Allowing measurements to be made of a blood sample

• US 9,572,525 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2011
• Issued: 02/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH (Sanofi )
• Original Assignee: Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH (Sanofi )
• Inventors: Richter, Frank, MacArthur, Ross
• Primary Examiner(s): Hindenburg, Max
• Assistant Examiner(s): Foreman, Jonathan M
• Application Number:
  US13/809,029
• Publication Number:
  US 20130281881A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,056 Days
• Field of Search: 600/573, 600/575, 600/583, 600/584
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1486 using enzyme electrodes, e.g. with immobilised oxidase
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150007 Details
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150022 for capillary blood or interstitial fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150068 by tissue compression, e.g. with specially designed surface of device contacting the skin area to be pierced
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150412 Pointed piercing elements, e.g. needles, lancets for piercing the skin blade-like piercing elements A61B5/150442
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150419 comprising means for capillary action
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150526 Curved or bent needles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15113 Manually triggered, i.e. the triggering requires a deliberate action by the user such as pressing a drive button
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15115 Driving means for propelling the piercing element to pierce the skin, e.g. comprising mechanisms based on shape memory alloys, magnetism, solenoids, piezoelectric effect, biased elements, resilient elements, vacuum or compressed fluids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15132 comprising tooth-shaped elements, e.g. toothed wheel or rack and pinion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15153 Multiple piercing elements stocked in a single compartment
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15155 Piercing elements which are specially shaped or are provided with fittings or attachments to facilitate nesting, stacking or joining together end-to-end or side-by-side
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15174 Piercing elements stocked in the form of a stack or pile
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/157 Devices characterised by integrated means for measuring characteristics of blood

Abstract

Apparatus for allowing measurements to be made of a blood sample comprises a shaft and at least first and second blood collection members. The blood collection members are independently rotatable about the shaft. Each blood collection member includes: a blood analysis part for receiving a blood sample, plural conductive contacts, and plural conductors extending between the blood analysis part and respective ones of the conductive contacts. The apparatus also includes plural terminals configured to provide an electrical connection with the plural conductive contacts on a first member when the apparatus is in a first configuration and to provide an electrical connection with the plural conductive contacts on a second member when the apparatus is in a second configuration, thereby allowing successive measurements of at least one parameter of blood samples provided on the blood analysis parts of the first and second members.

Claims

1. Apparatus for allowing measurements to be made of a blood sample, the apparatus comprising:

a shaft;

at least first and second blood collection members engaged to the shaft, wherein the at least first and second blood collection members are independently rotatable about the shaft, each of the at least first and second blood collection members including;

a blood analysis part for receiving a blood sample,

plural conductive contacts, and

plural conductors extending between the blood analysis part and respective ones of the conductive contacts; and

plural terminals configured to provide an electrical connection with the plural conductive contacts on the first blood collection member when the apparatus is in a first configuration and to provide an electrical connection with the plural conductive contacts on the second blood collection member when the apparatus is in a second configuration, thereby allowing successive measurements of at least one parameter of blood samples provided on the blood analysis parts of the at least first and second blood collection members,

wherein the plural terminals are supported on a terminal carrier that is configured to be moveable such that the plural terminals can move to contact the conductive contacts of one of the at least first and second blood collection members when the one of the at least first and second blood collection members is at least at a predetermined rotation, and

wherein the terminal carrier is configured to be moveable in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shaft at a location where the plural terminals contact the plural conductive contacts.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conductive contacts and the conductors are printed onto the at least first and second blood collection members.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conductive contacts are provided on a major face of the at least first and second blood collection members and wherein the plural terminals are retractably moveable into a volume between the at least first and second blood collection members.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the conductive contacts is generally concentric with the shaft for at least a part of their length.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plural terminals each comprise an arm member supporting a head member.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plural terminals are resilient.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plural terminals are fixed and wherein the conductive contacts are formed on an outward-facing edge of the at least first and second blood collection members.

8. A method of allowing measurements to be made of a blood sample, the method comprising:

providing an apparatus comprising;

(a) a shaft;

(b) at least first and second blood collection members engaged to the shaft, wherein the shaft extends through an aperture in each of the at least first and second blood collection members, wherein the at least first and second blood collection members are independently rotatable about the shaft, each of the at least first and second blood collection members including;

(i) a blood analysis part for receiving a blood sample,

(ii) plural conductive contacts, and

(iii) plural conductors extending between the blood analysis part and respective ones of the conductive contacts, and

(c) plural terminals,

providing a first electrical connection between the plural terminals and the plural conductive contacts on the first blood collection member; and

subsequently to providing the first electrical connection, providing a second electrical connection between the plural terminals and the plural conductive contacts on the second blood collection member, thereby allowing successive measurements of parameters of blood samples provided on the blood analysis parts of the first and second blood collection members.

9. Apparatus comprising:

a shaft;

at least first and second blood collection members engaged to the shaft, wherein the shaft extends through an aperture in each of the at least first and second blood collection members, wherein the at least first and second blood collection members are independently rotatable about the shaft, each of said at least first and second blood collection members including;

(i) a blood analysis part for receiving a blood sample,

(ii) plural conductive contacts, and

(iii) plural conductors, each of the plural conductors extending between the blood analysis part and a respective conductive contact; and

plural terminals, the plural terminals being configured;

in a first configuration to provide an electrical connection with the plural conductive contacts on the first blood collection member, and

in a second configuration to provide an electrical connection with the plural conductive contacts on the second blood collection member,

thereby allowing successive measurements of parameters of blood samples provided on the blood analysis parts of the first and second blood collection members.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the plural terminals are configured to remain fixed with respect to the longitudinal axis of the shaft and wherein the at least first and second blood collection members are moveable along the shaft.

11. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the conductive contacts and the conductors are printed onto the at least first and second blood collection members.

12. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the plural terminals are supported on a terminal carrier that is configured to be moveable such that the plural terminals can move to contact the conductive contacts of one of the at least first and second blood collection members when the one of the at least first and second blood collection members is at least at a predetermined rotation.

13. Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the conductive contacts are provided on a major face of the at least first and second blood collection members and wherein the plural terminals are retractably moveable into a volume between the at least first and second blood collection members.

14. Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the terminal carrier is configured to be moveable in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shaft at a location where the plural terminals contact the plural conductive contacts.

15. Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein each of the conductive contacts is generally concentric with the shaft for at least a part of their length.

16. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the plural terminals each comprise an arm member supporting a head member.

17. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the plural terminals are resilient.

18. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the plural terminals are fixed and wherein the conductive contacts are formed on an outward-facing edge of the at least first and second blood collection members.