BLOOD GLUCOSE MONITORING SYSTEM, STRIP ACCOMMODATION DEVICE, STRIP STORAGE DEVICE, AND AUTOMATED BLOOD COLLECTION DEVICE

• US 20110313267A1
• Filed: 08/25/2011
• Published: 12/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: In Sang Choi
• Original Assignee: In Sang Choi
• Inventors: Choi, In Sang
• Granted Patent: US 9,011,793 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/365
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• 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 5/151 Devices specially adapted for taking samples of capillary blood, e.g. by lancets , needles or blades
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/155 Devices specially adapted for continuous or multiple sampling, e.g. at predetermined intervals devices loaded with multiple lancets simultaneously A61B5/15146
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/157 Devices characterised by integrated means for measuring characteristics of blood

Abstract

The present invention relates to a blood glucose monitoring system, a strip accommodation device, a strip storage device, and an automated blood collection device, wherein the blood glucose monitoring system has the strip accommodation device formed integrally therewith, the strip accommodation device being configured to convert a rotary motion of a cover of an operating member into an upward linear motion and to eject one of a plurality of strips through an ejection hole, thereby easily storing the strips therein, preventing the contamination of the strips from the foreign matters like outside moisture, and accurately and easily measuring the concentration of the glucose in the blood.

Claims

1. A blood glucose monitoring system comprising:

an automated blood collection device;

a strip accommodation device formed integrally with a blood glucose measurement device so as to convert a rotary motion generated by the manipulation of a measurer into an upward linear motion and to automatically eject one of a plurality of strips through an ejection hole formed thereon; and

the blood glucose measurement device adapted to measure the concentration of glucose in the collected blood by means of the strip ejected from the strip accommodation device.

2. The blood glucose monitoring system according to claim 1, further comprising a strip storage device detachably mounted thereon through an opening formed at a given position of the strip accommodation device and having the plurality of strips accommodated thereinto in such a manner as to convey the strip not used yet to the ejection hole.

3. The blood glucose monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the strip accommodation device comprises:

a housing adapted to contain the plurality of strips arranged serially to collect blood thereon;

an operating member disposed on the outer surface of the housing in such a manner as to be rotated by a first angle by means of the manipulation of a measurer at the time of measuring blood glucose; and

a first conveying member disposed on a given position in the housing and adapted to convert the rotary motion by the first angle of the operating member into an upward linear motion so as to convey one of the plurality of strips upwardly.

4. The blood glucose monitoring system according to claim 3, wherein the strip accommodation device further comprises a second conveying member disposed on a given position in the housing in such a manner as to have one side opposite to the ejection hole formed on the housing so as to convey the strip not used yet to the ejection hole area.

5. The blood glucose monitoring system according to claim 4, wherein the operating member comprises a folder type cover rotated by the first angle around a rotary shaft in accordance with the manipulation of the measurer for blood glucose measurement.

6. The blood glucose monitoring system according to claim 5, wherein the first conveying member comprises:

a lever rotated by the rotation of the operating member and having a protrusion formed at the opposite position to the rotary shaft of the operating member; and

a carriage adapted to be conveyed upwardly by means of the movement of the protrusion of the lever along a guide groove through the rotation of the lever and having a projection adapted to forcedly eject the strip positioned at the ejection hole area.

7. The blood glucose monitoring system according to claim 6, wherein the first conveying member further comprises a plurality gears disposed on the rotary shaft of the operating member in such a manner as to be rotated by means of the rotation of the operating member and to transmit the rotary motion of the operating member to the lever.

8. The blood glucose monitoring system according to claim 7, wherein the length of the strip is set to be inversely proportional to the length of the lever.

9. The blood glucose monitoring system according to claim 8, wherein the second conveying member comprises:

a guide adapted to convey the strip not used yet to empty space after the strip has been ejected through the ejection hole; and

an elastic module adapted to supply a given elastic force to the guide so as to allow the strip not used yet to be conveyed to the ejection hole area.

