Health monitoring device, device modules and method

• US 9,375,177 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2011
• Issued: 06/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: i-SENS, Inc.
• Original Assignee: IHQ Innovation Headquarters Oy
• Inventors: Planman, Jukka, Planman, Tuomas
• Primary Examiner(s): DOUGHERTY, SEAN PATRICK
• Application Number:
  US13/299,946
• Publication Number:
  US 20120065544A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,684 Days
• Field of Search: 600/583, 600/584, 606/181, 606/182
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0295 Strip shaped analyte sensors for apparatus classified in A61B5/145 or A61B5/157 disposable multilayered or laminated electrodes G01N27/307; details of handling chemical test elements G01N33/4875
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1411 by percutaneous method, e.g. by lancet
• 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 5/150358 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 5/150664 Pivotable protective sleeves, i.e. sleeves connected to, or integrated in, the piercing or driving device, and which are pivoted for covering or uncovering the piercing element
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150725 removal procedure linked to further actions, e.g. cocking of the piercing device, which indicate that the piercing device is used or tempered
• 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 5/15117 comprising biased elements, resilient elements or a spring, e.g. a helical spring, leaf spring, or elastic strap
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15186 Devices loaded with a single lancet, i.e. a single lancet with or without a casing is loaded into a reusable drive device and then discarded after use; drive devices reloadable for multiple use
• 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

The present invention relates to a health monitoring device for measuring blood or tissue indicators and a strip cassette. The device comprises a body having first and second openings, a piercing means being connected to the body and having a piercing head, the piercing means being arranged to extend from the first opening and cockable and releasable for piercing the skin with the piercing head, and a space into which a number of sensor strips can be arranged so that the strips can be brought out from the body one at a time. The device further comprises a shutter that is functionally connected to the body and has a first position arranged to tightly close the first and second openings, and a second position for allowing one sensor strip to be pushed from the first opening into sampling position and for exposing the first and second openings.

Claims

1. A method for carrying out a health monitoring measurement using a portable health monitoring device, the device comprising:

a first shutter;

a second shutter; and

a body having a first opening, a space within the body containing a plurality of sensor elements, a second opening and a piercing means,

wherein the space within the body containing a plurality of sensor elements communicates with the first opening, and the piercing means is arranged to extend out from the second opening,

wherein the method comprises the steps of;

operating the first shutter to expose the first opening through which at least one of the sensor elements of the plurality of sensor elements can be accessed;

operating the second shutter to expose the second opening and the piercing means;

operating the piercing means to pierce a layer of skin at a sampling location; and

obtaining a sample from the sampling location using the at least one of the sensor elements.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of operating the first shutter brings at least one sensor element into an operating position.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the step of operating the second shutter cocks the piercing means and brings the piercing means into the operating position.

4. A device for performing a health monitoring measurement on the blood of a subject comprising:

a body having a first opening, a second opening, a space within the body containing a plurality of sensor strips and a piercing means, the space within the body containing a plurality of sensor strips communicating with the first opening and the piercing means arranged to extend out from the second opening; and

a shutter means having a first shutter for covering the first opening and a second shutter for covering the second opening,

wherein an operation of the first shutter exposes a first portion of the body containing the first opening and at least one of the plurality of sensor strips, and wherein an operation of the second shutter exposes a second portion of the body containing the second opening and the piercing means

whereby the piercing means can pierce the skin of the subject to obtain a blood sample which can then be applied to the at least one sensor strip.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the operation of the first shutter brings a test strip into an operating position.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein the operation of the second shutter cocks the piercing means and brings the piercing means into the operating position.

7. The device according to claim 4, wherein the piercing means is spring-loaded within the body.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein the shutter means consists of the first shutter and the second shutter and wherein the first shutter and the second shutter slide independently of each other in relation to the body.

9. The device according to claim 4, wherein the first shutter has a first position covering the first opening and a second position exposing the first opening, and wherein the operation of the first shutter moves the first shutter from the first position to the second position.

10. The device according to claim 4, wherein the operation of the first shutter and the operation of the second shutter occur simultaneously upon an operation of the shutter means.

11. The device according to claim 4, wherein the first shutter and the second shutter may be operated independently.

12. A health monitoring device comprising:

a body having a first opening and a housing containing a plurality of sensor elements, the housing communicating with the first opening such that at least one sensor element of the plurality of sensor elements may be brought out of the said first opening;

a lancet device attached to the body and having a second opening in the lancet device separate from the first opening in the body and a piercing means arranged to extend out from the second opening; and

a shutter means for covering at least one of the first opening and the second opening,

wherein the shutter means comprises a first shutter for covering the first opening and a second shutter for covering the second opening.

13. The device according to claim 12, further comprising a protective cover over the lancet device.

14. The device according to claim 12 wherein the at least one of the first shutter and second shutter are pivotally fastened to the body.