Hygroscopic Display Biosensor Moisture Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing glucose meters for random blood sugar testing face issues with disposable biosensor degradation due to air moisture exposure, leading to hygiene concerns and increased production costs, while also generating excess waste and discomfort for occasional users.
Innovation Solution
A compact device design where the display, evaluation electronics, and disposable biosensors are housed in a common, vapor non-permeable space, with the display acting as a desiccant to protect biosensors from moisture, eliminating the need for a separate desiccant and reducing waste and costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a separate desiccant is added in the container with disposable biosensors, then biosensors are protected from air moisture, but production costs increase and waste material increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the display function and desiccant function into a single integrated component. The display housing contains hygroscopic material that absorbs moisture from the container atmosphere, protecting biosensors without requiring a separate desiccant component. This merging eliminates the need for additional parts while maintaining moisture protection functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The display housing serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides the display interface to users and acts as a desiccant to protect biosensors from moisture. This multi-functionality reduces the overall number of components needed in the device, simplifying the structure while achieving both display and moisture protection goals.
2Ease of operation
If disposable biosensors are stored in an open factory container for irregular use, then user comfort is improved, but biosensors degrade due to air moisture exposure
Solution Approach 1:
The display housing automatically absorbs moisture from the container atmosphere through its hygroscopic properties, providing self-service moisture protection without requiring user intervention. The system actively maintains a dry environment for biosensors simply by being present in the container, enabling long-term storage stability even when the container is occasionally opened.
3Weight of moving object
If a compact single-box design is used with integrated electronics and biosensors, then device portability is improved, but hygiene is reduced due to used biosensors remaining in the device
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables easy extraction and removal of used biosensors from the compact device. The design allows users to remove tested biosensors from the container, and the moisture-protective display housing ensures that removed biosensors do not contaminate the remaining storage environment. This extraction capability maintains hygiene while preserving portability.
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
This design effectively preserves biosensor quality, reduces waste and production costs, enhances user comfort, and maintains hygiene by integrating the display's desiccant properties within the device, making it suitable for infrequent use without compromising performance.
Implementation Method 1
the display is hygroscopic... the display acting as a desiccant to protect biosensors from moisture
Data Source
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AI summary
The device is composed of at least one disposable biosensor (2) for applying a blood sample, as well as evaluation electronics (1) for retrieving and processing information from the disposable biosensor (2) with the applied blood sample, as well as a display (7) for displaying information from the evaluation electronics (1). Disposable biosensors (2) and a display (7) are arranged in a common vapour non-permeable closable space, wherein the display (7) is hygroscopic to bind air moisture which would otherwise be bound by disposable biosensors (2). The display (7), evaluation electronics (1) and disposable biosensors (2) can be arranged on a common support substrate (4), wherein the support substrate (4) is provided with a removable and/or openable vapour non-permeable container. Disposable biosensors (2) can be detachable from the support substrate (4).