Electronically readable information carrier

• US 5,053,199 A
• Filed: 02/21/1989
• Issued: 10/01/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Roche Diabetes Care Inc. (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Boehringer Mannheim Corporation
• Inventors: Keiser, Dale A., Jackson, Charles A., Boyd, William R.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Assistant Examiner(s): Trautman, Kimberly A.
• Application Number:
  US07/313,244
• Time in Patent Office: 952 Days
• Field of Search: 422/55, 422/58, 422/63, 422/64, 422/65, 422/66, 422/68, 422/68.1, 422/82.01, 422/82.02, 439/70, 439/76, 439/260, 439/620
• US Class Current: 422/68.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00594 Quality control, including calibration or testing of components of the analyser
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00693 Calibration
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00732 Identification of carriers, materials or components in automatic analysers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/005 the record carrier comprising an arrangement to facilitate insertion into a holding device, e.g. an arrangement that makes the record carrier fit into an etui or a casing ticket holders A45C11/18
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0021 for reading/sensing record carriers having surface contacts
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/006 the housing being a portable casing
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/665 with built-in electronic circuit H01R13/70, H01R13/719 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/945 Adapter for pcb or cartridge

Abstract

An apparatus is provided in combination with an instrument for determining the concentration of a medically significant component of a biologically fluid. The apparatus includes an integrated circuit carrier and a socket for removably longitudinally receiving the integrated circuit carrier. The socket includes a first set of electrical contacts and the integrated circuit carrier includes a second set of electrical contacts positioned and arranged so as to be electrically contacted by respective contacts of the first set of electrical contacts. One of the integrated circuit carrier and socket includes upstanding first wall portions extending generally along the longitudinal length of one of the integrated circuit carrier and socket and lying generally between adjacent electrical contacts of the first set. The integrated circuit carrier further includes upstanding second wall portions extending between adjacent electrical contacts of the second set so as to reduce the likelihood of accidental electrical contact between adjacent electrical contacts of the second set.

Claims

1. In combination, an apparatus comprising an integrated circuit carrier means for carrying an integrated circuit and a socket means for removably receiving the carrier means and through which electrical contact is made to the integrated circuit to provide communication with the integrated circuit when the carrier means is inserted into its use orientation in the socket means, the socket means including an opening constructed so as to slidably longitudinally receive the carrier means and a first set of electrical contacts, the carrier means including a second set of electrical contacts positioned and arranged so as to be electrically contacted by respective contacts of the first set, at least one of the socket means and carrier means also comprising upstanding first wall portions extending along the longitudinal length of at least one of the socket means and carrier means to promote separation of the electrical contacts of the first set from each other when the carrier is received in the socket means, the carrier means comprising upstanding second wall portions extending between adjacent electrical contacts of the second set of electrical contacts so as to reduce the likelihood of accidental electrical contact between adjacent electrical contacts of the second set.

2. In combination with an instrument means for determining the concentration of a medically significant component of a biological fluid by determining a characteristic of a product of a reaction of the medically significant component with a test chemistry, an apparatus comprising an integrated circuit carrier means for carrying an integrated circuit containing information relating to the test chemistry to calibrate the instrument means to determine the concentration of the medically significant component more accurately, and a socket means for removably receiving the carrier means and through which electrical contact is made to the integrated circuit to provide the calibration information to the instrument means when the carrier means is inserted into its use orientation in the socket means, the socket means including an opening constructed so as to slidably longitudinally receive the carrier means and a first set of electrical contacts, the carrier means including a second set of electrical contacts positioned and arranged so as to be electrically contacted by respective contacts of the first set of electrical contacts, one of the carrier means and socket means including means comprising upstanding first wall portions extending generally along the longitudinal length of one of the carrier means and socket means and lying generally between adjacent electrical contacts of the first set to promote separation of the adjacent electrical contacts of the first set from each other when the carrier means is received in the socket means, and the carrier means including means comprising upstanding second wall portions extending between adjacent electrical contacts of the second set so as to reduce the likelihood of accidental electrical contact between adjacent electrical contacts of the second set.

3. In combination, an apparatus comprising an integrated circuit carrier means for carrying an integrated circuit and a socket means for removably receiving the carrier means and through which electrical contact is made to the integrated circuit to provide communication with the integrated circuit when the carrier means is inserted into its use orientation in the socket means, the socket means including an opening constructed so as to slidably longitudinally receive the carrier means and a plurality of first electrical contacts which extend along the longitudinal length of the socket means, said plurality of first electrical contacts being biased to project transversely into the opening to facilitate contact with a plurality of second electrical contacts on the carrier means, the carrier means including said plurality of second electrical contacts, said plurality of second electrical contacts extending generally transversely to said plurality of first electrical contacts, at least one of the socket means and carrier means also comprising upstanding first wall portions extending generally along the longitudinal length of at least one of the socket means and carrier means so that said first wall portions will lay generally between adjacent ones of said plurality of first electrical contacts when the carrier means is fully inserted into a use orientation in the socket means to promote separation of the plurality of first electrical contacts from each other during insertion of the carrier means into, removal of the carrier means from, and while the carrier means is in its use orientation in the socket means, and the carrier means including means comprising second wall portions between adjacent ones of said plurality of second electrical contacts so as to reduce the likelihood of accidental contact between adjacent ones of said plurality of second electrical contacts.

4. In combination, an apparatus comprising an integrated circuit means for carrying an integrated circuit and a socket means for removably receiving the carrier means and through which electrical contact is made to the integrated circuit to provide communication with the integrated circuit when the carrier means is inserted into it use orientation in the socket means, the socket means including an opening constructed so as to slidably longitudinally receive the carrier means and a plurality of first electrical contacts which extend longitudinally along the longitudinal length of the socket means, said plurality of first electrical contacts being biased to project transversely into the opening to facilitate contact with second electrical contacts provided on the carrier means, the carrier means including a plurality of said second electrical contacts, the carrier means also comprises upstanding first wall portions extending generally along the longitudinal length of the carrier means so that said first wall portions will lay generally between adjacent ones of said plurality of first electrical contacts when the carrier means is fully inserted into a use orientation in the socket means to promote separation of the plurality of first electrical contacts from each other during insertion of the carrier means into, removal of the carrier means from, and while the carrier means is in its use orientation in the socket means, and the carrier means including means comprising second wall portions extending between adjacent said second electrical contacts to reduce the likelihood of accidental contact between adjacent said second electrical contacts.