PROTECTIVE COVERINGS FOR HAND-HELD MEDICAL DEVICES

• US 20160022363A1
• Filed: 10/01/2015
• Published: 01/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2013
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Roche Diabetes Care Inc. (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Roche Diabetes Care Inc. (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: Harttig, Herbert, Liedtke, Sebastian, Mock, Matthias
• Granted Patent: US 11,324,563 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 46/10 specially adapted for instruments, e.g. microscopes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/15 Preventing contamination of the components of the optical system or obstruction of the light path
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/8483 Investigating reagent band test-element handling not specific to a test method G01N33/4875; analytical elements specific to chemical analysis of biological material G01N33/52; autometer with reagent band G01N35/04

Abstract

Protective coverings are provided for hand-held medical devices that have a measuring port for a disposable analytical test element. The coverings also include a sleeve having a reception opening and can be slipped over the devices to at least partially enclose the devices in a usable protected state. The coverings further include a test element adapter formed as an integral part of the sleeve to receive the test element in alignment with a measuring port, where the sleeve includes the test element adapter and is arranged as a sealing barrier between the test element and the device port in a protected state.

Claims

1. A protective covering for a hand-held medical device that has a measuring port for a test element, the covering comprising:

a sleeve comprising a reception opening, wherein the sleeve can be mounted on the hand-held medical device to partially or fully enclose the hand-held medical device in a usable protected state;

a test element adapter formed as an integral part of the sleeve to receive a test element in alignment with the measuring port, wherein the test element adapter is arranged as a sealing barrier between the test element and the measuring port in the usable protected state.

2. The protective covering of claim 1, wherein the test element can be inserted into the test element adapter by a user, and wherein the test element adapter comprises holding elements to engage and hold the test element in a defined position relative to the measuring port.

3. The protective covering of claim 1, wherein the test element adapter can be detachably connected to the medical device via guiding or latching or plug-in elements.

4. The protective covering of claim 1, wherein the test element adapter comprises an optical window to establish a sealed optical measuring path between the test element and the measuring port.

5. The protective covering of claim 4, wherein the optical window comprises a transparent material selected from the group consisting of PET, PMMA, PC, PC-ABS, PS, SAN and ASA.

6. The protective covering of claim 1, wherein the test element adapter further comprises at least one electrical connector to provide a galvanic coupling between the test element and the measuring port.

7. The protective covering of claim 6, wherein the at least one electrical connector comprises a female connector part on an outside of the sleeve to insert the test element and a male connector part on an inside of the sleeve that can be plugged-in into the measuring port.

8. The protective covering of claim 6, wherein the at least one electrical connector comprises conducting elements formed at least partly from metal selected from the group consisting of a noble metal, organic conductors and carbon derivatives, contained in a non-conducting matrix.

9. The protective covering of claim 1, further comprising a closure to close the reception opening for the hand-held medical device when the sleeve is slipped over the hand-held medical device.

10. The protective covering of claim 9, wherein the closure is a hook-and-pile fastener, a foil slide-locking fastener, or a foil folding fastener.

11. The protective covering of claim 9, wherein the sleeve provides a first closed end and the closure provides a second closed end, such that the hand-held medical device is fully protected against the environment.

12. The protective covering of claim 1, wherein the sleeve is a flexible, unshaped member that can be fitted to the shape of the hand-held medical device.

13. The protective covering of claim 1, wherein the sleeve is a flexible foil material that can be elastically adapted to an outer contour of the hand-held medical device.

14. The protective covering of claim 1, wherein the sleeve is transparent at least in an area covering a display or a control unit of the hand-held medical device.

15. The protective covering of claim 1, wherein the sleeve comprises first and second sleeve parts that form a combined sleeve and that can be connected by adherence in an overlapping joint region, such that the hand-held medical device is fully enclosed in the combined sleeve.

16. The protective covering of claim 15, wherein each of the sleeve parts comprises a hermetically sealed closed end.

17. The protective covering of claim 1, wherein the sleeve comprises a sack-like part that can be turned inside-out over the test element adapter.

18. The protective covering of claim 1, wherein the sleeve comprises tear-off parts in a multi-layered arrangement that can be successively detached from the hand-held medical device for sequential use.

19. The protective covering of claim 1, wherein the sleeve is sterile and forms an aseptic shielding for the hand-held medical device.

20. The protective covering of claim 1, wherein the test element adapter provides an automatic switch-on function of the hand-held medical device when a test element is inserted.