Sensor, Measuring Device, And Measuring Method

• US 20080105566A1
• Filed: 04/22/2005
• Published: 05/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kitawaki, Fumihisa, Kawamura, Tatsurou, Kamei, Akihito
• Granted Patent: US 7,691,255 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 205/775
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/03 Cuvette constructions
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/59 Transmissivity G01N21/25 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/48707 by electrical means G01N33/49, G01N33/493 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/5302 Apparatus specially adapted for immunological test procedures

Abstract

A sensor capable of measuring a plurality of measuring items quickly and accurately, a measuring device, and a measuring method are provided. The sensor includes a sample-holding unit for holding a sample containing an analyte; a sample-supplying port for supplying the sample to the sample-holding unit; a detecting unit for carrying out an electrochemical measurement, the unit being provided in the sample-holding unit; an optical measuring unit for carrying out an optical measurement, the unit being provided in the sample-holding unit; and a reagent-holding unit for holding a reagent for the optical measurement, the unit being provided in the sample-holding unit; wherein in the flowing direction of the sample supplied from the sample-supplying port in sample-holding unit, the sample-supplying port, the detecting unit, and the reagent-holding unit are positioned in the order recited.

Claims

1. A sensor comprising:

a sample-holding unit including a space for holding a sample including a first analyte and a second analyte;

a sample-supplying port for supplying said sample to said sample-holding unit, the port being connected to the space;

a detecting unit for carrying out an electrochemical measurement of said second analyte, the unit being provided in said sample-holding unit;

an optical measuring unit for carrying out an optical measurement of said first analyte, the optical measuring unit being provided in said sample-holding unit; and

a reagent-holding unit for holding a reagent for said optical measurement, the reagent-holding unit being provided in said sample-holding unit;

wherein in a flowing direction of said sample supplied from said sample-supplying port in said sample-holding unit, said sample-supplying port, said detecting unit, and said reagent-holding unit are positioned in the order recited.

2. The sensor in accordance with claim 1, wherein said optical measuring unit comprises a light-entrance unit for introducing incident light, and a light-exit unit for releasing outgoing light from inside said sample-holding unit to outside said sample-holding unit.

3. The sensor in accordance with claim 1 or 2, wherein in a flowing direction of said sample supplied from said sample-supplying port in said sample-holding unit, said optical measuring unit is located at substantially the same position with said reagent-holding unit, or located downstream of said reagent-holding unit.

4. The sensor in accordance with any of claims 1 to 3, wherein said reagent-holding unit comprises a reagent that specifically reacts with said analyte.

5. The sensor in accordance with any of claims 1 to 4, wherein said detecting unit comprises at least a pair of electrodes.

6. The sensor in accordance with any of claims 1 to 5, wherein said detecting unit comprises an ion-selective electrode.

7. A measuring device comprising:

a sensor-attaching unit for attaching the sensor in accordance with any of claims 1 to 6;

a light source for releasing incident light that enters said optical measuring unit of said sensor;

a light-receiving unit for receiving the outgoing light released from said optical measuring unit;

a voltage-applying unit for applying a voltage to said detecting unit;

an electric-signal measuring unit for measuring an electric-signal from said detecting unit; and

a processing unit for detecting or quantifying said analyte based on at least one of said exit light received from said light-receiving unit and said electric-signal measured by said electric-signal measuring unit.

8. The measuring device in accordance with claim 7, wherein a suction unit for sucking said sample is provided in said sample-holding unit of said sensor attached to said sensor-attaching unit.

9. A measuring method for an analyte using a sensor comprising:

a sample-holding unit including a space for holding a sample including a first analyte and a second analyte;

a sample-supplying port for supplying said sample to said sample-holding unit, the port being connected to the space;

a detecting unit for carrying out an electrochemical measurement, the detecting unit being provided in said sample-holding unit;

a light-entrance unit for introducing incident light to said sample-holding unit, the light-entrance unit being provided in said sample-holding unit;

a light-exit unit for releasing outgoing light from inside said sample-holding unit to outside said sample-holding unit, the light-exit unit being provided in said sample-holding unit; and

a reagent-holding unit for holding a reagent for said optical measurement, the reagent-holding unit being provided in said sample-holding unit;

wherein in a flowing direction of said sample supplied from said sample-supplying port in said sample-holding unit, said sample-supplying port, said detecting unit, and said reagent-holding unit are positioned in the order recited;

the method comprising the steps of;

(A) supplying said sample to said sample-holding unit;

(B) applying a voltage to said detecting unit;

(C) measuring an electric-signal from said detecting unit;

(D) detecting or quantifying said second analyte based on said electric-signal measured in said step (C);

(E) applying incident light to said sample held in said sample-holding unit via said light-entrance unit;

(F) measuring outgoing light released from inside said sample-holding unit to outside said sample-holding unit via said light-exit unit, caused by the application of said incident light; and

(G) detecting or quantifying said first analyte based on said outgoing light measured in said step (F).

10. The measuring method in accordance with claim 9, wherein upon detecting said electric-signal in said step (C), said incident light is applied in said step (E).

11. The measuring method in accordance with claim 9 or 10, further comprising a step of correcting one of quantification result of said first analyte and quantification result of said second analyte, based on the quantification result of the other.