Method and Apparatus for Storage and Delivery of Test Strips

Abstract

An easy to use, low-cost dispenser container delivers individual test strips ready for insertion into a glucometer without requiring extraction of individual strips manually from the package. The system may provide a dry, contaminant-free, storage device whereby stored strips are not repeatedly exposed to humidity. As each strip is removed from the device, a gasket seals the storage, Desiccants may be used to maintain the integrity of the storage environment. A convenient built-in waste receptacle for used strips may include a mechanical means for removing the used strips from the glucometer without the need for touching the bloodied end of the used strips.

Claims

1. An apparatus for housing and dispensing a plurality of stacked flattened objects, said apparatus comprising: a rigid outer housing; a platform upon which the plurality of stacked flattened objects is stacked, said plurality of stacked flattened objects stacked longitudinal a biasing mechanism directing said platform and a stack of flattened objects in an upward direction against the top of said housing; said housing comprising: a base; a top; and an integral dispensing side, disposing side, anterior, posterior, and interior walls forming a first containment area defining an interior volume for storing flattened objects longitudinally stacked on said platform; and a second containment area for discarding said flattened objects after their use; said anterior and posterior walls, and said interior walls being spaced apart a distance greater than the respective length and width of the flattened objects.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 whereby the top of said housing comprises a slot or opening sized to allow a finger or thumb to pass through and optionally contact and advance for dispensing an individual flattened objects of said plurality of stacked flattened objects.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 whereby the top of said housing comprises a sliding mechanism adapted to engage and dispense an individual flattened object of said plurality of stacked flattened objects when said sliding mechanism is repositioned from an anterior position to a posterior position and then returned to its anterior position; said sliding mechanism engaging the test strips via an engagement mechanism/protuberance or a high-friction contact surface, or a high friction coating applied to a strip-contacting surface.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 whereby the interior walls of the apparatus contain longitudinal grooves forming a track for containing and guiding the sliding mechanism.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 whereby said apparatus is designed as a single-fill disposable.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 whereby said apparatus is designed to be refillable and reusable.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 whereby the housing is constructed of composition incorporating moisture/humidity-mitigating materials.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 whereby an internal surface of the housing or an internal surface of a casement set around said housing is coated, painted or impregnated with a desiccant.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 whereby said apparatus is manufactured, marked, or printed to distinctly and individually differentiate said housing with various distinct and separate analytes (e.g., color coding for glucose, protein C, troponin, etc.).

10. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a waste receptacle attached to a bottom of said housing, said waste receptacle comprising: a plurality of flat walls, said plurality of flat walls comprising side walls and forming a contained area for the storage of waste; said waste receptacle optionally attached to said housing via a plurality of optional geometric alignments, permanently or via impermanent adhesive.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 whereby said waste receptacle is not attached to the housing, and said waste receptacle being housed adjacent said housing in a holding case or casement.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 whereby said waste receptacle being unattached to the housing; said waste receptacle positioned in a holding case or casement.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said waste receptacle is adapted to receive used test strips manually discarded through a slot in an end-wall of the waste receptacle.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said waste receptacle comprises a mechanical means for engaging a bloody end of a used test strip and removing the used test strip from the monitoring testing device, and said means allowing the used test strip to be manually advanced into the waste receptacle through pressure applied to its posterior (electrode) end.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said waste receptacle comprises a mechanical means for engaging a used test strip and drawing the used test strip into the contained by means of sliding mechanism that is guided by longitudinal grooves in the sidewalls of the waste receptacle.

16. A waste receptacle of claim 10, whereby the mechanical mechanism for engaging used test strips has upper and lower engaging arms of the same breadth.

17. The apparatus of claim 10, said waste receptacle comprising a mechanical means for engaging used test strips, said means comprising an upper and lower engaging arm of differing breadths to facilitate the release of used test strips into the waste containment area.

18. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising a casement or holding case formed of a plurality of sides, said casement or holding case containing the housing and the waste receptacle in one of a plurality of geometric alignments/orientations.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said casement or holding case includes an external hinge mechanism that attaches and aligns a fitted cover for the casement.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, whereby said casement or holding case includes a fitted cover for a snap cap; said snap cap forming a moisture barrier to protect any interior contents from environmental elements.

21. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said casement or holding case containing at least two of said housings.

22. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein at least one of said waste receptacle, casement or housing case, snap cap, or said housing comprising at least one of a plurality of materials selected from the group compromising plastics, composite materials, metals, and/or 3-D printing materials that may include incorporate moisture/humidity-mitigating properties.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] The present invention will be described with greater specificity and clarity with reference to the fc Mowing drawings, in which:

[0019] FIG. 1 illustrates an exploded side view of a strip dispenser of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] FIG. 2 illustrates a frontal perspective view of a dispenser in a case of an embodiment of the present invention with cap open.

[0021] FIG. 3 illustrates a rear cross-sectional view of a strip dispenser and waste receptacle of an embodiment the present invention.

[0022] FIG. 4 illustrates a front view of a stacked dispenser and waste receptacle of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] FIG. 5 illustrates a side cross-sectional view of a stacked dispenser and waste receptacle of an embodiment of the preset invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] In one preferred embodiment of the device, the apparatus is comprised of a container/device housing (1), platform (7), and slotted top piece (3) through which the user s thumb, finger, high friction contacting slider, or slider with an engaging apparatus/protrusion can make contact with the topmost test strip (21) from the stack and advance the electroded end of the test strip (23) through the dispensing slot (5) for insertion into the electronic measurement device for the analyte of interest (e.g., a glucometer). The dispenser housing, platform and top piece (slotted or other embodiment) can be manufactured of plastic, metal, composite materials, or 3-D printing composites that ma include moisture/humidity mitigating, properties. A spring (9) that may be metal or other material that provides sufficient upward force to push the stack of test strips upwards against the slotted top piece (3) resides under the platform (7), and whose opposite end is butted against the inside bottom surface of the device housing (1). Humidity and other potential contaminants are excluded from the storage area by the gasket sealed slot (15) in the device housing (1), moisture/humidity mitigating materials/compositions, and augmented by is the form fitted, gasketed, deformable cap (11), and/or a resealable casement in FIG. 2 (33) that covers and seals the entire top of the device including the dispensing slot (5).

[0025] In another preferred embodiment, a slide (13) resides under the slotted top piece (3) and sits on top of the stacked test strips. The slide (13) will have an upwardly protruding thumb/finger engagement protrusion or high-friction surface/surface coating (17) that extends through the dispensing slot (5) and a downwardly protruding strip engagement protrusion (19) that engages the trailing edge of the top-most test strip in the stack and when moved forward advances the electroded end of the strip through the dispensing slot (5) for insertion into the glucose meter or other electronic measurement device.

[0026] In one preferred embodiment, the dispenser platform (1) and waste receptacle (43) are housed in a side-by-side orientation within a resealable casement (31) in FIG. 2 with an environmental moisture barrier fitted cover (37) (snap cap) attached to said casement by an external hinge (39). The casement (31) contains individual and separate housing areas for the dispenser (33) and the waste receptacle (35) that is enclosed by the common environmental moisture barrier fitted cover (37).

[0027] In another preferred embodiment, the dispenser platform (1) and waste receptacle (43) are attached via impermanent adhesive or other material (Velcro®) in a side-by-side orientation within a resealable easement (31) in FIG. 2 with an environmental moisture barrier fitted cover (37) (snap cap) attached to the casement for the dispenser platform (I) by an external hinge (39). The casement (31) contains a housing area solely for the dispenser (33) providing an enclosure for the dispenser with an environmental moisture barrier fitted cover (37). In this embodiment, the waste receptacle can be easily removed and replaced, and a replacement or refillable dispenser unit (33) can be inserted/reinserted into the casement (31).

