Strip vial and cap

Abstract

Containers and methods for dispensing test strips. Embodiments of the invention include a container and a cap or an insert. The container holds or stores the test strips and the test strips may be dispensed through the cap or the insert.

1 . An insert for dispensing test strips from a container, the insert comprising:
 a body configured to be removable from an associated container;   a dispensing member formed in a center portion of the body; and   a guiding member extending from the body and defining an aperture between the dispensing member and the test strips, wherein test strips are dispensed through the dispensing member at least one at a time.   
     
     
         2 . The insert recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a retention member formed on at least a portion of a periphery surface of the body, wherein the retention member holds the body in a particular position when inserted into the container. 
     
     
         3 . The insert recited in  claim 1 , wherein the dispensing member further comprises a diaphragm supported by the guiding member, the diaphragm having a slit that includes one or more cross cuts. 
     
     
         4 . The insert recited in  claim 3 , wherein the diaphragm and the retention member are integrated. 
     
     
         5 . The insert recited in  claim 3 , wherein the retention member has a textured surface to grip an inner surface of the container and wherein the guiding member comprises a guiding surface that directs some of the test strips toward the slit. 
     
     
         6 . The insert recited in  claim 1 , wherein the dispensing member exerts an inward force on the test strips to hold test strips that partially pass through the dispensing member in a dispensing position. 
     
     
         7 . The insert recited in  claim 6 , wherein the dispensing member flexes to hold the test strips in the dispensing position when dispensing the at least one test strip. 
     
     
         8 . The insert recited in  claim 1 , wherein the body comprises at least one grip portion configured for extracting the insert from the associated container. 
     
     
         9 . The insert recited in  claim 3 , wherein the guiding member comprising a recess configured to receive the diaphragm, wherein the diaphragm attaches to a ledge formed in the recess such that the a surface of the diaphragm is substantially flush with top surface of the body. 
     
     
         10 . The insert recited in  claim 1 , wherein the dispensing member comprises slot formed in a center portion of the body and wherein the guiding member comprises a guiding surface that directs test strips toward the slot. 
     
     
         11 . The insert recited in  claim 1 , wherein the slot is dimensioned and configured to dispense a single test strip at a time. 
     
     
         12 . The cap recited in  claim 11 , wherein the slot has a width less than a width of two test strips and a thickness less than a thickness of two test strips. 
     
     
         13 . A cap for dispensing test strips from a vial, the cap comprising:
 a body associated with a container, the body comprising:
 a dispensing member associated with the body portion, the dispensing member passes a portion of the test strips partially through the dispensing member to a dispensing position, wherein a particular test strip is selected; and 
 a guiding member that supports the dispensing member in the container, wherein particular test strip is dispensed through the dispensing member. 
   
     
     
         14 . The cap recited in  claim 13 , wherein the dispensing member comprises a diaphragm having a slit formed from at least one cross cut. 
     
     
         15 . The cap recited in  claim 14 , wherein the guiding member forms an aperture between the dispensing member and the test strips, wherein the aperture is wider than the at least one cross cut. 
     
     
         16 . The cap recited in  claim 14 , wherein the at least one cross cut exerts an inward force on a test strip that is being dispensed through the dispensing member. 
     
     
         17 . The cap recited in  claim 13 , further comprising a cover connected with the body portion, wherein the cover comprises a member that operatively cooperates with the cap to close the dispensing member. 
     
     
         18 . The cap recited in  claim 13 , wherein the guiding member comprises a guiding surface that slopes from an inner surface of the container to the dispensing member to gradually reduce a cross sectional area of a region defined by the guiding member. 
     
     
         19 . The cap recited in  claim 13 , wherein the body is integrated with the container. 
     
     
         20 . A vial for dispensing test strips in a controlled manner, the vial comprising:
 a container for holding test strips, the container having an inner surface; and   a removable insert configured to dispense the test strips from the container in a controlled manner, the insert comprising:
 a dispensing member configured in a center portion of the insert, the dispensing member configured to hold some of the test strips in a dispensing position such that a particular test strip is dispensed through the dispensing member. 
   
     
     
         21 . The vial as recited in  claim 20 , wherein the dispensing member comprises a slot that is dimensioned and configured to a single desired test strip and the removable insert further comprises a guiding member that defines a funnel-shaped region inside the container, the guiding member having a guiding surface that guides at least one test strip to the slot. 
     
     
         22 . The vial as recited in  claim 21 , wherein the guiding surface slopes from an inner surface of the container to a bottom surface of the center portion and wherein the guiding surface is coated with a material to increase a slickness of the guiding surface. 
     
     
         23 . The vial as recited in  claim 20 , wherein the dispensing member comprises a diaphragm, the diaphragm having a slit formed from at least one cross cut arranged over the slot, wherein the exerts an inward force on the test strips that pass partially through the slit when the particular test strip is dispensed. 
     
     
         24 . The vial as recited in  claim 20 , wherein the dispensing member comprises a plurality of bristles arranged over a guiding member, the bristles arranged to form a junction that allows some of the test strips to at least partially pass through the bristles to hold the test strips in the dispensing position. 
     
     
         25 . A method for dispensing test strips from a vial, the method comprising:
 inverting the vial to move at least one test strip toward a dispensing member formed in a portion of a cap of the vial;   guiding the at least one test strip with a guiding member, the guiding member reducing a number of strips that approach the dispensing member; and   dispensing at least one of the test strips through the slot.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising loading the vial with the plurality of test strips and associating the cap with a container to form the vial. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising the guiding member holding the at least one test strips in a dispensing position while dispensing at least one of the test strips.