Biosensor Storage Cartridge with Flexible Foil Seal

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing blood glucose monitoring systems face challenges in efficiently storing and dispensing biosensors due to the large size of the testing device, which limits the number of sensors per package and exposes biosensors to ambient humidity, potentially affecting their performance.

Innovation Solution

A storage cartridge with a hollow body housing a stack of biosensors, featuring a flexible conveying member and a resilient biasing mechanism to maintain a sealed, moisture-impervious environment, allowing for efficient dispensing of biosensors while maintaining their reactivity through desiccant management.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If biosensors are stored in a compact configuration, then the number of sensors per package increases, but the testing device size increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenumber of sensors per packageVSAvoidtesting device size

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system is divided into two separate components: a compact storage cartridge containing multiple biosensors and a separate testing device. The storage cartridge can be removed and replaced, allowing the testing device to remain small while storing multiple sensors in the portable cartridge unit.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The biosensors are stacked vertically in a compact cartridge configuration rather than arranged horizontally in the testing device. This vertical stacking allows multiple sensors to be stored in a small volume, and the cartridge can be easily inserted into and removed from the testing device.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Ease of operation

If biosensors are exposed to ambient humidity, then ease of dispensing improves, but biosensor performance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of dispensingVSAvoidbiosensor performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The storage cartridge is sealed with a flexible foil lid that creates a moisture-impervious barrier between the biosensors and the ambient environment. This flexible seal maintains the integrity of the biosensors while allowing the cartridge to be easily opened and closed for dispensing operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The storage cartridge creates a protected environment that isolates the biosensors from ambient humidity and contaminants. The sealed cartridge acts as an inert environment that preserves biosensor performance until the moment of dispensing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #39Inert atmosphere (Inert environment)

3Reliability

If a sealed storage system is used, then biosensor integrity is maintained, but dispensing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebiosensor integrityVSAvoiddispensing mechanism complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The dispensing mechanism extracts only the necessary components for dispensing a single biosensor from the sealed cartridge, minimizing the complexity of the overall system. The flexible foil lid can be locally opened to release a biosensor without requiring complex mechanisms to open and close the entire cartridge seal.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The flexible foil lid is designed to be easily opened and closed by the user without requiring complex mechanical mechanisms. The lid's flexibility allows it to be manually manipulated to access biosensors, simplifying the dispensing operation while maintaining the sealed integrity of the cartridge when closed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution enables a compact storage system that maintains biosensor integrity and allows for easy dispensing, increasing the number of sensors per package and preventing moisture exposure, thus enhancing the reliability and convenience of blood glucose monitoring.

Implementation Method 1

a flexible conveying member disposed over the open top of the body, having an aperture formed therein for receiving a biosensor from the stack of biosensors, a plate adapted to press the flexible conveying member against the open top to form a substantially moisture-impervious seal

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhysical Containment: Physical Containment

Implementation Method 2

means for biasing the stack of biosensors towards the open top

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS8105536B2Method of dispensing biosensors

Publication Date: 2012.01.31 ASCENSIA DIABETES CARE HLDG AG

AI summary

A storage cartridge for dispensing biosensors used in the determination of an analyte in body fluid comprises a hollow body for housing a stack of biosensors having an open top, a flexible conveying member disposed over the open top of the body, the flexible conveying member having an aperture formed therein for receiving a biosensor from the stack of biosensors, a plate adapted to press the sliding conveying member against the open top to form a substantially moisture-impervious seal around the open top of the body and to permit the conveying member to slide between the plate and the open top, and a biasing mechanism the stack of biosensors towards the open top.