ELECTRICAL CONNECTION SYSTEM FOR AN ELECTROCHEMICAL ANALYSIS SYSTEM

• US 20100236941A1
• Filed: 06/01/2010
• Published: 09/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Operations Incorporated (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Operations Incorporated (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: Wieder, Herbert, Riebel, Stefan, Thoes, Bruno Robert, Bainczyk, Gregor, Augstein, Manfred
• Granted Patent: US 8,545,774 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 205/775
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/4875 Details of handling test elements, e.g. dispensing or storage, not specific to a particular test method test-elements per se B01L, automatic analysers G01N35/00, in-vivo analysis on the human body for medical diagnosis A61B
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

An electrical connection system for an analysis system and a method for analysis of a liquid sample on an analytical test element using the described analysis system are disclosed. The analysis system provides an evaluation appliance for evaluation of electrical signals, a test element holder for holding and positioning of an analytical test element in a measurement position, and an electrical contact element which makes electrical contact with an electrical contact surface of an analytical test element to produce an electrical connection between the contact surface and the evaluation appliance. The contact element is moved by means such that contact with the electrical contact surface of the test element is made when the test element holder is in the measurement position.

Claims

1. An analysis system which analyzes a liquid sample provided on an analytical test element, said system comprising:

an evaluation appliance which evaluates electrical signals;

a test element holder which holds and moves the test element from an initial position to a measurement position within the analysis system; and

an electrical contact element which is moveably retained by the test element holder, wherein the electrical contact element moves relative to the test element holder and into contact with a contact surface of the test element when the test element is moved from the initial position to the measurement position by the test element holder which makes an electrical connection between the contact surface and the evaluation appliance such that the liquid sample provided on the test element is analyzed by the evaluation appliance via electrical signals from the test element.

2. The analysis system of claim 1, wherein the electrical contact element is moved by moving means selected from a contact-pressure element, a slide, and an electrical contact when the test element is moved to the measurement position.

3. The analysis system of claim 1, wherein the contact element moves relative to the test element holder at substantially right angles to the contact surface.

4. The analysis system of claim 1, wherein the contact element moves towards the contact surface via a rotary movement.

5. The analysis system of claim 1, further comprising a housing, the test element holder and the contact element being provided in said housing, and the test element holder being moveable relative to the housing.

6. The analysis system of claim 5, wherein the contact element is partially fixedly mounted on the housing and is resiliently flexible such that movement of the test element holder relative to the housing from the initial position to the measurement position resiliently deforms the contact element into contact with the contact surface.

7. The analysis system of claim 1, further comprising a housing and wherein the test element holder comprising a slide that is moveable between the initial position and an end position within the housing, the end position comprising the measurement position, the slide defines a holding space bounded by a stop and has an inlet opening which receives the test element, wherein the contact element is set at a distance from the contact surface of the test element when the test element is held in the holding space and the slide is in the initial position, and wherein the contact element presses against the contact surface when the slide is in the end position to make the electrical connection between the contact surface and the evaluation appliance.

8. The analysis system of claim 7, wherein the contact element is at least partially mounted on the slide.

9. The analysis system of claim 7, wherein the contact element is mounted on the slide and recessed relative to the test element in a depression in the holding space when the slide is in the initial position.

10. The analysis system of claim 7, wherein the contact element is partially fixedly mounted on the housing and is resiliently flexible such that movement of the slide from the initial position to the end position resiliently deforms the contact element into contact with the contact surface.

11. The analysis system of claim 7, wherein the contact element is resiliently flexible and at one end the contact element contacts an electrical contact in electrical communication with the evaluation appliance when the slide is in the end position, and at another end the contact element resiliently is deformed toward the contact surface when the slide is in the end position by a contact-pressure element fixedly mounted to the housing.

12. The analysis system of claim 7, wherein the contact element is rotatably mounted to the slide, and the contact element is moved by an electrical contact in electrical communication with the evaluation appliance, the contact element comprising one end that contacts the electrical contact when the slide is in the end position and which contacting causes an other end of the contact element to rotate towards the contact surface.

13. The analysis system of claim 7, wherein the contact element extends through and is moveably maintained within an opening in the slide, and wherein the system further comprises a contact-pressure element which is fixedly mounted within the housing and outside the slide and which moves the contact element into contact with the contact surface of the test element when the test element is moved to the measurement position.

14. The analysis system of claim 7, wherein the contact element extends through and is moveably maintained within an opening in the slide, wherein the system further comprises a contact-pressure element which is fixedly mounted within the housing and outside the slide, and wherein the contact-pressure element has a guide surface which displaces the contact element into the holding space towards the contact surface as the slide is moved from the initial position to the end position.

15. The analysis system of claim 14, wherein the contact-pressure element comprising an electrically conductive material and is in electrical communication with the evaluation appliance.

16. The analysis system of claim 14, wherein the contact-pressure element comprising an inclined plane which guides the contact element as the slide is moved from the initial position to the end position.

17. The analysis system of claim 1, further comprising a test element magazine which holds at least two test elements, and a test element removal device which removes a test element from the test element magazine and transports the test element to the measurement position in the test element holder.

18. The analysis system of claim 17, further comprising moving means which move the contact element, and wherein the test element removal device comprising a drive operatively connected to the moving means.

19. The analysis system of claim 18, wherein the contact element comprises a toggle lever, and the moving means comprises a rod moveable in a substantially longitudinal direction and which has a rod end that moves the contact element into contact with the contact surface of a test element when positioned in the measurement position in the test element holder.

20. The analysis system of claim 1, wherein the evaluation appliance comprises an electrochemical evaluation circuit which performs analysis of the liquid sample on the test element based at least partially on the electrical signals transmitted from the test element.

21. A method for analysis of a liquid sample on an analytical test element, comprising:

moving the analytical test element to a measurement position in a test element holder in an analysis system;

moving a contact element relative to the test element holder towards a contact surface of the test element in order to make electrical contact with the analytical test element and in order to produce an electrical connection between the contact surface and an evaluation appliance; and

using the evaluation appliance to evaluate an electrical signal transmitted from the test element via the electrical connection.

22. A method for electrical connection of a contact surface of a test element in an evaluation appliance of an analysis system, comprising:

providing the analysis system which comprises a housing, a slide arranged in the housing, and the evaluation appliance which provides a contact element;

inserting the test element into a holding space as far as a stop in the slide, the slide being moveable between an initial position and an end position, the slide being located in the initial position upon insertion of the test element and the contact element being set at a distance from the contact surface of the test element when the slide is in the initial position; and

moving the slide with the test element contained in it from the initial position into the end position, wherein the contact element moves towards the contact surface of the test element and presses against the contact surface when the slide is moved into the end position.