Mechanical mechanism for a blood glucose sensor dispensing instrument

Abstract

A sensor dispensing instrument adapted to handle a sensor pack containing a plurality of sensors and to perform a test using one of the sensors. The sensor dispensing instrument includes an outer housing and a mechanical mechanism contained therein for rotating the sensor pack and ejecting one of the sensors from the sensor pack and through a sensor slot on the housing. The mechanical mechanism of the sensor dispensing instrument is operated by first moving a disk drive pusher in a first direction to rotate the sensor pack, and then moving the disk drive pusher in a second direction to eject a sensor from the sensor cavity and through the sensor slot.

1 . A sensor dispensing instrument adapted to handle a sensor pack containing a plurality of sensors, each of said plurality of sensors being disposed in a sensor cavity on said sensor pack and enclosed by a protective foil covering, said sensor dispensing instrument further adapted to perform a test using one of said plurality of sensors, and comprising: 
 an outer housing having a front end and a rear end, said outer housing further comprising a sensor slot through which one of said sensors is disposed to conduct the test, said sensor slot being disposed at the front end of the outer housing; and    a mechanical mechanism generally disposed within the outer housing, said mechanical mechanism including an indexing disk for supporting and rotating said sensor pack, an indexing disk drive arm for rotating said indexing disk, a knife blade assembly for puncturing said foil covering and ejecting one of said sensors from said sensor cavity and through said sensor slot, and a disk drive pusher on which said indexing disk drive arm and said knife blade assembly are mounted, said disk drive pusher being movable with respect to said outer housing,    wherein said sensor dispensing instrument is operated by first moving said disk drive pusher in a first direction so as to cause said indexing disk drive arm to rotate said indexing disk, and then moving said disk drive pusher in a second direction so as to cause said knife blade assembly to puncture the foil covering and eject one of said sensors from said sensor cavity and through said sensor slot.    
     
     
         2 . The sensor dispensing instrument according to  claim 1 , wherein a puller handle is affixed to a rear end of the disk drive pusher, and further wherein said puller handle is moved from a testing position adjacent to the rear end of the outer housing to and extended position spaced away from the rear end of the housing when the disk drive pusher is moved in the first direction, and is move from the extended position to the testing position when the disk drive pusher is moved in the second direction.  
     
     
         3 . The sensor dispensing instrument according to  claim 2 , wherein the puller handle is moveable to a stand-by position, said stand-by position being located between the testing position and the extended position, wherein the puller handle is moved to the stand-by position to release the sensor from the sensor slot.  
     
     
         4 . The sensor dispensing instrument according to  claim 1 , wherein the indexing disk comprises a plurality of curvilinearly extending grooves and a plurality of radially extending grooves, each of said radially extending grooves being disposed between an adjacent pair of curvilinearly extending grooves, each of said curvilinearly extending grooves having an interior end that is coincident with an interior end of an adjacent radially extending groove disposed on a first side thereof, and each of said curvilinearly extending grooves having an exterior end that is coincident with an exterior end of an adjacent radially extending groove disposed on a second side thereof, further wherein said curvilinearly extending grooves and said radially extending grooves are configured to be engaged by said indexing disk drive arm.  
     
     
         5 . The sensor dispensing instrument according to  claim 4 , wherein said indexing disk drive arm comprises a cam button configured to slide along said curvilinearly extending grooves and said radially extending grooves as said disk drive pusher is moved, further wherein said cam button slides along one of said curvilinearly extending grooves when said disk drive pusher is moved in said first direction, and said cam button slides along one of said radially extending grooves when said disk drive pusher is moved in said second direction.  
     
     
         6 . The sensor dispensing instrument according to  claim 5 , wherein the interior end of each of said curvilinearly extending grooves that is coincident with the interior end of the adjacent radially extending groove disposed on the first side thereof comprises an interior step for directing said cam button into said curvilinearly extending groove, and further wherein the exterior end of each of said curvilinearly extending grooves that is coincident with the exterior end of the adjacent radially extending groove disposed on a second side thereof comprises an exterior step for directing said cam button into said radially extending groove.  
     
     
         7 . The sensor dispensing instrument according to  claim 1 , wherein the indexing disk comprises plurality of slots that are configured to permit a knife blade on said knife blade assembly to project through one of said slots to puncture the foil covering and eject one of said sensors from said sensor cavity and through said sensor slot.  
     
