Automatic strip withdrawing mechanism and glucometer

Abstract

The invention discloses an automatic strip withdrawing mechanism and a glucometer. The automatic strip withdrawing mechanism comprises a linear driving module, a clamping module, a position detection module and a control unit, wherein the linear driving module adopts a brushless direct-current motor, an output shaft of the brushless direct-current motor is connected with a position encoder through an elastic coupling, a rack is driven by a reduction gear set to do linear motion so as to push the test strip out of a slot, and an energy storage spring mounted in a pre-compression manner is used for providing initial separation impact force for the test strip; the clamping module is arranged at the slot opening, a clamping jaw mechanism which is driven by a cam and provides clamping force by an elastic piece is adopted, and a to-be-tested strip can be stably clamped; the control unit controls to execute strip withdrawing based on a test strip detection completion signal and a dual in-place signal output by a Hall sensor and a microswitch of the position detection module; therefore, the glucometer integrated with the automatic strip withdrawing mechanism can realize automatic strip withdrawing, the operation difficulty and the infection risk are reduced, and the use safety and convenience of old patients and people inconvenient to operate are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of blood glucose meter technology, and in particular to an automatic strip ejection mechanism for blood glucose meter test strips and a blood glucose meter integrating the automatic strip ejection mechanism. Background Technology

[0002] A blood glucose meter is an essential device for diabetic patients to monitor their blood sugar levels daily. Test strips are disposable and need to be removed from the meter's slot after each use. The traditional method involves the user pinching the exposed part of the strip and pulling it out. This method is not only inconvenient but also poses a hygiene and safety risk as fingers may come into contact with blood-contaminated strips.

[0003] To address the aforementioned issues, various improved strip ejection mechanisms have been proposed in the prior art. For example, Chinese utility model patent CN202421709374.6 discloses a multifunctional blood glucose meter for detecting glycated hemoglobin, whose strip ejection mechanism includes a slider, a lever, and a knob on the outer casing. The user manually pushes the knob, which in turn moves the slider within the test strip chamber via the lever, thus ejecting the test strip. This solution achieves non-contact strip ejection, reduces the risk of infection, and has a relatively simple structure.

[0004] However, the above solution still has significant shortcomings: the strip ejection operation relies entirely on manual pushing by the user, and the mechanism lacks an automatic reset function after the operation, leaving the slider in the ejected position. This not only affects the appearance but may also interfere with the insertion of the next test strip, resulting in an inconsistent user experience. Secondly, when ejecting the strip, the user needs to press and move the slider steadily. For elderly users with poor hand dexterity, this pressing and sliding action is not only strenuous but also difficult to perform stably and accurately.

[0005] To address this, Chinese utility model patent CN202423022855.2 discloses a strip ejection button, a blood glucose meter test strip ejection structure, and a blood glucose meter. This design employs a one-piece molded strip ejection button, semi-hidden within the housing through a Z-shaped bending design. Internally, it features a sliding groove and a reset hook, connected to a spring. Users can easily eject the test strip by gently pushing the ejection button; upon release, the button automatically resets to its initial position under the spring's action. This design, by introducing an elastic reset element, achieves automatic reset of the strip ejection mechanism, making the operation smoother and more convenient. Furthermore, the unidirectional "push-automatic rebound" operation logic simplifies user steps and enhances the user experience.

[0006] Although the strip ejection scheme disclosed in the aforementioned patent documents only requires the user to push the ejection button to eject the test strip, the failure rate of this strip ejection scheme is still very high for elderly people with hand tremors or blurred vision.

[0007] Furthermore, the strip ejection solutions disclosed in the two patent documents mentioned above are semi-automatic, requiring manual operation by the user to trigger the ejection action. Whether pressing or pulling, the user needs to perform an additional physical operation to eject the test strip after the test is completed. For elderly users who are prone to forgetting to eject the strip after use, each extra manual operation increases the burden of use. Although some blood glucose meters can automatically eject strips electrically, they mainly rely on electromagnetic drive (electromagnetic drive power consumption > 500mA). While they can achieve automatic triggering, they generally suffer from problems such as complex structure, large size, high power consumption, and high cost, making them difficult to popularize in home blood glucose meters that prioritize portability and economy. Therefore, the above problems have not been well solved, and it is necessary to propose a new technical solution to address the problems existing in the prior art. Summary of the Invention

[0008] This application provides an automatic strip ejection mechanism and a blood glucose meter to solve the problems of existing automatic strip ejection blood glucose meters having complex structures, high manufacturing costs, and being unfriendly to people with operational difficulties.

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, this application provides the following technical solution:

[0010] On the one hand, this application provides an automatic strip ejection mechanism for the automatic ejection of blood glucose meter test strips, comprising:

[0011] A mounting bracket for connecting to the inner wall of the blood glucose meter casing;

[0012] The linear drive module mounted on the fixed bracket includes a stepper motor, a gear connected to the output end of the stepper motor, a rack meshing with the gear, and a pre-compressed energy storage spring installed between the rack and the blood glucose meter housing. A pusher block is provided at the end of the rack near the blood glucose meter test strip insertion port. A position detection module is provided on the pusher block. The position detection module is used to detect whether the test strip to be retracted has reached the preset retraction trigger position.

[0013] The clamping module includes a pair of upper and lower opposing jaws for clamping the test strip, an elastic element for providing a clamping force that tends to close the jaws, and a cam driven to rotate by a clamping motor. The profile surface of the cam acts on the bottom of the lower jaw to drive the jaws to open and close. The clamping module is provided with a positioning post for fitting and mounting with the blood glucose meter housing. The clamping module is located at the test strip slot of the blood glucose meter.

[0014] The control unit is configured to start the clamping motor and stepper motor after the test strip detection is completed and the position detection module outputs the test strip positioning signal, so as to release the clamping state of the gripper on the test strip to be retracted and drive the rack to move linearly along the strip retraction direction to push out the test strip.