[0028] In one preferred embodiment in FIG. 3, the waste receptacle (43) comprises a storage area (41) with fitted closure and a grasping mechanism (47) incorporated in the waste receptacle (43). The grasping mechanism is for engaging the bloodied end of the used test strip and allowing the user to advance the used strip into the waste receptacle storage area (43) manually from the posterior (electrode) end of the used strip. The grasping mechanism (47) includes a pincer top (49) and pincer bottom (51) incorporated in the anterior wall of the waste receptacle. (43). When the pincer top (49) is depressed the used test strip is engaged between the pincer top (49) and pincer bottom (51), holding the used test strip in place while it is pulled from the monitoring device and user manually advances the used strip into the waste container (43) by pressing on the now exposed posterior (electrode) end of the used test strip.

[0029] In one preferred embodiment in FIG. 3, the waste receptacle (43) includes a storage area (41) with fitted closure and slider grooves (45) for a fitted grasping slider cover (47). Incorporated in the grasping slider cover (47) includes a mechanism for engaging the bloodied end of the used test strip and drawing it into the waste receptacle storage area (43). The grasping slider cover (47) includes pincer top (49) and pincer bottom (51) incorporated in the grasping sliding, cover (47). When the pincer top (49) is depressed, the used test strip is engaged between the pincer top (49) and pincer bottom (51), both of which are then drawn by thumb or finger towards the snap cap environmental barrier (37) until the used strip is drawn completely into the waste container (43). Pressure is then removed from the pincer top (51) releasing the stop into the waste receptacle storage area (41). The waste receptacle storage area (41) is closed by repositioning the grasping slider cover (47) away from the snap cap environmental barrier (37) until it is in the closed position. Pincer bottom designs (51) or (53) may be incorporated in preferred embodiments to facilitate release of the used test strip into the waste receptacle storage area (41).

[0030] In another preferred embodiment, the waste receptacle (43) may be manufactured as a stand-alone apparatus, or incorporated into a holding case/casement housing multiple waste receptacle units.

[0031] In another preferred embodiment, a plurality of the dispenser platform (1), distinctly colored or marked to indicate analyte to be measured, are housed in the resealable casement (31) in a plurality of geometric orientations, with an environmental moisture barrier fined cover (37) (snap cap(s)) attached to said casement by an eternal hinge (39) or hinges depending on geometric orientation. The casement (31) contains individual and separate housing areas for each of the dispenser platforms (33) that are enclosed by the common environmental moisture barrier fitted cover (37). The casement (31) and/or the individual dispenser platforms (33) will include desiccant pack, be coated/painted with moisture/humidity-mitigating materials such as provided by a desiccant, or be comprised of materials with moisture/humidity-mitigating materials incorporated or impregnated therein.

[0032] In a preferred embodiment, dispenser (1) and waste receptacle (41) may be stacked, joined, or formed of a single unitary body, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. Otherwise, the dispenser(s) and waste receptacle may be contained within a casement, or the like. Front of unitary both or casement (33) may include a was e receptacle opening (64). Waste receptacle opening may be set within a depressed opening impression (63) on a front wall (65) of the casement. Impression is preferably round, such as circular (partial spherical) in form, or oval-like as shown). Behind the opening, a waste capture apparatus, such as tang (61) is preferably a descending curved tab that at least partially or totally obscures the opening when viewed from the front. Tang may define the upper edge of the opening. Tang may be biased downwardly by a spring (not shown) or of a spring-type material (e.g., plastic, spring steel, etc.), that can be pressed upward by entering waste tabs. A counter-pressure shelf (62) may be set on the interior of the front wall, ear at the lower edge of the opening. Tang preferably extends rearward beyond shelf. Tang may occlude the opening, and may mate with a rear edge of the shelf, or otherwise hang thereover.