BIOSENSOR

• US 20100078322A1
• Filed: 06/23/2006
• Published: 04/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PHC Holdings Corporation
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Tokunaga, Hiroyuki, Higashihara, Akihisa, Yamanishi, Eriko
• Granted Patent: US 8,007,645 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 204/403.140
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/3272 Test elements therefor, i.e. disposable laminated substrates with electrodes, reagent and channels optical biosensors G01N33/52

Abstract

It is an object of the present invention to provide an excellent biosensor which can perform supply of a sample solution accurately and easily. A biosensor which has a capillary (7) for collecting a sample solution and analyzes a specific substance in the sample solution is provided with, in addition to an air hole (9), at least two supply ports, i.e., a sample supply port (13) and an auxiliary sample supply port (14), so that supply of the sample solution can be performed from either of the supply ports (13) and (14). Even when the sample supply port (13) is closed up with a fingertip or the like and supply of the sample solution is stopped, the sample solution can be quickly supplied from the other auxiliary sample supply port (14).

Claims

1. A biosensor which is formed by bonding a first insulating substrate and a second insulating substrate together, and comprises a sample supply port which opens at one ends of the both substrates, to which a sample solution is applied, a capillary communicated with the sample supply port, into which the applied sample solution is introduced by capillary phenomenon, and an air hole which is positioned at an end of the capillary and communicated with air inside the capillary, said supply port, said capillary, and said air hole being formed by the bonding of the both insulating substrates,

wherein at least one auxiliary sample supply port communicated with said capillary, through which the applied sample solution is introduced into the capillary, is provided in the vicinity of said sample supply port.

2. A biosensor as defined in claim 1 wherein said auxiliary sample supply port is obtained by forming a through-hole in the first insulating substrate or the second insulating substrate so as to leave a portion of the insulating substrate between the auxiliary sample supply portion and the sample supply port.

3. A biosensor as defined in claim 2 wherein said auxiliary sample supply ports are formed in both of the first insulating substrate and the second insulating substrate.

4. A biosensor as defined in claim 1 wherein

a spacer having a groove to provide said sample supply port, said auxiliary sample supply port, and said capillary is disposed between the first insulating substrate and the second insulating substrate, and

said auxiliary sample supply port is provided at the ends of the both substrates.

5. A biosensor as defined in claim 1 wherein a total of aperture areas of said at least one auxiliary sample supply port is 0.01 mm² to 3 mm².

6. A biosensor as defined in claim 1 wherein a distance between said sample supply port and said auxiliary sample supply port is 0.05 to 5 mm.

7. A biosensor as defined in claim 2 wherein said through-hole for the auxiliary sample supply port is fabricated using a laser.

8. A biosensor as defined in claim 1 wherein a surface-activating treatment is applied to at least a portion of the surface of the first insulating substrate or the second insulating substrate, which portion faces the capillary.

9. A biosensor as defined in claim 1 wherein electrodes and a reagent layer for electrochemically analyzing a specific substance in the sample solution are provided on the surface of the first insulating substrate or the second insulating substrate, which surface faces the capillary.

10. A biosensor as defined in claim 9 wherein the first insulating substrate and the second insulating substrate have different shapes in the position at the end of the biosensor where the sample supply port is formed.

11. A biosensor as defined in claim 10 wherein the electrodes or the reagent layer are/is not provided on the first or second insulating substrate which is opposed to the auxiliary sample supply port.

12. A biosensor as defined in claim 1 wherein a surface-activating treatment is applied to an inner wall of the auxiliary sample supply port.