JPH0726957B2 - Biochemical measuring device - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to improvements in biochemical measuring devices such as a blood glucose meter and a urinary glucose meter.

(B) Conventional technology To measure the concentration of a specific chemical substance in the test liquid, such as the blood sugar level and urine sugar level, a test paper impregnated with the reagent is impregnated with the test liquid and a color reaction occurs. Is caused, and the concentration of the specific chemical substance or the like is quantified from the degree of coloration of the test paper at this time. Therefore, various types of biochemical measuring devices are commercially available that measure the degree of coloration of the test paper and automatically calculate the concentration of the specific chemical substance in the test liquid.

This conventional biochemical measuring device has a measuring circuit board in a case,
It is equipped with a display and the like, and the outer surface of the case is recessed to serve as a test paper insertion section. A test strip holder for holding the test strip is provided in the test strip insertion portion, and a light emitting element and a light receiving element facing the test strip held by the test strip holder are arranged. Further, the test strip insertion portion is covered with a test strip cover so as to be openable and closable in order to shield disturbance.

This conventional biochemical measuring device measures the reflectance or transmittance of the test paper that has been impregnated with the test liquid and has undergone a color reaction, and based on that value, the concentration of the specific chemical substance in the test liquid is quantified. It The quantified concentration value is digitally or analogically displayed on the display. In addition, as a test paper, what is called a stick in which a test paper piece impregnated with a reagent is attached to the tip of a flexible thin strip is generally used.

(C) Problems to be Solved by the Invention In the above-mentioned conventional biochemical measuring apparatus, the test strip cover is often attached to the case by a shaft, and the opening and closing thereof is performed manually. Therefore, when inserting or removing the test strip into or from the test strip insertion part of the biochemical measuring device placed on a desk or the like, the test strip is supported with one hand and the test strip cover is rotated to open or close with the other hand. .

However, as the biochemical measuring device becomes smaller and lighter, the biochemical measuring device itself placed on a desk or the like moves when rotating and opening and closing the test paper cover, especially when inserting the test paper. Had a risk that the test paper would be misaligned and held by the test paper holder, making measurement impossible. Therefore, it is necessary to press the case with a hand that supports the test strip or a hand that opens and closes the test strip cover, which makes the operation for inserting the test strip into the test strip insertion section complicated. In particular, when blood is collected from a finger, it is uncomfortable to open and close the test strip cover using this finger, and the above inconvenience becomes more remarkable.

In addition, when an external force is applied to the test strip cover when the test strip cover is in the open state, stress concentrates on a portion where the test strip cover is pivotally supported and the test strip cover is easily damaged. there were.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned inconvenience, and an object thereof is to provide a biochemical measuring device capable of easily inserting a test strip and preventing damage to the test strip cover and the like.

(D) Means for Solving the Problems As means for solving the above-mentioned inconvenience, the biochemical measuring device of the present invention is provided with a test strip insertion portion provided at an appropriate position of the case and the test strip insertion portion. A test strip holder for holding the test strip, a light emitting element and a light receiving element facing the test strip held by the test strip holder, and a test strip cover for opening and closing the test strip insertion portion. In this case, the test strip cover is slidably supported by the case, and the slide of the test strip cover opens and closes the test strip insertion part, and the test strip cover is biased in the opening direction or the closing direction. And a locking means for locking the test strip cover in at least one of an open state and a closed state, and an operating means for operating the locking means. It will be.

(E) Action In the biochemical measuring apparatus of the present invention, the opening operation or the closing operation of the test strip cover may be performed by operating the operating means to unlock the test strip cover. The test strip cover is automatically brought into an open state or a closed state due to the biasing force of the biasing means. Further, since the reverse operation is performed only by sliding the test strip cover, it is possible to operate the test strip cover with a finger of the same hand while pressing the case with one hand. Therefore, the test strip cover can be opened and closed with one touch, and the test strip insertion operation becomes easy.

Also, the test strip cover is slidably supported by the case, so that stress concentration is small and damage to the test strip cover is reduced even when an unreasonable external force is applied to the test strip cover, compared to the case where the test strip cover is attached by a shaft. To be prevented.

