Packaging container for test sensors

• US 7,913,838 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2006
• Issued: 03/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ascensia Diabetes Care Holdings AG (PHC Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bayer Healthcare LLC (Bayer AG)
• Inventors: Zhong, Weiping
• Primary Examiner(s): ACKUN, JACOB K
• Application Number:
  US11/885,952
• Publication Number:
  US 20080164164A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,834 Days
• Field of Search: 206/305, 206/569, 206/363, 206/365, 206/366, 206/367, 600/583, 600/584
• US Class Current: 206/305
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/48778 Containers specially adapted therefor, e.g. for dry storage

Abstract

A test sensor packaging container for use in sensor instrument. The test sensor packaging container comprises a housing, a first foil cover, and a second foil cover. The housing has a plurality of test sensor containing regions. Each of the test sensor containing regions has a proximal end and a distal end and is adapted to contain a test sensor. The test sensor containing regions protrude radially outward from the center of the housing. The housing has a top portion and a bottom portion that are generally parallel. Each of the test sensors has a width direction and a thickness direction. The first foil cover is adapted to cover the top portion of the housing. The second foil cover is adapted to cover the distal end of the plurality of test sensor containing regions. A plane generally parallel to the width direction of each of the plurality of test sensors is generally perpendicular to the top and bottom portion of the housing.

Claims

1. A test sensor packaging container for use in a sensor instrument, the test sensor packaging container comprising:

a plurality of test sensors, each of the plurality of test sensors having a length, a width, and a thickness, the thickness of the test sensors being smaller than the width, the length and the width defining a top surface and a bottom surface;

a housing having a top portion and a bottom portion that are generally parallel and a plurality of test sensor containing regions positioned therebetween, each of the plurality of test sensor containing regions having a proximal end and a distal end and containing one of the plurality of test sensors therein such that a plane generally parallel to the top surface and the bottom surface of any one of the plurality of test sensors is generally perpendicular to the top and the bottom portions of the housing, each of the test sensor containing regions protruding radially outward from the center of the housing, a plurality of open regions formed between each of the plurality of test sensor containing regions, the open regions being positioned on the housing to properly position the test sensor packaging container in response to the test sensor packaging container being in the sensor instrument;

a first foil cover adapted to cover the top portion of the housing;

a second foil cover adapted to cover the distal end of the plurality of test sensor containing regions and adapted to be bursted only by an edge of the plurality of test sensors; and

a third foil cover adapted to cover the proximal end of the plurality of test sensor containing regions,

wherein the distal end and the proximal end of the plurality of test sensor containing regions are positioned between the top and the bottom portions of the housing.

2. The test sensor packaging container of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of desiccant cavities in fluid communication with each of the test sensor containing regions.

3. The test sensor packaging container of claim 2, further having desiccant material in each of the plurality of desiccant cavities such that each of the test sensor containing regions is maintained in a desiccate state.

4. The test sensor packaging container of claim 1, wherein the plurality of test sensor containing regions and the plurality of open regions form a generally gear shaped container.

5. The test sensor packaging container of claim 1, wherein the housing has from about twenty five (25) to about thirty five (35) test sensor containing regions.

6. The test sensor packaging container of claim 1, wherein the housing has a diameter from about 40 mm to about 55 mm.

7. The test sensor packaging container of claim 1, wherein the housing has a thickness of from about 1 mm to about 3 mm.

8. The test sensor packaging container of claim 1, wherein the housing of the test sensor packaging container is made of a molded polymeric material.

9. A test sensor packaging container for use in a sensor instrument, the test sensor packaging container comprising:

a plurality of test sensors, each of the plurality of test sensors having a length, a width, and a thickness, the thickness of the test sensors being smaller than the width, the length and the width defining a top surface and a bottom surface;

a housing having a top portion and a bottom portion that are generally parallel and a plurality of test sensor containing regions positioned therebetween, each of the plurality of test sensor containing regions having a proximal end and a distal end and containing one of the plurality of test sensors therein such that a plane generally parallel to the top surface or the bottom surface of any one of the plurality of test sensors is generally perpendicular to the top and the bottom portions of the housing; and

a foil cover adapted to cover the distal end of the plurality of test sensor containing regions and adapted to be bursted by an edge of at least one of the plurality of test sensors,

wherein the distal end and the proximal end of the plurality of test sensor containing regions are positioned between the top and the bottom portions of the housing.

10. The test sensor packaging container of claim 9, wherein the plurality of test sensor containing regions and the plurality of open regions form a generally gear shaped container, the open regions being positioned on the housing to properly position the test sensor packaging container when the test sensor packaging container is in the sensor instrument.

11. The test sensor packaging container of claim 9, wherein the housing has from about twenty five (25) to about thirty five (35) test sensor containing regions.

12. The test sensor packaging container of claim 9, wherein the housing has a diameter from about 40 mm to about 55 mm.

13. The test sensor packaging container of claim 9, wherein the housing has a thickness of from about 1 mm to about 3 mm.

14. The test sensor packaging container of claim 9, wherein the housing of the test sensor packaging container is made of a molded polymeric material.

15. The test sensor packaging container of claim 9, wherein each of the plurality of test sensor containing regions has a length between the proximal end and the distal end, a width, and a depth, the width of each of the test sensor containing regions being generally constant along the length.

16. A test sensor packaging container for use in a sensor instrument, the test sensor packaging container comprising:

a plurality of test sensors, each of the plurality of test sensors having a length, a width, and a thickness, the thickness of the test sensors being smaller than the width, the length and the width defining a top surface and a bottom surface;

a molded polymeric housing having a top portion and a bottom portion that are generally parallel, the housing having a plurality of test sensor containing regions and a plurality of desiccant cavities in fluid communication with each of the test sensor containing regions positioned between the top and the bottom portions of the housing, each of the plurality of test sensor containing regions has a proximal end and a distal end and contains one of the plurality of test sensors therein such that a plane generally parallel to the top surface and the bottom surface of any one of the plurality of test sensors is generally perpendicular to the top and the bottom portions of the housing, a plurality of open regions formed between each of the plurality of test sensor containing regions, the open regions being positioned on the housing in order to properly position the test sensor packaging container when the test sensor packaging container is in the sensor instrument;

a first foil cover adapted to cover the top portion of the housing; and

a second foil cover adapted to cover the distal end of the plurality of test sensor containing regions and adapted to be bursted by an edge of at least one of the plurality of test sensors,

wherein the distal end of the plurality of test sensor containing regions is positioned between the top and the bottom portion of the housing.

17. The test sensor packaging container of claim 16, wherein the housing has from about twenty five (25) to about thirty five (35) test sensor containing regions.

18. The test sensor packaging container of claim 16, wherein the housing has a diameter from about 40 mm to about 55 mm.

19. The test sensor packaging container of claim 16, wherein the housing has a thickness of from about 1 mm to about 3 mm.

20. The test sensor packaging container of claim 16, wherein the plurality of test sensor containing regions is generally normal to a periphery of the polymeric housing.

21. The test sensor packaging container of claim 16, wherein the plurality of test sensor containing regions is arranged at an angle of about less than thirty degrees from normal to a periphery of the polymeric housing.

22. The test sensor packaging container of claim 16, wherein the plurality of test sensor containing regions is arranged at an angle of about more than five degrees to about less than thirty degrees from normal to a periphery of the polymeric housing.