CARTRIDGE AND METERING DEVICE FOR FLUID-TESTING STRIPS

• US 20130098939A1
• Filed: 10/18/2012
• Published: 04/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jabil Circuit Incorporated (Jabil Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Jabil Circuit Incorporated (Jabil Inc.)
• Inventors: Fuhrmann, Karl, Zeleny, Johannes
• Granted Patent: US 9,205,971 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 221/255
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/04 Exchange or ejection of cartridges, containers or reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0689 Sealing
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0825 Test strips
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/123 Flexible; Elastomeric
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/00 Containers or dishes for laboratory use, e.g. laboratory glassware; Droppers
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 9/52 Supports specially adapted for flat sample carriers, e.g. for plates, slides, chips
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/0829 by means of an actuator
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00089 Magazines
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00108 Test strips, e.g. paper
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/48757 Test elements dispensed from a stack
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00 Automatic analysis not limited to methods or materials provided for in any single one of groups G01N1/00 - G01N33/00; Handling materials therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00069 whereby the sample substrate is of the bio-disk type, i.e. having the format of an optical disk

Abstract

A cartridge for holding and ejecting fluid test strips and a test-strip metering device for use with such a cartridge. The cartridge holds the test strips in a sheet-like configuration. The metering device is able to extract test strips from the cartridge in response to an actuation of a single user-interface element. The metering device may test the fluids as each is extracted.

Claims

1. A cartridge comprising:

a first support structure configured to hold a first array of flat test-strips for fluids, wherein the first support structure is configured to hold test-strips side-by-side such that the first array has a sheet-like configuration within the first support structure; and

a thin-walled housing encompassing the first support structure.

2. The cartridge of claim 1, further comprising a second support structure configured to hold a second array of flat test-strips, wherein the second support structure is configured to hold the second array of test-strips adjacent and parallel to the first array of flat test-strips.

3. The cartridge of claim 2, wherein the second support structure is equivalent to the first support structure, and wherein, with respect to the first support structure, the second support structure is rotated in a flat plane by 180°

around a geometric center of the cartridge.

4. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the cartridge is sized and shaped to be roughly similar in size to a credit card.

5. The cartridge of claim 1, further comprising a mechanism configured to push a first test-strip at least partially through an opening in the housing, whereby the first test-strip may be removed from the cartridge.

6. The cartridge of claim 5, further comprising a second mechanism operable to move the first array of test-strips in a direction toward the opening, wherein the second mechanism is configured to move the first array of test-strips in response to the first test-strip being removed from the cartridge.

7. The cartridge of claim 1, further comprising barbs disposed in the first support structure, wherein the barbs are configured to prevent movement of the first array of test strips in a direction away from an opening in the housing.

8. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein each of the test-strips comprises a capillary tube, the cartridge further comprising an elastomeric sealing configured to seal the capillary tubes of the test-strips.

9. The cartridge of claim 8, wherein a shape of each of the capillary tubes matches a deformed shape of the elastomeric sealing.

10. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein a rear support-area of the first support structure has a specific shape to facilitate movement of the first array of test-strips within the first support structure.

11. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein a set of external-interfacing parts are sealed against the first support structure using labyrinth seals.

12. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein a set of external-interfacing parts are sealed against the first support structure using an elastomeric material.

13. The cartridge of claim 1, further comprising viewing windows through the housing, wherein test-strips in the first array of test-strips are visible through the viewing window.

14. A metering device configured to accommodate a cartridge, wherein the cartridge is configured to hold an array of flat test-strips for fluids in a sheet-like configuration, wherein the cartridge comprises internal mechanisms for (i) ejecting a first test-strip from the cartridge and (ii) moving the array of test-strips through an opening in the cartridge, and wherein a single interface element on the metering device is operable to control the internal mechanisms.

15. The metering device of claim 14, wherein the interface element is operable, through a single actuation movement, to cause the internal mechanisms to (i) move the first array of test-strips toward the opening and (ii) eject a first test-strip.

16. The metering device of claim 14, further comprising a toothed gear-rack operably coupling the interface element and the internal mechanisms, wherein the gear-rack is configured to successively engage and disengage from one or more test-strips of the first array test-strips as part of a test-strip ejection process.

17. The metering device of claim 16, further comprising:

a slotted link; and

a lever connecting the slotted link that, when actuated, is operable to engage the internal mechanisms for ejecting the first test strip from the cartridge.

18. The metering device of claim 16, wherein the toothed gear-rack is movably mounted on a partially ramped structure such that the gear-rack disengages with the internal mechanisms of the cartridge when the gear-rack is moved to particular positions.

19. The metering device of claim 14, wherein the interface element is operable to cause the test-strips to be ejected into a measuring position.

20. The metering device of claim 14, further comprising a viewing window through which test-strips in the first array of test-strips are visible from outside of the metering device.