JP2004313269A - Protective cover for medical equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

A protective cover for a medical device that prevents a decrease in measurement accuracy due to carelessness in handling by a patient and contributes to a reduction in a psychological burden on a patient who uses the medical device.
A protective cover is provided integrally with a plate portion capable of substantially covering the surface of a medical device and at an outer edge of the plate portion so as to surround the plate portion, and a side substantially perpendicular to the plate portion. Parts 34a to 34c. The window portion 36 is provided in the plate portion 32. The shape of the opening of the window 36 is substantially the same as the display of the medical device to which the protective cover is attached, and the window 36 allows the user of the medical device to read numerical values and messages displayed on the display. Can be. The plate portion 32 has an opening 38. The opening shape of the opening 38 is substantially the same as that of the switch of the medical device, so that the user can operate the switch.
[Selection] Figure 2

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a protective cover for a medical device that can be used by a patient himself.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art A portable medical device that allows a patient to measure a blood sugar level, for example, is known. According to this, since the patient can perform the measurement at home or on the go, he / she can surely grasp the condition of his / her own illness, and thus appropriate treatment can be performed.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in order to maintain the measurement accuracy of such medical devices, care must be taken when handling them. That is, if the device is dropped due to carelessness in carrying or using the device, the device may be damaged, or accurate measurement may not be performed even if the device is not damaged. If inattentive self-measurement is not possible due to such carelessness, effective treatment may not be possible eventually. Therefore, care must be taken in its handling. In particular, further attention is required if the device is small enough to be held and used by the patient. This puts an unnecessary psychological burden on patients with the disease.
[0004]
The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and its purpose is to prevent a decrease in measurement accuracy due to carelessness in handling by a patient and to reduce a psychological burden on a patient using a medical device. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a protective cover for medical devices.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
A protective cover for a medical device according to the present invention is a protective cover for a medical device that can be used by a patient himself, and a first plate member for substantially covering one surface of the medical device. And a second plate member provided on an outer edge of the first plate member so as to be able to come into contact with a side surface adjacent to the one surface, and engagement means for making the second plate member detachable from a medical device. , Is provided. The first plate member has an opening that allows access to the operation unit of the medical device, and an opening that ensures visibility of the display unit of the medical device.
[0006]
The protective cover is attached to the medical device by the engaging means. At the time of mounting, the first plate member of the protective cover covers one surface of the medical device, and the second plate member in contact with the side surface of the medical device covers the side surface. Thereby, the medical device is protected.
[0007]
Further, the first plate member of the protective cover has an opening that allows access to the operation unit of the medical device, and has an opening for a display unit of the medical device, so that the medical device There is no trouble in the operation of.
[0008]
Further, it is preferable that the engagement means is a protrusion provided on the second plate member and engaged with a side surface of the medical device. According to this, it is possible to provide a protective cover that does not easily come off and that is easily removed intentionally.
[0009]
Furthermore, it is preferable that the first and second plate members are formed of an ABS resin (acrylonitrile, butadiene, and styrene resin). Thereby, the protective cover itself can have sufficient strength, and can sufficiently contribute to protection of the medical device.
[0010]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
A preferred embodiment of a protective cover for a medical device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same elements will be denoted by the same reference symbols, without redundant description.
[0011]
First, a portable medical device suitable as a target of the protective cover according to the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a portable medical device to which the protective cover is detachably attached. The protective cover of the present embodiment can be provided as an accessory of the illustrated portable medical device or as an optional item.
[0012]
As shown, the portable medical device 10 includes casings 12 and 14. A display unit 16 is provided on a surface 12 a of the casing 12. The display unit 16 has a liquid crystal display, and it is possible to display a numerical value of the measurement result (for example, “141” shown in the drawing) and a message regarding a procedure necessary for the measurement by the liquid crystal display. . The medical device 10 has a head (not shown) into which an electrode (not shown) also serving as a probe is inserted. The casing 12 has an electrode insertion port 20 for inserting the electrode into the head. Is provided. Further, a switch 18 is provided on the casing 12. The user turns on the power by pressing the switch 18, and performs an operation necessary for measurement by attaching an electrode to the electrode insertion port 20. be able to.
[0013]
In the present embodiment, the portable medical device 10 is Extra (registered trademark) manufactured by Abbott Japan. This medical device is a blood glucose self-monitoring device that can measure both blood glucose and ketone bodies, and is equipped with a rich data management function and a large display (display unit 16). It has a compact size that fits easily (specifically, http://www.abbot.co.jp/).
