Integrated Blood Glucose Meter with One-Handed Vial Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing blood glucose monitoring systems require separate devices for lancet mechanisms and test strip storage, leading to complex and cumbersome operations for users.
Innovation Solution
A blood glucose meter with an integral lancet device and a location to store test strip vials, allowing for one-handed access and operation, with the lancet and test strip port positioned close together for minimal motion and a detachable cover for easy lancet replacement and test strip loading.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate devices are used for lancet mechanism and test strip storage, then each device can be optimized for its specific function, but the overall system becomes complex and cumbersome for users
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the lancet device, test strip storage vial, and blood glucose meter into a single integrated unit. The lancet device is positioned at one end of the meter body, while the test strip vial is stored in an enclosure at the opposite end. This merging eliminates the need for separate devices while maintaining all necessary functions, directly resolving the contradiction between functional optimization and system complexity.
2Reliability
If multiple separate devices are required for blood glucose monitoring, then each device can be specialized, but the number of steps and handling required increases
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated device performs multiple functions within a single unit: lancet storage and deployment, test strip vial storage with one-handed access, blood glucose measurement, and data display. The device body houses all these functions, allowing users to perform complete blood glucose monitoring without switching between multiple specialized devices, thereby improving ease of operation while maintaining functional specialization.
3Ease of operation
If test strip vial is stored separately from the meter, then vial access requires additional handling, but integrated storage increases device size
Solution Approach 1:
The test strip vial is nested within an enclosure that is integrated into the meter body. The enclosure is positioned at one end of the device, allowing the vial to be stored compactly within the overall device structure. This nesting approach allows easy one-handed access to the vial while minimizing the increase in device volume, as the enclosure utilizes the longitudinal space of the meter body rather than adding lateral bulk.
4Reliability
If lancet device and test strip port are positioned far apart, then each component can be optimized independently, but user motion required increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lancet device is positioned at one end of the meter body with the test strip port located at the same end, creating a localized functional area. This positioning allows the lancet and test strip to be in close proximity, minimizing the motion required by users during the blood sampling and testing process. The local concentration of related functions improves operational efficiency while still allowing each component to be independently optimized within its designated area.
Data Source
AI summary
A blood glucose meter having a test strip port and an adjustable lancet device disposed at the same end of the device body is disclosed. The device body further includes an enclosure at the proximal end of the device body which houses a test strip storage vial and which facilitates one-handed opening and closing of the vial to simplify access to test strips contained therein. The enclosure is further provided with a window which allows the reading of the lot numbers on the label of the test strip vial therein without necessitating removal of the vial. A data connector is also provided on the device body for communication access, such as to upload data from other devices or to download data to other devices.