US20220218240A1

US20220218240A1 - Sensing device

Info

Publication number: US20220218240A1
Application number: US17/615,110
Authority: US
Inventors: Cuijun YANG
Original assignee: Medtrum Technologies Inc
Current assignee: Medtrum Technologies Inc
Priority date: 2019-08-19
Filing date: 2019-08-19
Publication date: 2022-07-14
Also published as: CN112386251B; CN115483485A; WO2021164278A1; EP4106613A4; CN115483489B; CN113274002A; CN116785528A; WO2021164183A1; CN113274002B; EP4106613B1; CN114052728A; CN113274003A; WO2021031057A1; WO2022012400A1; US20230255517A1; WO2022252549A1; WO2022252744A1; WO2021031542A1; US20230092945A1; CN113285268A

Abstract

A sensing device includes a base, a probe structure and a transmitter structure. The base is provided with a first fastener part. The probe structure includes a second fastener part, a probe and a connection area. The transmitter structure includes a transmitter housing and a transmitter disposed inside the transmitter housing, the transmitter housing is provided with a connection hole, the shape of which matches the shape of the probe structure, and when the transmitter structure is mounted to the base, the probe structure is located in the connection hole, and the transmitter is electrically connected to the connection area to receive the signal generated by the probe.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention mainly relates to the field of medical instruments, in particular to a sensing device.