[0015] Furthermore, in the above technical solution, the pusher block includes a horizontal short column, the side of the horizontal short column opposite to the rack forming a mating end face adapted to the end of the test strip, the rack being connected to the middle of the horizontal short column, the energy storage spring and the gear being respectively disposed on both sides of the rack along its length direction, one end of the energy storage spring being connected to the horizontal short column, and the other end being fixedly connected to the blood glucose meter housing, the central axis of the energy storage spring being parallel to the central axis of the rack, and the energy storage spring being released at the moment the strip retraction action is initiated, providing an initial release thrust for the test strip to be retracted.

[0016] Furthermore, the energy storage spring is an S-shaped spring.

[0017] Furthermore, the gear includes a driving gear and a driven gear that meshes with the driving gear. The driving gear is connected to the output end of the stepper motor, and the driven gear meshes with the rack. The number of teeth on the driving gear is less than the number of teeth on the driven gear.

[0018] Furthermore, the position detection module includes a Hall sensor and a micro switch. The Hall sensor is used to non-contactly sense the magnetic components on the test strip to be removed to generate a first positioning signal. The micro switch is used to generate a second positioning signal when it is pressed by the test strip to be removed. The control unit is configured to send a strip removal control signal to the stepper motor and the clamping motor after the test strip detection is completed and the first positioning signal and the second positioning signal are received.

[0019] Furthermore, the linear drive module also includes a position encoder for detecting the output shaft rotation angle of the stepper motor. The control unit is signal-connected to the position encoder, and the position encoder is connected to the output shaft of the stepper motor via a flexible coupling to compensate for the coaxiality error between the two. The control unit is configured to dynamically adjust the PWM signal output to the stepper motor through a PID control algorithm based on the comparison result between the feedback signal of the position encoder and the preset strip retraction displacement curve, so as to realize closed-loop control of the strip retraction stroke.

[0020] Furthermore, the linear drive module also includes an energy recovery circuit, which is used to recover and store the electrical energy generated by the stepper motor when the stepper motor brakes. The stepper motor is a brushless DC motor.

[0021] Furthermore, the clamping module includes a plate-shaped upper clamp and a lower clamp. The upper surface of the upper clamp is provided with multiple positioning posts for fitting and mounting with the blood glucose meter housing. One or more elastic elements, which are springs, are installed between the upper clamp and the lower clamp. When the upper clamp and the lower clamp are in the open state, the upper clamp and the lower clamp tend to close under the action of the spring to form an elastic clamp for the test strip to be removed.

[0022] Furthermore, a pressure sensor for monitoring the unwinding resistance is provided on the pusher block, and a temperature sensor for monitoring the motor temperature is provided on the outer housing of the stepper motor. Both the pressure sensor and the temperature sensor are communicatively connected to the control unit. The control unit is configured to: compare the real-time pressure value obtained from the pressure sensor with a preset reference pressure value; if the real-time pressure value is greater than the preset reference pressure value, trigger an alarm and record the corresponding fault code; and compare the real-time temperature value obtained from the temperature sensor with a preset reference temperature value; if the real-time temperature value is greater than the preset reference temperature value, trigger an alarm and record the corresponding fault code.

[0023] On the other hand, this application provides a blood glucose meter, including a housing, a screen, operation buttons, a control board, a battery, an electrochemical detection module, and the aforementioned automatic strip ejection mechanism. The housing has a slot for inserting test strips on its shell wall. The screen, battery, electrochemical detection module, and automatic strip ejection mechanism are electrically connected to the control board. The control unit of the automatic strip ejection mechanism is integrated and mounted on the control board. The automatic strip ejection mechanism is used to clamp and position the inserted test strip through the clamping module during the blood glucose detection stage, and to perform a controlled strip ejection action after the blood glucose detection is completed.

[0024] Further, in the above technical solution, the outer casing includes an upper shell, a lower shell, a panel, and a battery cover. A first side of the upper shell forms a mounting groove for mounting the panel, and a sealing structure is provided at the connection between the upper shell and the panel. The second side of the upper shell is correspondingly engaged with the first side of the lower shell, and a sealing ring is provided between the upper shell and the lower shell. A second side of the lower shell forms a mounting groove for mounting the battery cover, and a sealing ring is provided in the mounting groove. The screen and the operation buttons are both located on the panel, and the control board, battery, electrochemical detection module, and automatic strip removal mechanism are all installed inside the outer casing.

[0025] Furthermore, the electrochemical detection module includes an electrode interface for connecting to the electrical contact end of the inserted test strip. The electrochemical detection module is used to acquire and analyze electrochemical signals from the test strip under test. The control board integrates a data management unit, which is configured to: encrypt the analysis results of the electrochemical detection module using AES-256; and upload the encrypted data to a cloud platform via a network transmission module, and / or push it to the hospital's HIS system according to the medical information system standard protocol.

