Analyte meter protectors and methods

• US 7,846,386 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2009
• Issued: 12/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Abbott Diabetes Care Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Abbott Diabetes Care Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Strasma, Paul, Gary, Kenneth, Arbogast, Frederic, Azzano, Lawrence
• Primary Examiner(s): Alexander; Lyle A
• Assistant Examiner(s): WHITE, DENNIS MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US12/495,642
• Publication Number:
  US 20090270697A1
• Time in Patent Office: 525 Days
• Field of Search: 422/55, 422/58, 422/61, 422/68.1, 422/82.05, 422/103, 422/104
• US Class Current: 422/68.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/4875 Details of handling test elements, e.g. dispensing or storage, not specific to a particular test method test-elements per se B01L, automatic analysers G01N35/00, in-vivo analysis on the human body for medical diagnosis A61B
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 435/817 Enzyme or microbe electrode
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/144444 Glucose

Abstract

Analyte meter protectors, meters that include the same, and methods.

Claims

1. An electrochemical analyte meter, comprising:

a housing defining an interior space in communication with the outside environment through an opening in the housing;

a component removably attached to the housing about the housing opening, wherein the component includes a slot dimensioned to swipe across a surface of an in vitro analyte test strip when the test strip is received through the slot of the component, and wherein the component further includes an engagement feature that serves to align and attach the component to the housing.

2. The meter of claim 1, wherein the component provides a substantially fluid tight seal with the housing.

3. The meter of claim 1, wherein the component comprises an elastomeric material.

4. The meter of claim 3, wherein the component comprises rubber.

5. The meter of claim 3, wherein the component comprises adhesive.

6. The meter of claim 1, wherein the slot of the component comprises a test strip guide.

7. The meter of claim 6, wherein the guide comprises a ledge.

8. The meter of claim 1, wherein the meter is configured to be used with an in vitro analyte test strip that is configured to test for analyte in a sample of no more than about 1 microliter.

9. The meter of claim 8, wherein the analyte test strip is configured to test for analyte in a sample of no more than about 0.5 microliter.

10. The meter of claim 8, wherein the analyte test strip is configured to test for analyte in a sample of no more than about 0.2 microliter.

11. The meter of claim 1, wherein the meter is a glucose meter.

12. The meter of claim 1, wherein the meter is a ketone meter.

13. The meter of claim 1, wherein the component reduces the size of the opening of the housing when attached to the housing.

14. The meter of claim 1, wherein the meter is integrated with an in vivo analyte monitoring device.

15. The meter of claim 14, wherein the in vivo analyte monitoring device is a transmitter module.

16. The meter of claim 14, wherein the in vivo analyte monitoring device is a receiver module.

17. The meter of claim 1, wherein the slot is dimensioned to prevent contaminants from entering the interior space of the housing.