10. The blood glucose monitoring system according to claim 3, wherein the operating member is rotated by a second angle larger than the first angle to move the first conveying member upwardly and to completely eject the used strip to the outside.

11. The blood glucose monitoring system according to claim 10, wherein the operating member has a locking projection formed at the end thereof so as to seal the ejection hole after the blood glucose measurement has been finished, and the housing has a locking groove formed at a given position thereof so as to insert the locking projection of the operating member thereinto.

12. The blood glucose monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the strip accommodation device comprises:

a housing adapted to contain the plurality of strips arranged serially to collect blood thereon;

an operating member disposed on the outer surface of the housing in such a manner as to be opened at one side thereof to insert the housing into the inside thereof and adapted to be rotated by a given angle around a rotary shaft disposed on the outer surface of the housing; and

a first conveying member disposed on a given position in the housing and adapted to convert the rotary motion of the operating member into an upward linear motion so as to eject the strip through the ejection hole to the outside.

13. The blood glucose monitoring system according to claim 12, wherein the strip accommodation device further comprises a second conveying member disposed on a given position in the housing in such a manner as to have one side opposite to the ejection hole formed on the housing so as to convey the strip not used yet to the ejection hole area.

14. The blood glucose monitoring system according to claim 13, wherein the operating member has a cover formed integrally therewith so as to seal the ejection hole when rotated in the opposite direction to the ejection direction of the strip after the used strip has been removed.

15. The blood glucose monitoring system according to claim 14, wherein the first conveying member comprises:

a lever rotated by the rotation of the operating member and having a protrusion formed at the opposite position to the rotary shaft of the operating member; and

a carriage adapted to be conveyed upwardly by means of the movement of the protrusion of the lever along a guide groove through the rotation of the lever and having a projection adapted to forcedly eject the strip positioned at the ejection hole area.

16. The blood glucose monitoring system according to claim 15, wherein the first conveying member further comprises:

a gear module adapted to convert the rotary motion of the operating member into an upward linear motion; and

the carriage adapted to be moved upwardly by means of the gear module so as to eject the strip through the ejection hole.

17. The blood glucose monitoring system according to claim 15, wherein the second conveying member comprises:

a guide adapted to convey the strip not used yet to empty space after the strip has been ejected through the ejection hole; and

an elastic module adapted to supply a given elastic force to the guide so as to allow the strip not used yet to be conveyed to the ejection hole area.

18. The blood glucose monitoring system according to claim 17, wherein the housing further comprises a moisture remover disposed at a given position therein so as to remove moisture therefrom.

19. The blood glucose monitoring system according to claim 18, wherein the cover of the operating member has a locking projection formed at the inside thereof so as to lock the cover to the housing, and the housing has a locking groove formed to insert the locking projection of the cover thereinto.

20. The blood glucose monitoring system according to claim 19, wherein the housing has a slot formed at a given position thereof so as to allow the blood glucose monitoring system to be carried along the measurer.

21. The blood glucose monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the strip accommodation device comprises:

a housing adapted to contain the plurality of strips arranged serially to collect blood thereon;

an operating member disposed on the outer surface of the housing in such a manner as to be slid by means of the manipulation of the measurer to cause a downward linear motion therefrom; and

a first conveying member disposed on a given position in the housing and adapted to convert the downward linear motion of the operating member into a rotary motion so as to convey one of the plurality of strips upwardly.

22. The blood glucose monitoring system according to claim 21, wherein the strip accommodation device further comprises a second conveying member disposed on a given position in the housing in such a manner as to have one side opposite to the ejection hole formed on the housing so as to convey the strip not used yet to the ejection hole area.

23. The blood glucose monitoring system according to claim 22, wherein the operating member has a slide type cover adapted to be slid downwardly for the blood glucose measurement and having a rack gear disposed at a given position on the inner surface thereof.