     
         8 . The sensor dispensing instrument according to  claim 1 , wherein the indexing disk comprises a plurality of outwardly projecting pins that are adapted to engage a plurality of notches on a perimeter of the sensor pack when said sensor pack is disposed on said indexing disk, said pins being configured so as to align said sensor pack with said indexing disk and to cause said sensor pack to rotate with the rotation of the indexing disk.  
     
     
         9 . The sensor dispensing instrument according to  claim 1 , wherein said knife blade assembly comprises a swing arm having a first end and a second end, said first end being pivotally connected to the disk drive pusher, said second end comprising a knife blade and a cam follower, said cam follower being configured to follow a cam pathway as the disk drive pusher is moved.  
     
     
         10 . The sensor dispensing instrument according to  claim 9 , wherein said cam pathway is configured to guide said cam follower so that said knife blade is in a retracted position when said disk drive pusher is moved in the first direction, and said knife blade is in an extended position when said disk drive pusher is moved in the second direction, further wherein said knife blade is in the retracted position to permit the rotation of said indexing disk, and said knife blade is in the extended position to permit said knife blade to puncture the foil covering and eject one of said sensors from said sensor cavity and through said sensor slot.  
     
     
         11 . The sensor dispensing instrument according to  claim 9 , wherein said knife blade assembly further comprises a second cam follower disposed on the second end, said second cam follower being guided by a cam spring so that said cam follower travels the cam pathway in only one direction.  
     
     
         12 . The sensor dispensing instrument according to  claim 1 , further comprising an electronics assembly for performing the test and displaying test results, said electronics assembly comprising a printed circuit board, electrical components mounted on the printed circuit board for conducting electronic functions in response to electrical signals, at least one button mounted on the printed circuit board for supplying electrical signals to the electrical components, and a liquid crystal display mounted on the printed circuit board for displaying said test results.  
     
     
         13 . The sensor dispensing instrument according to  claim 12 , wherein the electronics assembly further comprises a communication interface mounted on the printed circuit board for connecting the sensor dispensing instrument to a separate electronic device.  
     
     
         14 . The sensor dispensing instrument according to  claim 12 , wherein the electronics assembly further comprises battery terminals mounted on the printed circuit board for connecting to a battery, said battery for supplying electrical power to said electrical components.  
     
     
         15 . The sensor dispensing instrument according to  claim 12 , wherein said electronics assembly is electrically connected to a sensor actuator disposed adjacent to said sensor slot, said sensor actuator being adapted to connect to contacts on a sensor disposed in said sensor slot and transmit electrical signals between said sensor and said printed circuit board.  
     
     
         16 . The sensor dispensing instrument according to  claim 15 , wherein the sensor actuator is engaged by said disk drive pusher to connect to the contacts on the sensor disposed in said sensor slot.  
     
