BACKGROUND

Monitoring of glucose levels is critical for diabetes patients. Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) sensors are a type of device in which glucose is measured from fluid sampled in an area just under the skin multiple times a day. CGM devices are administered with an applicator and typically involve a small housing in which the electronics are located and which is adhered to the patient's skin to be worn for a period of time. A small needle within the device delivers the subcutaneous sensor which is often electrochemical.

Electrochemical glucose sensors operate by using electrodes which typically detect an amperometric signal caused by oxidation of enzymes during conversion of glucose to gluconolactone. The amperometric signal can then be correlated to a glucose concentration. Two-electrode (also referred to as 2-pole) designs use a working electrode and a reference electrode, where the reference electrode provides a reference against which the working electrode is compared. Three-electrode (or 3-pole) designs have a working electrode, a reference electrode and a counter electrode. The counter electrode replenishes ionic loss at the reference electrode and is part of the ionic circuit.

Glucose readings taken by the sensor can be tracked and analyzed by a monitoring device, such as by scanning the sensor with a customized receiver or by transmitting signals directly from the monitoring device to a device such as a smartphone or computer that has an associated software application. Software features that have been included in CGM systems include viewing glucose levels over time, indicating glucose trends, and alerting the patient of high and low glucose levels.

SUMMARY

In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a body having a bottom surface and a top surface. An actuator is coupled to the body and extends through the top surface of the body. A needle is mounted to the actuator. The needle comprises an inner diameter and a slot along a length of the needle to a tip of the needle. A sensor is coupled to a plurality of wires. The sensor and the plurality of wires are sized to fit through the inner diameter of the needle. A base is configured to be moveable by the actuator and includes a cutout, a circuit board having a microprocessor electrically connected to the circuit board, and a plurality of contacts. Each contact is coupled to a wire of the plurality of wires. A power source is electrically connected to the circuit board and coupled to the base. A bracket is coupled to the bottom surface of the body and configured to receive the base. A patch is coupled to the bracket and has an adhesive. A needle is configured to be moveable by the actuator through the cutout on the base. The plurality of wires extend from the circuit board of the base, through the needle and out of the slot of the needle.

In some embodiments, a system includes the sensor coupled to a plurality of wires. A base includes a circuit board having a microprocessor electrically connected to the circuit board and a plurality of contacts. Each contact is coupled to a wire of the plurality of wires. A power source is electrically connected to the circuit board and coupled to the base. A needle is configured to be moveable through a cutout on the base. The plurality of wires extend from the circuit board of the base, through the needle and out of the slot of the needle.

In some embodiments, a method for constructing the base includes coupling a sensor to a plurality of wires. The sensor and the plurality of wires are sized to fit through the inner diameter of the needle. A wire of the plurality of wires is coupled to a contact of the plurality of contacts. Each contact has an opening of a plurality of openings on a circuit board and the opening has a metal coating. A fastener having a protrusion is attached into the opening. A diameter of the protrusion is less than a diameter of the opening, and the wire of the plurality of wires is between the opening and the protrusion. A power source is connected to the circuit board. The circuit board and power source is assembled in a base. The base having the circuit board, the microprocessor, the contact of the plurality of contacts coupled to the wire of the plurality of wires, and the power source is a sealed unit.