24. The blood glucose monitoring system according to claim 23, wherein the slide type cover further has a guide rib formed at a given position on the inner surface thereof so as to prevent the escape thereof from the housing during the sliding operation.

25. The blood glucose monitoring system according to claim 24, wherein the first conveying member comprises:

a pinion gear rotated while being engaged with the rack gear of the operation member;

a lever disposed on the rotary shaft of the pinion gear in such a manner as to be rotated by the rotation of the pinion gear and having a protrusion formed at the opposite position to the rotary shaft of the pinion gear; and

a carriage adapted to be conveyed upwardly by means of the movement of the protrusion of the lever along a guide groove through the rotation of the lever and having a projection adapted to forcedly eject the strip positioned at the ejection hole area.

26. The blood glucose monitoring system according to claim 25, wherein the strip accommodation device further comprises a sealing member adapted to be rotated by means of the rotation of the first conveying member so as to open and close the ejection hole.

27. The blood glucose monitoring system according to claim 26, wherein the sealing member comprises:

a cam gear adapted to be rotated by means of the rotation of the pinion gear of the first conveying member; and

a sealing lever coupled on the rotary shaft of the cam gear in such a manner as to rotated by a given angle in accordance with the rotation of the cam gear and to open and close the ejection hole.

28. The blood glucose monitoring system according to claim 27, wherein the second conveying member comprises:

a guide adapted to convey the strip not used yet to empty space after the strip has been ejected through the ejection hole; and

an elastic module adapted to supply a given elastic force to the guide so as to allow the strip not used yet to be conveyed to the ejection hole area.

29. The blood glucose monitoring system according to claim 28, wherein the operating member moves the first conveying member upwardly in accordance with the sliding position of the cover to eject the used strip to the outside.

30. The blood glucose monitoring system according to claim 2, wherein the strip storage device comprises:

a strip storage housing having an ejection opening formed on one side thereof;

a strip storage member formed in the strip storage housing so as to store the plurality of strips therein;

a guide adapted to convey the strip not used yet to empty space in the housing after the strip has been ejected through the ejection opening of the strip storage housing; and

an elastic module adapted to supply a given elastic force to the guide so as to allow the strip not used yet to be conveyed to the ejection opening area.

31. The blood glucose monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the automated blood collection device comprises:

a blood collection needle insertion member having an insertion groove having an opened semicircular portion and adapted to insert a blood collection needle thereinto;

a rotary member adapted to be rotated by receiving a rotary force from a motor;

a blood collection needle guide member adapted to convert a rotary motion of the rotary member into upward and downward motions around a fixing shaft and to thus convert the converted upward and downward motions into left and right motions so as to guide the blood collection needle to the insertion groove;

a blood collection needle fixation member adapted to convert the rotary force of the rotary member into upward and downward motions so as to convey the blood collection needle downwardly and fix the blood collection needle thereto and to convey the blood collection needle upwardly after blood collection has been finished; and

a blood collection needle ejection member adapted to be rotated by a given angle around the fixing shaft by receiving the rotary motion of the rotary member so as to allow the blood collection needle used for the blood collection to be escaped from the insertion groove.

32. The blood glucose monitoring system according to claim 31, wherein the automated blood collection device further comprises a fixing cam adapted to be moved along a groove formed on the underside cross section of the rotary member so as to fix the fixing shaft to the rotary member.

33. The blood glucose monitoring system according to claim 32, wherein the blood collection needle guide member comprises:

a guide cam adapted to be moved along a groove formed along the lower outer periphery of the rotary shaft of the rotary member in such a manner as to perform upward and downward motions around the fixing shaft;

a guide transmitter disposed on the other side of the guide cam so as to transmit the upward and downward motions of the guide cam; and

a guide lever adapted to convert the upward and downward motions of the guide cam received from the guide transmitter into left and right motions around a rotary shaft thereof so as to guide the blood collection needle to the insertion groove.