[0026] Compared with the prior art, this application has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0027] 1. The automatic strip ejection mechanism for blood glucose meters provided in this application mainly includes a linear drive module, a clamping module, a position detection module, and a control unit. The linear drive module uses a stepper motor to drive a rack and pinion mechanism to linearly eject the test strip. A pre-compressed energy storage spring provides the initial release impact force to the test strip, ensuring that the maximum static friction force is overcome each time, thus successfully initiating strip ejection. Therefore, this application achieves automatic and reliable strip ejection through a simple rack and pinion-elastic structure design. Compared to traditional structures that achieve strip ejection through precision structural fit, the linear drive module used in this application has a simple overall structure, is easy to assemble, has low requirements for structural machining precision, and low processing costs. Furthermore, the clamping module uses a clamping motor to drive a rotating cam, and the cam's profile changes to open and close the grippers to clamp or release the test strip. The clamping module, located at the test strip slot of the blood glucose meter, provides clamping force to the inserted test strip, providing a uniform initial resistance for subsequent linear strip ejection, ensuring... The initial conditions for each strip removal are the same, improving structural reliability and strip removal success rate. Simultaneously, this application utilizes a position detection module to detect whether the strip to be removed has reached the preset strip removal trigger position. The control unit automatically executes the strip removal action based on whether the strip inspection is complete and the arrival signal from the position detection module, achieving automatic strip removal and realizing an automated workflow of "cleaning immediately after inspection." This automatic strip removal structural design not only reduces the risk of infection during operation but also improves the safety and convenience for elderly patients and those with operational difficulties. Automatic strip removal triggering prevents elderly patients from forgetting to remove the strip after use. Therefore, this application achieves automatic strip removal of inspected strips through the synergistic effect of the gear and rack mechanism, elastic element, and arrival detection module. The overall structure is simple, has low requirements for structural machining precision, and low assembly and processing costs. Furthermore, automatic triggering and execution of strip removal reduces operational difficulty and infection risk, improves the safety and convenience for elderly patients and those with operational difficulties, and significantly reduces the strip removal failure rate.

[0028] 2. This application features a pusher block at one end of the rack near the test strip slot, with the rack connected to the middle of the pusher block to ensure stable strip retraction. Furthermore, the energy storage spring and gear are located on opposite sides of the rack along its length, resulting in a compact overall structure that facilitates miniaturization of the blood glucose meter. Moreover, the gear used to drive the rack in this application includes a driving gear and a driven gear meshing with it. The driving gear has fewer teeth than the driven gear, meaning the driving gear is smaller and the driven gear is larger, forming a speed reduction and torque amplification transmission system. This system easily overcomes the static friction between the test strip and the slot at the moment of strip retraction initiation. The increased torque is directly converted into a larger initial thrust, providing double protection with the S-shaped energy storage spring, ensuring reliable strip retraction initiation. The larger thrust also ensures a smoother and more stable strip retraction process.

[0029] 3. In this application, the control unit only controls the strip retraction action after confirming that the test strip detection has been completed, the Hall sensor has generated a signal, and the micro switch has been physically pressed to generate a signal. This effectively prevents the Hall sensor from falsely alarming due to electromagnetic interference or accidental proximity to metal objects during the non-retraction stage, thus preventing accidental strip retraction. Furthermore, it ensures that the test strip must physically reach a precise, preset limit position (pressing against the micro switch) before retraction is initiated. This also ensures that the starting point of each strip retraction is consistent, which is the basis for subsequent closed-loop position control. Therefore, this application uses the Hall sensor and micro switch dual signals to trigger strip retraction, ensuring that the entire automatic strip retraction process has high reliability, high safety, and strong anti-interference capability.

[0030] 4. This application improves the anti-interference and adaptive capabilities of the strip retraction mechanism by using a high-precision position encoder, a flexible coupling, and PID closed-loop control. When the strip retraction resistance increases instantaneously due to slight bending of the test strip, the motor will decelerate instantaneously due to the increased load. The position encoder will immediately detect this speed / position lag, and the PID controller will then increase the PWM duty cycle (output torque) to resist the resistance and maintain the predetermined speed. Conversely, when the resistance decreases, the output will automatically decrease, achieving adaptive cruise and automatically compensating for load disturbances. In addition, by analyzing the output (PWM duty cycle) of the PID controller and the position feedback from the position encoder, the real-time strip retraction resistance torque can be calculated. This can be cross-checked with the pressure sensor data used to monitor the strip retraction resistance, forming a more reliable fault diagnosis. Secondly, the flexible coupling in this application can play a mechanical filtering role, buffering and attenuating high-frequency torsional vibration, providing a smooth rotary input for the position encoder, ensuring the reliability of the position encoder's signal source, and thus improving the strip retraction accuracy and reliability.

[0031] 5. The strip retraction action is an "energy consumption-energy storage-energy release" process. At the end of the strip retraction stroke, the motor needs to brake from high speed to a stop. The traditional method is to convert the motor's kinetic energy into heat and waste it through resistance dissipation (energy-consuming braking). However, this application uses an energy recovery circuit to recover braking energy. The energy recovery circuit actively switches the motor to generator mode and recovers this braking energy into the energy storage capacitor or battery through three-phase rectification and DC / DC conversion. This can significantly improve energy efficiency and extend the equipment's endurance and service life.

[0032] 6. The clamping module in this application uses two plate-shaped jaws arranged opposite each other. When the cam near its resting end abuts against the lower jaw, the upper and lower jaws are in a released open state. When the cam far its resting end abuts against the lower jaw, the upper and lower jaws are in a clamping closed state. This method of using cam profile changes to drive the jaws is simple and reliable. In addition, one or more elastic elements are installed between the upper and lower jaws to provide a clamping force that tends to close. The magnitude of the clamping force can be adjusted by the cam and the elastic elements.

[0033] 7. This application also includes a pressure sensor for monitoring strip retraction resistance and a temperature sensor for monitoring motor temperature. The control unit can determine whether the system is faulty through sensor signals. This avoids problems such as motor burnout and gear breakage caused by abnormally increased strip retraction resistance (e.g., severe strip jamming or foreign objects in the mechanism). It also prevents permanent damage to electronic components due to poor heat dissipation, long-term overload, or excessively high ambient temperature. In addition, during regenerative braking to recover energy, excessive load may cause the generator current to exceed the limit. The pressure signal from the pressure sensor can be used as feedforward information to predict the braking load size, thereby dynamically limiting the maximum recovery current and protecting the energy recovery circuit.

