1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to diagnostic test strips for testing biological fluids. More specifically, the present invention relates to an apparatus and method for storing and dispensing diagnostic test strips.
2. Background of the Invention
Diagnostic test strips are used to measure analyte concentrations in biological fluids. For example, diagnostic test strips are often used by diabetic patients to monitor blood glucose levels.
To preserve their integrity, diagnostic test strips must be maintained in appropriate environmental conditions. That is, the test strips should be maintained at appropriate humidity levels, and should remain free of foreign substances. Furthermore, to avoid contamination by skin oils or foreign substances, test strips should not be handled prior to use.
Thus, to preserve test strips, they are typically maintained in a storage vial or the like. In order to use a test strip, a user must reach into the vial, and retrieve a single test strip. However, many users, such as diabetic patients, have impaired vision or physical dexterity. Such users may find it difficult to retrieve a single test strip from a storage vial. Further, users may accidentally touch multiple test strips while reaching into the storage vial to withdraw a test strip, and potentially contaminate the unused test strips.
Accordingly, there is a need for an apparatus for storing diagnostic test strips in appropriate environmental conditions, and for conveniently dispensing the test strips one at a time.
An object of the present invention is to address at least the above problems and/or disadvantages and to provide at least the advantages described below. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for storing a plurality of test strips and dispensing the test strips one at a time.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, the above and other objects are achieved by an apparatus for storing and dispensing a test strip which comprises a container including an outer wall and a plurality of radially extending slots formed by a plurality of dividing walls. Each slot is sized to receive a single test strip, and a rotatably positionable cover is carried by the container for covering the plurality of radially extending slots. The cover includes an opening so that when the cover rotates, the cover opening aligns with one of the slots at a time to allow removal of a single test strip located within the respective slot.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for storing and dispensing a test strip comprises a vial with a plurality of radially extending slots, each slot adapted to store a test strip, means for exposing one of the plurality of radially extending slots to dispense a test strip stored in the exposed slot, and means for actuating the exposing means.
According to still another embodiment of the present invention, a method for storing and dispensing test strips comprises the steps of storing a plurality of test strips in a radially arranged manner in a container, and covering the plurality of test strips in such a manner as to allow only one test strip at a time to be dispensed from the container.
The above and other objects, features, and advantages of certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Throughout the drawings, the same reference numerals will be understood to refer to the same elements, features, and structures.
The matters defined in the description such as a detailed construction and elements are provided to assist in a comprehensive understanding of the embodiments of the invention. Accordingly, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that various changes and modifications of the embodiments described herein can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Also, descriptions of well-known functions and constructions are omitted for clarity and conciseness.
Referring to
As seen in
Each of the dividing walls 106 extends radially inwardly from the outer wall 126 of the container 102. In an exemplary embodiment, the dividing walls 106 extend inwardly for approximately one-half (½) the width of a test strip. This allows a larger number of strips to be contained within the container 102 because each test strip does not need to be enclosed on all sides. It also allows each of the dividing walls 106 to have a substantially even wall thickness, thereby improving moldability. In the illustrated embodiment, the dividing walls 106 are formed integrally with the container 102. The dividing walls may, however, be formed separately as a sleeve to be inserted into the container 102, as will be described in further detail in connection with the second exemplary embodiment.
The dividing walls 106 may be formed of a desiccant entrained polymer to regulate the specific relative humidity within the container 102 (to prevent damage to humidity-sensitive test strips). U.S. Pat. No. 5,911,937, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, discloses one suitable desiccant entrained polymer. Forming the dividing walls 106 of a desiccant entrained polymer increases the exposed surface area of the desiccant entrained polymer, thereby improving humidity regulation within the container 102. Alternatively, the container 102 may be formed of a polymer with an insert-molded desiccant, or a desiccant may be placed in the bottom of the container 102, in the lid 114 of the container 102, or in one or more of the slots 104.
The lower surface 132 of the cover 110 has detents 136 that engage the dividing walls 106 to control the rotation of the cover 110. In the illustrated embodiment, the detents 136 are formed by a plurality of extended protrusions. Preferably, the detents 136 are sized and positioned so that they align the cover opening 112 with one of the slots 104. The detents 136 also provide tactile feedback to a user indicating when the cover 110 has been rotated to the next slot 104.