     
         17 . A sensor dispensing instrument adapted to perform a test by using a fluid testing sensor, said fluid testing sensor being supplied by a disposable sensor pack inserted into said sensor dispensing instrument, said sensor pack having a plurality of sensor cavities covered by a protective foil, said fluid testing sensor being enclosed in one said sensor cavities prior to the performance of said test, said sensor dispensing instrument comprising: 
 an outer housing having a front end and a rear end, said outer housing further comprising an upper case and a lower case, said upper case and said lower case being pivotally connected together near the rear end of the outer housing in a clam-like fashion to permit the outer housing to be opened to permit the insertion of the sensor pack;    a latch disposed near the front end of the outer housing and adapted to connect the upper case to the lower case so as to close said outer housing after the insertion of said sensor pack;    a sensor slot disposed at the front end of the outer housing, said sensor slot being adapted to receive said fluid testing sensor, said fluid testing sensor projecting outwardly through said sensor slot during the performance of said test;    an indexing disk for supporting and rotating said sensor pack, said indexing disk being rotatably mounted within said outer housing and comprising a first surface and a second surface, said first surface being configured to align and support said sensor pack, said second surface comprising a plurality of curvilinearly extending grooves and a plurality of radially extending grooves, each radially extending groove being disposed between an adjacent pair of curvilinearly extending grooves, said indexing disk further comprising a plurality of knife slots, each knife slot passing from the first surface to the second surface and aligned with one of the plurality of radially extending grooves;    a disk drive pusher generally disposed within said outer housing for rotating the indexing disk and ejecting the fluid testing sensor from said sensor pack, said disk drive pusher being laterally movable and comprising an indexing disk drive arm for rotating said indexing disk, said indexing disk drive arm having a cam button that is adapted to engage one of the curvilinearly extending grooves and the radially extending grooves, said disk drive pusher further comprising a knife blade assembly for ejecting the fluid testing sensor from the sensor pack, said knife blade assembly comprising a cam follower adapted to extend a knife blade through one of the knife slots in the indexing disk, said knife blade being adapted to puncture said protective foil and engage the fluid testing sensor so as to eject said fluid testing sensor from said sensor cavity and through said sensor slot when in the extended position;    a puller handle generally disposed at the rear end the outer housing for moving said dish drive pusher, said puller handle being affixed to a rear end of the disk drive pusher, said puller handle being moveable between a testing position adjacent to the rear end of the outer housing and an extended position spaced outwardly from the rear end of the outer housing;    an electronics assembly for performing the test and displaying test results, said electronics assembly comprising a printed circuit board, electrical components mounted on the printed circuit board for conducting electronic functions in response to electrical signals, a plurality of buttons mounted on the printed circuit board for supplying electrical signals to the electrical components, a liquid crystal display mounted on the printed circuit board for displaying said test results, battery terminals mounted on said printed circuit board for connecting to a battery to supply electrical power to said electronics assembly; and    a sensor actuator disposed within said outer housing adjacent to said sensor slot for connecting the fluid testing sensor to the electronics assembly, said sensor actuator having metal contacts adapted to connect to contacts on the fluid testing sensor when said fluid sensor testing sensor is disposed in said sensor slot so as to transmit electrical signals between said fluid testing sensor and the printed circuit board of said electronics assembly, said sensor actuator being engaged by a front end of said disk drive pusher when said puller handle is in the testing position,    wherein said sensor dispensing instrument is operated by first pulling said puller handle from the testing position to the extended position so as to cause said indexing disk drive arm to travel along one of the curvilinearly extending grooves to rotate said indexing disk and align the sensor cavity containing the fluid testing sensor with the sensor slot, and then pushing said puller handle from the extended position to the testing position so as to cause said knife blade to extend through one of the knife slots in the indexing disk to puncture the foil covering and eject the fluid testing sensor from the sensor cavity and through said sensor slot.    
     
     
         18 . The sensor dispensing instrument according to  claim 17 , wherein the metal contacts of said sensor actuator are connected to the contacts on said fluid testing sensor when said puller handle is in the testing position.  
     
     
         19 . The sensor dispensing instrument according to  claim 18 , wherein the puller handle is moveable to a stand-by position, said stand-by position being located between the testing position and the extended position, wherein the metal contacts of said sensor actuator are disconnected from the contacts on said fluid testing sensor when said puller handle is moved from the testing position to the stand-by position.  
     
     
         20 . The sensor dispensing instrument according to  claim 19 , wherein the sensor dispensing instrument further comprises a sensor release disposed on the outer housing, said sensor release being configured to engage the front end of the disk drive pusher when the puller handle is in the testing position, further wherein said sensor release is engaged to move the puller handle from the testing position to the stand-by position.  
     
     
         21 . The sensor dispensing instrument according to  claim 20 , wherein the sensor release comprises a sensor release button that projects outwardly from the upper case, and said sensor release button is depressed to move the puller handle from the testing position to the stand-by position.  
     
     
         22 . The sensor dispensing instrument according to  claim 17 , wherein the plurality of curvilinearly extending grooves and the plurality of radially extending grooves are interconnected so as to form a continuous pathway along which said cam button travels via the movement of the disk drive pusher, each of said curvilinearly extending grooves comprising an interior end that is coincident with an interior end of an adjacent radially extending groove disposed on a first side thereof, and each of said curvilinearly extending grooves further comprising an exterior end that is coincident with an exterior end of an adjacent radially extending groove disposed on a second side thereof.  
     
     
         23 . The sensor dispensing instrument according to  claim 22 , wherein the interior end of each of said curvilinearly extending grooves that is coincident with the interior end of the adjacent radially extending groove disposed on the first side thereof comprises an interior step for directing said cam button into said curvilinearly extending groove, and further wherein the exterior end of each of said curvilinearly extending grooves that is coincident with the exterior end of the adjacent radially extending groove disposed on a second side thereof comprises an exterior step for directing said cam button into said radially extending groove.  
     
