Wide Sampling Entrance for Disposable Test Sensor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing glucose test sensors have small fluid chambers and sampling entrances, leading to difficulties in filling, incomplete blood collection, and inaccurate readings, especially for users with poor vision or tremors, which can result in incorrect insulin dosages and life-threatening errors.
Innovation Solution
A disposable electrochemical test sensor with an extra wide sampling entrance that serves as both the sampling opening and air escape vent, allowing blood to enter through any part of the opening and alleviating issues of incomplete filling and smearing, while eliminating overflow problems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the fluid chamber volume is reduced to minimize blood sampling pain, then the pain from finger piercing is reduced, but the sampling entrance becomes too small for users with poor vision or tremors to target accurately
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a traditional single-point sampling entrance to a three-dimensional wide opening that accepts blood samples from multiple spatial positions (front, left side, right side). This dimensional expansion allows users with tremors or poor vision to successfully apply samples without requiring precise targeting, while the fluid chamber volume remains minimized to reduce sampling pain.
2Quantity of substance
If the sampling entrance is made small to reduce blood volume, then the blood volume required for testing is reduced, but incomplete filling and non-continuous filling occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a multi-directional sampling entrance that accepts blood from the front opening and both side openings, forming a large three-dimensional sampling zone. This allows the fluid chamber to be reliably filled with minimal blood volume (0.5-2.0 µL) by accommodating various application positions, eliminating incomplete or non-continuous filling issues associated with small single-point entrances.
3Volume of moving object
If the sampling entrance is small, then the sensor structure is compact, but blood samples smear around the finger tip and are difficult to draw into the chamber
Solution Approach 1:
The patent maintains compact sensor dimensions while creating a three-dimensional sampling entrance with front and side openings. This wide opening configuration allows users to successfully collect smeared blood samples by applying them to any part of the enlarged sampling zone, eliminating the difficulty of drawing smeared samples into small traditional chambers.
4Reliability
If a separate air escape vent is added to prevent overflow, then overflow issues are eliminated, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the air escape vent function with the sampling entrance by configuring the front opening and side openings to serve dual purposes: accepting blood samples and allowing air to escape during filling. This integration eliminates the need for separate air escape vents while preventing overflow, thereby reducing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The sampling entrance openings are designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: they serve as both the blood sample entry points and the air escape pathways. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for dedicated air escape vents while ensuring reliable overflow prevention during the sampling process.
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 design enhances user friendliness by easily targeting and collecting small volume samples, reducing jamming and smearing issues, and providing accurate analyte concentration measurements, thereby minimizing the risk of incorrect insulin administration.
Implementation Method 1
The chamber provides a reservoir from which sample fluid can be drawn into the sample receiving chamber through capillary action
Data Source
AI summary
A disposable electrochemical test sensor designed to facilitate sampling of fluid samples. It has a fluid chamber having a novel extra wide sampling entrance, but no additional air escape vent. The chamber provides a reservoir from which a sample fluid can be drawn into the chamber through capillary action. The sampling entrance provided can draw fluid into the chamber through any part of the opening, allowing easy targeting the samples with small volume, picking up smeared samples, and added tolerance to users who jam the tip of the sensor into users' finger. The sampling entrance also serves as air escape vent. Such one opening sensor alleviates over-flow issue often encountered in convenient sensors.