CARTRIDGE AND SENSOR-DISPENSING INSTRUMENT

• US 20160018386A1
• Filed: 09/29/2015
• Published: 01/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ascensia Diabetes Care Holdings AG (PHC Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bayer Healthcare LLC (Bayer AG)
• Inventors: Kheiri, Mohammad A., Purcell, D. Glenn
• Granted Patent: US 9,448,224 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/523 with means for closing or opening
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/527 for a plurality of reagents
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/48 Biological material, e.g. blood, urine G01N33/02, G01N33/26, G01N33/44, G01N33/46 take precedence; Haemocytometers counting blood corpuscules distributed over a surface by scanning the surface G06M11/02
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/48757 Test elements dispensed from a stack
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/193333 In aqueous solution

Abstract

A disposable cartridge adapted to be used with a sensor-dispensing instrument comprises a housing, test sensors, a mechanical mechanism and moveable seals. The housing forms at least one opening therethrough. The test sensors are stacked in the housing. The test sensors are adapted to assist in testing at least one analyte. The mechanical mechanism is adapted to urge the test sensors in a first direction. One of the test sensors is positioned for ejection from the cartridge. The moveable seals is adapted to be in a closed position that seals the at least one opening so as to provide a substantially moisture-proof and a substantially air-tight cartridge, and one of the moveable seals is adapted to be in an open position that allows one of the test sensors to be moved therethrough.

Claims

1-28. -28. (canceled)

29. A sensor-dispensing instrument, comprising:

a cartridge housing;

a plurality of test sensors stacked in the cartridge housing;

an instrument housing to removably receive the cartridge housing and the plurality of test sensors therein;

a mechanical mechanism to engage and urge the plurality of test sensors stacked in the cartridge housing in a first direction;

a pair of extensions positioned to guide the mechanical mechanism; and

a pusher assembly including a slider and a bar coupled to the slider, the slider being movable in a second direction generally perpendicular to the first direction between a first position and a second position, wherein movement of the slider from the first position to the second position causes the bar to engage one of the plurality of test sensors stacked in the cartridge housing and to urge that test sensor towards an exterior of the cartridge housing.

30. The sensor-dispensing instrument of claim 29, wherein the bar is configured to engage a top one of the test sensors stacked in the cartridge without passing through a seal.

31. The sensor-dispensing instrument of claim 29, wherein each of the pair of extensions is generally parallel with each other.

32. The sensor-dispensing instrument of claim 29, wherein the pair of extensions is integrally formed with the cartridge housing.

33. The sensor-dispensing instrument of claim 29, wherein the pair of extensions is positioned to guide the mechanical mechanism in a generally upwardly direction to make movement of the plurality of test sensors in the first direction by the mechanical mechanism easier.

34. The sensor-dispensing instrument of claim 29, wherein the mechanical mechanism includes a plate coupled to a spring, the spring being positioned generally between the pair of extensions.

35. The sensor-dispensing instrument of claim 29, further comprising a seal having an open position and a closed position, in response to the seal being in the open position, the pusher assembly to cause at least one of the plurality of test sensors to proceed towards an exterior of the cartridge housing.