(F) Embodiment One embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1 (a), FIG. 1 (b),
2 (a), 2 (b), 3 to 5, and 6
The following description is based on FIGS. 6A, 6B, 6C, and 6D.

In this embodiment, the present invention is applied to a blood glucose meter. FIG. 6 (a) shows an external perspective view of the blood glucose meter 1.

2 is a case. The case 2 is formed by combining the upper case member 3 and the lower case member 4. A liquid crystal display 5, a power switch 6, a memory switch 7, and a measurement switch 8 are provided on the upper surface of the upper case member 3. here,
The memory switch 7 is for storing the blood glucose level displayed on the display 5 in a memory (not shown).

A stick insertion portion (test paper insertion portion) 9 is provided in the side portion 2a of the case 2 [see FIGS. 1 (a) and 1 (b)]. The front portion of the sensor housing 10 is exposed inside the stick insertion portion 9. The stick insertion portion 9 is covered with a test paper cover 29 so as to be openable and closable. 1 (a), 1 (b) and 2 (a).
In addition, in FIG. 2 (b), the front means the right direction on the paper surface.

A recess 11 is formed on the front surface of the sensor housing 10. On the other hand, the sensor housing 10 is provided with a light emitting diode element (light emitting element) 12 and a photo sensor (light receiving element) 14. The light emitting diode element 12 is directly connected to the concave portion through the communication hole 13, and the photo sensor 14 is directly connected to the concave portion.
We are facing 11. A transparent plate 15 is provided in the recess 1 to protect the light emitting diode element 12 and the photosensor 14 from blood and the like.

On the upper surface of the upper case member 3, behind the stick insertion portion 9,
An open / close button (operation means) 20 is provided. On both side edges 20a of the open / close button 20, prismatic guide pieces 21 are vertically provided [see FIGS. 1 (a) and 3]. These guide pieces 21 are inserted into the guide grooves 3a provided in the upper case member 3 so that the open / close button 20 can move up and down.
Supported above. The open / close button 20 is the open / close button 20.
It is biased upward by a leaf spring 23 provided between the lower surface and the upper surface of the rear half of the sensor housing 10 [see FIG. 1 (b)]. The upper surface of the open / close button 20 is aligned with the upper surface of the upper case member 3 in the state of being unbiased [see FIGS. 3 and 6 (a)].

Engaging claws (locking means) 22, 22 are provided on the lower surface of the open / close button 20. The engaging claws 22, 22 project to the front of the open / close button 20, pass through the vertically long insertion holes 17, 17 of the sensor housing 10, and reach the inside of the stick insertion portion 9 [Fig. 1 (a),
See FIG. 1 (b) and FIG. 3].

24 is a stick holder. This stick holder
In the reference numeral 24, a stick support plate 26 is erected on a base 25, and side plates 28, 28 are integrally provided on both upper sides of the stick support plate [Fig. 1 (a), 1 (b) and See FIG. 4]. A stick 39 is supported on the front surface of the stick supporting plate 26 by being pressed by a stick pressing member 35 described later. A window hole 27 is formed in the stick support plate 26 so that the test paper strip 40 of the stick 39 faces the photodiode element 12 and the photosensor 14. The side plates 28, 28 are for preventing the stick 39 from shifting to the left and right and for preventing disturbance light from entering from the side wall.

The stick holder 24 is detachably attached to the front surface of the sensor housing 10 from below. Sensor housing
Grooves 16, 16 are provided on both sides of the recess 11 of the ten.
The stick holder 24 is attached to the sensor housing 10 by inserting both side portions 26a, 26a of the stick support plate 26 into the grooves 16, 16 from below. Stick holder 24
To remove the sensor from the sensor housing 10, open a test paper cover 29, which will be described later, and then insert a coin or the like into the gap between the rear end inclined portion 25a of the base 25 and the inclined portion 4a of the lower case member 4,
Remove by lever principle. In this way, the stick holder 24
The stick holder 24 is made up of the removable
This is because it is possible to directly contact the stick 39 and easily get dirty, so that it can be removed and washed. Note that the stick holder 24 is not limited to this, and the design can be changed as appropriate.

