Connectors for Making Connections Between Analyte Sensors and Other Devices

• US 20120323098A1
• Filed: 06/18/2012
• Published: 12/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Abbott Diabetes Care Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Abbott Diabetes Care Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Pace, Louis G., Hoss, Udo, Moein, Mohammad E., Le, Phu X., Curry, Samuel M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,007,781 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/345
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/164 the sensor is mounted in or on a conformable substrate or carrier
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/227 Sensors with electrical connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14546 for measuring analytes not otherwise provided for, e.g. ions, cytochromes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1468 using chemical or electrochemical methods, e.g. by polarographic means A61B5/1486 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1473 invasive, e.g. introduced into the body by a catheter A61B5/1482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1486 using enzyme electrodes, e.g. with immobilised oxidase
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4839 combined with drug delivery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6848 Needles
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/72 Detachable connecting means consisting of mechanical auxiliary parts connecting the device, e.g. pressure contacts using springs or clips
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/07811 Extrinsic, i.e. with electrical conductive fillers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/12042 LASER
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/053 Tails
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10151 Sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10401 Eyelets, i.e. rings inserted into a hole through a circuit board
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10409 Screws
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/325 by abutting or pinching, i.e. without alloying process; mechanical auxiliary parts therefor adaptations of leads inserted in holes for press-fit connections H05K3/308
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/365 by abutting, i.e. without alloying process
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4913 Assembling to base an electrical component, e.g., capacitor, etc.

Abstract

Analyte sensor connectors that connect analyte sensors, e.g., conductive members of analyte sensors, to other devices such as sensor electronics units, e.g., sensor control units, are provided. Also provided are systems that include analyte sensors, analyte sensor connectors, and analyte sensor electronics units, as well as methods of establishing and maintaining connections between analyte sensors and analyte sensor electronics units, and methods of analyte monitoring/detection. Also provided are methods of making analyte sensor connectors and systems that include analyte sensor connectors.

Claims

1. An analyte monitoring device comprising:

an analyte sensor comprising

a first electrode, and

a dielectric substrate layer having a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first electrode is positioned on the first surface of the dielectric substrate layer;

a printed circuit board (PCB) comprising a first surface and a second surface; and

a rivet, wherein the analyte sensor is attached to the PCB by the rivet.

2. The analyte monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the rivet comprises a conductive material and wherein the rivet provides an electrical connection between the first electrode and the PCB through the dielectric substrate layer.

3. The analyte monitoring device of claim 2, wherein the conductive material is copper.

4. The analyte monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the analyte sensor comprises a second electrode positioned on the second surface of the dielectric substrate layer.

5. The analyte monitoring device of claim 2, wherein the analyte sensor comprises a second electrode positioned on the second surface of the dielectric substrate layer.

6. The analyte monitoring device of claim 5, wherein the conductive material is copper.

38. The analyte monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the first electrode comprises carbon or gold.

7. An analyte monitoring device comprising:

an analyte sensor comprising

first, second, third and fourth dielectric layers, each layer having a first surface and a second surface,

a first electrode positioned between the first surface of the first dielectric layer and the second surface of the second dielectric layer,

a second electrode positioned between the second surface of the first dielectric layer and the first surface of the third dielectric layer,

a third electrode positioned between the second surface of the third dielectric layer and the first surface of the fourth dielectric layer;

a printed circuit board (PCB) comprising a first surface and a second surface; and

a rivet, wherein the analyte sensor is attached to the PCB by the rivet.

8. The analyte monitoring device of claim 7, wherein the rivet comprises a conductive material and wherein the rivet provides an electrical connection between the first electrode and the PCB through one or more of the dielectric layers.

9. The analyte monitoring device of claim 8, wherein the rivet provides an electrical connection between the first electrode and the second surface of the PCB.

10. The analyte monitoring device of claim 9, wherein the second electrode and the third electrode each comprise an electrical contact configured to contact the first surface of the PCB.

11. The analyte monitoring device of claim 8, wherein the conductive material is copper.

12. The analyte monitoring device of claim 8, wherein the first electrode is a counter electrode, the second electrode is a working electrode, and the third electrode is a reference electrode.

13. The analyte monitoring device of claim 12, wherein the working electrode and the reference electrode each comprise an electrical contact configured to contact the first surface of the PCB.