BACKGROUND

The pancreas in a normal person can automatically monitor the amount of glucose in the blood and automatically secrete the required dosage of insulin/glucagon. However, for diabetic patients, the function of the pancreas is abnormal, and the pancreas cannot normally secrete required dosage of insulin. Therefore, diabetes is a metabolic disease caused by abnormal pancreatic function, which is also a lifelong disease. At present, medical technology cannot cure diabetes, and it can only control the occurrence and development of diabetes and its complications by stabilizing blood glucose.
Patients with diabetes need to check their blood glucose before injecting insulin into the body. At present, most of the detection methods can continuously detect blood glucose, and send the blood glucose data to the remote device in real time for the user to view. This detection method is called Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) method. The method requires the sensing device to be attached to the surface of the patients' skin, and the probe carried by the device is inserted into the subcutaneous tissue fluid for testing.
However, the current sensing device is relatively large and relatively thick, affecting the user's dressing, stretching, exercise and other daily activities, which can seriously worsen user experience. Also, detection can be easily interrupted with such a sensing device because a bulky device can get bumped or caught easily, which may lead to data loss and pose a potential safety hazard to the user.
Accordingly, there is a need in the state of the art for a sensing device that has a reduced thickness and enhances the user experience.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The embodiment of the invention discloses a sensing device. By special design of its internal structure and simplification of structural units, the thickness dimension of the sensing device is reduced, thereby enhancing the user experience.
The invention discloses a sensing device, comprising: a base, the base is provided with a first fastener part; a probe structure, the probe structure comprises a second fastener part, a probe and a connection area, the second fastener part can be fastened with the first fastener part, and the probe is disposed for detecting the analyte parameter in the body fluid, and the connection area is electrically connected to the probe, the second fastener part is disposed at the end of the probe structure, and the second fastener part is fastened with the first fastener part to mount the probe structure to the base; and a transmitter structure, the transmitter structure includes a transmitter housing and a transmitter disposed inside the transmitter housing, the transmitter housing is provided with a connection hole, the shape of which matches the shape of the probe structure, and when the transmitter structure is mounted to the base, the probe structure is located in the connection hole, and the transmitter is electrically connected to the connection area to receive the signal generated by the probe.
According to an aspect of the invention, the side wall of the probe structure is provided with a sealing element.
According to an aspect of the invention, the side wall of the probe structure is provided with a rubber sealing ring.
According to an aspect of the invention, the first fastener part is provided on/in the bottom of the base.
According to an aspect of the invention, the first fastener part includes a kind of or a combination of at least one slot, or one hole, or one hook or one block.
According to an aspect of the invention, the first fastener part includes holes or slots, and the second fastener part includes blocks fastened with the holes or the slots of the first fastener part.
According to an aspect of the invention, the first fastener part includes a plurality of blocks, and the second fastener part includes a plurality of holes or slots fastened with the blocks of the first fastener part.
According to an aspect of the invention, the first fastener part and the second fastener part are both hooks that can be fastened with each other.
According to an aspect of the invention, the fastening position between the first fastener part and the second fastener part is located in the bottom wall of the base, or located at the inner/outer surface of the bottom of the base.
According to an aspect of the invention, the first fastener part includes a plurality of blocks or hooks, and the distance between the top of the first fastener part and the bottom surface of the base is s, s 1.5 mm.
Compared with the prior art, the technical solution of the present invention has the following advantages:
In the sensing device disclosed in the present invention, the base is provided with a first fastener part, and the probe structure includes a second fastener part fastened with the first fastener part. The probe structure itself disposes a second fastener part, which can be installed to the base without the cooperation of other extra or additional structural units, reducing the number of structural components for mounting the probe structure and the complexity of the probe structure installation process. In addition, the second fastener part is disposed at the end of the probe structure, which lowers the height of the probe structure. At the same time, the fastening position between the first fastener part and the second fastener part is much closer to the bottom surface of the base. Furthermore, the transmitter housing is provided with a connection hole that matches the shape of the probe structure. Only the connection hole is arranged on the transmitter housing, while no position or space for other structural components is provided on the transmitter housing, which reduces the thickness of the transmitter structure and the thickness dimension of the sensing device, thereby enhancing the user experience.
Furthermore, the sensing device of the present invention is provided with a rubber sealing ring on the side wall of the probe structure. The provision of a seal element enhances the degree of sealing of the connection between the probe structure and the transmitter structure, allowing the sensing device to perform analyte detection in more harsh conditions such as wet environments, underwater environments, and the like. Secondly, setting one, not more, seal rings can further reduce the height dimension of the probe structure.
