Storage container for biosensor test elements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10071380-B2
Application number	US-201815887221-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 2, 2018
Priority date	Nov 28, 2011
Publication date	Sep 11, 2018
Grant date	Sep 11, 2018

Abstract

A component for a storage container configured to receive vertically oriented articles. The component includes a tubular sidewall extending longitudinally from a base, and at least one spacer portion extending from an underside of the base and configured for engagement with an interior surface of a corresponding storage container. The component also includes at least one pair of retainer elements extending laterally from an inner surface of the tubular sidewall and inwardly into an interior region of the component, and with the retainer elements being oppositely oriented and configured to retain a vertically oriented article therebetween by frictional engagement with opposite longitudinal edges of the article, and wherein an insertion force for resilient deflection of the retainer elements during insertion of the article is less than a removal force for resilient deflection of the retainer elements during removal of the article.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A component for a storage container configured to receive vertically oriented articles, the component comprising:
a tubular sidewall extending longitudinally from a base, the tubular sidewall comprising an inner surface and an outer surface, the base comprising a support surface and an underside;
an interior region defined by the inner surface of the tubular sidewall and the support surface of the base, the interior region extending along a longitudinal axis and having a height dimension, a width dimension, and a length dimension; and
at least one spacer portion extending from the underside of the base and configured for engagement with an interior surface of a corresponding storage container, wherein the spacer portion extending from the underside of the base has an adjustable height dimension and is positioned in abutment against an adjacent portion of the storage container to position the insert at a select height within the inner chamber of the storage container, and wherein the spacer portion includes at least one removable tab that is selectively removable from a remainder of the spacer portion to vary the adjustable height dimension and correspondingly adjust the select height of the insert within the inner chamber of the storage container.

2. The component of claim 1 , wherein the spacer portion includes a plurality of the removable tabs, one or more of the removable tabs being selectively removable from a remainder of the spacer portion to vary the adjustable height dimension and correspondingly adjust the select height of the insert within the inner chamber of the storage container.

3. The component of claim 1 , wherein the at least one removable tab is attached to a remainder of the spacer portion by an interface region configured to allow selective removal of the at least one removable tab from the remainder of the spacer portion.

4. The component of claim 3 , wherein the interface region comprises a region of reduced strength defining a fracture initiator zone configured to facilitate a fracture along the region of reduced strength to allow for selective removal of the at least one removable tab from the remainder of the spacer portion.

5. The component of claim 4 , wherein the spacer portion includes a plurality of the removable tabs, one or more of the removable tabs being selectively removable from the spacer portion along the fracture initiator zone to allow for selective removal of one or more of the plurality of removable tabs to vary the adjustable height dimension and correspondingly adjust the select height of the insert within the inner chamber of the storage container.

6. The component of claim 3 , wherein the interface region is defined by a localized reduced thickness of the spacer portion.

7. The component of claim 6 , wherein the localized reduced thickness of the spacer portion is defined by one or more grooves extending along a length of the spacer portion.

8. The component of claim 1 , wherein the at least one spacer portion comprises a strut extending axially from the underside of the base and defining a strut height defining the adjustable height dimension, and wherein the strut has a distal end positioned in abutment against a bottom wall of the storage container to position the insert at the select height within the inner chamber of the storage container.

9. The component of claim 1 , further comprising at least one pair of retainer elements extending laterally from a portion of the inner surface of the tubular sidewall and inwardly into the interior region, the retainer elements of the at least one pair being oppositely oriented and configured to retain a vertically oriented article therebetween by frictional engagement with opposite longitudinal edges of the article.

10. The component of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of raised ribs extending laterally from the outer surface of the tubular sidewall and generally along the longitudinal axis, the plurality of raised ribs configured for retentional engagement with an interior surface of the storage container to retain the component within an inner chamber of the storage container.

11. The component of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of divider elements extending inwardly from one or both of the inner surface of the tubular sidewall and the support surface of the base and into the interior region, the divider elements being offset from one another along the length dimension, the divider elements extending along no more than one-half of the height dimension or across less than the width dimension, the divider elements configured for engagement with vertically oriented articles to aid in maintaining the articles in a substantially vertical orientation within the interior region.

Assignees

• Roche Diabetes Care Inc

Inventors

• Chan Frank A

Classifications

• B01L2200/028

  Modular arrangements · CPC title

• B01L2300/0825

  Test strips · CPC title

• B01L99/00

  Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass · CPC title

• B01L2300/0832

  cylindrical, tube shaped · CPC title

• G01N33/48778

  Containers specially adapted therefor, e.g. for dry storage · CPC title