Sensor inserter assembly
An analyte monitor includes a sensor, a sensor control unit, and a display unit. The sensor control unit typically has a housing adapted for placement on skin and is adapted to receive a portion of an electrochemical sensor. The sensor control unit also includes two or more conductive contacts disposed on the housing and configured for coupling to two or more contact pads on the sensor. A transmitter is disposed in the housing and coupled to the plurality of conductive contacts for transmitting data obtained using the sensor. The display unit has a receiver for receiving data transmitted by the transmitter of the sensor control unit and a display coupled to the receiver for displaying an indication of a level of an analyte, such as blood glucose. An inserter having a retractable introducer is provided for subcutaneously implanting the sensor in a predictable and reliable fashion.
1. A method of using an inserter device to insert a transcutaneous glucose sensor into a user, the inserter device comprising an actuator button, a slidable shuttle, a first spring, a second spring having a top end in contact with the slidable shuttle, and a sharp, and the method comprising:
adhering an adhesive portion of a mount to skin of the user while the mount is coupled with the inserter device, wherein the mount is configured to receive an electronics component housing;
depressing the actuator button of the inserter device after the adhesive portion of the mount is adhered to the skin of the user, wherein depression of the actuator button causes automatic advancement of the slidable shuttle, the sharp, and the transcutaneous glucose sensor by the first spring, such that the sharp and the transcutaneous glucose sensor advance through an opening in the mount and into the user, wherein the automatic advancement is followed by automatic retraction of the sharp from within the user;
removing the inserter device from the mount while the transcutaneous glucose sensor remains in the user; and
inserting the electronics component housing into the mount after the inserter device is removed from the mount.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein depression of the actuator button causes a release of energy stored in the first spring.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first spring is a coil spring.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising removing a liner from the adhesive portion prior to adhering the adhesive portion of the mount to the skin of the user.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the inserter device further comprises:
a housing coupled with the actuator button; and
a base coupled with the mount and the housing, the base comprising guides, wherein depressing the actuator button causes automatic advancement of the slidable shuttle along the guides of the base.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the slidable shuttle is coupled with the sharp and the transcutaneous glucose sensor is received within the sharp.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transcutaneous glucose sensor is slidably received within the sharp.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein depression of the actuator button causes the automatic advancement of the sharp and the transcutaneous glucose sensor through the opening in the mount such that a first portion of the transcutaneous glucose sensor couples with the mount and a second portion of the transcutaneous glucose sensor is implanted into the user.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein inserting the electronics component housing into the mount comprises electrically connecting electronics in the electronics component housing with the transcutaneous glucose sensor.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the electronics comprise a transmitter.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein removing the inserter device from the mount while the transcutaneous glucose sensor remains in the user comprises unlatching the inserter device from the mount.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mount comprises a cavity for receiving the electronics component housing.
13. An assembly comprising:
an inserter device comprising an actuator button, a slidable shuttle, a first spring, a second spring having a top end in contact with the slidable shuttle, and a sharp;
a transcutaneous glucose sensor; and
a mount releasably coupled with the inserter device, wherein the mount comprises an adhesive portion configured to adhere to skin of a user while the mount is coupled with the inserter device,
wherein the actuator button, when depressed, is configured to cause automatic advancement of the slidable shuttle, the sharp, and the transcutaneous glucose sensor by the first spring, such that the sharp and the transcutaneous glucose sensor advance through an opening in the mount and into the user,
wherein the second spring is configured to expand and cause automatic retraction of the sharp in a direction away from the skin of the user while the transcutaneous glucose sensor remains in the user,
wherein the mount is configured for positioning on the skin of the user prior to advancing the sharp and the transcutaneous glucose sensor through the opening in the mount,
wherein the inserter device is configured to be removed from the mount while the transcutaneous glucose sensor remains in the user, and
wherein the mount is further configured to receive an electronics component housing into the mount after the inserter device is removed from the mount.
14. The assembly of claim 13 , wherein the actuator button is further configured to cause a release of energy stored in the first spring when the actuator button is depressed.
15. The assembly of claim 13 , wherein the first spring is a coil spring.
16. The assembly of claim 13 , further comprising a liner removably attached to the adhesive portion of the mount, wherein the liner is configured to be removed from the adhesive portion before the adhesive portion is adhered to the skin of the user.
17. The assembly of claim 13 , wherein the inserter device further comprises:
a housing coupled with the actuator button; and
a base coupled with the mount and the housing, the base comprising guides, wherein the actuator button is further configured to cause the automatic advancement of the slidable shuttle along the guides of the base when the actuator button is depressed.
18. The assembly of claim 13 , wherein the slidable shuttle is coupled with the sharp and the transcutaneous glucose sensor is received within the sharp.
19. The assembly of claim 13 , wherein the transcutaneous glucose sensor is slidably received within the sharp.
20. The assembly of claim 13 , wherein the actuator button is further configured to cause the automatic advancement of the sharp and the transcutaneous glucose sensor through the opening in the mount such that a first portion of the transcutaneous glucose sensor couples with the mount and a second portion of the transcutaneous glucose sensor is implanted into the user.
21. The assembly of claim 13 , wherein the transcutaneous glucose sensor is configured to be electrically connected to electronics in the electronics component housing when the electronics component housing is received into the mount.
22. The assembly of claim 13 , wherein the inserter device is configured to be removed from the mount by unlatching the inserter device from the mount.
23. The assembly of claim 13 , wherein the mount further comprises a cavity for receiving the electronics component housing.