As shown in FIG. 5, the test paper cover 29 is a substantially U-shaped member when viewed from the side. A notch 30 is provided at the rear end of the upper surface of the test paper cover 29. This notch 30
Is for inserting the stick 39 [second
See FIG. (A) and FIG. 2 (b)]. Test paper cover 29
Another notch 31 is provided at the rear end of the lower surface. The notch 31 is for exposing the base 25 of the stick holder 24 downward and facilitating its removal [see FIGS. 1 (b) and 2 (b)].

Side plates 32, 32 are provided on both sides of the test paper cover 29. Locking pieces 33, 33 are provided on the side plates 32, 32.
The locking pieces 33, 33 are engaged with the engagement grooves 9a, 9a of the stick insertion portion 9 [see FIGS. 1 (a) and 2 (a)]. The test piece cover 29 is slidably supported by the case 2 by the engagement pieces 33, 33 being guided by the engagement grooves 9a, 9a. Further, since the locking pieces 33, 33 come into contact with the front ends of the engagement grooves 9a, 9a, the sliding of the test paper cover 29 in the opening direction O is restricted so that the test paper cover 29 is not opened more than necessary.

A stick holding member 35 is provided on the inner surface of the test paper cover 29. The stick retainer member 35 has a test paper cover 29.
It is supported on a support member 34 that is erected on the inner surface.
The stick pressing member 35 is made of an elastic material such as rubber, and presses the tip of the stick 39 against the stick supporting plate 26 when the test paper cover 29 is closed.

On the inner surface of the test paper cover 29, a pair of locking claws (locking means) 36, 36 are vertically provided [see FIGS. 1 (b) and 2 (b)]. The locking claws 36, 36 are the opening / closing buttons 20.
It engages with the engaging claws 22, 22, and locks the test paper cover 29 in the closed state.

Further, the test paper cover 29 includes a coil spring (biasing means) 37,
It is urged in the opening direction O by 37 [Fig. 1 (a), second
See FIG. (A) and FIG. 3. The coil spring 37 is attached to the shaft portions 18, 18 protruding from the front surface of the sensor housing 10, and the front end thereof presses the inner surface of the test paper cover 29.

Stick 39 is a strip-shaped synthetic resin thin plate 39a tip,
A test paper piece 40 impregnated with a reagent is attached [see FIGS. 1 (a) and 2 (b)].

Next, a usage example of the blood glucose meter 1 of this embodiment will be described below.

First, the open / close button 20 is pressed to open the test strip cover 29 [see FIG. 6 (b)]. When the open / close button 20 is pushed down, the engaging claws 22 and 22 move downward, and the engaging claws 22 and 22 are disengaged from the locking pieces 33 and 33 of the test paper cover 29 [Fig. 2 (b)].
reference〕. Then, the test paper cover 29 slides in the opening direction O (forward) by the urging force of the coil springs 37. The test paper cover 29 is stopped when the locking pieces 33, 33 come into contact with the front ends of the engagement grooves 9a, 9a [see FIG. 2 (a)]. At this time, the protrusion 19 and the notch 30 allow the stick insertion opening 38
Is formed.

Next, the tip of the stick 39 is inserted into the stick insertion portion 9 through the stick insertion opening 38 [see FIGS. 2 (b) and 6 (c)]. 40 sticks of this stick 39
Is a product in which blood is dropped and a color reaction occurs.
The stick 39 is inserted such that the tip thereof is located in the stick holder 24 and the test paper piece 40 faces the window hole 27.
Subsequently, the test paper cover 29 is closed [Fig. 1 (a),
See FIG. 1 (b) and FIG. 6 (d)]. Test strip cover 29
To close, the test paper cover 29 may be pushed in the closing direction C with a finger. This operation, while supporting the case 2 with one hand,
The test paper cover 29 may be pushed with one finger of the same hand, which is easy. Then, the user supports the stick 39 with the other hand and correctly sets the stick 39 in the stick holder 24.

