GLUCOSE MEASUREMENT SYSTEM WITH HIGH-CAPACITY CARTRIDGE AND CAPABILITY OF MORE FREQUENT REPLENISHMENT

• US 20130168403A1
• Filed: 12/28/2012
• Published: 07/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ascensia Diabetes Care Holdings AG (PHC Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bayer Healthcare LLC (Bayer AG)
• Inventors: Brown, Daniel, Mathelier, Martin Antoine, Jung, Sung-Kwon
• Granted Patent: US 9,097,700 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 221/31
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 5/08 Packaging groups of articles, the articles being individually gripped or guided for transfer to the containers or receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/487 of liquid biological material
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/48778 Containers specially adapted therefor, e.g. for dry storage

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to packaging containers for holding a plurality of test sensors. The packaging container may include a first semi-circular housing and a second semi-circular housing. The first semi-circular housing has a plurality of first test sensor containing regions. Each of the plurality of the first test sensor containing regions is adapted to contain at least one test sensor having a top portion covered by a foil cover. The second semi-circular housing has a plurality of second test sensor containing regions. Each of the plurality of the second test sensor containing regions is adapted to contain at least one test sensor. The second semi-circular housing has a top portion. The first semi-circular housing and the second semi-circular housing are positioned adjacent to each other.

Claims

1. A packaging container for holding a plurality of test sensors, comprising:

a first semi-circular housing having a plurality of first test sensor containing regions, each of the plurality of the first test sensor containing regions being adapted to contain at least one test sensor; and

a second semi-circular housing having a plurality of second test sensor containing regions, each of the plurality of the second test sensor containing regions being adapted to contain at least one test sensor,

the second semi-circular housing having a top portion, the first semi-circular housing and the second semi-circular housing being positioned adjacent to each other.

2. The packaging container of claim 1, wherein said first semi-circular housing further comprises an outer wall extending in a non-perpendicular direction away from said top portion.

3. The packaging container of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of first test sensor containing regions further comprises an opening, and wherein the at least one test sensor in each of the plurality is capable of being ejected through the opening.

4. The packaging container of claim 3, wherein the plurality of first test sensor containing regions further comprises a foil cover and a cutting assembly for removing the foil cover, the cutting assembly capable of removing the foil cover each time one of the first test sensors is to be ejected through the opening of the respective test sensor containing region.

5. The packaging container of claim 4, wherein a rod engages the cutting assembly, the cutting assembly further comprising a base and a cutting edge extending from the base, wherein movement of the base causes movement of the cutting edge and rod.

6. The packaging container of claim 5, wherein the test strip further comprises a slot constructed and arranged to receive the rod and wherein movement of the cutting assembly causes movement of the test strip.

7. The packaging container of claim 1, wherein the plurality of test sensor containing regions has a top portion covered by a foil, and wherein each time a test sensor is ejected from the test sensor containing region, at least a portion of the foil covering the individual test sensor containing region from which the test sensor is ejected is cut and the foil covering the remaining individual test sensor containing regions is not cut.

8. The packaging container of claim 1, wherein said first semi-circular housing may be removed from said packaging container and replaced with a third semi-circular housing having a plurality of third test sensor containing regions, each of the plurality of the third test sensor containing regions being adapted to contain at least one test sensor.

9. The packaging container of claim 8, wherein the first semi-circular housing may be replaced with the third semi-circular housing while the second semi-circular housing is still in place.

10. The packaging container of claim 1, wherein said first semi-circular housing and said second semicircular housing combine to form a circular cartridge.

11. A packaging container for holding a plurality of test sensors, comprising:

at least two housings forming at least a portion of a circle, each of the at least two housings having at least one test sensor containing region, the test sensor containing regions being adapted to contain at least one test sensor, the housings having top portions and bottom portions that are substantially parallel with respect to each other, each top portion being covered by a foil cover; and

a guiding system for guiding the ejection of each test sensor from each test sensor containing region, the guiding system including a guide member associated with each test sensor and a slot defined along an outer wall of each test sensor containing region, the slot being dimensioned to receive the guide member and the test sensor, the guide member having a shape that allows the test sensor to rotate from a first position to a second position when ejected from the test sensor containing region.

12. The packaging container of claim 11, wherein the test sensor rotates about 90 degrees when moving from the first position to the second position.

13. The packaging container of claim 11, wherein the at least two housings further comprise opposed sidewalls extending between the top and bottom portions, wherein when the at least one test sensor in each of the two housings is in the first position, each of the at least one test sensors has a major surface parallel to the opposed side walls and a minor surfaces parallel to the top portion, and wherein when the test sensor is in the second position, the major surface of the test sensor is parallel to the top portion and the minor surface is parallel to the opposed sidewalls.

14. The packaging container of claim 11, wherein the housings further comprise opposed sidewalls extending between the top and bottom surfaces, wherein when the test sensor is in the first position, the test sensor has a minor surface parallel to the opposed side walls and major surfaces parallel to the top surface, and wherein when the test sensor is in the second position, the minor surface of the test sensor is parallel to the top surface and the major surface is parallel to the sidewalls.

15. The packaging container of claim 11, wherein the guide member has a partial spiral shape.

16. The packaging container of claim 11, wherein the at least two housings is only two housings.

17. The packaging container of claim 11, wherein the outer wall is tapered with respect to the top portions and bottom portions of said housing.

18. The packaging container of claim 11, wherein the guiding system is adapted to cut the foil cover.

19. The packaging container of claim 11 further comprising a cutting assembly for cutting the foil cover, the cutting assembly comprising a base and a cutting edge extending from the base, wherein movement of the base causes movement of the cutting edge across the foil cover.

20. A method for replacing a housing of a packaging container, comprising:

providing a packaging container including at least two housings forming at least a portion of a circle, each housing having at least one test sensor containing region, the test sensor containing regions being adapted to contain at least one test sensor;

replacing one housing of the at least two housings with another housing while the remaining housings remain in the packaging container.

21. A packaging container for holding a plurality of test sensors, comprising:

at least two housings forming a circle, each housing having at least one test sensor containing region covered by a foil cover, each test sensor containing region being adapted to contain at least one test sensor and having a guiding mechanism for turning the at least one test sensor about 90 degrees upon ejection from one of the at least two housings, the guiding mechanism including;

a hollow compartment in an outer region of each test sensor containing region, the hollow compartment including a first inclined wall and a second inclined wall, the first inclined wall being oriented at an acute angle relative to the second inclined wall so that the at least one test sensor turns about 90 degrees upon passing through the hollow compartment.