[0034] 8. This application provides a blood glucose meter with an automatic strip ejection mechanism inside the meter casing. Based on the synergistic effect of gear rack, elastic structure and positioning detection module, it realizes the automatic triggering and execution of strip ejection after the test strip has been tested, which simplifies the operation, lowers the threshold for operation and is user-friendly for people with inconvenient operation, and can greatly reduce the strip ejection failure rate. Attached Figure Description

[0035] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly described below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort. It should be understood that the specific shapes and structures shown in the drawings should not generally be regarded as limiting conditions for implementing this application. For example, based on the technical concepts disclosed in this application and the exemplary drawings, those skilled in the art are able to easily make conventional adjustments or further optimizations to the addition / reduction / classification, specific shapes, positional relationships, connection methods, and size ratios of certain units (components).

[0036] Figure 1 This is a structural disassembly diagram of a blood glucose meter provided in this application in one embodiment;

[0037] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of a blood glucose meter provided in this application in one embodiment;

[0038] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the clamping module in one embodiment.

[0039] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0040] 1. Panel; 2. Screen; 3. Operation button; 4. Upper shell; 5. Control board; 6. Lower shell; 7. Battery cover; 8. Test strip slot; 9. Stepper motor; 10. Drive gear; 11. Driven gear; 12. Rack; 13. Energy storage spring; 14. Position detection module; 15. Test strip; 16. Clamping module; 17. Upper jaw; 18. Positioning post; 19. Lower jaw; 20. Guide post; 21. Cam; 22. Clamping motor; 23. Elastic element. Detailed Implementation

[0041] The present application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0042] In the description of this application: unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more. The terms "first," "second," etc., in this application are intended to distinguish the objects referred to and do not have any special meaning in terms of technical connotation (e.g., they should not be construed as an emphasis on importance or order). Expressions such as "including," "comprising," and "having" also mean "not limited to" (certain units, components, materials, steps, etc.).

[0043] The terms used in this application, such as "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and "middle," are generally used to facilitate intuitive understanding by referring to the accompanying drawings, and are not absolute limitations on the positional relationships in the actual product. Changes in these relative positional relationships, without departing from the technical concept disclosed in this application, should also be considered within the scope of this application.

[0044] A blood glucose meter is a point-of-care testing device. The ejection of the test strip after testing is a crucial operation. Traditional manual push-to-remove methods are essentially passive, open-loop mechanical operations. The ejection process relies on the user's manual force and stroke, resulting in poor consistency. They lack the ability to sense the strip's ejection status (such as whether it is stuck or fully ejected) and cannot intelligently interact with the device's main control system to integrate into the complete testing workflow. Therefore, they cannot meet the high-level requirements of modern intelligent testing devices for full automation, high reliability, monitorability, and diagnostic capabilities.

[0045] This application provides an automatic strip ejection mechanism and a blood glucose meter, which integrates precision sensing, closed-loop drive, intelligent diagnosis, and adaptive control into a fully automatic strip ejection mechanism to improve the automation level, reliability, and user experience of testing equipment. The structural principle and working process of this automatic strip ejection mechanism and blood glucose meter are described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments.

[0046] Example 1

[0047] This embodiment provides an automatic strip ejection mechanism for blood glucose meter test strips, which mainly includes a fixing bracket for connecting to the inner wall of the blood glucose meter housing, a linear drive module, a clamping module 16, a position detection module 14, and a control unit. See also... Figure 1 and Figure 2 The linear drive module is mounted on a fixed bracket and mainly includes a stepper motor 9, a gear connected to the output end of the stepper motor 9, a rack 12 meshing with the gear, and a pre-compressed energy storage spring 13 installed between the rack 12 and the blood glucose meter housing. A pusher block is located at the end of the rack 12 near the blood glucose meter test strip insertion port. A position detection module 14 is installed on the pusher block, which detects whether the test strip to be retracted has reached the preset retraction trigger position. (See also...) Figure 3The clamping module 16 includes a pair of vertically opposed jaws for clamping the test strip 15, an elastic element 22 for providing a clamping force that tends to close the jaws, and a cam 21 driven to rotate by the clamping motor 22. The profile surface of the cam 21 acts on the bottom of the lower jaw 19 to drive the jaws to open and close. The clamping module 16 is provided with a positioning post 18 for fitting and mounting with the blood glucose meter housing. The clamping module 16 is located at the test strip slot 8 of the blood glucose meter. After the test strip detection is completed and the position detection module 14 outputs a test strip positioning signal, the control unit controls the clamping motor 22 and the stepper motor 9 to start, so as to release the jaws from the clamping state of the test strip to be removed and drive the rack 12 to move linearly in the strip removal direction to push out the test strip.

[0048] The automatic strip ejection mechanism provided in this application uses a stepper motor 9 to drive a gear and rack mechanism 12 to linearly eject the test strip. A pre-compressed energy storage spring 13 provides the initial impact force to the test strip, ensuring that the maximum static friction force is overcome each time, thus successfully initiating the strip ejection. Therefore, this application achieves automatic and reliable strip ejection through a simple gear and rack-elastic structure design. Compared to traditional structures that achieve strip ejection through precision structural fit, the linear drive module used for strip ejection in this application has a simple overall structure, is easy to assemble, has low requirements for structural machining precision, and low processing costs.

[0049] In addition, the clamping module 16 not only provides clamping force for the inserted test strip, but also provides a uniform initial resistance for subsequent straight strip removal, ensuring that the initial conditions for each strip removal are the same, thereby improving structural reliability and strip removal success rate.