The method of using the storage vial 100 for storing and dispensing test strips according to the first exemplary embodiment of the invention will now be described. Initially, test strips are loaded into the radially extending slots 104 formed in the container 102 so that one test strip is located in each slot 104. The rotatable cover 110 is then assembled to the container 102 by placing the elongated shaft 124 into the recess 122 in the boss 120. The elongated shaft 124 is retained in the recess by a snap-fit or the like. The lid 114 is then placed on the container 102 to form a substantially hermetic seal. The storage vial 100 may now be stored, and the test strips will be protected from environmental hazards, such as moisture. Typically, the foregoing steps will be performed by a manufacturer, rather than an end user of the storage vial 100.
To dispense a test strip, a user opens the lid 114 to expose the rotatable cover 110 and the cover opening 112. The user rotates the cover 110 by manipulating the cover handle 128, with the user's fingers or the like, so that the cover opening 112 is aligned with one of the slots 104. The detents located on the cover 110 provide assistance in aligning the cover opening 112 with one of the slots 104. When the cover opening 112 is aligned with a desired slot 104, a user then inverts the container 102. A test strip located within the slot 104 is dispensed through the cover opening 112 with the aid of gravity. The user may then grasp the dispensed test strip to withdraw the test strip from the container 102 and use the test strip. To dispense another test strip, the user rotates the cover 110 again to the next slot with an unused test strip. After dispensing the desired number of test strips, the user may then replace the lid 114 on the container 102 to store the remaining test strips for future use.
After all of the test strips stored in the container 102 have been dispensed, the storage vial 100 may be discarded, or may be returned to the manufacturer for recycling. Reusable embodiments of the container 102 are also within the scope of the present invention.
Referring to
Referring to
The container 200 is preferably formed of a substantially vapor impermeable material. The container 200 has a lid (not shown) which is substantially similar to the lid described with respect to the first embodiment.
Referring to
Each of the dividing walls 206 extends radially inwardly from the outer wall 228 of the sleeve 216. In an exemplary embodiment, the dividing walls 206 extend inwardly for approximately two-thirds (⅔) the width of a test strip, for the reasons discussed above with respect to the first embodiment. A plurality of guiding ribs 230 may be formed on the outer surface of the boss 222. The guiding ribs 230 help align test strips in the slots 204 to prevent the test strips from becoming misaligned. The outer diameter of the sleeve 216 is sized so that it fits snugly within the container 200.
Preferably, the sleeve 216 is formed of a desiccant entrained polymer to regulate the specific relative humidity within the container 200. As discussed above, forming the dividing walls 206 of a desiccant entrained polymer increases the exposed surface area of the desiccant entrained polymer, thereby improving humidity regulation within the container 200. Alternatively, the sleeve 216 is formed of a standard polymer and a desiccant is placed within the container 200.
The biasing element 218 is located between the spinner 210 and the sleeve 216. The biasing element 218 may be, for example, a coil spring which fits around the elongated shaft 226 of the spinner 210. The biasing element 218 applies a biasing force to press the spinner 210 in an upward direction (with reference to
As seen most clearly in
The spinner 210 has at least one flexing beam 240 located on the upper surface 232 of the spinner 210. In the illustrated embodiment, four flexing beams 240 are provided. A pushbutton 214 is also provided on the upper surface 232 of the spinner 210.
A portion 264 of the spinner 210 may be formed of an optically transparent material so that a user may determine how many test strips are in the storage vial 200. The optically transparent portion 264 of the spinner 210 may be configured so that it magnifies the image being viewed, thus magnifying the edge of a strip.
An elongated shaft 226 is located on the lower surface 234 of the spinner 210. The elongated shaft 226 preferably has a first portion 242 with a first, smaller diameter, and a second portion 244 with a larger diameter. The transition area between the first and second portions 242, 244 forms a stop 246. The first portion 242 of the elongated shaft 226 is sized to fit within the recess 224 in the boss 222. The stop 246 prevents the spinner 210 from being pressed too far downward, as will be discussed in detail further below.
Referring to
The spinner 210 and the cam sleeve 220 may be formed of a polymer or any other suitable material. They may also be formed of a desiccant entrained polymer, so long as the addition of the desiccant does not reduce the mechanical characteristics of the polymer enough to result in premature failure.
The method of using the storage vial 200 for storing and dispensing test strips according to the second exemplary embodiment of the invention will now be described. Initially, test strips are loaded into the radially extending slots 204 formed in the sleeve 216 so that one test strip is located in each slot 204. The sleeve 216 is then placed in the container 200. The biasing element 218 is placed around the elongated shaft 226 of the spinner 210, and the elongated shaft 226 is inserted into the boss 222 in the sleeve 216. The cam sleeve 220 is then placed into the container 200. Rotational alignment between the cam sleeve 220 and the slots 204 can be maintained during assembly by using keyways, visual alignment or other conventional methods. The teeth on the cam sleeve 220 overhang the spinner 210, so that the cam sleeve 220 retains all of the components within the container 200. The cam sleeve 220, in turn, is retained in the container 200 by an undercut in the container 200, or by affixing the cam sleeve 220 to the container 200 with adhesives, ultrasonic welding, or other conventional fixation methods. A replaceable lid (not shown but similar to the lid 114 of the previous embodiment) is then placed on the container 200 to form a substantially hermetic seal. The storage vial 200 may now be stored, and test strips will be protected from environmental hazards, such as moisture. Typically, these steps will be performed by a manufacturer, rather than an end user of the storage vial 200.
