Analyte-testing instruments

• US 8,906,305 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2007
• Issued: 12/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ascensia Diabetes Care Holdings AG (PHC Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bayer Healthcare LLC (Bayer AG)
• Inventors: Brenneman, Allen J., Wu, Huan-Ping
• Primary Examiner(s): Gakh, Yelena G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Adams, Michelle
• Application Number:
  US12/530,669
• Publication Number:
  US 20100041156A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,829 Days
• US Class Current: 422/68.1
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/0454 the whole forming a circular container with rotating parts B65D83/0463 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/0829 by means of an actuator
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00089 Magazines
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/3272 Test elements therefor, i.e. disposable laminated substrates with electrodes, reagent and channels optical biosensors G01N33/52
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 31/22 using chemical indicators G01N31/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/4875 Details of handling test elements, e.g. dispensing or storage, not specific to a particular test method test-elements per se B01L, automatic analysers G01N35/00, in-vivo analysis on the human body for medical diagnosis A61B
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/48757 Test elements dispensed from a stack
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/48785 Electrical and electronic details of measuring devices for physical analysis of liquid biological material not specific to a particular test method, e.g. user interface or power supply
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/49 Blood chemical methods for determining blood cell populations G01N33/5094; chemical analysis of blood groups or blood types G01N33/80
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/50 Chemical analysis of biological material, e.g. blood, urine; Testing involving biospecific ligand binding methods; Immunological testing measuring or testing processes involving enzymes or microorganisms, compositions or test papers therefor; processes for forming such compositions, condition responsive control in microbiological or enzymological processes C12Q
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/66 involving blood sugars, e.g. galactose
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/114165 with step of insertion or removal from test line
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/144444 Glucose

Abstract

An instrument adapted to determine an analyte concentration of a fluid sample using a test sensor is disclosed. The instrument comprises a display adapted to display information to a user, a user-interface mechanism adapted to allow the user to interact with the instrument, a first test-sensor cartridge, and a body portion including at least a first opening and a second opening formed therein. The first opening is adapted to receive a test sensor from the first test-sensor cartridge. The second opening is adapted to store at least one additional test-sensor cartridge.

Claims

1. An instrument configured to determine a concentration of at least one analyte in a fluid sample using a test sensor, the instrument comprising:

a body portion having a display configured to display information to a user and a user-interface mechanism configured to allow a user to interact with the instrument;

a first compartment positioned at a first end of the body portion, the first compartment including a first test-sensor cartridge, the first test-sensor cartridge including a plurality of test sensors, the first test-sensor cartridge being removable from the first compartment;

a second compartment positioned at a second, opposing end of the body portion such that the first and second compartments are separated from one another by a mechanism at least partially within the body portion, the second compartment including a plurality of stacked test-sensor cartridges, each of the plurality of stacked test-sensor cartridges including a plurality of test sensors, each of the plurality of stacked test-sensor cartridges being detached from and not in contact with the first test-sensor cartridge, each of the plurality of stacked test-sensor cartridges being removable from the second compartment; and

an opening formed at the first end of the body portion, the opening being configured to receive a test sensor from the first test-sensor cartridge.

2. The instrument of claim 1, further comprising a cover configured to be removed such that the plurality of stacked test-sensor cartridges may be accessed.

3. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the instrument has a generally elongated shape.

4. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the first test-sensor cartridge is aligned with the plurality of stacked test-sensor cartridges.

5. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the mechanism is for indexing or indexing and excising a test sensor from the test-sensor cartridge.

6. The instrument of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of test sensors includes a capillary channel extending from a testing end of each of the plurality of test sensors and a reagent material configured to react with the at least one analyte.

7. An instrument configured to determine a concentration of at least one analyte in a fluid sample using a test sensor, the instrument comprising:

a body portion having a generally elongated shape, the body portion having an opening formed at a first end;

a first compartment positioned at the first end of the body portion, the first compartment including a first test-sensor cartridge, the first test-sensor cartridge including a plurality of test sensors, the opening being configured to receive a single one of the test sensors from the first test-sensor cartridge; and

a second compartment positioned at a second, opposing end of the body portion such that the first and second compartments are separated from one another by a mechanism at least partially within the body portion, the second compartment including more than one stacked test-sensor cartridge, each of the more than one stacked test-sensor cartridge including a plurality of test sensors, each of the more than one stacked test-sensor cartridge being generally parallel to the first test-sensor cartridge.

8. The instrument of claim 7, further comprising a display configured to display information to a user.

9. The instrument of claim 7, further comprising a user-interface mechanism configured to allow a user to interact with the instrument.

10. The instrument of claim 7, further comprising a cover configured to be removed such that the more than one stacked test-sensor cartridge may be accessed.

11. The instrument of claim 7, wherein the mechanism is for indexing or indexing and excising a test sensor from the test-sensor cartridge.

12. The instrument of claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of test sensors includes a capillary channel extending from a testing end of each of the plurality of test sensors and a reagent material configured to react with the at least one analyte.