[0050] Furthermore, this application utilizes a position detection module 14 to detect whether the test strip to be retracted has reached the preset retraction trigger position. The control unit automatically executes the retraction action based on whether the test strip detection is completed and the arrival signal sent by the position detection module 14, realizing automatic retraction and achieving an automated workflow of "cleaning immediately after detection". This automatic retraction structure design not only reduces the risk of infection during operation but also improves the safety and convenience of use for elderly patients and people with operational difficulties. Automatic retraction triggering prevents elderly patients from forgetting to retract the strip after operation. Therefore, this application achieves automatic retraction of the test strip after detection through the synergistic effect of the gear and rack mechanism, elastic element, and arrival detection module. The overall structure is simple, has low requirements for structural processing precision, low assembly and processing costs, and automatically triggers and executes retraction, simplifying operation, lowering the threshold for operation and use, and being user-friendly for people with operational difficulties, which can greatly reduce the retraction failure rate.

[0051] In a preferred embodiment of this application, such as Figure 2The pusher block at the front end of the rack 12 is a U-shaped structure. A short horizontal post in its middle forms a mating end face on the side opposite to the rack 12, adapting to the end of the test strip. The rack 12 is connected to the middle of the short horizontal post, ensuring stable strip retraction. Meanwhile, the energy storage spring 13 and the gear are respectively located on both sides of the rack 12 along its length, resulting in a compact overall structure that facilitates miniaturization of the blood glucose meter. Specifically, one end of the energy storage spring 13 is connected to the short horizontal post, and the other end is fixedly connected to the blood glucose meter housing. It is pre-compressed and installed as a whole. The central axis of the energy storage spring 13 is parallel to the central axis of the rack 12, ensuring that the released impact force is perfectly applied to the rack 12.

[0052] In one specific embodiment, the energy storage spring 13 is preferably an S-shaped spring with an elastic modulus of 2.5 N / mm and a wire diameter of 0.8 mm. Combining the energy storage spring with a silicone gasket (Shore hardness A30, textured surface, Ra1.6 μm) can stabilize the shearing force at 1.5~2.0 N. The zinc plating treatment of the energy storage spring improves its corrosion resistance by 50%.

[0053] In a preferred embodiment of this application, the gear used to drive the rack 12 is a gear set, including a driving gear 10 and a driven gear 11 meshing with it. The driving gear 10 is connected to the output end of the stepper motor 9, and the driven gear 11 meshes with the rack 12. The number of teeth on the driving gear 10 is less than the number of teeth on the driven gear 11. This gear set constitutes a speed reduction and torque amplification transmission system, which can easily overcome the static friction between the test strip and the slot at the moment of strip retraction. The increased torque is directly converted into a larger initial thrust, forming a double guarantee with the S-shaped energy storage spring 13, ensuring reliable start of the strip retraction action, and the larger thrust can ensure a smoother and more stable strip retraction process.

[0054] In this application, the gear set is an involute gear set (module 0.5, number of teeth 20~40, pressure angle 20°, gear quenching treatment, HRC50-55) to achieve torque amplification and transmission efficiency >95%. The wear resistance of the chromium-molybdenum alloy steel gear (SCM415, HRC50-55) is improved by 3 times.

[0055] In one specific embodiment, the center distance between the active tooth (20 teeth) and the driven tooth (40 teeth) is 15 mm, the tooth width is 5 mm, the grinding process Ra < 0.8 μm, and the noise < 45 dB.

[0056] In a preferred embodiment of this application, the position detection module 14 is responsible for accurately detecting the position of the test strip and triggering the strip retraction process. It includes a Hall sensor (sensitivity 10mV / G) and a micro switch (stroke 1mm, response time <100ms). The Hall sensor detects the test strip in place, and the micro switch triggers the motor to reverse. Specifically, the Hall sensor is used to non-contactly sense the magnetic components on the test strip to generate a first positioning signal, and the micro switch generates a second positioning signal when pressed by the test strip. The control unit is configured to send strip retraction control signals to the stepper motor 9 and the clamping motor 22 after the test strip detection is completed and the first and second positioning signals are received.

[0057] In one specific embodiment, a Hall sensor is fixedly mounted on the inlet sidewall of the test strip detection chamber, with its sensing surface facing the test strip slot channel. A miniature magnet is pre-encapsulated at the tail end of the test strip. When the user inserts the test strip into the detection position, the miniature magnet moves with the test strip to the sensing area of ​​the Hall sensor, and the Hall sensor outputs a high-level signal as the "first positioning signal". A microswitch is installed at the end of the travel of the test strip detection chamber. When the test strip is fully inserted, its front end physically presses the contact of the microswitch, changing the state of the microswitch and outputting the "second positioning signal". The microswitch provides an absolute mechanical position reference, and the trigger point is precise. Therefore, this application constructs an "AND" logic trigger condition through a dual signal combination of "Hall non-contact pre-sensing + micro-physical hard limit". This design effectively prevents Hall false triggering caused by electromagnetic interference and avoids premature strip retraction due to the test strip not being fully inserted, ensuring absolute consistency and reliability of the starting point of the action.

[0058] In a preferred embodiment of this application, the linear drive module further includes a position encoder for detecting the output shaft rotation angle of the stepper motor 9. The control unit is signal-connected to the position encoder, which is connected to the output shaft of the stepper motor 9 via a flexible coupling to compensate for coaxiality errors between the two. The control unit is configured to dynamically adjust the PWM signal output to the stepper motor 9 based on the comparison result between the feedback signal from the position encoder and the preset strip retraction displacement curve, thereby achieving closed-loop control of the strip retraction stroke and realizing precise speed and position tracking. For example, when the strip retraction resistance increases instantaneously due to slight bending of the test strip, the motor will decelerate instantaneously due to the increased load. The position encoder will immediately detect this speed / position lag, and the PID controller will then increase the PWM duty cycle (output torque) to resist the resistance and maintain the predetermined speed. Conversely, when the resistance decreases, the output force will automatically decrease to achieve adaptive cruise, thus automatically compensating for load disturbances.

