Analyte Test Strip Containers and Inserts

• US 20120080330A1
• Filed: 09/30/2010
• Published: 04/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Abbott Diabetes Care Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Abbott Diabetes Care Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Rush, Benjamin M., Sharp, Craig W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,757,386 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 206/305
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/30 Containers specially adapted for packaging, protecting, dispensing, collecting or disposing of surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments for wound clamps A61B17/10; for ligaturing clips A61B17/122; packages or dispensers for surgical gloves or finger-stalls A61B42/40
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 1/24 with moulded compartments or partitions
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/10 Devices to locate articles in containers for protecting articles from mechanical damage B65D81/02
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00092 circular
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00194 square or rectangular with curved sides B65D2543/00101
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00277 Metal
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00296 Plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00537 on the outside, or a part turned to the outside of the mouth of the container
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00842 outside of the lid
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 43/162 the container, the lid and the hinge being made of one piece B65D43/161 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/08 for dispensing thin flat articles in succession towel dispensers intended for re-use A47K10/24; dispensers for surgical scalpel blades A61B17/3215

Abstract

In some aspects of the present disclosure, analyte test strip containers, and methods of manufacturing the same, are provided. The analyte test strip containers may include an interior side of a base that varies in height. In some aspects of the present disclosure, inserts are provided. The inserts serve to provide the cavity floor with a varying height with respect to a longitudinal axis of the container. In some aspects of the present disclosure, analyte test strip container systems, and methods of making the same, are provided. The analyte test strip container systems include a container and insert that situates within the container to provide a cavity floor that varies in height.

Claims

1. An analyte test strip container for storing a plurality of analyte test strips, comprising:

a base; and

one or more sidewalls extending from the base, wherein the one or more sidewalls and the base form a cavity having an opening at a distal end and an interior side of the base at a proximal end, the interior side of the base to support analyte test strips disposed in the container;

wherein the interior side of the base varies in height with respect to a longitudinal axis of the container extending from the base to the opening.

2. The analyte test strip container of claim 1, wherein the interior side of the base comprises a first supporting surface to support a first plurality of analyte test strips and a second supporting surface to support a second plurality of analyte test strips.

3. The analyte test strip container of claim 2, wherein the first supporting surface and second supporting surface are longitudinally offset in height with respect to the longitudinal axis.

4. The analyte test strip container of claim 3, wherein the first supporting surface and second supporting surfaces are planar and level.

5. The analyte test strip container of claim 3, wherein at least one of the first supporting surface and the second supporting surface is planar and angled.

6. The analyte test strip container of claim 3, wherein at least one of the first supporting surface and the second supporting surfaces are non-planar.

7. The analyte test strip container of claim 3, wherein the second supporting surface is circular shaped and raised with respect to the first supporting surface, and wherein the first supporting surface is ring shaped concentrically around the second supporting surface.

8. The analyte test strip container of claim 3, wherein the second supporting surface comprises a ring shaped surface that is raised with respect to the first supporting surface.

9. The analyte test strip container of claim 3, wherein the second supporting surface comprises a polygonal shaped surface that is raised with respect to the first supporting surface.

10. The analyte test strip claim 3, wherein the longitudinal offset is at least 4 mm.

11. The analyte test strip of claim 1, wherein the interior side of the base includes a spacer to provide a latitudinal offset between analyte test strips, the latitudinal offset with respect to a latitudinal axis, the latitudinal axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

12. The analyte test strip of claim 11, wherein the interior side of the base includes a first supporting surface and the spacer positioned within the first supporting surface such that analyte test strips disposed on the first supporting surface adjacent to the spacer are latitudinally offset.

13. The analyte test strip of claim 11, wherein the interior side of the base includes a first supporting surface and a second supporting surface, wherein the spacer is positioned between the first supporting surface and second supporting surface such that a first plurality of analyte test strips disposed on the first supporting surface adjacent to the spacer are latitudinally offset from a second plurality of analyte test strips disposed on the second supporting surface adjacent to the spacer.

14. The analyte test strip of claim 11, wherein the spacer is cylindrical shaped.

15. The analyte test strip of claim 11, wherein the spacer includes a distal surface that prevents analyte test strips from being disposed thereon.

16. The analyte test strip of claim 15, wherein the spacer is cone shaped.

17. The analyte test strip of claim 11, wherein the latitudinal offset is at least 5 mm.

18. An analyte test strip container system for storing a plurality of analyte test strips, comprising:

a container for storing a plurality of analyte test strips, the container having a base, one or more sidewalls extending from the base, and a cavity having an opening at a distal end and the base at the proximal end; and

an insert sized to fit within the opening and to situate within the cavity such that a cavity floor comprises an interior side of the insert;

wherein the cavity floor varies in height with respect to a longitudinal axis extending through the base and the opening of the container.

19. The analyte test strip container system of claim 18, wherein the cavity floor comprises a first supporting surface to support a first plurality of analyte test strips and a second supporting surface to support a second plurality of analyte test strips.

20. The analyte test strip container system of claim 19, wherein the interior side of the insert forms all of the cavity floor and comprises the first and second supporting surfaces.

21. The analyte test strip container system of claim 20, wherein the first supporting surface and second supporting surface are longitudinally offset in height with respect to the longitudinal axis.

