Hermetically sealed test strip container

Abstract

A test strip container comprising a housing defining a cavity having a dispensing wall, a housing inlet, and a dispensing outlet is presented. The container may also comprise a lid mounted movably on the housing to define a primed position and an unprimed position therebetween. A cartridge may be provided within the cavity and holding a plurality of test strips. The cartridge may have a plunger entrance seal and a strip exit seal. A biasing member may be disposed within the cartridge urging the plurality of test strips towards the dispensing wall to be aligned with the dispensing outlet. A plunger may be provided, and oriented to open the plunger entrance seal through the housing inlet when the lid is in the primed position, and to urge a single test strip from the plurality of test strips through the strip exit seal of the cartridge and the dispensing outlet of the housing when the lid is transitioned from the primed position to the unprimed position.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A test strip container comprising:
 a housing accommodating a plurality of test strips therein, the housing defining a cavity having a dispensing wall and a dispensing outlet;   a biasing member provided within the cavity and urging the plurality of test strips towards the dispensing wall;   a lever actuator provided to the housing and having a primed position and an unprimed position; and   a lever provided within the housing and having an actuation side and a lifting side, the lever actuator being connected to the lever on the actuation side, wherein the lever on the lifting side urges a single test strip from the plurality of test strips through the dispensing outlet when the lever actuator is transitioned from the primed position to the unprimed position.   
     
     
         2 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the lever provides a slot in which the plurality of test strips are accommodated. 
     
     
         3 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the lever provides a slot in which the plurality of test strips are accommodated in a vertical orientation. 
     
     
         4 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the lever rotates from a primed position to an unprimed position thereof when the lever actuator is transitioned from the primed position to the unprimed position thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the cavity has a base provided opposite from a top and adjacent to the dispensing wall;   the top of the cavity provides the dispensing outlet; and   the lever actuator urges the actuation side of the lever away from the dispensing outlet and toward the base of the cavity when the lever actuator is transitioned from the primed to the unprimed position.   
     
     
         6 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the cavity has opposing sides adjacent to the dispensing wall; and   the lever is mounted on the opposing sides of the cavity.   
     
     
         7 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the cavity has opposing sides adjacent to the dispensing wall; and   the lever is mounted on the opposing sides of the cavity such that the lever rotates from a primed position to an unprimed position thereof when the lever actuator is transitioned from the primed position to the unprimed position thereof.   
     
     
         8 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the lever provides a slot in which the plurality of test strips are accommodated;   the cavity has opposing sides adjacent to the dispensing wall; and   the lever is mounted on the opposing sides of the cavity such that the lever rotates from a primed position to an unprimed position thereof when the lever actuator is transitioned from the primed position to the unprimed position thereof, urging a single test strip from the plurality of test strips through the dispensing outlet.   
     
     
         9 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the cavity has a biasing wall opposing the dispensing wall;   the lifting side of the lever is positioned adjacent to the dispensing wall; and   the actuation side of the lever is positioned adjacent to the biasing wall.   
     
     
         10 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the lever actuator comprises an actuator shaft connected to an actuator button. 
     
     
         11 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the lever actuator comprises an actuator shaft connected to an actuator button;   the actuator button is provided outside of the cavity on top of the housing; and   the actuator shaft is primarily disposed within the cavity, extending outside of the cavity to connect to the actuator button.   
     
     
         12 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the lever actuator comprises an actuator shaft connected to an actuator button; and   the actuator shaft comprises two struts extending from the actuator button to the actuation side of the lever, rotating the lever from a primed position to an unprimed position thereof when the lever actuator is transitioned from the primed position to the unprimed position thereof.   
     
     
         13 . The container of  claim 1 , further comprising a dispensing outlet seal member, the dispensing outlet seal member being cooperative with the dispensing outlet to form a hermetic seal. 
     
     
         14 . The container of  claim 1 , further comprising an actuator spring, the actuator spring being cooperative with the lever actuator to return the lever actuator from the unprimed position to the primed position. 
     
     
         15 . The container of  claim 1 , further comprising an actuator spring, wherein the actuator spring biases the lever actuator away from the lever. 
     
     
         16 . The container of  claim 1 , further comprising an actuator spring, wherein:
 the lever actuator comprises an actuator shaft connected to an actuator button; and   the actuator spring is provided adjacent to the actuator button to bias the actuator button upwards and away from the housing.   
     
     
         17 . A test strip container comprising:
 a housing accommodating a plurality of test strips therein, wherein the housing defines a cavity having a biasing wall opposing a dispensing wall, opposing side walls adjacent to the biasing wall and the dispensing wall, and a base wall opposing a top wall adjacent to the biasing wall, the dispensing wall, and the side walls, and wherein the top wall provides a dispensing outlet;   a biasing member provided within the cavity and urging the plurality of test strips towards the dispensing wall;   a lever actuator provided to the housing and having a primed position and an unprimed position, the lever actuator comprising an actuator shaft connected to an actuator button, wherein the actuator button is provided outside of the cavity on top of the housing and the actuator shaft is primarily disposed within the cavity; and   a lever provided within the housing, wherein the lever has an actuation side and a lifting side and provides a slot in which the plurality of test strips are accommodated in a vertical orientation, wherein the lever is connected to the lever actuator on the actuation side of the lever via the actuator shaft, and wherein the lever is mounted on the opposing sides of the cavity such that the lever rotates from a primed position to an unprimed position thereof when the lever actuator is transitioned from the primed position to the unprimed position thereof, urging a single test strip from the plurality of test strips through the dispensing outlet.