1. Title of the Invention:

A bioanalyte monitoring device

Complete Specification:

The following specification describes and ascertains the nature of this invention and the manner in which it is to be performed.

Field of the invention

[0001] This invention is related to a bioanalyte monitoring device.

Background of the invention

[0002] An accurate monitoring of bioanalyte levels in patients is vital to a patient's health. Monitoring of glucose in blood sample of diabetic patients, for example, is valuable in order to prevent blindness, kidney diseases, necrosis of nerve tissue, as well as other complications. On a broader basis, it has become increasingly important in analytical and clinical chemistry to have the capability of remote (or noninvasive] sensing of chemical and physical parameters. Some methods of performing this type of sensing have been known, such as potentiometry, amperometry, Pulse Oximeters, Continuous Hb monitors. In addition to these methods, optical techniques can be used for remote sensing of analytics and other substances.

[0003] A prior art document US2004/0176670 discloses an apparatus for measuring concentration of light- absorbing substance in blood is disclosed, in which a light emitter emits light beams to irradiate a living tissue, each of the light beams being associated with one wavelength which is absorbed by the blood.

Brief description of the accompanying drawings

[0004] Figure 1 illustrates a bioanalyte monitoring device, in accordance with an embodiment of an invention, and

[0005] Figures 2(a), 2(b) illustrates a cover and a seat of the bioanalyte monitoring device, in accordance with the embodiment of the invention.

Detailed description of the embodiments

[0006] Figure 1 illustrates a bioanalyte monitoring device, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The bioanalyte monitoring device 10 comprises a movable block 12 slidably positioned on a fixed block 14. The device 10 comprises a profile 15 having a seat 16 and a cover 18, wherein the seat 16 is fitted on the fixed block 14 and the cover 18 is fitted to a bottom portion of the movable block 12. The seat 16 and the cover 18 forms a slot 20 in the device 10 to accommodate a body appendage 22 of a living being. The seat 16 comprises multiple cut-outs 24 of different dimensions to accommodate different sizes of the body appendage 22.

[0007] Further the construction and the parts of the device 10 are explained as follows. The fixed block 14 comprises multiple guides 40 to receive respective cut-sections 42 of the movable block 12, when the device 10 is in a non-operating mode. The fixed block 14 is fitted onto a bottom surface of the device 10. A photo detector 46 is positioned at a bottom portion of the fixed block 14. The dimensions of the multiple cut-sections 42 of the movable block 12 corresponds to the guides 40 of the fixed block 14. The dimensions of the cut-sections 42 of the movable block 12 and the dimensions of the guides 40 of the fixed block 14 are made in such a way that, the movable block 12 slides into the fixed block 14 in an interlocking/closed position. Due to the above-disclosed arrangement, the movement of the movable block 14 is restricted in the device 10. [0008] The device 10 comprises a control unit 48 positioned on the movable block 12. The control unit 48 comprises at least one light source 50 to emit light onto the body appendage 22 when placed inside the device 10. According to one embodiment of the invention, the light source 50 is a Light Emitting Diode (LED] When the body appendage 22 is placed inside the device 10, the light from the light source 50 is made to pass through the body appendage 22 and the light emitting out of it, is received by the photo detector 46. The body appendage 46 is a part of the human body taken from a group of parts of human body comprising a finger, an ear lobe, a wrist and the like.

[0009] Figures 2(a], 2(b] illustrates a cover 18 and a seat 16 of the bioanalyte monitoring device 10, in accordance with the embodiment of the invention. The seat 16 is fixed on the top surface of the fixed block 14. The seat 16 and the cover 18 are in contact with each other, during the non-operating mode of the device 10. During the operation mode of the device 10, the moment of the seat 16 and the cover 18 forms the slot 20 for accommodating the body appendage 22. The seat 16 is divided into a first portion 26, a second portion 28 and a third portion 30. The second portion 28 is made in between of the first portion 26 and the third portion 28. The multiple cut-outs 24 made on the first portion 26 and the third portion 30 of the seat 16 have different dimensions than the cut-outs 22 made on the second portion 28. The multiple cut-outs 24 made on the first portion 26 and the third portion 30 are identical. In other words, the seat 16 comprises multiple pairs of cut-outs 24 on the first portion 26, the second portion 28 and the third portion 30.

