The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 01, 2009
Filed:
Jun. 18, 2004
Tom Funke, Carmel, IN (US);
Abner David Joseph, Carmel, IN (US);
Peter L. Arnold, Heppenheim, DE;
James Meador, Houston, TX (US);
Thomas Miller, Houston, TX (US);
Randy Edward Yoder, Noblesville, IN (US);
Daniel Paul Casler, Fishers, IN (US);
Tom Funke, Carmel, IN (US);
Abner David Joseph, Carmel, IN (US);
Peter L. Arnold, Heppenheim, DE;
James Meador, Houston, TX (US);
Thomas Miller, Houston, TX (US);
Randy Edward Yoder, Noblesville, IN (US);
Daniel Paul Casler, Fishers, IN (US);
Roche Diagnostics Operations, Inc., Indianapolis, IN (US);
Abstract
A substantially moisture-proof, airtight dispenser for both storing and dispensing several flattened articles such as diagnostic test strips. The inventive dispenser includes a novel pivotable housing that a user need merely grab and squeeze to eject a test strip. Independent movement of the user's fingers to push a button or turn a knob is unnecessary to dispense a strip, which makes the present invention well suited for diabetics suffering from nerve damage in their extremities and other complications resulting from the disease. The invention includes a novel flexible arm member and pusher head that engage and push an article from the dispenser as the two parts of the housing are pivoted together. The articles are dispensed through an exit that is configured with a novel flexible seal that maintains the dispenser substantially airtight. Several inventive seal embodiments and methods of making the same are disclosed.