     
         24 . The sensor dispensing instrument according to  claim 17 , wherein the indexing disk comprises a plurality of outwardly projecting pins that are adapted to engage a plurality of notches on a perimeter of the sensor pack when said sensor pack is disposed on said indexing disk, said pins being configured so as to align said sensor pack with said indexing disk and to cause said sensor pack to rotate with the rotation of the indexing disk.  
     
     
         25 . The sensor dispensing instrument according to  claim 17 , wherein the electronics assembly further comprises a communication interface mounted on the printed circuit board for connecting the sensor dispensing instrument to a separate electronic device.  
     
     
         26 . A method of operating a sensor dispensing instrument adapted to handle a sensor pack containing a plurality of sensors, each of said plurality of sensors being disposed in a sensor cavity on said sensor pack and enclosed by a protective foil covering, said sensor dispensing instrument further adapted to perform a test using one of said plurality of sensors, said sensor dispensing instrument comprising an outer housing having a sensor slot through which one of said sensors is disposed to conduct the test, and said sensor dispensing instrument further comprising a mechanical mechanism having an indexing disk for supporting and rotating said sensor pack, an indexing disk drive arm for rotating said indexing disk, a knife blade assembly for puncturing said foil covering and ejecting one of said sensors from said sensor cavity and through said sensor slot, and a puller handle for moving said indexing disk drive arm and said knife blade assembly, wherein said method comprises the steps of: 
 a) pulling said puller handle away from said outer housing to cause said indexing disk drive arm to rotate said indexing disk and align the sensor cavity with the sensor slot;    b) pushing said puller handle towards said outer housing to cause said knife blade assembly to puncture the foil covering and eject the sensor from the sensor cavity and through said sensor slot; and    c) performing the test by using the sensor disposed in said sensor slot.    
     
     
         27 . The method of operating a sensor dispensing instrument according to  claim 26 , further comprising the steps of: 
 e) viewing test results generated by the test on a liquid crystal display disposed on the outer housing; and    f) removing the sensor from the sensor slot.    
     
     
         28 . The method of operating a sensor dispensing instrument according to  claim 27 , wherein the step of removing the sensor from the sensor slot is accomplished by moving the puller handle from the testing position to a stand-by position, said stand-by position being located between the testing position and the extended position.  
     
     
         29 . A method of operating a sensor dispensing instrument adapted to handle a sensor pack containing a plurality of sensors, each of said plurality of sensors being disposed in a sensor cavity on said sensor pack and enclosed by a protective foil covering, said sensor dispensing instrument further adapted to perform a test using one of said plurality of sensors, said sensor dispensing instrument comprising an outer housing having a sensor slot disposed at a front end of the outer housing through which one of said sensors is disposed to conduct the test, and said sensor dispensing instrument further comprising a mechanical mechanism having an indexing disk for supporting and rotating said sensor pack, a movable disk drive pusher, an indexing disk drive arm mounted on the disk drive pusher for rotating said indexing disk, a knife blade assembly mounted on the disk drive pusher for puncturing said foil covering and ejecting one of said sensors from said sensor cavity and through said sensor slot, and a puller handle affixed to an end of the disk drive pusher for moving said disk drive pusher, said puller handle being moveable between a testing position adjacent to a rear end of the outer housing, an extended position spaced outwardly from the rear end of the outer housing, and a stand-by position located between the testing position and the extended position, wherein said method comprises the steps of: 
 a) opening said outer housing and placing a sensor pack on the indexing disk, said sensor pack being placed on said indexing disk by engaging notches in a perimeter of the sensor pack with pins on the indexing disk;    b) closing the outer housing;    c) grasping said puller handle between a finger and a thumb of a user hand when said puller handle is in the stand-by position;    d) pulling said puller handle from the stand-by position to the extended position so as to move said disk drive pusher and cause said indexing disk drive arm to rotate said indexing disk, said indexing disk being rotated by the movement of a cam button on the indexing disk drive arm along a curvilinearly extending groove disposed on said indexing disk;    e) pushing said puller handle from the extended position to the testing position so as to move said disk drive pusher and cause said knife blade assembly to puncture the foil covering, engage the sensor in the sensor cavity, eject the sensor from said sensor cavity, and push said sensor through the sensor slot, said sensor being engaged by a knife blade on the knife blade assembly that is extended through a knife slot in the indexing disk by a cam follower on the knife bade assembly;    f) performing the test by using the sensor disposed in said sensor slot;    g) viewing test results generated by the test on a liquid crystal display disposed on the outer housing; and    f) moving said puller handle from the testing position to the standby position so as to cause the sensor to be released from the sensor slot.