34. The blood glucose monitoring system according to claim 33, wherein the blood collection needle comprises:

a conveying shaft having one side inserted into a groove formed on the blood collection needle ejection member and the other side conveyed downwardly to fix the blood collection needle by means of the blood collection needle fixation member; and

a locking groove fixedly formed at a given position of the conveying shaft in such a manner as to be lockedly coupled to the blood collection needle fixation member.

35. The blood glucose monitoring system according to claim 34, wherein the blood collection needle fixation member is disposed at the inside of the insertion groove in such a manner as to perform a linear motion with respect to the blood collection needle insertion member.

36. The blood glucose monitoring system according to claim 35, wherein the blood collection needle fixation member comprises:

a conveying cam adapted to be moved along a groove formed along the upper outer periphery of the rotary shaft of the rotary member and to be linearly moved with respect to the rotating direction of the rotary member;

a power transmitter adapted to transmit the linear motion of the conveying cam to the locking groove of the blood collection needle; and

a fixing part adapted to fix the blood collection needle conveyed downwardly by means of the power transmitter thereto.

37. The blood glucose monitoring system according to claim 36, wherein the power transmitter is adapted to transmit the linear motion of the fixing cam to the blood collection needle so as to convey the blood collection needle upwardly after the blood collection operation has been finished.

38. The blood glucose monitoring system according to claim 37, wherein the blood collection needle ejection member is configured to be opened by moving by a given angle along a groove formed on the top cross surface of the rotary shaft of the rotary member around the fixing shaft, and comprises:

a protrusion adapted to be inserted into the groove formed on the top cross surface of the rotary shaft of the rotary member so as to transmit the rotary force of the rotary member;

an ejection cam adapted to be rotated by a given angle by means of the rotary force of the rotary member transmitted from the protrusion; and

an ejection cap disposed on the output side of the ejection cam and having a groove into which the blood collection needle is inserted formed at the inside thereof so as to escape the blood collection needle from the insertion groove by means of the rotary force of the ejection cam.

39. The blood glucose monitoring system according to claim 38, wherein the automated blood collection device further comprises a stopper fixedly mounted along the fixing shaft so as to restrict a moving distance of the fixing part when the blood collection needle is fixed.

40. The blood glucose monitoring system according to claim 39, wherein the fixing cam, the guide cam, the ejection cam and the conveying cam of the automated blood collection device have the form of a cam gear.

41. The blood glucose monitoring system according to claim 40, wherein the fixing cam, the guide cam, the ejection cam and the conveying cam of the automated blood collection device have the form of a cam plate.

42. A strip accommodation device comprising:

a housing adapted to contain the plurality of strips arranged serially to collect blood thereon;

an operating member adapted to be rotated by a first angle by means of the manipulation of a measurer at the time of measuring blood glucose;

a first conveying member adapted to convert the rotary motion by the first angle of the operating member into an upward linear motion so as to convey one of the plurality of strips upwardly; and

a second conveying member disposed at an opposite position to an ejection hole from which the strip is ejected to the outside so as to convey the strip not used yet to the ejection hole area.

43. The strip accommodation device according to claim 42, wherein the operating member comprises a folder type cover rotated by the first angle around a rotary shaft in accordance with the manipulation of the measurer for blood glucose measurement.

44. The strip accommodation device according to claim 43, wherein the first conveying member comprises:

a lever rotated by the rotation of the operating member and having a protrusion formed at the opposite position to the rotary shaft of the operating member; and

a carriage adapted to be conveyed upwardly by means of the movement of the protrusion of the lever along a guide groove through the rotation of the lever and having a projection adapted to forcedly eject the strip positioned at the ejection hole area.

45. The strip accommodation device according to claim 44, wherein the first conveying member further comprises a plurality gears disposed on the rotary shaft of the operating member in such a manner as to be rotated by means of the rotation of the operating member and to transmit the rotary motion of the operating member to the lever.

46. The strip accommodation device according to claim 45, wherein the second conveying member comprises:

a guide adapted to convey the strip not used yet to empty space after the strip has been ejected through the ejection hole; and

an elastic module adapted to supply a given elastic force to the guide so as to allow the strip not used yet to be conveyed to the ejection hole area.

