Disposable Glucometer with Integrated Test Strip Holder and Bluetooth
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional glucometers require separate test strips that are prone to contamination and spoilage, necessitate manual loading, and incur additional costs for wireless communication, which are cumbersome and expensive.
Innovation Solution
A disposable glucometer with an integrated multi-strip test strip holder and Bluetooth connectivity for automatic strip loading and ejection, allowing direct transmission of blood glucose readings to a cell phone or monitoring station.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If test strips are stored separately in a packet or bottle, then the glucometer can perform blood glucose monitoring, but the strips are subject to spoilage and contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the test strips directly into the glucometer body, forming a unified disposable unit. The test strips are housed within a transparent window section of the glucometer casing, eliminating the need for separate storage packets and preventing contamination from external environments. This merging of components ensures test strip integrity throughout the product's lifecycle.
Solution Approach 2:
The entire glucometer unit including the test strips is designed as a disposable product. The transparent window section and integrated test strip holder are part of the single-use disposable unit that is discarded after all test strips are consumed. This disposable design eliminates the need for reusable strip containers that would require cleaning and maintenance, thereby preventing contamination.
2Productivity
If test strips are loaded one at a time manually, then the glucometer can perform sequential tests, but the operation becomes cumbersome and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The glucometer incorporates an automatic test strip loading mechanism that retrieves strips from the integrated holder and positions them in the testing region without user intervention. The transparent window section allows users to monitor the automatic loading process and strip count, eliminating the need for manual handling and reducing operational complexity while increasing test throughput.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a wireless modem is used for data communication, then blood glucose results can be transmitted to a monitoring facility, but the interface becomes more expensive and cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates a Bluetooth radio frequency transmitter directly into the disposable glucometer unit, enabling wireless data communication with smartphones or tablets. This multi-functional integration allows the same disposable unit to perform both blood glucose testing and data transmission, eliminating the need for separate wireless modems and reducing overall system complexity and cost.
4Reliability
If the entire unit is made disposable, then contamination and spoilage are minimized, but the cost per use increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple components (glucometer body, test strip holder, transparent window section, and Bluetooth transmitter) into a single integrated disposable unit. This merging allows for optimized manufacturing processes where components are pre-assembled and sealed, reducing overall manufacturing complexity and cost while maintaining the benefits of a disposable design for contamination prevention.
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 provides a convenient, cost-effective, and contamination-free monitoring system that automatically manages test strips and facilitates seamless data transmission, enhancing user experience and reducing operational complexity.
Implementation Method 1
disposable test strips which are part of a system which senses the concentration of blood glucose electrochemically
Implementation Method 2
connection through a Bluetooth radio, so that the results can be loaded directly to a cell phone
Data Source
AI summary
A disposable glucometer is disclosed which includes a testing region for receiving a test strip and electronic components to perform blood glucose monitoring, a cell phone interface for relaying test results to a monitoring station or server (which can be through a Bluetooth radio), and a multi-strip test strip holder. The glucometer includes a mechanism to automatically load test strips, one at a time, from the multi-strip test strip holder into the testing region, and a mechanism to eject the strip from the testing region after the test is complete. The test strip holder is preferably encased in a transparent material or otherwise includes a visual indicator so that the number of strips remaining strips and available for testing can be determined. In one embodiment, the entire unit is disposable, and is discarded when all of the strips have been used. In another embodiment, the test strip holder portion of the unit is removed and replaced with a new test strip holder which is loaded with test strips.