Furthermore, the first fastener part are blocks or hooks, and the distance between the top of the first fastener part and the bottom surface of the base is s, s≤1.5 mm. The distance between the top of the first fastener part and the bottom surface of the base is reduced, and the fastening position between the first fastener part and the second fastener part is much closer to the bottom surface of the base, and the top of the probe is further lowered after the probe structure is installed. The lowered probe structure leads to further reduce thickness of the transmitter structure, ultimately reducing the thickness dimension of the sensing device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic structural view of a base, a probe structure and a transmitter structure for mounting according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic structural view of a base according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3a to FIG. 3c illustrate schematic structural views of a probe structure according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates a schematic structural view of a probe structure mounted to a base according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5a to FIG. 5d illustrate schematic structural views of a first fastener part and a second fastener part according to embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 6 illustrates a schematic structural view of a transmitter structure according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7a -FIG. 7c illustrate schematic structural views of a sensing device in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As described above, the prior art sensing device is relatively thick and adhered to the surface of the skin, easily affected by the user's movement or dressing activities. And the sensing device can get easily bumped or caught, worsening user experience.
It has been found through research that the prior art sensing device mounts the probe structure to the base by means of an extra or additional snap ring(s) or hook(s) and the mutual fastening of the positioning parts on the base. After installation, the top of the probe structure is higher, increasing the thickness of the transmitter structure, ultimately increasing the thickness of the sensing device.
In order to solve the problem, the present invention provides a sensing device. The end of the probe structure itself is provided with a second fastener part, and the fastening position between the second fastener part and the first fastener part is much closer to the bottom surface of the base, reducing the thickness of the sensing device, and enhancing user experience.
Various exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The relative arrangement of the components and the steps, numerical expressions and numerical values set forth in the embodiments are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention.
In addition, it should be understood that, for ease of description, the dimensions of the various components shown in the figures are not necessarily drawn in the actual scale relationship, for example, the thickness, the width, the length or the distance of certain units may be exaggerated relative to other structures.
The following description of the exemplary embodiments is merely illustrative, and is not intended to be in any way limiting the invention and its application or use. The techniques, methods and devices that are known to those of ordinary skill in the art may not be discussed in detail, but such techniques, methods and devices should be considered as part of the specification.
It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters indicate similar items in the following figures. Therefore, once an item is defined or illustrated in a drawing, it will not be discussed further in following description of the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a schematic structural view of a mounting position of a base 10, a probe structure 100 and a transmitter structure 1000 according to one embodiment of the present invention.
The sensing device of the embodiment of the invention comprises a base 10, a probe structure 100 and a transmitter structure 1000. The three structural units are mounted as a sensing structure in accordance with the position of the dashed line in FIG. 1. The respective structures and the positional relationship between the structures will be described in detail below.
The sensing device disclosed by the present invention can be used to detect different body fluid parameter information such as blood glucose concentration, drug concentration, hormone information or parameter information of other substances. Specifically, in an embodiment of the present invention, the sensing device is configured to detect concentration information of glucose in the tissue fluid in real time, and transmit the obtained information to the remote device in real time. At this point, the sensing device is part of a Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) system.
FIG. 2 is a schematic structural view of a base 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The base 10 is provided with a first fastener part 110. The first fastener part 110 is used to mount the probe structure 100. Specifically, in the embodiment of the present invention, the first fastener part 110 is disposed on the bottom surface of the base 10, as depicted in FIG. 1. The first fastener part 110 can be disposed on the inner/outer bottom surface of the base 10. Preferably, the first fastener part 110 is disposed on the inner bottom surface of the base 10. The shape of the first fastener part 110 will be described in detail below through FIG. 5a to FIG. 5 d.
It should be noted that, in other embodiments of the present invention, the first fastener part 110 may be disposed on the side wall of the base 10 or at the same time on the side wall and the bottom surface of the base 10, and is not specifically limited herein. It suffices that the first fastener part 110 and the second fastener part 120 can be fastened with each other.
The outer bottom surface of the base 10 (as shown in FIG. 7b ) is also fixedly provided with medical tape (not shown) to adhere the base 10 to the skin surface. Positions (not shown) for fixing the transmitter structure 1000 are also provided on the side wall or bottom of the base 10.
FIG. 3a to FIG. 3c are schematic diagrams showing the structure of the probe structure 100 at different viewing angles according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The probe structure 100 includes a second fastener part 120, a probe 130 and a connection area 140.
The second fastener part 120 is configured to fasten with the first fastener part 110 on the base 10 to mount the probe structure 100. Therefore, in the embodiment of the present invention, the structures of the second fastener part 120 and the first fastener part 110 are matched to each other, which will be described in detail below.
Specifically, in the embodiment of the present invention, the second fastener part 120, disposed at the bottom end of the probe structure 100, forms a part of the probe structure 100. When the second fastener part 120 and the first fastener part 110 are fastened with each other, the fastening position is closer to the bottom surface of the base 10. This not only reduces the height h of the probe structure 100, but also eliminates the need for extra or additional hooks, snap rings, etc., to mount the probe structure 100 on the base 10, therefore reducing the number of the structure components required for mounting the probe structure 100 and the difficulty of designing the probe structure 100 and the base 10, and also simplifying the manufacturing process of the probe structure 100 and the base 10. And after installation, the height of the top of the probe structure 100 is relatively low, reducing the thickness of the transmitter structure 1000.
In other embodiments of the present invention, a part of the second fastener part 120 may also be disposed at the top end of the probe structure 100, that is, both ends of the probe structure 120 are provided with a second fastener part. Obviously, the second fastener part 120 at the bottom end thereof can still be fastened with the first fastener part 110, and the second fastener part 120 at the top end can match the shape of other structures, which will be described in detail below. Preferably, in the embodiment of the present invention, the second fastener parts 120 are disposed at the same end of the probe structure 100.
