Patent ID: 7431885

Claim:
A measuring device for the amperometric measurement of test strips each having a test field moistenable by a liquid to be investigated and having measuring electrodes associated with the test field, which device includes at least one strip receiver for the insertion of a test strip, internal contact elements in the region of the strip receiver for contacting measuring electrodes of a test strip located in the strip receiver, and an evaluation and control circuit, characterized in that the strip receiver is formed with a separate unitary housing having on its external side external contacts which are electrically connected with the first internal contact elements, which external contact elements are designed for contacting opposing contact elements which are connected with the evaluation and control circuit, a test strip releasing mechanism being arranged in the housing, the test strip releasing mechanism including a releasing element and an actuating element actuatable from the outside of the housing, which actuating element upon actuation causes the release element to lift up the internal contact elements which clamp the test strip against a strip support surface, the release mechanism and the housing configured such that the actuating element can be made to be actuatable from one or the other of two oppositely arranged sides of the housing, the release mechanism including a pivotally supported two arm lever which lies with one lever arm on the internal contact elements and is held by the internal contact elements in that position, with the lever being actuatable by a plunger whose position in the housing is such that according to which side of the housing receives the plunger, the plunger operates on either the one arm or on the other arm of the lever.