medical diagnostic device of claim 1, wherein the strip port includes a gap that is sized to receive a test strip, the gap being located below the frame and aligned with a strip reader carried by the main circuit board.

19. A portable handheld medical diagnostic device, comprising:

a front housing;

a rear housing connected to the front housing forming a protective enclosure;

a main circuit board located in the protective enclosure, the main circuit board including a controller facilitating a physiologic measurement;

a display device connected to the main circuit board that displays information related to the physiologic measurement; and

a strip port accessible from outside the protective enclosure for inserting a test strip, at least part of the strip port being formed of a material selected for distribution of light to illuminate the at least part of the strip port.

20. The portable handheld medical diagnostic device of claim 19 further comprising:

a light source remote from the strip port; and

a light delivery device configured to transport light from the light source to the strip port.

21. The portable handheld medical diagnostic device of claim 20, wherein the light delivery device comprises a light pipe arranged and configured to receive light from the light source.

22. The portable handheld medical diagnostic device of claim 19, wherein the strip port includes a bottom shelf and a vertical wall, the bottom shelf formed of the material selected for distribution of light to illuminate the bottom shelf.

23. The portable handheld medical diagnostic device of claim 22, wherein the vertical wall is formed of a material different from that forming the bottom shelf.

24. A method of forming a medical diagnostic device, the method comprising:

providing a frame including a strip port formed with the frame;

mounting a display device on the frame;

positioning the frame adjacent a main circuit board; and

forming a protective enclosure with at least a portion of the frame, display and main circuit board located within the protective enclosure by connecting a front housing and a rear housing together, the frame carrying the display device adjacent the front housing such that the display device can be viewed from outside the protective enclosure, the strip port being accessible from outside the protective enclosure.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of providing the frame includes molding the frame with the strip port.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising molding at least one of the front housing and the rear housing an in-mold decoration process.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of providing the frame includes forming the frame with a first board mounting section and a second board mounting section, the step of mounting the display device including mounting the display device at the second board mounting section.

28. The method of claim 27 further comprising mounting a touch sensor circuit board at the first board mounting section.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the first board mounting section is elevated relative to the second board mounting section.

30. The method of claim 24 further comprising inserting a battery through an opening in the main circuit board such that a portion of the battery is located at opposite sides of the main circuit board.

31. The method of claim 30 further comprising repositioning the battery from an insertion position to a lock position using a battery contact comprising a spring arm arranged and configured to move the battery from the insertion position to the lock position.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of repositioning the battery from the insertion position to the lock position includes moving the battery beneath overhang structure.