US 12,446,831 B2
System, method and apparatus for sensor insertion
Robert Bruce, Beaverton, OR (US); David Kreitlow, Aloha, OR (US); Isaac Federiuk, Tigard, OR (US); Ryan Polcin, Somerset, WI (US); Dennis Slomski, Tualatin, OR (US); Eric Ward, Portland, OR (US); and Mihai Resch, Beaverton, OR (US)
Assigned to Konamite Limited, Dublin (IE)
Filed by KONAMITE LIMITED, Dublin (IE)
Filed on Jun. 28, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/457,724.
Application 16/457,724 is a division of application No. 12/495,238, filed on Jun. 30, 2009, granted, now 10,376,213.
Prior Publication US 2019/0313974 A1, Oct. 17, 2019
Int. Cl. A61B 5/00 (2006.01); A61B 5/145 (2006.01); A61B 17/34 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 5/6846 (2013.01) [A61B 5/14532 (2013.01); A61B 17/3468 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for inserting a sensor through intact skin, comprising:
a sensor subassembly comprising:
a sensor;
first and second elongated electrical contacts that are electrically coupled to the sensor; and
a housing comprising:
a main body configured to at least partially house the first and second elongated electrical contacts, and
a keel extending outwardly from the main body of the housing, the keel is positioned between the first and second elongated electrical contacts, and the keel is configured to at least partially house the sensor;
a sensor insertion tool configured to apply a motive force to the sensor subassembly to insert the sensor into the skin;
a channel guide configured to retain the sensor subassembly prior to sensor insertion into the skin and further configured to be mechanically coupled to the sensor insertion tool; and
a sensor assembly comprising a first component and a second component, the first component comprising electronic circuitry and electrical contacts, the second component configured to be mechanically coupled to the first component and to be releasably locked to the channel guide, wherein the first component and the second component are mechanically coupled to each other prior to sensor insertion into the skin, wherein the sensor assembly is further configured to be retained on a surface of the skin after sensor insertion into the skin, and wherein the second component is further configured to mechanically retain the sensor subassembly after the motive force is applied to the sensor subassembly,
wherein the channel guide comprises:
an elongated housing configured to be reversibly mechanically locked in contact with the sensor subassembly and having a vertically protruding interior region and an aperture; and
a channel at least in part defined by the vertically protruding interior region of the elongated housing, the channel providing a passage through the channel guide, said channel being configured to accommodate the sensor subassembly.