Interconnect for on-body analyte monitoring device

• US 10,765,351 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2017
• Issued: 09/08/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Abbott Diabetes Care Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Abbott Diabetes Care Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Stafford, Gary A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jang, Christian
• Application Number:
  US15/674,439
• Publication Number:
  US 20170340249A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,125 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0412 Low-profile patch shaped housings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0443 Modular apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/164 the sensor is mounted in or on a conformable substrate or carrier
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/222 Electrical cables or leads therefor, e.g. coaxial cables or ribbon cables
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/227 Sensors with electrical connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14542 for measuring blood gases A61B5/14551 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14546 for measuring analytes not otherwise provided for, e.g. ions, cytochromes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1477 non-invasive
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14865 invasive, e.g. introduced into the body by a catheter or needle or using implanted sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/743 Displaying an image simultaneously with additional graphical information, e.g. symbols, charts, function plots
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/006 for glucose
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks

Abstract

Disclosed herein are systems and methods for providing a compressible interconnect for allowing electrical communication between an electronics unit and an analyte sensor in an on-body analyte monitoring device. In other embodiments, systems and methods are provided for reducing the Z-height of an on-body analyte monitoring device by utilizing novel interconnects.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring an analyte level, the method comprising:

positioning at least a portion of an analyte sensor under a skin layer and in contact with a bodily fluid of a user; and

communicating, through an interconnect, one or more signals indicative of an analyte level from the analyte sensor to an electronics unit, wherein the electronics unit comprises a circuit board, and wherein the interconnect comprises;

a first portion electrically connecting a first surface of the circuit board to an electrical contact of the analyte sensor; and

a second portion coupled from the analyte sensor to a second surface of the electronics unit,

wherein the first and second portions are compressible.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to positioning the at least a portion of the analyte sensor, causing at least a portion of the interconnect to deform when the electronics unit is coupled to the analyte sensor.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating, by a data communication component coupled to a processor and the circuit board, the one or more signals from the analyte sensor.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the data communication component is configured to wirelessly communicate the signals from the analyte sensor to a remote location.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the data communication component is configured to communicate the signals using one or more of an infrared communication protocol, Bluetooth®

communication protocol, Zigbee®

communication protocol, radio frequency identification (RFID) communication protocol, or 802.11 wireless LAN protocol.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising transferring, by the interconnect, electrical signals from the analyte sensor to the circuit board.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the interconnect has a U-shaped configuration.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the interconnect comprises conductive material partially along the interconnect such that the second portion has a second end without conductive contacts.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first portion has a first end with conductive contacts in contact with the first surface of the circuit board.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the interconnect comprises a flexible material that compresses upon engagement with the analyte sensor.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the interconnect comprises conductive material embedded in the flexible material.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the conductive material comprises carbon.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the conductive material comprises a polymer.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the analyte sensor comprises a plurality of electrical contacts in contact with a plurality of conductive contacts of the interconnect.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the second surface is opposite to and faces the circuit board.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the electronics unit comprises a housing, and wherein the second surface is on the housing.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronics unit comprises a housing, and wherein the interconnect is configured to slidably engage with the housing.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the analyte sensor comprises a plurality of electrodes including a working electrode, wherein the working electrode comprises an analyte-responsive enzyme and a mediator, wherein at least one of the analyte-responsive enzyme and the mediator is chemically bonded to a polymer disposed on the working electrode, and wherein at least one of the analyte-responsive enzyme and the mediator is crosslinked with the polymer.