[0010] The seat 16 comprises a cavity 32 with a transparent cover 34 to allow passing of light from the light source 50 positioned in the movable block 12. The transparent cover 34 is fixed on the cavity 32 of the seat 16, such that, a portion of the body appendage 22 is positioned on the transparent cover 34, when the body appendage 22 is placed in the device. The seat 16 and the cover 18 are made of a material chosen from a group of materials comprising a rubber, a biocompatible material and the like. [0011] The device 10 comprises a stopper 36 integrated in the fixed block 14. The stopper 36 adapted to restrict a forward movement of the body appendage 22 in the device 10. The stopper 36 is made of plastic material according to one embodiment of the invention. The cover 18 comprises a cut-section 38 to restrict a rotational movement of the body appendage 22 in the device 10. The cut-sections 38 made on the cover 18 are made in such a way that, a pressure is created on the body appendage 22 when placed in the device 10.

[0012] The working of the device 10 with the profile is explained as follows. In the closed positon, the movable block 12 is mounted on the fixed block 14. During the operating mode of the device 10, a push button 52 present on the device 10 is operated /pressed to create the slot 20 between the movable block 12 and the fixed block 14 by moving away the cover 18 from the seat 16. During this movement, the cover 18 along with the movable block 12 moves upwards creating a slot 20 between the seat 16 and the cover 18 to accommodate the body appendage 22. The slot 20 is created to receive the body appendage 22 of the human.

[0013] The seat 16 accommodates the body appendage 22 when positioned inside the device 10 in the slot 20. Upon releasing of a push button 52 after the placement of the body appendage 22 inside the device 10, the movement of the body appendage 22 is restricted further (in all the directions]. The cover 18 encounters the body appendage 22 that is placed in the device 10 and due to the position of the movable block 12, the body appendage 22 is fixed in a firm position. The dimensions/size of the slot 20 is formed such that, any size of the body appendage 22 can be accommodated in the slot 20 and the seat 16.

[0014] The body appendage 22 (for instance a finger of a patient] is positioned on the seat 16 of the device 10. The appendage 22 of any size can be accommodated in the seat 16 due to the multiple cut-outs 24 made on the surface of the seat 16. For instance, if the patient is a child, the dimensions of the finger of the child is fitted in the cut-outs 24 of the second portion of the seat 16. In another instance, if the patient is an adult, the finger of the concerned person (having either the medium or the larger dimensions] is accommodated in the cutouts 24 from the first portion 26 to the third portion 30 of the seat 16.

[0015] The cut-outs 24 on the seat 16 are made such that, the position of the body appendage 22 is properly fitted in at least two cut-outs 24 of the seat 16. The body appendage 22 is positioned inside the device 10 in such a way that, the tip (or an end] of the body appendage 22 is rested on the transparent cover 34 of the seat 16. The light from the light source 50 is made to pass through the body appendage 22. The light is emitted from the light source 50 positioned on the movable block 12 and is received by the photo detector 46 present in the bottom portion of the fixed block 14.

[0016] The light from the light source 50 is directed onto the tip of the body appendage 22 and is made pass through the tip of the body appendage 22 onto the photodetector 46. The light from the body appendage 22 is received by the photodetector 46 and is used to analyze further. The photo detector 46 detects the intensity of the light that is passed through the body appendage 22. The light source 50, the end of the body appendage 22, and the photo detector 46 are positioned in a straight line. The received light in the photo detector is further analyzed to detect at least one parameter of the human body. The parameter is chosen from a group of parameters comprising hemoglobin, bilirubin, pulse, saturated oxygen and the like.

[0017] With the above-disclosed device 10 having a new profile to hold the body appendage 22, the irregular movement of the body appendage 22 when placed in the device 10 is restricted. The stopper 36 and the cover 18 are made in such a way that, the forward and the rotational movement of the body appendage 22 is avoided. A single profile 15 is used for different sizes of the body appendage 22. By arresting the body appendage 22 movement in the device 10 and securing the body appendage 22 in an optical window (i.e., on the transparent cover 34], the quality of the measured signal is significantly improved.

[0018] The seat 16 and the cover 18 are placed into the device 10 externally during the assembly, which provides the user for easy replacement with new parts if there is any wear and tear and avoiding the need to change the entire assembly. The user can analyze and detect at least one parameter of the human body without much hassle. Since no probe is used for connecting the detecting portion (where body appendage 22 is placed] and the analyzing portion (the seat 16], the efficiency of the analysis is increased. Repair and replacement of the components of the device 10 is made much economical and easier as the components can be detached easily from the device 10 assembly.

[0019] It should be understood that embodiments explained in the description above are only illustrative and do not limit the scope of this invention. Many such embodiments and other modifications and changes in the embodiment explained in the description are envisaged. The scope of the invention is only limited by the scope of the claims