It should be noted that, in the embodiment of the present invention, the fastening position closer to the bottom surface of the base 10 means that the distance between the fastening position and the bottom surface of the base 10 is less than or equal to 1.5 mm, or the fastening position is located at the inner/outer surface of the bottom of the base 10. Or the fastening position is located in the bottom wall of the base 10 (the first fastener part as described below is a hole structure).
The embodiment of the present invention does not specifically limit the number of the second fastener parts 120, which may be one, two, three, four or more. Specifically, in the embodiment of the present invention, the number of the second fastener parts 120 is four, which makes the locking firmer.
The probe 130 is used to detect and transmit parameter information of the body fluid analyte. The probe 130 includes an upper part and a subcutaneous part. The upper part of the probe 130 is disposed inside the probe structure 100, while the subcutaneous part is used to penetrate the subcutaneous tissue fluid. An electrode for detecting analyte parameter information is disposed on the probe 130, and the parameter information is converted into an electrical signal to be transmitted to the transmitter structure 1000.
The connection area 140 is a metal conductive structure and functions as a connection medium for transmitting electrical signals from the probe 130 to the transmitter 180. Specifically, in the embodiment of the present invention, the connection area 140 is disposed at the top end of the probe structure 100.
In other embodiments of the invention, the connection area 140 can also be located on the side wall of the probe structure 100, which can further reduce the height h of the probe structure 100. At this time, the top end of the probe structure 100 may be provided with a second fastener part 120 (the second fastener part 120 is disposed at both ends of the probe structure 100) for connecting and engaging with the transmitter structure 1000, making the connection between different structures much stronger.
It should be noted that, in the embodiment of the present invention, the side wall of the probe structure 100 is further provided with a recess 15 for placing the sealing element 150 (as depicted in FIG. 1 and FIG. 4). The placement of the sealing element 150 within the recess 15 provides a better seal between the transmitter structure 1000 and the probe structure 100, allowing the sensing device to work under more severe conditions such as humidity, water, and the like. In the embodiment of the present invention, there is only one recess 15, and only one sealing element 150 is placed, reducing the height h of the probe structure 100. Specifically, in the embodiment of the present invention, the sealing element 150 is a rubber sealing ring.
In other embodiments of the present invention, the probe structure 100 may not be provided with the sealing element 150 as long as it can be designed without affecting the detection and transmission of the analyte parameter by the probe 130, and is not specifically limited herein.
FIG. 4 depicts a schematic view showing the structure of the probe structure 100 mounted on the base 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
After the second fastener part 120 and the first fastener part 110 are fastened with each other, the probe structure 100 is mounted to the base 10. In the embodiment of the present invention, after the probe structure 100 is mounted to the base 10, the probe structure 100 can be allowed to be slightly shaken, and the probe structure 100 is not necessarily required to be completely locked on the base 10 as long as the probe 130's ability to detect the analyte parameter is not affected.
FIG. 5a to FIG. 5d are schematic structural views of the first fastener part and the second fastener part before being fastened in different embodiments of the present invention.
FIG. 5a shows the structure of the first fastener part 110 according to the embodiment of the present invention, and a plurality of hooks compose the first fastener part 110 i. In order to match the hooks of the first fastener part 110, the second fastener part 120 also includes hooks, which can be fastened with the first fastener part 110.
In the embodiment of the present invention, the hooks protrudes from the inner bottom surface of the base 10, and the distance between the top surface of the first fastener part 110 and the inner bottom surface of the base 10 (the height dimension of the hook) is s, s≤1.5 mm. Specifically, in the embodiment of the present invention, s=0.8 mm. In another embodiment of the invention, s=1 mm.
FIG. 5b shows the structure of the first fastener part 210 according to another embodiment of the present invention, and multiple holes compose the first fastener part 210. At this time, the second fastener part 220 includes blocks, being matched with the holes structure of the first fastener part 210. The inner wall of the holes and the outer wall of the blocks are respectively provided with matching bumps to facilitate mutual fastening. At this time, the fastening positions between the first fastener part 210 and the second fastener part 220 are located inside the bottom wall of the base 20.
It should be noted that, in other embodiments of the present invention, after the fastening of the first fastener part 210 and the second fastener part 220, the second fastener part 220 can also pass through the hole 210 to protrude out of the base 20. The outer part of the second fastener part 220 from the base 20 is not limited as long as it does not affect the detection of the probe or the wearing of the sensing device.
FIG. 5c shows the structure of the first fastener part 310 according to still another embodiment of the present invention. A plurality of hooks compose the first fastener part 310. The second fastener part 320 also includes blocks, being matched with the slots structure of the first fastener part 310. Similarly, the fastening positions between the first fastener part 310 and the second fastener part 320 are located inside the bottom wall of the base 30.
FIG. 5d shows the structure of the first fastener part 410 according to still another embodiment of the present invention, and the first fastener part 410 includes blocks. The second fastener part 420 also comprises blocks.
Similarly, in the embodiment of the present invention, the distance between the top of the blocks of the first fastener part 410 and the inner bottom surface of the base 40 (the height dimension of the blocks) is s, s≤1.5 mm. Specifically, in the embodiment of the present invention, s=0.5 mm. In still another embodiment of the invention, s=0.3 mm.
Obviously, the structure of the first fastener part and the second fastener part can be reversed as described above. For example, the second fastener part may be holes or slots, and the first fastener part includes blocks corresponding to the second fastener part. Or the first fastener part is a plurality of combinations of hooks, holes, slots and blocks. It is obvious that the second fastener part is also a plurality of combinations of the above structures, so as to be fastened with the first fastener part. There is no specific restriction herein, as long as it can satisfy the purpose of matching each other.