When the test paper cover 29 is pushed and slides in the closing direction C against the biasing force of the coil springs 37, 37, the locking claws 36,
36 engages with the engaging claws 22, 22, and the test paper cover 29 is locked in the closed state [see FIG. 1 (b)]. At this time, stick
The tip of the test strip 39 is supported by being pressed against the stick holding member 35 on the stick supporting plate 26.
Faces window hole 27.

The stick 39 is sandwiched between the front surface of the protrusion 19 and the notch 30. The front surface of the protruding portion 19 and the cutout portion 30 are respectively inclined, and the stick 39 is bent slightly forward. In this way, the gap between the protruding portion 19 and the cutout portion 30 prevents ambient light from entering the stick insertion portion 9.

In this state, when the measurement switch 8 is turned on, the light emitting diode element 12 is driven to emit light. This light passes through the communication hole 13, the transparent plate 15, the recess 11, and the window hole 27, and reaches the surface of the test strip 40. The light reflected on the surface of the test strip 40
The light passes through 27, the recess 11, and the transparent plate 5, and enters the photosensor 14. At this time, based on the current flowing through the photo sensor 14, a measuring circuit (not shown) quantifies the blood glucose level of the blood impregnated in the test strip 40. This value is digitally displayed on the display unit 5. When the memory switch 7 is turned on, this value is stored in the memory in the measuring circuit. In addition, this invention is
Since the blood glucose level quantification is not an essential part, its details are omitted.

To remove the stick 39, the open / close button 20 is pressed to open the test strip cover 29 [see FIG. 6 (c)], and the stick 39 is pulled out upward.

In the above embodiment, the test strip cover is locked in the closed state and is biased in the opening direction, but the invention is not limited to this, and for example, locked in the open state. However, it may be configured to be biased in the closing direction, and the design can be changed as appropriate.

Further, although the above-mentioned embodiment is one in which the present invention is applied to a reflection type blood glucose meter, the present invention is widely applicable to various biochemical measuring devices such as a urinary glucose meter regardless of whether it is a reflection type or a transmission type. It is something.

(G) Effect of the Invention The biochemical measuring apparatus of the present invention slidably supports a test paper cover on a case, and the sliding of the test paper cover opens and closes the test paper insertion portion and the test paper cover. Urging means for urging the test piece cover in the opening direction or the closing direction, locking means for locking the test strip cover in at least one of the open state and the closed state, and the locking means for operating the locking means. Since the operating means is characteristically provided, it has the advantages of facilitating the operation of inserting the test paper and preventing damage to the test paper cover.

[Brief description of drawings]

Each of the drawings shows an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 (a) is an enlarged view of a main part of a blood glucose meter according to an embodiment of the present invention with a part thereof broken away, FIG. 1 (b). Is the first of the blood glucose meters
FIG. 2A is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line I-I in FIG.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a main part of the blood glucose meter with a part of the blood glucose meter opened in a state where the test paper cover is open. FIG. Sectional view, FIG. 3 is a front view of the stick insertion part of the blood glucose meter before the test paper cover is attached, FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a stick holder of the blood glucose meter, and FIG. An enlarged perspective view of the test strip cover seen from the rear, FIG. 6 (a), FIG. 6 (b), FIG. 6 (c) and FIG. 6 (d), shows a procedure for setting a stick on the blood glucose meter. FIG. 2: Case, 9: Stick insertion part, 12: Light emitting diode element, 14: Photo sensor, 20: Open / close button, 22: Engaging claw, 24: Stick holder, 29: Test paper cover, 36: Engaging claw.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A test strip insertion portion provided at an appropriate position of a case, a test strip holder provided in the test strip insertion portion for holding a test strip, and a light emitting element facing the test strip held by the test strip holder. A biochemical measuring device comprising: a light receiving element; and a test strip cover that covers the test strip insertion portion so as to be openable and closable, wherein the test strip cover is slidably supported by the case. Slides to open and close the test strip insertion portion, and at least one of an urging means for urging the test strip cover in the opening direction or the closing direction and an open state or a closed state of the test strip cover. A biochemical measuring device comprising: a locking means for locking the state and an operating means for operating the locking means. 2. The biochemical measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the operating means is a button provided on the outer surface of the case.