Lancet integrated test element tape dispenser
AssigneeRoche Diagnostics Operations, Inc.
InventorsFrank A. Chan, Daniel Wong
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A lancet integrated test element tape includes a plurality of lancet integrated test elements. The lancet integrated test elements each include a lancet configured to form an incision in tissue and a test element configured to analyze body fluid from the incision in the tissue. A cartridge includes a supply compartment configured to store an unused section of the tape. The tape is folded within the supply compartment to limit damage to the lancet integrated test elements. The cartridge can further include a waste compartment in which a used section of the tape is stored. An indexing mechanism moves the tape between the supply and waste compartments.
Claims15
A method, comprising:
- assembling on a sterility sheet a plurality of test elements configured to analyze body fluid;
- enclosing in the sterility sheet a plurality of piercing members configured to pierce tissue, wherein each piercing member is associated with one of the test elements to create a tape of integrated sampling elements;
- sterilizing the piercing members;
- and
- said assembling on the sterility sheet the plurality of test elements comprising
- assembling one or more components of the test elements that are unaffected by said sterilization on the sterility sheet prior to said sterilization, and
- assembling one or more components of the test elements that are affected by said sterilization on the sterility sheet after said sterilization.
A method, comprising:
- joining a tape of lancets and a tape of test elements at least at alternating fold lines;
- and
- folding the tape of the lancets and the tape of the test elements in an accordion manner in which the lancets and the test elements are folded away from one another.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.