[0014]
FIG. 2A is a front view showing the protective cover 10, FIG. 2B is a left side view of the protective cover 10, FIG. 2C is an upper side view thereof, and FIG. FIG. 2D is a bottom view, and FIG. 2D is a rear view. Note that the right side view of the protective cover is the same as the left side view shown in FIG.
[0015]
Referring to FIG. 2A, the protective cover 30 has a plate portion 32. The plate portion 32 can substantially cover the surface 12a (FIG. 1) of the medical device 10. A window portion 36 is provided in the plate portion 32, and the opening shape thereof is substantially the same as the display portion 16 of the medical device 10. The window unit 36 allows a user of the medical device 10 to read a numerical value or a message displayed on the display unit 16. An opening 38 is provided in the plate portion 32, and the opening shape is substantially the same as the switch 18 of the medical device 10. Thus, the user can operate the switch 18 while the protective cover 30 is attached to the medical device 10. Further, a notch 40a is provided in the plate portion 32, and an opening 40 is formed together with a notch 40b (FIG. 2C) provided in the side portion 34a. The opening 40 is provided for inserting an electrode (not shown) into the electrode insertion port 20 of the medical device 10 with the protective cover 30 attached.
[0016]
Referring to FIGS. 2B to 2E, the protective cover 30 has side portions 34a, 34b, and 34c. As shown in FIG. 2 (E), the side portions 34a to 34c are formed of an integral member provided on the outer edge of the plate portion 32. 2C and FIG. 2D, the height of the integrally formed side portions 34a to 34c is higher on the side where the opening 40 is provided (FIG. 2C). It is lower on the opposite side (FIG. 2 (D)). This is to protect the portion of the medical device 10 where the electrode insertion port 20 is provided, more thickly.
[0017]
Also, due to the difference in height, the side portions 34b and 34c have a step 34d. Thereby, the characteristic design of the protective cover 30 is realized.
[0018]
The protective cover 30 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the protective cover 30, mainly showing the inside thereof. As illustrated, the side portions 34 a to 34 c are provided integrally with the outer edge of the plate portion 32 so as to surround the plate portion 32, and stand up substantially at right angles to the plate portion 32. The thickness of the side parts 34a to 34c can be about 1.3 mm. The inner surfaces of the side portions 34a to 34c are in contact with the side surfaces of the casing 12 of the medical device 10 when the protective cover 10 is attached.
[0019]
As shown in the figure, protrusions 42a and 42b are provided on the inner surface of the side portion 34b, and 42c and 42d are provided on the inner surface of the side portion 34c. The protrusions 42a to 42d function as engaging means for detachably attaching the protective cover 30 to the medical device 10. That is, as shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 4, when the protective cover 30 is attached to the medical device 10, the protrusions 42 a (and 42 b to 42 d) are formed in the groove provided at the boundary between the casings 12 and 14 of the medical device 10. 13, whereby the protective cover 30 is held by the medical device 10. Also, if the side portion 34b of the protective cover 30 is bent in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 4 to release the engagement, the protective cover 30 can be easily removed from the medical device 10.
[0020]
The protrusions 42a to 42d have a shape of about 0.3 mm in width, about 5 mm in length, and about 1.3 mm in height. This shape is determined in consideration of the width and depth of the groove provided on the side surface of the medical device. For this reason, the protective cover does not easily come off, and the intentional removal is easy. However, it goes without saying that the shape parameters such as the width, length, and height of the protrusion can be adjusted according to the thickness of the side portion and the shape of the recess of the medical device. Further, in the present embodiment, as the concave portion of the medical device, a groove portion formed by a combination of two members constituting the housing of the medical device is used, but a concave portion may be provided differently. .
[0021]
Further, the side portions 34a to 34c of the protective cover 30 have a height sufficient to cover the entire side surface of the casing 14 of the medical device 10, and a projection is provided at an end thereof, and the projection is engaged with the bottom of the casing 14. By doing so, the protective cover 30 may be attached to the medical device 10. According to this, it is not necessary to provide a groove or a recess in the medical device 10.
[0022]
Incidentally, the protective cover 30 is made of ABS resin. For this reason, the protective cover 30 itself has sufficient strength and can sufficiently protect the medical device 10. When the ABS resin is used, it is preferable that the plate portion 32 and the side portions 34a to 34c are integrally formed by an extrusion molding method. Further, as can be easily understood with reference to FIG. 2C, a narrow portion S is formed on the side portion 34a in a portion where the opening 40 is formed. In order to maintain the strength of such a portion, two or more inlets for injecting the ABS resin into the mold are provided, and the ABS resin is applied to a portion corresponding to the thin portion S of the mold. It is particularly preferred that the injection be sufficient.
[0023]
FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which the protective cover 30 is attached to the medical device 10. As shown, the protective cover 30 substantially covers the surface 12 a (FIG. 1) of the medical device 10, and the side portion 34 covers the side surface of the casing 12 of the medical device 10. That is, the medical device 10 is protected by the protective cover 30, and problems such as breakage and reduced measurement accuracy are reduced even if the medical device 10 is accidentally dropped.
[0024]
