Biological testing system

• US 7,641,777 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2004
• Issued: 01/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Roche Diabetes Care Inc. (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Operations Incorporated (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: Schlanser, Jack, Joseph, Abner D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Warden; Jill
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kingan; Timothy G
• Application Number:
  US10/935,522
• Publication Number:
  US 20060052682A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,946 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 204/406
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/3273 Devices therefor, e.g. test element readers, circuitry details not specific to biochemical electrodes G01N33/4875
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/721 cooperating directly with the edge of the rigid printed circuits
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/144444 Glucose

Abstract

A connector for establishing electrical connection between a testing device and a test strip with a biological fluid thereon includes a contact pad on the test strip, and one or more contact wires in the testing device. When the strip is inserted into the testing device, the end of the strip engages with a bight in the contact wire, pushing the contact wire in a direction normal to the direction of insertion. The movement of the contact wire forces a second portion of the wire against a part of the housing, thereby deforming the wire and moving another portion of the wire toward the contact pad. Some embodiments of the invention include 4, 6, 8, 15, or more contacts, which may be situated so as to receive the end of the test strip substantially simultaneously, or may be staggered in 2, 3, or more rows to spread out the resistance to movement presented.

Claims

1. A method for connecting a test meter adapted to measure an analyte of interest in a biological fluid applied to a test strip having a contact pad, comprising:

a. providing a meter including a housing having a first wall and a second wall defining an opening therebetween, the housing further including an insertion limiting wall positioned for engagement by a test strip inserted into the opening, the meter further including a contact wire for establishing electrical contact between the test meter and the contact pad of the test strip when the test strip is inserted into the slot, the contact wire comprising first, second and third portions, the first portion for engaging the contact pad of the test strip, the third portion being for engaging the test strip at a location spaced from the contact pad,

the contact wire having a first condition in which no test strip is received within the opening and in which;

the first portion is positioned adjacent to but spaced apart from the first wall, the test strip having a thickness and the first portion being located a distance from the first wall which is greater than the thickness of the test strip;

the second portion is positioned adjacent to the second wall,

the third portion is positioned adjacent to the first wall at a distance which is less than the thickness of the test strip,

b. partially inserting the test strip into the opening adjacent the first wall a first distance to a position in which the test strip is in contact with the third portion of the contact wire but is not in contact with the first portion of the contact wire, the third portion of the contact wire having been moved away from the first wall to a position more distant from the first wall than in the first condition of the contact wire; and

c. fully inserting the test strip into the opening adjacent the first wall a second distance to a position in which the test strip is in engagement with the insertion limiting wall, the third portion of the contact wire having been moved away from the first wall to a position more distant from the first wall than when the test strip has been partially inserted into the opening, the first portion of the contact wire being in electrical contact with the contact pad of the test strip when the test strip is engaged with the insertion limiting wall thereby allowing measurement of an analyte of interest in a biological fluid.

2. The method of claim 1 in which the first portion is in electrical contact with the contact pad only after substantially full insertion of the test strip.