Coated test elements

• US 20070110613A1
• Filed: 12/03/2004
• Published: 05/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roche Diabetes Care Inc. (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Operations Incorporated (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: Schmid, Wilfried, Pachl, Rudolf, Frank, Martin, Babic, Branislaw, Hoferer, Jurgen
• Granted Patent: US 8,163,560 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/56
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0295 Strip shaped analyte sensors for apparatus classified in A61B5/145 or A61B5/157
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/027 for microfluidic devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0825 Test strips
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0887 Laminated structure
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/166 Suprahydrophobic; Ultraphobic; Lotus-effect
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0406 capillary forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502707 characterised by the manufacture of the container or its components by shaping or joining plastic parts B29C59/00, B29C65/00; by laminating B32B37/00; manufacture of microstructural devices in general B81C
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502715 characterised by interfacing components, e.g. fluidic, electrical, optical or mechanical interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 436/808 Automated or kit

Abstract

The invention concerns coated test elements and in particular test elements comprising a capillary gap which have a hydrophobic structured coating at least in the area surrounding the capillary gap.

Claims

1. Analytical test element for determining an analyte in a liquid comprising

an inert carrier,

an application zone for sample material,

a detection zone for determining the analyte, and

a channel or gap for transporting liquid from the application zone to the detection zone,

characterized in that

the test element has a hydrophobic structured surface at least in an area around the application zone.

2. Test element according to claim 1,

characterized in that

the channel or gap has an opening in the area of the application zone and the surface of the test element has hydrophobic structuring at least around the channel opening.

3. Test element according to claim 1 or 2,

characterized in that

the channel or gap is a capillary channel or capillary gap.

4. Test element according to one of the claims 1 to 3,

characterized in that

the interior of the channel or gap has at least partially a hydrophilic surface.

5. Test element according to one of the claims 1 to 4,

characterized in that

the average distance between elevations on the hydrophobic structured surface is in the range of 50 nm to 200 μ

m and the average height of the elevations is in the range of 50 nm to 100 μ

m.

6. Test element according to one of the claims 1 to 5,

characterized in that

the hydrophobic surface has a surface energy of ≦

20 mN/m.

7. Test element according to one of the claims 1 to 6,

characterized in that

the hydrophobic surface has a contact angle with aqueous systems of >

120°

.

8. Test element according to one of the claims 1 to 7,

characterized in that

the hydrophobic surface can be obtained by spraying a suspension of hydrophobic nanoparticles.

9. Test element according to one of the claims 1 to 8,

characterized in that

the hydrophobic surface is immobilized on the test element.

10. Test element according to claim 9,

characterized in that

the hydrophobic surface can be obtained by applying a hardenable substance to the areas of the test element to be coated, applying hydrophobic, hydrophobized or hydrophobizable particles to the coated areas and immobilizing the particles by hardening.

11. Test element according to one of the claims 1 to 10,

characterized in that

it is designed to be held within a magazine.

12. Test element according to claim 11,

characterized in that

the magazine is designed to hold both used and unused test elements.

13. Test element according to claim 11 or 12,

characterized in that

the magazine is located within a measuring device.

14. Test element according to claim 13,

characterized in that

the measuring device is an optical or electronic measuring device.

15. Test element according to one of the claims 1 to 14 for determining glucose in blood.

16. Magazine for holding test elements for determining an analyte in a liquid comprising at least one test element according to one of the claims 1 to 15.

17. Magazine according to claim 16,

characterized in that

it is designed to hold both used and unused test elements.

18. Measuring device for determining an analyte in a liquid,

characterized in that

it contains at least one test element according to one of the claims 1 to 15.

19. Measuring device according to claim 18,

characterized in that

it contains at least one magazine for holding one or more test elements.

20. Measuring device according to claim 19,

characterized in that

the magazine is designed to hold both used and unused test elements.

21. Method for the determination of an analyte in a liquid comprising

applying a sample liquid to a test element according to one of the claims 1 to 15 and

qualitatively or/and quantitatively determining the analyte present in the sample liquid.