22. The analyte test strip container system of claim 21, wherein the first supporting surface and second supporting surfaces are planar and level.

23. The analyte test strip container system of claim 21, wherein at least one of the first supporting surface and the second supporting surface is planar and angled.

24. The analyte test strip container system of claim 21, wherein at least one of the first supporting surface and the second supporting surfaces are non-planar.

25. The analyte test strip container system of claim 21, wherein the second supporting surface is circular shaped and raised with respect to the first supporting surface, and wherein the first supporting surface is ring shaped concentrically around the second supporting surface.

26. The analyte test strip container system of claim 21, wherein the second supporting surface comprises a ring shaped surface that is raised with respect to the first supporting surface.

27. The analyte test strip container system of claim 21, wherein the second supporting surface comprises a polygonal shaped surface that is raised with respect to the first supporting surface.

28. The analyte test strip container system of claim 21, wherein the base is circular and the container is a cylindrical shaped vial with one sidewall.

29. The analyte test strip container system of claim 21, wherein the longitudinal offset is at least 4 mm.

30. The analyte test strip container system of claim 19, wherein the insert covers a portion of an interior side of the base, and wherein the cavity floor comprises an uncovered portion of the interior side of the base, the uncovered portion of the interior side of the base comprising the first supporting surface, and wherein the interior side of the insert comprises the second supporting surface.

31. The analyte test strip container system of claim 30, wherein the first supporting surface and second supporting surface are longitudinally offset in height with respect to the longitudinal axis.

32. The analyte test strip container system of claim 31, wherein the first supporting surface and second supporting surfaces are planar and level.

33. The analyte test strip container system of claim 31, wherein at least one of the first supporting surface and the second supporting surface are planar and angled.

34. The analyte test strip container system of claim 31, wherein the second supporting surface is circular shaped and raised with respect to the first supporting surface, wherein the first supporting surface is ring shaped concentrically around the second supporting surface.

35. The analyte test strip container system of claim 31, wherein the second supporting surface comprises a ring shaped surface that is raised with respect to the first supporting surface.

36. The analyte test strip container system of claim 31, wherein the second supporting surface comprises a polygonal shaped surface that is raised with respect to the first supporting surface.

37. The analyte test strip container system of claim 31, wherein the base is circular and the container is a cylindrical shaped vial with one sidewall.

38. The analyte test strip container system of claim 31, wherein the longitudinal offset is at least 4 mm.

39. The analyte test strip container system of claim 18, wherein the interior side of the insert forms all of the cavity floor, and wherein the interior side of the insert comprises a first supporting surface to support a first plurality of analyte test strips and a spacer to provide a latitudinal offset for some of the first plurality of analyte test strips that are adjacent to the spacer, the latitudinal offset with respect to a latitudinal axis, the latitudinal axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

40. The analyte test strip container system of claim 18, wherein the interior side of the insert forms all of the cavity floor, and wherein the interior side of the insert comprises:

a first supporting surface to support a first plurality of analyte test strips;

a second supporting surface to support a second plurality of analyte test strips; and

a spacer to provide a latitudinal offset for some of the first plurality of analyte test strips and some of the second plurality of analyte test strips that are adjacent to the spacer, the latitudinal offset with respect to a latitudinal axis, the latitudinal axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

41. The analyte test strip container system of claim 18, wherein the cavity floor comprises:

the interior side of the insert, the interior side of the insert comprising a spacer and a first supporting surface to support a first plurality of analyte test strips; and

an uncovered portion of the interior side of the base, the interior side of the base comprising a second supporting surface to support a second plurality of analyte test strips;

wherein the spacer is positioned to latitudinally offset some of the first plurality of analyte test strips and some of the second plurality of analyte test strips that are adjacent to the spacer, the latitudinal offset with respect to a latitudinal axis, the latitudinal axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

42. A method comprising:

providing an analyte test strip container having a base, one or more sidewalls extending from the base, and a cavity having an opening at a distal end and the base at the proximal end; and

situating an insert within the cavity to provide a cavity floor having a varying height with respect to a longitudinal axis of the container, the cavity floor comprising an interior side of the insert for supporting a plurality of test strips, the interior side of the insert facing the opening of the container.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the cavity floor comprises a first supporting surface to support a first plurality of analyte test strips and a second supporting surface to support a second plurality of analyte test strips.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the interior side of the insert forms all of the cavity floor and comprises the first and second supporting surfaces.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the first supporting surface and second supporting surface are longitudinally offset in height with respect to the longitudinal axis.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the first supporting surface and second supporting surfaces are planar and level.

47. The method of claim 43, wherein the insert covers a portion of an interior side of the base, and wherein the cavity floor comprises an uncovered portion of the interior side of the base, the interior side of the base comprising the first supporting surface, and wherein the interior side of the insert comprising the second supporting surface.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the first supporting surface and second supporting surface are longitudinally offset in height with respect to the longitudinal axis.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein the first supporting surface and second supporting surfaces are planar and level.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein the second supporting surface is circular shaped and raised with respect to the first supporting surface, wherein the first supporting surface is ring shaped concentrically around the second supporting surface.

51. The method of claim 43, wherein the second supporting surface is circular shaped and raised with respect to the first supporting surface, wherein the first supporting surface is ring shaped concentrically around the second supporting surface.