Blood glucose sensor dispensing instrument having a modular electronics assembly

• US 20030031595A1
• Filed: 07/25/2002
• Published: 02/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Brown & Michaels PC, Kirchhevel G. Lamar
• Original Assignee: Brown & Michaels PC, Kirchhevel G. Lamar
• Inventors: Brown, Michael K., Kirchhevel, G. Lamar
• Application Number:
  US10/207,596
• Publication Number:
  US 20030031595A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/64
• 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: Y10T 436/11 Automated chemical analysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/112499 with sample on test slide

Abstract

A sensor dispensing instrument adapted to handle a sensor pack containing a plurality of sensors and to perform a test using one of the sensors, wherein the sensor dispensing instrument includes an electronics assembly for performing the test and displaying test results. The electronics assembly includes a printed circuit board having electrical components, at least one button, and a liquid crystal display mounted thereon. The electronics assembly is formed and tested prior to assembling the electronics assembly into the outer housing of the sensor dispensing instrument.

Claims

1. A sensor dispensing instrument adapted to handle a sensor pack containing a plurality of sensors, each of said plurality of sensors being disposed in a sensor cavity on said sensor pack and enclosed by a protective foil covering, said sensor dispensing instrument further adapted to perform a test using one of said plurality of sensors, and comprising:

an outer housing having a sensor slot through which one of said sensors is disposed to conduct the test;

a mechanical mechanism generally disposed within the housing, said mechanical mechanism including an indexing disk for supporting and rotating said sensor pack, an indexing disk drive arm for rotating said indexing disk, a knife blade assembly for puncturing said foil covering and ejecting one of said sensors from said sensor cavity and through said sensor slot, and a puller handle for moving said indexing disk drive arm and said knife blade assembly; and

an electronics assembly for performing the test and displaying test results, said electronics assembly comprising a printed circuit board, electrical components mounted on the printed circuit board for conducting electronic functions in response to electrical signals, at least one button mated to the printed circuit board for supplying electrical signals to the electrical components, and a liquid crystal display mounted on the printed circuit board for displaying said test results,

wherein said electrical components, said at least one button, and said liquid crystal display are mounted on the printed circuit board to form an electronics sub-assembly prior to assembling the electronics sub-assembly into the outer housing.

2. The sensor dispensing instrument according to claim 1, wherein the electronics sub-assembly further comprises battery terminals mounted on the printed circuit board for connecting to a battery, said battery for supplying electrical power to said electrical components, and wherein said battery terminals are mounted on the printed circuit board prior to assembling the electronics sub-assembly into the outer housing.

3. The sensor dispensing instrument according to claim 1, wherein the electronics sub-assembly further comprises a communication interface mounted on the printed circuit board for connecting the sensor dispensing instrument to a separate electronic device, and wherein said communication interface is mounted on the printed circuit board prior to assembling the electronics sub-assembly into the outer housing.

4. The sensor dispensing instrument according to claim 3, wherein the separate electronic device comprises a computer, and signals are transmitted between the electronics assembly of the sensor dispensing instrument and the computer via the communication interface.

5. The sensor dispensing instrument according to claim 1, wherein said at least one button comprises a button set having a plurality of buttons, each of said plurality of buttons having a button top that projects outwardly through a top surface of the outer housing.

6. The sensor dispensing instrument according to claim 5, wherein the button set is at least partly covered by a button door, said button door being pivotally connected the outer housing in a manner that permits the plurality of said buttons in said button set to be accessed when said button door is in a open position.

7. The sensor dispensing instrument according to claim 6, wherein the button door comprises an opening that permits at least one button in said button set to be accessed when said button door is in a closed position.

8. The sensor dispensing instrument according to claim 1, wherein said liquid crystal display is disposed in a frame that is snap-fit connected to said printed circuit board.

9. The sensor dispensing instrument according to claim 8, wherein said liquid crystal display is electrically connected to said printed circuit board by at least one elastomeric connector, said elastomeric connector being disposed in a slot in said frame.

10. The sensor dispensing instrument according to claim 1, wherein said electronics assembly is electrically connected to a sensor actuator disposed adjacent to said sensor slot, said sensor actuator being adapted to connect to contacts on a sensor disposed in said sensor slot and transmit electrical signals between said sensor and said printed circuit board.