[0059] In a specific installation example, the brushless DC motor is fixed inside the blood glucose meter housing via a motor mount. One end of its output shaft is connected to the input shaft of the position encoder via a flexible coupling. The elastic element inside the flexible coupling absorbs radial, axial, and angular misalignments between the motor shaft and the encoder shaft. The other end of the brushless DC motor's output shaft is connected to the driving gear 10 of a reduction gear set. The number of teeth on the driving gear 10 is less than the number of teeth on the driven gear 11 it meshes with, forming a reduction and torque amplification transmission. The driven gear 11 meshes with a rack 12.

[0060] In a preferred embodiment of this application, the linear drive module further includes an energy recovery circuit. This circuit recovers and stores the electrical energy generated by the stepper motor 9 (a brushless DC motor) during braking. Specifically, the energy recovery circuit is connected to the three-phase drive arm of the brushless DC motor. The circuit integrates a bidirectional DC / DC converter (Buck-Boost topology) and an energy storage capacitor. When the motor is in a braking and power generation state, the generated electrical energy is recovered and stored in the energy storage capacitor for use during the next motor acceleration. Therefore, this application can significantly improve energy efficiency, reduce power consumption, and extend the device's battery life and service life.

[0061] In one specific embodiment, a brushless DC motor (385ST-J4830, 3.7V / 3000rpm / 50g·cm) combined with an energy recovery circuit achieves a single strip retraction power consumption of <50mJ and a standby power consumption of <1μA, enabling low-power drive.

[0062] Therefore, the linear drive module in this application is responsible for providing the unwinding power and converting the rotational motion into precise linear motion. At the same time, it achieves efficient energy utilization, converting the braking energy during the unwinding deceleration stage into electrical energy recovery, significantly reducing system power consumption and heat generation, and is particularly suitable for portable devices.

[0063] In a preferred embodiment of this application, such as Figure 3 The clamping module 16 includes a plate-shaped upper clamping jaw 17 and a lower clamping jaw 19. The upper surface of the upper clamping jaw 17 is provided with multiple positioning posts 18 for fitting and mounting with the blood glucose meter housing. The lower surface of the lower clamping jaw 19 is provided with multiple guide posts 20 for fitting and mounting with the blood glucose meter housing. The guide posts 20 provide guidance when the lower clamping jaw 19 is driven to move up and down. Simultaneously, one or more elastic elements 22, which are springs, are installed between the upper clamping jaw 17 and the lower clamping jaw 19. When the upper clamping jaw 17 and the lower clamping jaw 19 are in the open state, they tend to close under the action of the springs, forming an elastic clamping grip on the test strip to be removed.

[0064] In one embodiment, the base circle diameter of the cam 21 used to drive the opening and closing of the gripper is 10 mm, and the eccentricity is 3 mm. The gripping force can be adjusted by the cam 21 in conjunction with the elastic element 22, with an adjustable range of 0.5~2.0 N, adapting to test paper thicknesses of 0.2~0.5 mm. The titanium-coated gripper has a coefficient of friction of 0.3~0.4, a hardness of HV800, and a 4-fold improvement in wear resistance.

[0065] In a preferred embodiment of this application, a pressure sensor (range 0~5N, accuracy 0.5%) for monitoring the paper retraction resistance is provided on the push block, and a temperature sensor (±0.1℃) for monitoring the motor temperature is provided on the outer casing of the stepper motor 9. Both the pressure sensor and the temperature sensor are communicatively connected to the control unit. The control unit is configured to: compare the real-time pressure value obtained from the pressure sensor with a preset reference pressure value; if the real-time pressure value is greater than the preset reference pressure value, an alarm is triggered and the corresponding fault code is recorded; and compare the real-time temperature value obtained from the temperature sensor with a preset reference temperature value; if the real-time temperature value is greater than the preset reference temperature value, an alarm is triggered and the corresponding fault code is recorded. For example, when the paper retraction force exceeds a safety threshold, it is determined to be a paper jam fault, the motor is immediately stopped and an alarm is triggered. When the motor temperature exceeds a first-level threshold, "frequency reduction operation" is executed; when it exceeds a second-level threshold, an overheating fault is triggered and an emergency stop is initiated. All fault information is recorded in the memory. Therefore, this application can achieve anomaly monitoring through data monitoring from the pressure sensor and the temperature sensor, thereby realizing fault self-diagnosis.

[0066] Therefore, this application provides a highly automated, precisely controlled, and self-diagnostic automatic strip unwinding mechanism, which achieves precision, reliability, and intelligence in the strip unwinding process through multiple sensors and closed-loop control algorithms.

[0067] Example 2

[0068] This application provides a blood glucose meter that integrates the automatic strip ejection mechanism described in Embodiment 1 above. The blood glucose meter has a complete fully automatic "insertion-detection-exit" workflow and supports encrypted data upload and remote diagnosis.

[0069] In this embodiment, the blood glucose meter includes a housing, a screen 2, an operation button 3, a control board 5, a battery, an electrochemical detection module, and the aforementioned automatic strip ejection mechanism. The housing wall is provided with a test strip slot 8 for inserting a test strip 15. The screen 2, battery, electrochemical detection module, and automatic strip ejection mechanism are electrically connected to the control board 5. The control unit of the automatic strip ejection mechanism is integrated and installed on the control board 5. The automatic strip ejection mechanism is used to clamp and position the inserted test strip through the clamping module 16 during the blood glucose detection stage, and to perform the strip ejection action in a controlled manner after the blood glucose detection is completed.

[0070] In this embodiment, the outer casing includes an upper shell 4, a lower shell 6, a panel 1, and a battery cover 7. A mounting groove for mounting the panel 1 is formed on the first side of the upper shell 4, and a sealing structure is provided at the connection between the upper shell 4 and the panel 1. The second side of the upper shell 4 is correspondingly engaged with the first side of the lower shell 6, and a sealing ring is provided between the upper shell 4 and the lower shell 6. A mounting groove for mounting the battery cover 7 is formed on the second side of the lower shell 6, and a sealing ring is provided within the mounting groove. The screen 2 and operation buttons 3 are both located on the panel 1. The control board 5, battery, electrochemical detection module, and automatic strip removal mechanism are all installed inside the outer casing. Therefore, the blood glucose meter in this application adopts a sealed protection design with a sealing rating of IP55, and the silicone sealing ring (Shore hardness A50) shows no corrosion after 96 hours of ASTM B117 salt spray testing.