Also, comparing FIG. 5 with FIG. 1, it can be seen that the display unit 16 of the medical device 10 appears in the window 36 when the protective cover 30 is attached. It is also understood that the switch 18 of the medical device 10 can be pressed from the opening 38 of the protective cover 30. Further, the opening 40 of the protective cover 30 corresponds to the electrode insertion port 20 of the medical device 10, and the electrode can be inserted through the insertion port 20 with the protective cover 30 attached. That is, even in a state where the protective cover 30 is mounted, the medical device 10 can be operated without any trouble.
[0025]
Hereinafter, the effect of the protective cover 30 will be described. A portable medical device such as the medical device 10 needs to be handled with care in maintaining measurement accuracy. That is, if the device is dropped due to carelessness or the like, the device may be damaged, or accurate measurement may not be possible even if the device is not damaged. If accurate self-measurement becomes impossible due to such carelessness, effective treatment cannot be performed.
[0026]
However, even if the medical device 10 is accidentally dropped, the protective cover 30 can reduce the impact on the medical device 10 due to the fall. Therefore, the user does not need to pay excessive attention to handling, and can use the medical device 10 casually. As a result, regular accurate self-measurement, which is an essential function of the medical device 10, becomes possible, which can contribute to effective treatment.
[0027]
Further, the effect of the protective cover 30 is not limited to the protective function. For example, in consideration of a case where a user has a favorable feeling for a dog, if a picture of a dog as shown in FIG. 6 is attached to the surface of the plate member, the user can use a medical device that suits his / her preference. Can be Also, not only dogs, but also cats and birds, pets, flowers, landscapes, anime characters, etc.If you prepare several kinds of protective covers attached to the surface of the board member, you can match your own preference You can choose freely and attach the protective cover to the medical device. Furthermore, since the protective cover is detachable, it is possible to replace the protective cover according to the mood at that day.
[0028]
The effects achieved from this are as follows. The use of medical devices often causes pain to the patient, for example, with blood sampling. Moreover, since it is used several times a day, the pain often becomes intolerable. If the use is painful, the measurement may be disgusting, and the original purpose of grasping the medical condition may be lost. In particular, when infants and children use medical devices with the help of their mothers, it is extremely important to reduce the fear of blood collection from the viewpoint of medical effects.
[0029]
Conventionally, in medical devices capable of self-measurement, sufficient consideration has been given to measurement accuracy and reproducibility, but little consideration has been given to usability and design. In addition, despite many requests from patients and healthcare professionals to alleviate the pain and fear of self-measurement, self-measurement that has been treated for such aspects has been possible so far. There was no medical equipment.
[0030]
However, if the user can use a medical device having a pattern he likes, the psychological burden on the user can be reduced. As a result, the original purpose of the medical device to surely grasp the change in the medical condition is realized. In view of such circumstances, it is understood that the effect of the protective cover provided with a pattern or design is important.
[0031]
Further, even when several persons use their respective medical devices at home or in a medical facility, the use of protective covers having different patterns makes it easy to identify each device.
[0032]
As described above, the protective cover according to the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments and can be variously modified.
[0033]
For example, in the present embodiment, the side portion 34 is provided so as to surround the outer edge of the plate portion 32. However, as long as the protective cover 30 can be attached to the medical device 10, it is not always necessary to surround the entire outer edge. Further, the engagement means is not limited to the protrusion.
[0034]
【The invention's effect】
As described above with reference to the embodiments, according to the present invention, it is possible to prevent a decrease in measurement accuracy due to carelessness in handling by a patient and to reduce a psychological burden on a patient using a medical device. A protective cover for medical devices is provided.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a protective cover according to an embodiment and a portable medical device to which the protective cover is detachably attached.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a protective cover for a medical device according to an embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a protective cover according to the embodiment.
FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which a protrusion provided on the protective cover according to the embodiment is engaged with a groove of the medical device.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a state in which the protective cover according to the embodiment is mounted on a medical device.
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a plate member with a picture of a dog;
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Portable medical device 12, 14 Casing 16 Display part 18 Switch 20 Electrode insertion port 30 Protective cover 32 Plate part 34a, 34b, 34c Side part 36 Window 38 Opening 42a, 42b, 42c, 42d Projection

Claims (3)

A protective cover for a portable medical device that can be used by the patient himself,
A first plate member for substantially covering one surface of the medical device;
A second plate member provided on an outer edge of the first plate member so as to be able to contact a side surface adjacent to the one surface;
Engaging means for making the medical device removable.
The first plate member has an opening for allowing access to an operation unit of the medical device, and an opening for ensuring visibility of a display unit of the medical device, for a medical device. Protective cover. 2. The protective cover according to claim 1, wherein said engaging means is a projection provided on said second plate member and engaging with said side surface. The protective cover according to claim 1, wherein the first and second plate members are formed of an ABS resin.

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