47. The strip accommodation device according to claim 46, wherein the operating member is rotated by a second angle larger than the first angle to move the first conveying member upwardly and to completely eject the used strip to the outside.

48. The strip accommodation device according to claim 47, wherein the operating member has a locking projection formed at the end thereof so as to seal the ejection hole after the blood glucose measurement has been finished, and the housing has a locking groove formed at a given position of the ejection hole so as to insert the locking projection of the operating member thereinto.

49. The strip accommodation device according to claim 48, wherein the operating member further comprises a sealant molded or coated on the cover corresponding to the ejection hole area so as to seal the ejection hole.

50. A strip accommodation device comprising:

a housing adapted to contain the plurality of strips arranged serially to collect blood thereon;

an operating member adapted to be slid by means of the manipulation of a measurer at the time of measuring blood glucose so as to cause a downward linear motion therefrom;

a first conveying member adapted to convert the downward linear motion of the operating member into a rotary motion so as to convey one of the plurality of strips of a strip storage member upwardly; and

a second conveying member disposed at an opposite position to an ejection hole from which the strip is ejected to the outside so as to convey the strip not used yet to the ejection hole area.

51. The strip accommodation device according to claim 50, wherein the operating member has a slide type cover adapted to be slid downwardly for the blood glucose measurement and having a rack gear disposed at a given position on the inner surface thereof.

52. The strip accommodation device according to claim 51, wherein the slide type cover further has a guide rib formed at a given position on the inner surface thereof so as to prevent the escape thereof from the housing during the sliding operation.

53. The strip accommodation device according to claim 52, wherein the first conveying member comprises:

a pinion gear rotated while being engaged with the rack gear of the operation member;

a lever disposed on the rotary shaft of the pinion gear in such a manner as to be rotated by the rotation of the pinion gear and having a protrusion formed at the opposite position to the rotary shaft of the pinion gear; and

a carriage adapted to be conveyed upwardly by means of the movement of the protrusion of the lever along a guide groove through the rotation of the lever and having a projection adapted to forcedly eject the strip positioned at the ejection hole area.

54. The strip accommodation device according to claim 53, further comprising a sealing member adapted to be rotated by means of the rotation of the first conveying member so as to open and close the ejection hole.

55. The strip accommodation device according to claim 54, wherein the sealing member comprises:

a cam gear adapted to be rotated by means of the rotation of the pinion gear of the first conveying member; and

a sealing lever coupled on the rotary shaft of the cam gear in such a manner as to rotated by a given angle in accordance with the rotation of the cam gear and to open and close the ejection hole.

56. The strip accommodation device according to claim 55, wherein the second conveying member comprises:

a guide adapted to convey the strip not used yet to empty space after the strip has been ejected through the ejection hole; and

an elastic module adapted to supply a given elastic force to the guide so as to allow the strip not used yet to be conveyed to the ejection hole area.

57. The strip accommodation device according to claim 56, wherein the operating member moves the first conveying member upwardly in accordance with the sliding position of the cover to eject the used strip to the outside.

58. A strip storage device comprising:

a strip storage housing having an ejection opening formed on one side thereof;

a strip storage member formed in the strip storage housing so as to store the plurality of strips therein;

a guide adapted to convey the strip not used yet to empty space in the housing after the strip has been ejected through the ejection opening of the strip storage housing; and

an elastic module adapted to supply a given elastic force to the guide so as to allow the strip not used yet to be conveyed to the ejection opening area.

