Method of packaging integrated biosensors

• US 7,051,495 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2004
• Issued: 05/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: LifeScan Scotland Limited (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Lang, David K., Rae, Peter A.
• Primary Examiner(s): HUYNH, LOUIS K
• Application Number:
  US10/881,560
• Publication Number:
  US 20050284110A1
• Time in Patent Office: 700 Days
• Field of Search: 532/47, 532/52, 532/55, 532/58, 534/75, 531/58, 535/39, 534/73
• US Class Current: 53/475
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150022 for capillary blood or interstitial fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150274 Manufacture or production processes or steps for blood sampling devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150305 Packages specially adapted for piercing devices or blood sampling devices kits for diabetes A61M5/003; packaging in general B65D
• 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 5/150442 Blade-like piercing elements, e.g. blades, cutters, knives, for cutting the skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150824 by visual feedback
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 35/40 by reciprocating or oscillatory pushers
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 5/08 Packaging groups of articles, the articles being individually gripped or guided for transfer to the containers or receptacles

Abstract

A method of loading medical devices into medical device packages utilizing an apparatus including a pusher plate, a retaining member, a transfer member and a package support member, the retaining member and the transfer member each includes a plurality of grooves for receiving and retaining the medical devices and the package support member includes a plurality of recesses for receiving and retaining the medical device packages, wherein the medical device packages are loaded into the package support member recesses, the medical devices are loaded into the retaining member grooves, every other medical devices are transferred from the retaining member to the transfer member by the pusher plate, the transfer member is urged into alignment with the package support member, the pusher plate inserts the medical devices in the transfer member into the packages in the package support member and the packages are removed from the apparatus for further processing.

Claims

1. A method of loading a plurality of medical devices into a plurality of medical device packages, said method comprising:

providing an apparatus including;

a pusher plate;

a medical device retaining member;

a transfer member; and

a package support member,

wherein said device retaining member and said transfer member include a plurality of grooves for receiving and removably retaining a plurality of medical devices and

wherein said package support member includes a plurality of recesses for receiving and removably retaining said plurality of medical device packages therein;

loading a plurality of packages into said package support member recesses;

loading a plurality of integrated medical devices into the retaining member grooves;

transferring half of said plurality of integrated medical devices from said retaining member to said transfer member by pushing with said pusher plate every other medical device in the grooves of the retaining member into the respective grooves of the transfer member;

urging the transfer member into alignment with said package support member;

inserting said plurality of integrated medical devices in said transfer member into said plurality of packages in said support member by further pushing said pusher plate; and

removing said packages from said apparatus for further processing.