Method and apparatus for lighted test strip
First Claim
1. An apparatus, comprising:
- a meter including a light source; and
a test strip coupled to the meter, the test strip having a sampling end with a sample chamber extending outside the meter, at least a portion of the test strip being made of a light transmissive material to transmit light from the light source to the sampling end, the test strip having an intermediate portion adjacent the sampling end, the intermediate portion including a light source opening in which the light source is received.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A test strip with a sample chamber is secured to a meter. The sample chamber in the portion of the test strip that extends out of the meter is illuminated by transmitting light from a light source inside the meter internally through the test strip towards the sample chamber. By way of analogy, the test strip acts in a fashion similar to a fiber optic cable or optical wave guide by transmitting the light from the meter to the remotely located sample chamber that extends outside the meter. The user is then able to easily see the sample chamber of the test strip in dark conditions so that the user is able to readily align the sample chamber with the drop of fluid on the skin as well as view the sample chamber in order to ensure proper filling. The light also illuminates a test strip slot into which the test strip is inserted.
39 Citations
19 Claims
-
1. An apparatus, comprising:
-
a meter including a light source; and a test strip coupled to the meter, the test strip having a sampling end with a sample chamber extending outside the meter, at least a portion of the test strip being made of a light transmissive material to transmit light from the light source to the sampling end, the test strip having an intermediate portion adjacent the sampling end, the intermediate portion including a light source opening in which the light source is received. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. An apparatus, comprising:
-
an integrated disposable including a lancet and a test strip coupled to the lancet, the test strip having a sampling end and an intermediate section adjacent the sampling end, the intermediate section including a light source opening, the test strip including a spacer layer made of light transmitting material that defines a sample chamber in the sampling end; and a meter having a light source inserted in the light source opening of the test strip to retain the test strip during lancing, the light source being configured to illuminate the spacer layer for allowing a user to visually detect fill sufficiency of the sample chamber. - View Dependent Claims (12)
-
-
13. A method, comprising:
-
loading a test strip in a meter with a sampling end of the test strip extending outside the meter, the sampling end having a sample chamber; shining light from a light source inside the meter into a light source opening located in an intermediate section of the test strip; illuminating the sampling end and the sample chamber of the test strip that extend outside the meter by transmitting light from the light source internally through the test strip to the sampling end of the test strip; and retaining the test strip in the meter by inserting the light source into the light source opening in the test strip. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
Specification