According to another embodiment, the number of the hook, the hole, the slot or the block is only one. That is the first fastener part is a hook, a hole, a slot or a block, and the number of the second fastener part is also one, corresponding to the first fastener part, which can also fasten the first fastener part and the second fastener part. And it is not limited herein.
Similarly, in another embodiment of the present invention, the first fastener part may also protrude from the outer bottom surface of the base, that is, the first fastener part protrudes from the outer surface of the base toward the skin surface. After the second fastener part and the first fastener part are matched to each other according to the above structure and size, they both can still be fastened with each other without affecting the operation of the sensing device. At this time, when the first fastener part is a block or a hook, the distance s is between the top of the first fastener part and the outer bottom surface of the base, s≤1.5 mm.
It should be noted that since the probe structure itself is provided with the second fastener part, it can be mounted on the base without using other extra or additional structural units. Therefore, even if the first fastener part is a block or a hook protruding from the bottom surface of the base, the height dimension s of the first fastener part is still relatively small, and the fastening positions between the first fastener part and the second fastener part are much closer to the bottom of the base. After the probe structure is installed, the top of the probe structure is lowered, further reducing the thickness of the entire sensing device.
FIG. 6 is a schematic structural diagram of a transmitter structure 1000 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7a to FIG. 7c are schematic structural views of the base 10, the probe structure 100, and the transmitter structure 1000 installed at different viewing angles according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The transmitter structure 1000 includes a transmitter 180 and a transmitter housing 160.
The transmitter 180 is disposed inside the transmitter housing 160. The transmitter 180 is coupled to connection area 140 to receive signals generated by probe 130.
The transmitter housing 160 is provided with a connection hole 170 that matches the shape of the probe structure 100. When the transmitter structure 1000 is coupled to the probe structure 100, the probe structure 100 is located within the connection hole 170. Here, matching the shape of the probe structure 100 means that the shape of the connection hole 170 will be designed solely according to the probe structure 100 without considering the shape of other structure units. As described above, in the embodiment of the present invention, the height h of the probe structure 100 is reduced, thus ultimately reducing the thickness w of the transmitter structure 1000 (as shown in FIG. 7c ).
Obviously, as described above, when the top end of the probe structure 100 is also provided with the second fastener part 120, the connecting hole 170 is also provided with a fastening structure matching the top end of the second fastener part 120. This will result in stronger connection between the transmitter structure 1000 and the probe structure 100.
In the structure of one kind of sensing device, not only a positioning part is provided on the base to prevent the probe structure after mounting from rotating, but also a fastener part is disposed on the base, and the probe structure is not provided with other fastener parts matched with the base fastener part. Therefore, the probe structure needs to be locked by using other additional hooks, snap rings, etc. The combination of the hook or the snap ring with the positioning part attaches the probe structure to the base, which increases the number of structural units, the number of steps of the fastening procedure and the difficulty of structure design. Moreover, due to the presence of the positioning part, the height of the fastener part on the base is relatively large, and the structure is also more complicated. At the same time, an additional snap ring or hook is placed at a farther position from the bottom surface of the base, and the fastening position is also farther from the bottom surface of the base. So that the structures/positions and spaces for placing the higher fastener part (snap ring or hook) or the higher fastening position have to be designed in/on the transmitter housing, thus increasing the thickness of the transmitter structure and worsening user experience.
In the sensing device of the embodiment of the present invention, the probe structure itself is provided with a second fastener part, and the second fastener part is disposed at the end of the probe structure, so that the final fastening position is closer to the bottom surface of the base, thereby reducing the height of the probe structure. Secondly, the height of the first fastener part is small, which further makes the fastening position closer to the bottom surface of the base. After the probe structure is installed, the height of the top of the probe structure is lowered. The transmitter housing does not require additional space and structure/position to match the first fastener part or fastening position, further reducing the thickness of the transmitter. In the embodiment of the present invention, the fewer fastening structural units in the sensing device, the smaller height of the probe structure, and the smaller thickness of the transmitter structure reduce the overall thickness dimension w of the sensing device in this present invention by more than 30%, compared with the prior art.
When the sensing device of the embodiment of the present invention is used for Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) system, the transmitter transmits the glucose parameter information obtained in real time to a remote device (such as a receiver, a handset, a PDM, a mobile terminal, an internet terminal, etc.). After the thinner sensing device is attached to the surface of the user's skin, the degree of interference of the user's dressing action on the sensing device is reduced. Especially when the clothes are thick, the user will have a more comfortable experience using a thinner sensing device. At the same time, the thinner-sized sensing device further reduces the degree of influence on the user's stretching movements and other daily activities resulting in a superior user experience.
In summary, the embodiment of the invention discloses a sensing device. By designing each structure, the thickness dimension of the sensing device is finally reduced, reducing the volume of the sensing device and enhancing user experience.
While the invention has been described in detail with reference to the specific embodiments of the present invention, it should be understood that it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the above embodiments may be modified without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A sensing device, comprising:

a base, wherein the base is provided with a first fastener part;

a probe structure, wherein the probe structure comprises a second fastener part, a probe and a connection area, the second fastener part is able to be fastened with the first fastener part, and the probe is disposed for detecting a analyte parameter in a body fluid, and the connection area is electrically connected to the probe, the second fastener part is disposed at an end of the probe structure, and the second fastener part is fastened with the first fastener part to mount the probe structure to the base; and

a transmitter structure, wherein the transmitter structure includes a transmitter housing and a transmitter disposed inside the transmitter housing, the transmitter housing is provided with a connection hole, a shape of the connection hole matches a shape of the probe structure, and when the transmitter structure is mounted to the base, the probe structure is located in the connection hole, and the transmitter is electrically connected to the connection area to receive a signal generated by the probe.

2. The sensing device of claim 1, wherein

a side wall of the probe structure is provided with a sealing element.

3. The sensing device of claim 2, wherein

the side wall of the probe structure is provided with a rubber sealing ring.

4. The sensing device of claim 1, wherein

the first fastener part is provided on/in a bottom of the base.

5. The sensing device of claim 4, wherein

the first fastener part includes one of or a combination of at least one slot, or one hole, or one hook or one block.

6. The sensing device of claim 5, wherein

the first fastener part includes holes or slots, and the second fastener part includes blocks fastened with the holes or the slots of the first fastener part.

7. The sensing device of claim 5, wherein

the first fastener part includes a plurality of blocks, and the second fastener part includes a plurality of holes or slots fastened with the blocks of the first fastener part.

8. The sensing device of claim 5, wherein

the first fastener part and the second fastener part are both hooks that can be fastened with each other.

9. The sensing device of claim 5, wherein

a fastening position between the first fastener part and the second fastener part is located in a bottom wall of the base, or located at a inner/outer surface of the bottom of the base.

10. The sensing device of claim 5, wherein

the first fastener part includes a plurality of blocks or hooks, and a distance between a top of the first fastener part and a bottom surface of the base is s, and s≤1.5 mm.