Patent ID: 8862198

Claim:
An apparatus, comprising: a disposable assembly including: a housing; a data processing unit disposed in the housing; an introducer disposed within the housing and including a portion having a sharp distal end configured for piercing through a skin layer, wherein the portion of the introducer is removed from the housing after piercing through the skin layer; and an analyte sensor including a first portion and a second portion, the first portion of the analyte sensor coupled to the portion of the introducer, and the second portion of the analyte sensor coupled to the data processing unit; wherein the first portion of the analyte sensor is configured for transcutaneous placement so as to be in fluid contact with an interstitial fluid; wherein the second portion of the analyte sensor is in electrical contact with the data processing unit prior to transcutaneous placement of the first portion of the analyte sensor; and wherein the housing, the data processing unit and the introducer are assembled to form the disposable assembly, and the data processing unit includes an aperture through which the introducer is removable.