39. The analyte monitoring device of claim 7, wherein the first, second and third electrodes comprise carbon or gold.

14. A method of making an analyte monitoring device comprising:

providing an analyte sensor comprising

a first electrode, and

a dielectric substrate layer having a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first electrode is positioned on the first surface of the dielectric substrate layer, and wherein the dielectric layer comprises a through-hole;

providing a printed circuit board (PCB) comprising a through-hole, a first surface and a second surface; and

attaching the analyte sensor to the PCB by forming a rivet which extends through the respective through-holes of the dielectric substrate layer and the PCB.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the rivet comprises a conductive material and wherein the rivet provides an electrical connection between the first electrode and the PCB through the dielectric substrate layer.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the conductive material is copper.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the analyte sensor comprises a second electrode positioned on the second surface of the dielectric substrate layer.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the analyte sensor comprises a second electrode positioned on the second surface of the dielectric substrate layer.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the conductive material is copper.

40. The method of claim 14, wherein the first electrode comprises carbon or gold.

20. A method of making an analyte monitoring device comprising:

providing an analyte sensor comprising

first, second, third and fourth dielectric layers, each dielectric layer having a first surface and a second surface,

a first electrode positioned between the first surface of the first dielectric layer and the second surface of the second dielectric layer, wherein the first dielectric layer comprises a through-hole,

a second electrode positioned between the second surface of the first dielectric layer and the first surface of the third dielectric layer,

a third electrode positioned between the second surface of the third dielectric layer and the first surface of the fourth dielectric layer;

providing a printed circuit board (PCB) comprising a through-hole, a first surface and a second surface; and

attaching the analyte sensor to the PCB by forming a rivet which extends through the respective through-holes of the first dielectric layer and the PCB.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the rivet comprises a conductive material and wherein the rivet provides an electrical connection between the first electrode and the PCB through one or more of the dielectric layers.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the rivet provides an electrical connection between the first electrode and the second surface of the PCB.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the second electrode and the third electrode each comprise an electrical contact configured to contact the first surface of the PCB.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the conductive material is copper.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the first electrode is a counter electrode, the second electrode is a working electrode, and the third electrode is a reference electrode.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the working electrode and the reference electrode each comprise an electrical contact configured to contact the first surface of the PCB.

41. The method of claim 20, wherein the first, second, and third electrodes comprise carbon or gold.

27. An analyte sensor comprising:

a dielectric base substrate having a proximal end, a distal end, a first side edge extending from the proximal end to the distal end, a second side edge extending from the proximal end to the distal end, and a first thickness;

a first conductive layer positioned on the dielectric base substrate, the first conductive layer having a length (L₁) and a width (W₁);

a first dielectric cover layer positioned to cover at least a portion of the first conductive layer, wherein the first dielectric cover layer has a proximal end, a distal end, a first side edge extending from the proximal end to the distal end, a second side edge extending from the proximal end to the distal end, and a second thickness which is less than that of the dielectric base substrate;

a second conductive layer positioned on the first dielectric cover layer, the second conductive layer having a length (L₂) and a width (W₂); and

a second dielectric cover layer positioned to cover at least a portion of the second conductive layer, wherein the second dielectric cover layer has a second thickness which is less than that of the dielectric base substrate, wherein W₁ is less than W₂ or W₂ is less than W₁.

28. The analyte sensor of claim 27, wherein when W₁ is less than W₂ the first conductive layer is spaced away from the first and second side edges of the dielectric base substrate.

29. The analyte sensor of claim 28, wherein the second conductive layer terminates at a distal end which is spaced back from the distal end of the first conductive layer.

30. The analyte sensor of claim 27, wherein when W₂ is less than W₁ the second conductive layer is spaced away from the first and second side edges of the first dielectric cover layer.

31. The analyte sensor of claim 30, wherein the second conductive layer terminates at a distal end which is spaced back from the distal end of the first conductive layer.

42. The analyte sensor of claim 27, wherein the first and second conductive layers comprise carbon or gold.

32. A system comprising:

a sensor connector;

an analyte sensor; and

an electronics unit, wherein the sensor connector is configured to physically, electrically, or physically and electrically connect the analyte sensor and the electronics unit.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the sensor connector is a rivet comprising a first end and a second end.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the rivet comprises a conductive material.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the rivet physically and electrically connects the analyte sensor and the electronics unit.

36. The system of claim 33, wherein the rivet comprises a rivet head positioned at the first end and a shaft extending from the rivet head to the second end, and wherein an angle formed by the rivet head and the shaft is less than 90 degrees.

37. The system of claim 33, wherein the rivet comprises a rivet head positioned at the first end and a shaft extending from the rivet head to the second end, and wherein the shaft comprises a hole at the second end, the hole extending from the second end towards the first end terminating between the first end and the second end.