Connectors for making connections between analyte sensors and other devices
Glucose monitoring devices and related systems and methods, the glucose monitoring devices including a sensor electronics unit having a housing and a printed circuit board disposed within the housing, a transcutaneous glucose sensor assembly, and a conductive sensor connector. The printed circuit board includes a first electrical contact, the transcutaneous glucose sensor assembly includes a distal portion having a working electrode and proximal portion having a working-electrode contact in electrical communication with the working electrode, and the conductive sensor connector electrically connects the working-electrode contact with the first electrical contact. Further, the conductive sensor connector extends through a hole in the proximal portion of the transcutaneous glucose sensor assembly and through a hole in the printed circuit board.
1. A glucose monitoring device comprising:
a sensor electronics unit including
a housing, and
a printed circuit board disposed within the housing and having a plurality of electrical contacts including a first electrical contact;
a transcutaneous glucose sensor assembly including a distal portion having a working electrode and a proximal portion having a working-electrode contact in electrical communication with the working electrode; and
a conductive sensor connector configured to electrically connect the working-electrode contact with the first electrical contact;
wherein the conductive sensor connector is further configured to extend through a hole in the proximal portion of the transcutaneous glucose sensor assembly and through a hole in the printed circuit board.
2. The glucose monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein the conductive sensor connector comprises a pin.
3. The glucose monitoring device of claim 2 , wherein the pin comprises a head portion and a shaft portion, the shaft portion extending through the hole of the proximal portion of the transcutaneous glucose sensor assembly.
4. The glucose monitoring device of claim 3 , wherein the shaft portion extends through the hole in the printed circuit board.
5. The glucose monitoring device of claim 3 , wherein the shaft portion and the head portion form an angle of between 10 and 170 degrees.
6. The glucose monitoring device of claim 3 , wherein the shaft portion and the head portion form an angle of 90 degrees.
7. The glucose monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein the conductive sensor connector comprises a post.
8. The glucose monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein the hole in the proximal portion of the transcutaneous glucose sensor assembly extends through the working-electrode contact.
9. The glucose monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein the hole in the printed circuit board extends through the electrical contact.
10. The glucose monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein the working-electrode contact extends around at least a portion of the hole in the proximal portion of the transcutaneous glucose sensor assembly.
11. The glucose monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein the first electrical contact extends around at least a portion of the hole in the printed circuit board.
12. The glucose monitoring device of claim 11 , wherein the transcutaneous glucose sensor assembly comprises a bend between the proximal portion and the distal portion.
13. The glucose monitoring device of claim 12 , wherein the printed circuit board defines a plane, and the proximal portion of the transcutaneous glucose sensor assembly is positioned in a facing relationship relative to the plane of the printed circuit board.
14. The glucose monitoring device of claim 13 , wherein the distal portion of the transcutaneous glucose sensor assembly is positioned at approximately a 90° angle relative to the plane of the printed circuit board.
15. The glucose monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein the conductive sensor connector comprises a conductive material selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, platinum, aluminum, copper, and brass.
16. The glucose monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein the conductive sensor connector is further configured to provide alignment between the transcutaneous glucose sensor assembly and the sensor electronics unit.
17. The glucose monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein the conductive sensor connector is further configured to physically connect the transcutaneous glucose sensor assembly and the sensor electronics unit.
18. The glucose monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein the transcutaneous glucose sensor assembly comprises a wire sensor.
19. The glucose monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein the wire sensor comprises a core conductive wire.
20. The glucose monitoring device of claim 1 , further comprising a second conductive sensor connector;
wherein the distal portion of the transcutaneous glucose sensor assembly comprises a second electrode and the proximal portion of the transcutaneous glucose sensor assembly comprises a second-electrode contact in electrical communication with the second electrode;
wherein the plurality of electrical contacts comprises a second electrical contact; and
wherein the second conductive sensor connector electrically connects the second-electrode contact with the second electrical contact.
21. The glucose monitoring device of claim 20 , wherein the second conductive sensor connector extends through a second hole in the proximal portion of the transcutaneous glucose sensor assembly and through a second hole in the printed circuit board.
22. The glucose monitoring device of claim 20 , wherein the second conductive sensor connector comprises a pin.
23. The glucose monitoring device of claim 22 , wherein the pin comprises a head portion and a shaft portion, the shaft portion of pin extending through the second hole of the proximal portion of the transcutaneous glucose sensor assembly.
24. The glucose monitoring device of claim 1 , further comprising an adhesive coupled to the housing of the sensor electronics unit and configured to attach the sensor electronics unit to skin of a user.