Packaging system for test sensors

• US 20030036200A1
• Filed: 07/30/2002
• Published: 02/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ascensia Diabetes Care Holdings AG (PHC Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bayer Healthcare LLC (Bayer AG)
• Inventors: Charlton, Steven C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,723,113 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 436/43
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00089 Magazines
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/144444 Glucose

Abstract

A testing device for analyzing the glucose concentration of a sample of blood is adapted to remove a test sensor from a sensor package. The testing device comprises an inlet region and a puncturing member The inlet region receives a portion of the sensor package extending inward from an outer periphery of the test sensor package. The puncturing member is adapted to extend into the inlet region, puncture the sensor package, and to engage a mating feature of the test sensor. The puncturing member is adapted to hold the test sensor in the inlet region in a manner allowing the package to be removed and is adapted to hold the test sensor in the inlet region during testing a blood sample.

Claims

1. A method for loading a test sensor disposed within a sensor package into a blood glucose testing device, the method comprising:

inserting a portion of the sensor package into an inlet region of a blood glucose level testing device;

lowering a puncturing member of the test device into the inlet region;

puncturing the test sensor package with the puncturing member;

engaging the test sensor disposed within the sensor package with the puncturing member;

holding the test sensor in the inlet region with the puncturing member; and

removing the sensor package by pulling a second end of the sensor package in a direction away from the testing device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the test sensor is an electrical biosensor, the electrical biosensor having a contact end and a collection end, the contact end disposed toward an outer periphery of the sensor package, and wherein inserting further comprises inserting the portion of the sensor package corresponding to the outer periphery of the sensor package, the inserted portion corresponding to the contact end of the test sensor.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the end of the test sensor includes a contact area located on a first side of the test sensor and a collection area located along another side of the test sensor, the test sensor being disposed within the sensor package such that the contact area is disposed adjacent the outer periphery of the sensor package.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the test sensor is an electrical biosensor having a contact area and a collection area.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of removing further comprises electrically coupling a pair of terminals disposed in the inlet region of the testing device to a pair of terminals disposed on the test sensor.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the sensor package comprises a base having a cavity adapted to contain the test sensor, the sensor package further comprising a foil cover adapted to cover the base

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the foil cover is sealed to an outer periphery of the cavity.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the cavity has a substantially rectangular shape, the cavity having two side walls, two end walls, a bottom, and an outer periphery, at least one of the two end walls upwardly sloping from the bottom towards outer periphery.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the cavity includes a test sensor cavity adapted to contain the test sensor and a desiccant cavity adapted to contain a desiccant.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the test sensor package includes a desiccant.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the test sensor packaging includes a base having a plurality of cavities, each of the cavities being adapted to contain one test sensor.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the sensor package further comprises a foil cover sealed to the base along an outer periphery of each of the cavities.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein inserting further comprising aligning the test sensor package within the inlet region.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the test sensor is an optical biosensor.

15. A testing device for analyzing the glucose concentration of a sample of blood adapted to remove a test sensor from a sensor package, the sensor package containing at least one test sensor, the testing device comprising:

an inlet region for receiving a portion of the sensor package extending inward from an outer periphery of the sensor package, the received portion of the sensor package corresponding to an end of the test sensor disposed in the sensor package; and

a puncturing member adapted to extend into the inlet region, puncture the sensor package, and to engage a mating feature of the test sensor disposed towards the end of the test sensor, the puncturing member being adapted to hold the test sensor in the inlet region in a manner allowing the package to be removed, the puncturing member being adapted to hold the test sensor in the inlet region during testing a blood sample.

16. The device of claim 15 wherein the test sensor is an electrical biosensor.

17. The device of claim 16 wherein the end of the test sensor is a contact end and an opposite end of the test sensor is a collection end, the test sensor disposed within the sensor package such that the contact end is disposed adjacent the outer periphery of the sensor package.

18. The device of claim 16 wherein the end of the test sensor includes a contact area located on a first side of the test sensor and a collection area located along another side of the test sensor, the test sensor being disposed within the sensor package such that the contact end is disposed adjacent the outer periphery of the sensor package.

19. The device of claim 16 wherein the electrical biosensor includes a contact area and a collection area.

20. The testing device of claim 15 further comprising a pair of terminals disposed in the inlet region adapted for electrically coupling a pair of terminals disposed on the test sensor to the blood glucose testing device.

21. The testing device of claim 15 wherein the sensor package comprises a base having a cavity for containing the test sensor, the sensor package further comprising a foil cover for covering the base.

22. The testing device of claim 21 wherein the foil cover is sealed to an outer periphery of the cavity.

23. The testing device of claim 21 wherein the cavity has a substantially rectangular shape, the cavity having two side walls, two end walls, a substantially flat bottom, and an outer periphery, at least one of the two end walls upwardly sloping from the bottom towards outer periphery.

24. The testing device of claim 23 wherein test sensor is disposed in the cavity such that the contact end of the test sensor is disposed adjacent the at least one sloped end wall.

25. The test device of claim 21 wherein the cavity includes a test sensor cavity for containing the test sensor and a desiccant cavity for containing a desiccant.

26. The testing device of claim 15 wherein the test sensor package includes a desiccant.

27. The testing device of claim 15 wherein the test sensor packaging includes base having a plurality of cavities, each of the cavities being adapted to contain one test sensor.

28. The testing device of claim 27 wherein the sensor package further comprises a foil cover sealed to the base along an outer periphery of each of the cavities.

29. The testing device of claim 15 wherein the test sensor is an optical biosensor.