Drum type container for analytical elements
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A container for analytical elements, comprising:
- a casing extending along a longitudinal axis between a first end and an opposite second end, said casing defining a plurality of compartment portions extending along said longitudinal axis between said first and second ends for receiving respective ones of a plurality of analytical elements, said casing further including a number of detents radially spaced about the longitudinal axis that extend into said second end in the direction of said longitudinal axis; and
a base assembly mounted to said second end of said casing so that said casing is rotatable relative to said base assembly about said longitudinal axis, wherein said base assembly includes a dispenser mechanism movable between said base assembly and said casing to dispense an analytical element from said respective compartment portion and a locking mechanism releasably engaged to at least one of said detents when said at least one detent is aligned with said locking mechanism, wherein said detents and said locking mechanism are arranged so that said locking mechanism normally projects from said base assembly along said longitudinal axis to engage at least one of said detents and maintain said base assembly and said casing in position relative to one another with said dispenser mechanism aligned with one of said plurality of compartment portions, at least a portion of said dispenser mechanism being movable through said second end of said casing to contact the analytical element in said aligned compartment portion to displace the analytical element through said first end of said casing.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A drum type container for analytical elements comprises a casing defining a compartment with a plurality of portions For receiving respective ones of the analytical elements. The container further comprises a base assembly to which the casing is rotatably mounted. The base assembly includes a dispenser mechanism for dispensing the glucose test strips from the casing and a locking mechanism for maintaining an alignment of a selected one of the compartment portions with the dispensing mechanism.
-
Citations
24 Claims
-
1. A container for analytical elements, comprising:
-
a casing extending along a longitudinal axis between a first end and an opposite second end, said casing defining a plurality of compartment portions extending along said longitudinal axis between said first and second ends for receiving respective ones of a plurality of analytical elements, said casing further including a number of detents radially spaced about the longitudinal axis that extend into said second end in the direction of said longitudinal axis; and a base assembly mounted to said second end of said casing so that said casing is rotatable relative to said base assembly about said longitudinal axis, wherein said base assembly includes a dispenser mechanism movable between said base assembly and said casing to dispense an analytical element from said respective compartment portion and a locking mechanism releasably engaged to at least one of said detents when said at least one detent is aligned with said locking mechanism, wherein said detents and said locking mechanism are arranged so that said locking mechanism normally projects from said base assembly along said longitudinal axis to engage at least one of said detents and maintain said base assembly and said casing in position relative to one another with said dispenser mechanism aligned with one of said plurality of compartment portions, at least a portion of said dispenser mechanism being movable through said second end of said casing to contact the analytical element in said aligned compartment portion to displace the analytical element through said first end of said casing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A container, comprising:
-
a plurality of analytical elements; a casing extending along a longitudinal axis between a first end and an opposite second end, said casing defining a plurality of compartment portions extending along said longitudinal axis between said first and second ends for receiving respective ones of said plurality of analytical elements, said casing further including a number of detents radially spaced about said longitudinal axis that extend into said second end in the direction of said longitudinal axis; and a base assembly mounted to said second end of said casing so that said casing is rotatable relative to said base assembly about said longitudinal axis, wherein said base assembly includes a dispenser for dispensing an analytical element from said respective compartment portion and a locking mechanism confined within said base assembly and said casing for engaging at least one of said detents when said at least one detent is aligned with said locking mechanism, wherein said detents and said locking mechanism are arranged so that said locking mechanism engages said at least one detent in said second end to maintain said base assembly and said casing in position relative to one another with said dispenser aligned with one of said plurality of compartment portions, said dispenser being movable through said second end of said casing to contact the analytical element in said aligned compartment portion to displace the analytical element through said first end of said casing. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. A container, comprising:
-
a plurality of analytical elements; a casing extending along a longitudinal axis between a first end and an opposite second end, said casing including a plurality of compartment portions extending along said longitudinal axis between said first and second ends with each of the plurality of analytical elements positioned in a respective one of said plurality of compartment portions, said casing further including a number of detents radially spaced about said longitudinal axis that extend into said second end in the direction of said longitudinal axis; a first sealing member engaged to said first end of said casing and a second sealing member engaged to said second end of said casing, said first and second sealing members sealing said plurality of analytical elements in said plurality of compartments; a base assembly rotatably mounted to said second end of said casing with said base assembly and said casing rotatable relative to one another about said longitudinal axis to align a selected one of said compartment portions in a location relative to said base assembly, wherein said base assembly includes; a locking mechanism with a locking member biased in the direction of said longitudinal axis toward said second end of said casing to normally engage at least one of said detents when said selected compartment portion is in said location relative to said base assembly, said locking member being biased to resist rotation of said casing relative to said base assembly until sufficient force is applied by rotating said casing relative to said base assembly about said longitudinal axis to overcome the bias of said locking member; and a dispenser mechanism including a plunger movable through said second sealing member to contact the analytical element in said selected compartment portion and produce the analytical element from said selected compartment portion through said first sealing member. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
-
Specification