To dispense a test strip, a user opens the lid and pushes the pushbutton 214 to rotate the spinner 210 to the next slot 204.
When a user begins to press the pushbutton 214 on the spinner 210 and overcomes the biasing force of the biasing element 218, the spinner 210 is pressed lower into the container 200. Thus, as seen in
If a user continues to press the pushbutton, however, the spinner 210 continues to rotate, and the tops 260 of the rounded surfaces 256 of the flexing beams 240 pass by the cam teeth 250, as illustrated in
Finally, when the user releases the pushbutton 214, the biasing element 218 urges the spinner 210 upward. The first cams 236 are disengaged from the second cams 254, and the descending portions 262 of the rounded surfaces 256 of the flexing beams 240 interact with the cam teeth 250 to generate a force which rotates the spinner 210 in a forward direction so that the cover opening 212 is aligned with the next slot 204, as shown in
After the cover opening 212 is aligned with a slot 204 containing a test strip, the user inverts the container 202. A test strip located within the slot 204 is dispensed through the cover opening 212 with the aid of gravity. The user may then grasp the exposed test strip to withdraw the test strip from the container 200 and use the test strip. To dispense another test strip, the user rotates the cover 210 again by pressing the pushbutton 214 on the spinner 210. After dispensing the desired number of test strips, the user may then replace the lid on the container 200 to store the remaining test strips for future use.
After all of the stored test strips stored in the container 202 have been dispensed, the storage vial 200 may be discarded, or may be returned to the manufacturer for recycling. Reusable embodiments of the container 102 are also within the scope of the present invention.
While various embodiments have been chosen to illustrate the invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.
This application is a division of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/430,179, filed on May 9, 2006, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,597,853, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
4324345 | Martinez | Apr 1982 | A |
4783056 | Abrams | Nov 1988 | A |
4812116 | Abrams | Mar 1989 | A |
4911344 | Kahler | Mar 1990 | A |
5489414 | Schreiber et al. | Feb 1996 | A |
5510266 | Bonner et al. | Apr 1996 | A |
5632410 | Moulton et al. | May 1997 | A |
5645798 | Schreiber et al. | Jul 1997 | A |
5720924 | Eikmeier et al. | Feb 1998 | A |
5723085 | Abrams et al. | Mar 1998 | A |
5738244 | Charlton et al. | Apr 1998 | A |
5810199 | Charlton et al. | Sep 1998 | A |
5854074 | Charlton et al. | Dec 1998 | A |
5863800 | Eikmeier et al. | Jan 1999 | A |
5911937 | Hekal | Jun 1999 | A |
6176119 | Kintzig | Jan 2001 | B1 |
6213343 | Damikolas | Apr 2001 | B1 |
6228100 | Schraga | May 2001 | B1 |
6379317 | Kintzig et al. | Apr 2002 | B1 |
6475436 | Schabbach et al. | Nov 2002 | B1 |
6497845 | Sacherer | Dec 2002 | B1 |
6872358 | Hagen et al. | Mar 2005 | B2 |
6881578 | Otake | Apr 2005 | B2 |
6908008 | Pugh | Jun 2005 | B2 |
6988996 | Roe et al. | Jan 2006 | B2 |
7377904 | Conway et al. | May 2008 | B2 |
20030121932 | Wajda | Jul 2003 | A1 |
20030185705 | Otake | Oct 2003 | A1 |
20030223906 | McAllister et al. | Dec 2003 | A1 |
20050017018 | Von Falkenhausen et al. | Jan 2005 | A1 |
20050118071 | Sacherer | Jun 2005 | A1 |
20050153428 | Matsumoto | Jul 2005 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
30 01 332 | Jul 1981 | DE |
1 369 083 | Oct 2003 | EP |
1 369 686 | Oct 2003 | EP |
1 475 630 | Oct 2004 | EP |
WO 2005051822 | Jun 2005 | WO |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20090321467 A1 | Dec 2009 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
Parent | 11430179 | May 2006 | US |
Child | 12461937 | US |