BIOLOGICAL INFORMATION MEASUREMENT CARTRIDGE AND MEASUREMENT DEVICE USING SAME

• US 20140303467A1
• Filed: 10/29/2012
• Published: 10/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2011
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: PHC Holdings Corporation
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Healthcare Company Limited (PHC Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Ando, Hiroshi
• Granted Patent: US 10,258,263 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/365
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150022 for capillary blood or interstitial fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150267 Modular design or construction, i.e. subunits are assembled separately before being joined together or the device comprises interchangeable or detachable modules
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150358 Strips for collecting blood, e.g. absorbent optical reagent test strips G01N21/8483; chemical reagent test strips G01N33/4875, G01N33/52
• 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 5/150503 Single-ended needles hollow piercing element tip design A61B5/150396, needle sets for catheters A61M25/06, needles for bringing media into the body A61M5/32
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150717 manually removed
• 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 5/15142 Devices intended for single use, i.e. disposable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1519 comprising driving means, e.g. a spring, for propelling the piercing unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15194 fully automatically retracted, i.e. the retraction does not require a deliberate action by the user, e.g. by terminating the contact with the patient's skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/157 Devices characterised by integrated means for measuring characteristics of blood

Abstract

A rectangular parallelepiped-shaped cartridge main body having a protective cap removably attached to a first end side thereof has a puncture needle retainer that retains a puncture needle provided at the back of a puncture opening provided on the first end side of the cartridge main body such that the puncture needle is slidable toward the puncture opening. Furthermore, a sensor unit having a depositing opening is provided on the first end side of the cartridge main body. The sensor unit has an introduction promoting hole that communicates with an introduction channel communicating with the depositing opening and that opens to the surface of the cartridge main body. The protective cap is provided with a puncture needle protector that covers the puncture needle, a sensor protector that covers the depositing opening of the sensor unit, and a sensor protector that covers the introduction promoting hole.

Claims

1. A biological information measurement cartridge comprising:

a cartridge main body including a first end side and a surface, the cartridge main body having a rectangular parallelepiped shape;

a puncture opening including a back, and disposed on the first end side;

a puncture needle provided at the back of the puncture opening;

a puncture needle retainer retaining the puncture needle such that the puncture needle is slidable toward the puncture opening;

a sensor unit including a depositing opening, an introduction channel, and an introduction promoting hole;

the depositing opening disposed on the first end side;

the introduction channel communicating with the depositing opening;

the introduction promoting hole communicating with the introduction channel and opening to a surface of the cartridge main body;

a protective cap removably attached to the first end side, the protective cap including a puncture needle protector, a first sensor protector, and a second sensor protector;

the puncture needle protector covering the puncture needle;

the first sensor protector covering the depositing opening; and

the second sensor protector covering the introduction promoting hole.

2. The biological information measurement cartridge according to claim 1, further comprising:

a recessed portion formed between the puncture needle and the sensor unit on the first end side of the cartridge main body;

wherein the puncture needle and the sensor unit are spaced apart at a predetermined distance by the recessed portion in a direction that is orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the cartridge main body; and

the protective cap further includes a protruding portion inserted into the recessed portion.

3. The biological information measurement cartridge according to claim 2, further comprising:

an annular insertion receiving portion;

wherein the cartridge main body further includes a second end side;

the protective cap further includes a bottom portion and an outer peripheral wall;

the bottom portion includes an inner side;

the outer peripheral wall includes a bottom portion side, and protrudes from a position toward the second end side of the cartridge main body;

the position is disposed on the inner side of the bottom portion, spaced a predetermined distance from the protruding portion;

the annular insertion receiving portion is formed by connecting two side surfaces of the protruding portion to the the bottom portion side of the outer peripheral wall of the protective cap;

the protruding portion protrudes from an inner side of the bottom portion toward the second end side;

the protruding portion has a flat plate-like shape; and

the first sensor protector includes the annular insertion receiving portion and the bottom portion.

4. The biological information measurement cartridge according to claim 3, wherein:

a protruding length of the outer peripheral wall is greater than a distance from the depositing opening of the sensor unit to the introduction promoting hole;

the second sensor protector is provided on a first surface of the outer peripheral wall; and

the first surface of the outer peripheral wall is disposed on a side of the second sensor protector that faces the protruding portion.

5. The biological information measurement cartridge according to claim 4, wherein:

the outer peripheral wall includes a planar portion;

the planar portion is disposed on a second surface of the outer peripheral wall; and

the second surface of the outer peripheral wall is disposed on a leading side of the outer peripheral wall, extends in a protruding direction, and faces the protruding portion; and

the second sensor protector includes the planar portion.

6. The biological information measurement cartridge according to claim 1, further including:

a cartridge cover portion that covers the first end side of the cartridge main body, the cartridge cover portion provided on a side of the protective cap that is opposite to the first sensor protector.

7. The biological information measurement cartridge according to claim 6, wherein:

the cartridge cover portion includes an annular wall provided on a peripheral portion of the bottom portion.

8. The biological information measurement cartridge according to claim 7, wherein:

a shape of the cartridge cover portion on an outer side of the bottom portion is different from a shape of an inner side of the bottom portion

9. The biological information measurement cartridge according to claim 1, wherein:

a wiping portion configured to wipe off a biological sample is provided in an outer peripheral portion of the puncture opening on the first end side of the cartridge main body.

10. A measurement device for measuring biological information, the measurement device comprising:

the biological information measurement cartridge according to claim 1;

a device casing including an attachment port, the attachment port disposed on one end side of the device casing, the cartridge main body being attached to the attachment port;

an attachment portion provided at a back of the attachment port, and to which the puncture needle retainer of the cartridge main body is attached;

a driving mechanism configured to slide the puncture needle retainer toward the puncture opening;

a measuring portion configured to measure a biological sample deposited on the depositing opening; and

a discharge button configured to discharge the cartridge main body.

11. The measurement device according to claim 10, wherein:

the device casing further includes a guide slot disposed in a side surface thereof;

the guide slot configured to guiding attachment of the cartridge main body from the attachment port toward a back side of the main body.

12. The measurement device according to claim 11, further including:

a guide wall provided on a side surface of the cartridge main body;

the guide wall guiding attachment of the cartridge main body during attachment to the measurement device; and

when the guide wall of the cartridge main body is inserted in the guide slot of the device casing, the guide wall protrudes from the guide slot to an outside of the device casing.