59. An automated blood collection device comprising:

a blood collection needle insertion member having an insertion groove having an opened semicircular portion and adapted to insert a blood collection needle thereinto;

a rotary member adapted to be rotated by receiving a rotary force from a motor;

a blood collection needle guide member adapted to convert a rotary motion of the rotary member into upward and downward motions around a fixing shaft and to thus convert the converted upward and downward motions into left and right motions so as to guide the blood collection needle to the insertion groove;

a blood collection needle fixation member adapted to convert the rotary force of the rotary member into upward and downward motions so as to convey the blood collection needle downwardly and fix the blood collection needle thereto and to convey the blood collection needle upwardly after blood collection has been finished; and

a blood collection needle ejection member adapted to be rotated by a given angle around the fixing shaft by receiving the rotary motion of the rotary member so as to allow the blood collection needle used for the blood collection to be escaped from the insertion groove.

60. The automated blood collection device according to claim 59, further comprising a fixing cam adapted to be moved along a groove formed on the underside cross section of the rotary member so as to fix the fixing shaft to the rotary member.

61. The automated blood collection device according to claim 60, wherein the blood collection needle guide member comprises:

a guide cam adapted to be moved along a groove formed along the lower outer periphery of the rotary shaft of the rotary member in such a manner as to perform upward and downward motions around the fixing shaft;

a guide transmitter disposed on the other side of the guide cam so as to transmit the upward and downward motions of the guide cam; and

a guide lever adapted to convert the upward and downward motions of the guide cam received from the guide transmitter into left and right motions around a rotary shaft thereof so as to guide the blood collection needle to the insertion groove.

62. The automated blood collection device according to claim 61, wherein the blood collection needle comprises:

a conveying shaft having one side inserted into a groove formed on the blood collection needle ejection member and the other side conveyed downwardly to fix the blood collection needle by means of the blood collection needle fixation member; and

a locking groove fixedly formed at a given position of the conveying shaft in such a manner as to be lockedly coupled to the blood collection needle fixation member.

63. The automated blood collection device according to claim 62, wherein the blood collection needle fixation member is disposed at the inside of the insertion groove in such a manner as to perform a linear motion with respect to the blood collection needle insertion member.

64. The automated blood collection device according to claim 63, wherein the blood collection needle fixation member comprises:

a conveying cam adapted to be moved along a groove formed along the upper outer periphery of the rotary shaft of the rotary member and to be linearly moved with respect to the rotating direction of the rotary member;

a power transmitter adapted to transmit the linear motion of the conveying cam to the locking groove of the blood collection needle; and

a fixing part adapted to fix the blood collection needle conveyed downwardly by means of the power transmitter thereto.

65. The automated blood collection device according to claim 64, wherein the power transmitter is adapted to transmit the linear motion of the fixing cam to the blood collection needle so as to convey the blood collection needle upwardly after the blood collection operation has been finished.

66. The automated blood collection device according to claim 65, wherein the blood collection needle ejection member is configured to be opened by moving by a given angle along a groove formed on the top cross surface of the rotary shaft of the rotary member around the fixing shaft, and comprises:

a protrusion adapted to be inserted into the groove formed on the top cross surface of the rotary shaft of the rotary member so as to transmit the rotary force of the rotary member;

an ejection cam adapted to be rotated by a given angle by means of the rotary force of the rotary member transmitted from the protrusion; and

an ejection cap disposed on the output side of the ejection cam and having a groove into which the blood collection needle is inserted formed at the inside thereof so as to escape the blood collection needle from the insertion groove by means of the rotary force of the ejection cam.

67. The automated blood collection device according to claim 66, wherein the ejection cap is adapted to receive the rotary force of the ejection cam thereto and to escape the blood collection needle from the insertion groove so as to eject the blood collection needle used for the blood collection to the outside.

68. The automated blood collection device according to claim 67, further comprising a stopper fixedly mounted along the fixing shaft so as to restrict a moving distance of the fixing part when the blood collection needle is fixed.

69. The automated blood collection device according to claim 68, wherein the fixing cam, the guide cam, the ejection cam and the conveying cam of the automated blood collection device have the form of a cam gear.

70. The automated blood collection device according to claim 69, wherein the fixing cam, the guide cam, the ejection cam and the conveying cam of the automated blood collection device have the form of a cam plate.