Sensor strip positioning mechanism
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A blood sample test device, comprising:
- a supply wheel;
a take-up wheel;
a motor configured to engage the supply wheel or the take-up wheel;
a sensor strip on the supply wheel and the take-up wheel having a plurality of test sites arranged in series in a travel direction on the strip and a plurality of sprocket holes, wherein each test site of said plurality of test sites includes a first sprocket hole of said plurality of sprocket holes that also serves as a lancet hole, first electrodes for determining whether a sufficient volume of a blood sample is obtained, and test electrodes for determining a blood sample characteristic, and a second sprocket hole of said plurality of sprocket holes;
a sprocket separate from the supply wheel and take-up wheel having an encoder configured to encode the distance traveled by the sensor strip and first and second sprocket hole teeth respectively configured to engage the first and second sprocket holes of each test site, wherein the diameter of the sprocket is configured to prevent the sensor strip from slipping off the first and second sprocket hole teeth by accounting for the thickness of the sensor strip; and
a processor operatively connected to the first electrodes, the test electrodes, the encoder and the motor to control advancement of the sensor strip between the supply wheel and the take-up wheel.
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Abstract
A blood sample test device has a continuous strip sensor which is advanced through the device so that multiple blood sample tests can be conducted on a single strip. The device is provided with a sprocket having an encoder which engages sprocket holes on the strip to precisely control the advancement of the strip through the device.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A blood sample test device, comprising:
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a supply wheel; a take-up wheel; a motor configured to engage the supply wheel or the take-up wheel; a sensor strip on the supply wheel and the take-up wheel having a plurality of test sites arranged in series in a travel direction on the strip and a plurality of sprocket holes, wherein each test site of said plurality of test sites includes a first sprocket hole of said plurality of sprocket holes that also serves as a lancet hole, first electrodes for determining whether a sufficient volume of a blood sample is obtained, and test electrodes for determining a blood sample characteristic, and a second sprocket hole of said plurality of sprocket holes; a sprocket separate from the supply wheel and take-up wheel having an encoder configured to encode the distance traveled by the sensor strip and first and second sprocket hole teeth respectively configured to engage the first and second sprocket holes of each test site, wherein the diameter of the sprocket is configured to prevent the sensor strip from slipping off the first and second sprocket hole teeth by accounting for the thickness of the sensor strip; and a processor operatively connected to the first electrodes, the test electrodes, the encoder and the motor to control advancement of the sensor strip between the supply wheel and the take-up wheel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A blood sample test device, comprising:
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(1) a removable cartridge, the cartridge comprising; (a) a supply wheel; (b) a take-up wheel; and (c) a sensor strip wound on the supply wheel and the take-up wheel having a plurality of test sites arranged in series in a travel direction on the strip and a plurality of sprocket holes, wherein each test site of said plurality of test sites includes a first sprocket hole of said plurality of sprocket holes that also serves as a lancet hole, first electrodes for determining whether a sufficient volume of a blood sample is obtained, and test electrodes for determining a blood sample characteristic, and a second sprocket hole of said plurality of sprocket holes; (2) a sprocket separate from the supply wheel and take-up wheel, the sprocket having first and second sprocket teeth respectively configured to engage the first and second sprocket holes of each test site, wherein the diameter of the sprocket is configured to prevent the sensor strip from slipping off the first and second sprocket hole teeth by accounting for the thickness of the sensor strip, and an encoder configured to encode the distance traveled by the sensor strip; and (3) a processor operatively connected to the first electrodes, the test electrodes, and the encoder to control advancement of the sensor strip between the supply wheel and the take-up wheel. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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10. A blood sample test device, comprising:
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a supply wheel; a take-up wheel; a motor configured to engage the supply wheel or the take-up wheel; a sensor strip on the supply wheel and the take-up wheel having a plurality of test sites arranged in series in a travel direction on the strip and a plurality of sprocket holes, wherein each test site of said plurality of test sites includes a first sprocket hole of said plurality of sprocket holes that also serves as a lancet hole, first electrodes for determining whether a sufficient volume of a blood sample is obtained, test electrodes for determining a blood sample characteristic, and a second sprocket hole of said plurality of sprocket holes; a sprocket separate from the supply wheel and take-up wheel having an encoder configured to encode the distance traveled by the sensor strip and first and second sprocket teeth respectively configured to engage the first and second sprocket holes of each test site, wherein the distance between the first sprocket holes of two adjacent test sites is greater than the distance between the first and second sprocket holes of each of said test sites; and a processor operatively connected to the first electrodes, the test electrodes, the encoder and the motor to control advancement of the sensor strip between the supply wheel and the take-up wheel. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. A blood sample test device, comprising:
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(1) a removable cartridge, the cartridge comprising; (a) a supply wheel; (b) a take-up wheel; and (c) a sensor strip wound on the supply wheel and the take-up wheel having a plurality of test sites arranged in series in a travel direction on the strip and a plurality of sprocket holes, wherein test site of said plurality of test sites includes a first sprocket hole of said plurality of sprocket holes that also serves as a lancet hole, first electrodes for determining whether a sufficient volume of a blood sample is obtained, test electrodes for determining a blood sample characteristic, and a second sprocket hole of said plurality of sprocket holes; (2) a sprocket separate from the supply wheel and take-up wheel, the sprocket having first and second sprocket teeth respectively configured to engage the first and second sprocket holes of each test site, wherein the distance between the first sprocket holes of two adjacent test sites is greater than the distance between the first and second sprocket holes of each of said test sites, and an encoder configured to encode the distance traveled by the sensor strip; and (3) a processor operatively connected to the first electrodes, the test electrodes, and the encoder to control advancement of the sensor strip between the supply wheel and the take-up wheel. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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Specification