11. A sensor dispensing instrument adapted to perform a test by using a fluid testing sensor, said fluid testing sensor being supplied by a disposable sensor pack inserted into said sensor dispensing instrument, said sensor pack having a plurality of sensor cavities covered by a protective foil, said fluid testing sensor being enclosed in one said sensor cavities prior to the performance of said test, said sensor dispensing instrument comprising:

an outer housing comprising an upper case and a lower case, said upper case and said lower case being pivotally connected together in a clam-like fashion to permit the outer housing to be opened to permit the insertion of the sensor pack, said upper case having a display opening and a plurality of button openings on an upper surface thereof;

a latch disposed on the outer housing and adapted to connect the upper case to the lower case so as to close said outer housing after the insertion of said sensor pack;

a sensor slot disposed at a testing end of the outer housing, said sensor slot being adapted to receive said fluid testing sensor, said fluid testing sensor projecting outwardly through said sensor slot during the performance of said test;

an indexing disk for supporting and rotating said sensor pack, said indexing disk being rotatably mounted within said outer housing and comprising a plurality of curvilinearly extending grooves and a plurality of radially extending grooves, each radially extending groove being disposed between an adjacent pair of curvilinearly extending grooves;

a disk drive pusher generally disposed within said outer housing for rotating the indexing disk and ejecting the fluid testing sensor from said sensor pack, said disk drive pusher being laterally movable and comprising an indexing disk drive arm for rotating said indexing disk, said indexing disk drive arm having a cam button that is adapted to engage one of the curvilinearly extending grooves and the radially extending grooves, said disk drive pusher further comprising a knife blade assembly for ejecting the fluid testing sensor from the sensor pack, said knife blade assembly having a knife blade adapted to puncture said protective foil and engage the fluid testing sensor so as to eject said fluid testing sensor from said sensor cavity and through said sensor slot;

a puller handle disposed at a back end the outer housing for moving said dish drive pusher, said puller handle being pulled away from said outer housing to rotate the indexing disk, and said puller handle being pushed towards said outer housing to eject the fluid testing sensor from said sensor pack;

an electronics assembly for performing the test and displaying test results, said electronics assembly comprising a printed circuit board, electrical components mounted on the printed circuit board for conducting electronic functions in response to electrical signals, a plurality of buttons mounted on the printed circuit board for supplying electrical signals to the electrical components, said plurality of buttons projecting out through the button openings in said upper case, a liquid crystal display mounted on the printed circuit board for displaying said test results, said liquid crystal display being disposed so in the display opening in said upper case, battery terminals mounted on said printed circuit board for connecting to a battery to supply electrical power to said electronics assembly; and

a sensor actuator disposed within said outer housing adjacent to said sensor slot for connecting the fluid testing sensor to the electronics assembly, said sensor actuator having metal contacts adapted to connect to contacts on the fluid testing sensor when said fluid sensor testing sensor is disposed in said sensor slot so as to transmit electrical signals between said fluid testing sensor and the printed circuit board of said electronics assembly,

wherein said electrical components, said at least one button, said liquid crystal display and said battery terminals are each mounted on the printed circuit board to form an electronics sub-assembly prior to assembling the electronics sub-assembly into the outer housing.

12. The sensor dispensing instrument according to claim 11, wherein the electronics sub-assembly further comprises a communication interface mounted on the printed circuit board for connecting the sensor dispensing instrument to a computer, wherein signals are transmitted between the electronics assembly of the sensor dispensing instrument and the computer via the communication interface, and further wherein said communication interface is mounted on the printed circuit board prior to assembling the electronics sub-assembly into the outer housing.

13. The sensor dispensing instrument according to claim 11, wherein said liquid crystal display is disposed in a frame that is snap-fit connected to said printed circuit board, and further wherein said liquid crystal display is electrically connected to said printed circuit board by at least one elastomeric connector, said elastomeric connector being disposed in a slot in said frame.