[0071] In this embodiment, the blood glucose meter's casing is CNC machined from 6061-T6 aluminum alloy (125mm×65mm×25mm, weight <150g), and anodized (10μm thickness) to improve corrosion resistance by 2 times. Furthermore, a silver ion antibacterial coating (5wt% concentration, 2μm thickness) is applied to the casing surface to achieve anti-contamination design, with an antibacterial rate >99.9%, and the magnetron sputtering process achieves a 5B-level adhesion.

[0072] In this embodiment, the screen serving as the user interface is a 1.44-inch TFT-LCD (240×240 resolution) screen that supports both Chinese and English menus. Furthermore, the operation buttons 3 on panel 1 are ergonomically designed (15° radius, 5mm height) to suit elderly users.

[0073] In this embodiment, the electrochemical detection module includes an electrode interface for connecting to the electrical contact end of the inserted test strip. The electrochemical detection module is used to acquire and analyze electrochemical signals from the test strip to be tested. The control board 5 integrates a data management unit, which is configured to: encrypt the analysis results of the electrochemical detection module using AES-256; and upload the encrypted data to the cloud platform via a network transmission module, and / or push it to the hospital's HIS system according to the medical information system standard protocol.

[0074] The workflow of the blood glucose meter provided in this application is as follows:

[0075] 1. Equipment initialization: After power-on, the control unit on the control board 5 (such as a microcontroller) performs a ROM self-test to verify the status of each sensor and actuator.

[0076] 2. Test strip insertion and clamping: When the user inserts the test strip, the Hall sensor first senses the signal, and the system anticipates that the test strip is approaching. When the test strip is inserted to the bottom, it touches the micro switch. After the control unit confirms that the "detection process is idle" and receives the double position signal, it starts the clamping motor 22, drives the cam 21 to rotate, closes the gripper, and firmly clamps the test strip to start the blood glucose test.

[0077] 3. Inspection Completion and Strip Retraction Initiation: After inspection is completed, the control unit first controls the clamping motor 22 to reverse and open the grippers. Then, it sends a reverse command to the stepper motor 9 to initiate strip retraction. The S-shaped energy storage spring 13 is released instantly to assist in the strip breaking.

[0078] 4. Closed-loop rack retraction execution: Stepper motor 9 drives the gear to move rack 12 backward, the position encoder provides real-time feedback, and the PID controller dynamically adjusts the PWM to ensure smooth and accurate movement following the preset curve.

[0079] 5. Energy Recovery and Reset: In the deceleration zone at the end of the strip retraction stroke, the energy recovery circuit is activated to recover the braking energy of the motor. After the test strip is pushed out, stepper motor 9 stops. Subsequently, the stepper motor rotates forward, driving the actuator end to return to the initial position, waiting for the next cycle.

[0080] During the closed-loop retraction process in step 4 and the energy recovery and reset process in step 5, the pressure and temperature sensors continue to operate. In case of any abnormality, the corresponding fault handling procedure (alarm, shutdown, code recording) is immediately triggered. After the blood glucose test is completed in step 3, the test results are encrypted using AES-256 by the control unit and uploaded to the cloud platform or hospital HIS system via the network module.

[0081] The applicant conducted product performance tests within the factory. The tests verified that the blood glucose meter equipped with the automatic strip ejection mechanism achieved a strip ejection success rate of >99.5% and a failure rate of <0.5% after 100,000 cycles, demonstrating high reliability. The strip ejection force was 1.5~2.0N, with a clamping reliability of >99%. The silver ion coating, tested by SGS, showed an antibacterial rate of >99.9%, with no peeling after 24 hours of saline immersion, indicating good antibacterial performance. The power consumption per strip ejection was <50mJ, standby time was <1μA, and the battery life was 6 months. Compared to traditional blood glucose meters, the operation time for elderly patients was reduced from 60 seconds to 30 seconds, and the strip ejection failure rate decreased from 15% to 2%.

[0082] Therefore, this application provides a blood glucose meter with an integrated automatic strip ejection function. Through the coordinated action of a gear and rack transmission mechanism, elastic elements, and limiting components, the test strip automatically ejects after testing, reducing operational difficulty and infection risk, and improving the safety and convenience for elderly patients and those with operational difficulties. The blood glucose meter's casing uses an aerospace-grade aluminum alloy frame, a brushless DC motor, and a silver ion antibacterial coating. Software algorithms combine PID position control and fault self-diagnosis functions. This application is adaptable to portable blood glucose meters, home medical devices, and community healthcare scenarios, meets the requirements of ISO 15197:2025 standard, and promotes the automation and intelligent development of diabetes management.

[0083] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way (as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features). For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described; these embodiments not explicitly written should also be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0084] The present application has been described in a relatively specific and detailed manner above through general descriptions and specific embodiments. It should be understood that, based on the technical concept of the present application, several conventional adjustments or further innovations can be made to these specific embodiments; however, as long as they do not depart from the technical concept of the present application, the technical solutions obtained by these conventional adjustments or further innovations also fall within the protection scope of the claims of the present application.

