SENSOR CARTRIDGE AND MEASURING DEVICE

• US 20110094881A1
• Filed: 10/22/2010
• Published: 04/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ARKRAY, Inc
• Original Assignee: ARKRAY, Inc
• Inventors: WATANABE, Shinichi
• Granted Patent: US 9,034,158 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 204/403.02
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/3271 Amperometric enzyme electrodes for analytes in body fluids, e.g. glucose in blood amperometry per se G01N27/49; aspects concerning the enzyme reagent C12Q1/001
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/3273 Devices therefor, e.g. test element readers, circuitry details not specific to biochemical electrodes G01N33/4875
• 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: G01N 33/48757 Test elements dispensed from a stack

Abstract

A sensor cartridge for supplying a sensor is used. The sensor cartridge includes a casing within which the plurality of sensors can be arranged, and that allows a sample to be introduced to a sensor located at a preset location, and a connection structure. The connection structure electrically connects an external device and a sensor electrode of the sensor located at the preset location. The casing is formed so as to be held by the external device when the external device and the sensor electrode of the sensor are electrically connected via the connection structure.

Claims

1. A sensor cartridge for supplying a sensor, comprising:

a casing within which the plurality of sensors can be arranged and that allows a sample to be introduced to a sensor located at a preset location; and

a connection structure that electrically connects an external device and a sensor electrode included in the sensor located at the preset location,

wherein the casing is formed so as to be held by the device when the device and the sensor electrode of the sensor located at the preset location are electrically connected via the connection structure.

2. The sensor cartridge according to claim 1,

wherein the casing is configured such that the plurality of sensors can be arranged in a line, and

the connection structure electrically connects the device and the sensor electrode included in a sensor located at the head of the line.

3. The sensor cartridge according to claim 1,

wherein the casing is configured to allow the plurality of sensors to be arranged in a stacking direction, and to allow the sample to be introduced to a sensor located at the top or at the bottom, and

the connection structure electrically connects the device and the sensor electrode of the sensor located at the top or at the bottom.

4. The sensor cartridge according to claim 1, wherein a member that presses the sensor located at the preset location is provided within the casing such that the sensor electrode of the sensor located at the preset location is pressed against part of the connection structure.

5. The sensor cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the connection structure comprises wiring provided on an outer surface of the casing, and the wiring is connected to the sensor electrode of the sensor located at the preset location.

6. The sensor cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the connection structure comprises a conduction path penetrating through a wall of the casing, and is connected via the conduction path to the sensor electrode of the sensor located at the preset location.

7. The sensor cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the connection structure comprises, within the casing, an electrode that comes into contact with the sensor electrode of the sensor located at the preset location, and an electrode for being connected to the device.

8. The sensor cartridge according to claim 7, wherein one or both of the electrode that comes into contact with the sensor electrode of the sensor located at the preset location and the electrode for being connected to the device are configured to be elastically deformable by pressure.

9. The sensor cartridge according to claim 1,

wherein the sensor cartridge further comprises a delivery mechanism, and

the delivery mechanism discharges the sensor located at the preset location, and causes a sensor placed adjacent to the discharged sensor to be located at the preset location.

10. The sensor cartridge according to claim 9,

wherein the casing comprises a sheet member on a principal surface of which the plurality of sensors can be placed, and

the delivery mechanism causes the sensor placed adjacent to the discharged sensor to be located at the preset location by moving the sheet member.

11. The sensor cartridge according to claim 1, further comprising, within the casing, an information presentation portion that presents information relating to the plurality of sensors housed in the casing.

12. The sensor cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the casing is formed so as to be able to house at least part of the device when the device and the sensor electrode of the sensor located at the preset location are electrically connected via the connection structure.

13. The sensor cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the casing is formed such that at least part of the casing is housed within the device when the device and the sensor electrode of the sensor located at the preset location are electrically connected via the connection structure.

14. The sensor cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the casing comprises an opening that allows the sample to be introduced to the sensor located at the preset location.

15. A measuring device for measuring living body numerical information by using a sensor, comprising:

a sensor cartridge that supplies the sensor; and

a device body that holds the sensor cartridge,

wherein the sensor cartridge comprises;

a casing within which the plurality of sensors can be arranged, and that allows a sample to be introduced to a sensor located at a preset location; and

a connection structure that electrically connects the device body and a sensor electrode included in the sensor located at the preset location,

the casing is formed so as to be held by the device body when the device body and the sensor electrode of the sensor located at the preset location are electrically connected via the connection structure, and

the device body comprises an electrode that comes into contact with part of the connection structure when the device body holds the sensor cartridge.