Dispensing instrument for fluid monitoring sensor
First Claim
1. A method of handling a plurality of fluid sensors comprising:
- installing a sensor pack in a housing of a sensor dispensing instrument such that one of a plurality of sensor retaining means that is enclosed by enclosure means and accommodates one of said plurality of fluid sensors is in a feed position;
actuating a feed actuator means to advance a feed means with respect to said sensor retaining means in a feed position, said feed means piercing a portion of said enclosure means and engaging said sensor disposed within said sensor retaining means so that said sensor in said sensor retaining means is advanced out of said sensor retaining means into a testing position; and
returning said feed actuator means to a standby position so as to return said feed means to a standby position whereby another one of said plurality of sensor retaining means is moved into said feed position.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A sensor dispensing instrument is adapted to receive a generally circular sensor pack containing a plurality of blood glucose sensors. Each of the sensors are disposed in sensor cavities, each of which is in fluid communication with a corresponding desiccant cavity and has a support wall that assists in directing the sensor as its being ejected from the cavity. The sensor pack is loaded on an indexing disk in the instrument such that when a slide actuator on the instrument is moved toward a testing position, a feed mechanism engaged by the slide actuator moves a knife blade thereon toward one of the sensor cavities. The knife blade pierces a portion of a foil covering the sensor cavity and engages the sensor disposed in the cavity to thereby eject the sensor from the sensor cavity. The continued sliding of the slide actuator toward its testing position results in the sensor being completely ejected from the sensor cavity and disposed in a testing position with a testing end of the sensor projecting from the instrument. Once the blood analyzing test is completed, the slide actuator is moved in the opposite direction towards its standby position. As the slide actuator is moved away from its testing position, the indexing disk with the sensor pack thereon is rotated so that the next one of sensor cavities is positioned so that the sensor therein can be used for the next blood glucose test that is to be performed. The instrument includes circuitry to obtain test data from the sensor pack and to display testing data.
274 Citations
5 Claims
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1. A method of handling a plurality of fluid sensors comprising:
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installing a sensor pack in a housing of a sensor dispensing instrument such that one of a plurality of sensor retaining means that is enclosed by enclosure means and accommodates one of said plurality of fluid sensors is in a feed position; actuating a feed actuator means to advance a feed means with respect to said sensor retaining means in a feed position, said feed means piercing a portion of said enclosure means and engaging said sensor disposed within said sensor retaining means so that said sensor in said sensor retaining means is advanced out of said sensor retaining means into a testing position; and returning said feed actuator means to a standby position so as to return said feed means to a standby position whereby another one of said plurality of sensor retaining means is moved into said feed position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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Specification