14. A method of manufacturing a sensor dispensing instrument adapted to handle a sensor pack containing a plurality of sensors, each of said plurality of sensors being disposed in a sensor cavity on said sensor pack and enclosed by a protective foil covering, said sensor dispensing instrument further adapted to perform a test using one of said plurality of sensors, said method comprising the steps of:

a) manufacturing an outer housing having a sensor slot through which one of said sensors is disposed to conduct the test;

b) manufacturing a mechanical mechanism comprising an indexing disk for supporting and rotating said sensor pack, an indexing disk drive arm for rotating said indexing disk, a knife blade assembly for puncturing said foil covering and ejecting one of said sensors from said sensor cavity and through said sensor slot, and a puller handle for moving said indexing disk drive arm and said knife blade assembly;

c) manufacturing an electronics assembly comprising a printed circuit board, electrical components mounted on the printed circuit board for conducting electronic functions in response to electrical signals, at least one button mounted on the printed circuit board for supplying electrical signals to the electrical components, and a liquid crystal display mounted on the printed circuit board for displaying said test results; and

d) assembling said mechanical mechanism and said electronics assembly into said outer housing.

15. The method of manufacturing the sensor dispensing instrument according to claim 14, wherein following the step of manufacturing the electronics assembly, but before the step of assembling the electronics assembly into the outer housing, the method further comprises the step of testing the electronics assembly.

16. A method of manufacturing a sensor dispensing instrument adapted to handle a sensor pack containing a plurality of sensors, each of said plurality of sensors being disposed in a sensor cavity on said sensor pack and enclosed by a protective foil covering, said sensor dispensing instrument further adapted to perform a test using one of said plurality of sensors, said sensor dispensing instrument comprising an outer housing having a sensor slot through which one of said sensors is disposed to conduct the test, and said sensor dispensing instrument further comprising a mechanical mechanism having an indexing disk for supporting and rotating said sensor pack, an indexing disk drive arm for rotating said indexing disk, a knife blade assembly for puncturing said foil covering and ejecting one of said sensors from said sensor cavity and through said sensor slot, and a puller handle for moving said indexing disk drive arm and said knife blade assembly, wherein said method comprises the steps of:

a) assembling an electronics sub-assembly by performing the steps of;

1. manufacturing a printed circuit board;

2. mounting electrical components on the printed circuit board, said electrical components for conducting electronic functions in response to electrical signals;

3. mounting a plurality of buttons on the printed circuit board, said plurality of buttons for supplying electrical signals to the electrical components;

4. mounting battery terminals on said printed circuit board, said battery terminals adapted to connect to a battery for supplying electrical power to said printed circuit board; and

5. mounting a liquid crystal display on the printed circuit board, said liquid crystal display for displaying said test results;

b) testing said electronics sub-assembly for electrical performance; and

c) assembling said electronics sub-assembly into the outer housing of the sensor dispensing instrument.

17. The method of manufacturing the sensor dispensing instrument according to claim 16, wherein the step of mounting said liquid crystal display on said printed circuit board includes the steps of:

a. mounting the liquid crystal display in a frame;

b. disposing an elastomeric connector in a slot in said frame so as to be electrically connected to said liquid crystal display; and

c. mounting said frame on said printed circuit board so as to electrically connect said elastomeric connector to said printed circuit board.

18. A sensor dispensing instrument adapted to handle a sensor pack containing a plurality of sensors, each of said plurality of sensors being disposed in a sensor cavity on said sensor pack and enclosed by a protective foil covering, said sensor dispensing instrument further adapted to perform a test using one of said plurality of sensors, and comprising:

an outer housing having a sensor slot through which one of said sensors is disposed to conduct the test;

a mechanical mechanism generally disposed within the housing, said mechanical mechanism including an indexing disk for supporting and rotating said sensor pack, an indexing disk drive arm for rotating said indexing disk, a knife blade assembly for puncturing said foil covering and ejecting one of said sensors from said sensor cavity and through said sensor slot, and a puller handle for moving said indexing disk drive arm and said knife blade assembly;

an electronics assembly for performing the test and displaying test results, said electronics assembly comprising a printed circuit board, electrical components mounted on the printed circuit board for conducting electronic functions in response to electrical signals, a liquid crystal display mounted on the printed circuit board for displaying said test results; and

a button set mated to the printed circuit board for supplying electrical signals to the electrical components, said button set having a plurality of buttons, each of said plurality of buttons having a button top that projects outwardly through a top surface of the outer housing at least one button,

wherein the button set is at least partly covered by a button door, said button door being pivotally connected the outer housing in a manner that permits the button top of each of said plurality of buttons to be accessed when said button door is in a open position.

19. The sensor dispensing instrument according to claim 18, wherein the button door comprises an opening that permits the button top of at least one button in said button set to be accessed when said button door is in a closed position.