Claims

1. An automatic strip ejection mechanism for automatically ejecting blood glucose meter test strips, characterized in that, include: A mounting bracket for connecting to the inner wall of the blood glucose meter casing; The linear drive module mounted on the fixed bracket includes a stepper motor, a gear connected to the output end of the stepper motor, a rack meshing with the gear, and a pre-compressed energy storage spring installed between the rack and the blood glucose meter housing. A pusher block is provided at the end of the rack near the blood glucose meter test strip insertion port. A position detection module is provided on the pusher block. The position detection module is used to detect whether the test strip to be retracted has reached the preset retraction trigger position. The clamping module includes a pair of upper and lower opposing jaws for clamping the test strip, an elastic element for providing a clamping force that tends to close the jaws, and a cam driven to rotate by a clamping motor. The profile surface of the cam acts on the bottom of the lower jaw to drive the jaws to open and close. The clamping module is provided with a positioning post for fitting and mounting with the blood glucose meter housing. The clamping module is located at the test strip slot of the blood glucose meter. The control unit is configured to start the clamping motor and stepper motor after the test strip detection is completed and the position detection module outputs the test strip positioning signal, so as to release the clamping state of the gripper on the test strip to be retracted and drive the rack to move linearly along the strip retraction direction to push out the test strip.

2. The automatic strip unwinding mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pusher block includes a horizontal short column. The side of the horizontal short column opposite to the rack forms a mating end face that fits the end of the test strip. The rack is connected to the middle of the horizontal short column. The energy storage spring and the gear are respectively disposed on both sides of the rack along its length. One end of the energy storage spring is connected to the horizontal short column, and the other end is fixedly connected to the blood glucose meter housing. The central axis of the energy storage spring is parallel to the central axis of the rack. The energy storage spring is released at the moment the strip retraction action is initiated, providing an initial release force for the test strip to be retracted. The energy storage spring is an S-shaped spring; The gear includes a driving gear and a driven gear that meshes with the driving gear. The driving gear is connected to the output end of the stepper motor, and the driven gear meshes with the rack. The number of teeth on the driving gear is less than the number of teeth on the driven gear.

3. The automatic strip unwinding mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The position detection module includes a Hall sensor and a micro switch. The Hall sensor is used to non-contactly sense the magnetic components on the test strip to be removed to generate a first positioning signal. The micro switch is used to generate a second positioning signal when it is pressed by the test strip to be removed. The control unit is configured to send a strip removal control signal to the stepper motor and the clamping motor after the test strip detection is completed and the first positioning signal and the second positioning signal are received.

4. The automatic strip unwinding mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The linear drive module also includes a position encoder for detecting the rotation angle of the output shaft of the stepper motor. The control unit is signal-connected to the position encoder, and the position encoder is connected to the output shaft of the stepper motor via a flexible coupling. The control unit is configured to dynamically adjust the PWM signal output to the stepper motor through a PID control algorithm based on the comparison result between the feedback signal of the position encoder and the preset strip retraction displacement curve, so as to realize closed-loop control of the strip retraction stroke.

5. The automatic strip unwinding mechanism according to claim 4, characterized in that, The linear drive module also includes an energy recovery circuit, which is used to recover and store the electrical energy generated by the stepper motor when the stepper motor brakes. The stepper motor is a brushless DC motor.

6. The automatic strip unwinding mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The clamping module includes a plate-shaped upper jaw and a lower jaw. The upper surface of the upper jaw is provided with multiple positioning posts for fitting and mounting with the blood glucose meter housing. One or more elastic elements, which are springs, are installed between the upper jaw and the lower jaw. When the upper and lower grippers are in the open state, they tend to close under the action of the spring to form an elastic clamping of the test strip to be removed.

7. The automatic strip unwinding mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pusher block is equipped with a pressure sensor for monitoring the resistance of the retraction, and the outer housing of the stepper motor is equipped with a temperature sensor for monitoring the motor temperature. Both the pressure sensor and the temperature sensor are communicatively connected to the control unit. The control unit is configured to compare the real-time pressure value obtained from the pressure sensor with a preset reference pressure value. If the real-time pressure value is greater than the preset reference pressure value, an alarm is triggered and the corresponding fault code is recorded. Furthermore, the real-time temperature value obtained from the temperature sensor is compared with a preset reference temperature value. If the real-time temperature value is greater than the preset reference temperature value, an alarm is triggered and the corresponding fault code is recorded.

8. A blood glucose meter, characterized in that, The device includes a housing, a screen, operation buttons, a control board, a battery, an electrochemical detection module, and an automatic strip ejection mechanism as described in any one of claims 1 to 7. The housing has an insertion slot for inserting test strips on its shell wall. The screen, battery, electrochemical detection module, and automatic strip ejection mechanism are electrically connected to the control board. The control unit of the automatic strip ejection mechanism is integrated and mounted on the control board. The automatic strip ejection mechanism is used to clamp and position the inserted test strip through the clamping module during the blood glucose testing stage, and to perform a controlled strip ejection action after the blood glucose testing is completed.

9. The blood glucose meter according to claim 8, characterized in that, The outer casing includes an upper shell, a lower shell, a panel, and a battery cover. A first side of the upper shell forms a mounting groove for mounting the panel, and a sealing structure is provided at the connection between the upper shell and the panel. The second side of the upper shell is correspondingly engaged with the first side of the lower shell, and a sealing ring is provided between the upper shell and the lower shell. The second side of the lower shell forms a mounting groove for mounting the battery cover, and a sealing ring is provided in the mounting groove. The screen and the operation buttons are both located on the panel, and the control board, battery, electrochemical detection module and automatic strip removal mechanism are all installed inside the housing.

10. The blood glucose meter according to claim 8, characterized in that, The electrochemical detection module includes an electrode interface for connecting to the electrical contact end of the inserted test strip, and the electrochemical detection module is used to acquire and analyze electrochemical signals from the test strip to be tested. The control board integrates a data management unit, which is configured to: encrypt the analysis results of the electrochemical detection module using AES-256; and upload the encrypted data to the cloud platform via a network transmission module, and / or push it to the hospital's HIS system according to the medical information system standard protocol.

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