Sensor dispensing instrument having a pull/push activation mechanism

Abstract

A sensor dispensing instrument adapted to handle a sensor pack containing a plurality of sensors and to perform a test using one of the sensors. The sensor dispensing instrument includes an outer housing and a mechanical mechanism contained therein for rotating the sensor pack and ejecting one of the sensors from the sensor pack and through a sensor slot on the housing. The sensor dispensing instrument also includes a puller handle for operating the mechanical mechanism. The puller handle is adapted to be grasped between the thumb and finger of a user's hand, and is moveable between a testing position adjacent to the rear end of the outer housing and an extended position spaced outwardly from the rear end of the outer housing.

1 - 24 . (canceled)  
   
   
       25 . A sensor dispensing instrument adapted to handle a sensor pack containing a plurality of sensors, each of the plurality of sensors being disposed in a sensor cavity on the sensor pack and enclosed by a protective covering, the sensor dispensing instrument further adapted to perform a test using one of the plurality of sensors, the sensor dispensing instrument comprising: 
 an outer housing having a front end and a rear end, the outer housing further comprising a sensor slot through which one of the sensors is disposed to conduct the test;    a mechanism disposed generally within the outer housing, the mechanism including an indexing disk for supporting and rotating the sensor pack, an indexing support for rotating the indexing disk, and an ejecting mechanism to eject one of the sensors from the sensor cavity and through the sensor slot; and    a puller handle for moving the indexing support and the ejecting mechanism, the puller handle being moveable between a testing position adjacent to the rear end of the outer housing and an extended position spaced outwardly from the outer housing.    
   
   
       26 . The sensor dispensing instrument of  claim 25 , wherein the puller handle is moved from the testing position to the extended position to rotate the indexing disk, and is moved from the extended position to the testing position to eject one of the sensors from the sensor cavity and through the sensor slot.  
   
   
       27 . The sensor dispensing instrument of  claim 25 , wherein the ejecting mechanism is a knife blade assembly.  
   
   
       28 . The sensor dispensing instrument of  claim 27 , wherein the mechanism further comprises a moveable disk drive pusher, the indexing support and the knife blade assembly being mounted on the disk drive pusher, and the puller handle being affixed to a rear end of the disk drive pusher.  
   
   
       29 . The sensor dispensing instrument of  claim 25 , wherein the puller handle includes a concave upper surface and a concave lower surface to facilitate gripping by the user.  
   
   
       30 . The sensor dispensing instrument of  claim 25 , wherein the puller handle is moveable to a stand-by position, the stand-by position being located between the testing position and the extended position, the puller handle being moveable to the stand-by position to release the sensor from the sensor slot.  
   
   
       31 . The sensor dispensing instrument of  claim 25 , wherein the indexing support is an indexing disk drive arm.  
   
   
       32 . A method of operating a sensor dispensing instrument comprising the acts of: 
 a) providing a sensor dispensing instrument adapted to handle a sensor pack containing a plurality of sensors and adapted to perform a test using the plurality of sensors, the sensor dispensing instrument comprising the plurality of sensors disposed in a sensor cavity on the sensor pack and enclosed by a protective covering, an outer housing having a sensor slot through which one of the sensors is disposed to conduct the test, a mechanism having an indexing disk for supporting and rotating the sensor pack, an indexing support for rotating the indexing disk, an ejecting mechanism to eject one of the sensors from the sensor cavity and through the sensor slot, and a puller handle for moving the indexing support and the ejecting assembly;    b) grasping the puller handle;    c) moving the puller handle to an extended position spaced outwardly from the outer housing in a direction away from the outer housing to cause the indexing support to rotate the indexing disk;    d) moving the puller handle to cause the ejecting mechanism to eject one of the sensors from the sensor cavity and through the sensor slot; and    e) performing the test by using the sensor disposed in the sensor slot.    
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the covering is a foil covering.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the puller handle is moveable between a testing position adjacent to a rear end of the outer housing and an extended position spaced outwardly from the outer housing.  
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising the act of removing the sensor from the sensor slot, the act of removing the sensor from the sensor slot including moving the puller handle from the testing position to a stand-by position, the stand-by position being located between the testing position and the extended position.  
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the stand-by position is located near the testing position.  
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the sensor pack is generally circular.  
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the puller handle is moved from the testing position to the extended position to rotate the indexing disk, and is moved from the extended position to the testing position to eject one of the sensors from the sensor cavity and through the sensor slot.  
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the ejecting mechanism is a knife blade assembly.  
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the indexing support is an indexing disk drive arm.  
   
   
       41 . A sensor dispensing instrument adapted to handle a sensor pack containing a plurality of sensors, each of the plurality of sensors being disposed in a sensor cavity on the sensor pack and enclosed by a protective covering, the sensor dispensing instrument further adapted to perform a test using one of the plurality of sensors, the sensor dispensing instrument comprising: 
 an outer housing having a front end and a rear end, the outer housing further comprising a sensor slot through which one of the sensors is disposed to conduct the test;    a mechanism disposed generally within the outer housing, the mechanism including an indexing support for supporting and moving the sensor pack and an ejecting mechanism to eject one of the sensors from the sensor cavity and through the sensor slot; and    a puller handle for moving the indexing disk and the ejecting mechanism, the puller handle being moveable between a testing position adjacent to the rear end of the outer housing and an extended position spaced outwardly from the outer housing.    
   
   
       42 . The sensor dispensing instrument of  claim 41 , wherein the ejecting mechanism is a knife blade assembly.  
   
   
       43 . The sensor dispensing instrument of  claim 41 , wherein the puller handle is moveable to a stand-by position, the stand-by position being located between the testing position and the extended position, the puller handle being moveable to the stand-by position to release the sensor from the sensor slot.  
   
   
       44 . The sensor dispensing instrument of  claim 41 , wherein the indexing support is an indexing disk drive arm.