Method for forming an electrode-containing device with capillary transport between electrodes

• US 4,413,407 A
• Filed: 11/09/1981
• Issued: 11/08/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/1980
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Clinical Diagnostic Systems Inc.
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Columbus, Richard L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Husar, Francis S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Arbes, Carl J.
• Application Number:
  US06/319,568
• Time in Patent Office: 729 Days
• Field of Search: 29/825, 29/592, 204/195 R, 204/195 B, 204/195 L, 204/195 G, 204/195 M, 324/425, 324/438, 324/439, 324/450, 156/244.22, 156/244.25, 156/292
• US Class Current: 29/825
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0684 Venting, avoiding backpressure, avoid gas bubbles
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/12 Specific details about manufacturing devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0645 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0816 Cards, e.g. flat sample carriers usually with flow in two horizontal directions
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0825 Test strips
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0887 Laminated structure
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/089 Virtual walls for guiding liquids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0406 capillary forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0688 surface tension valves, capillary stop, capillary break
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50273 characterised by the means or forces applied to move the fluids micropumps F04B19/006, of the membrane type F04B43/043
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/307 Disposable laminated or multilayered electrodes G01N27/3272 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

A device suitable for potentiometric analysis of liquid ions is disclosed, wherein a liquid transport member extending between and adjacent to two electrodes comprises two opposed surfaces spaced apart a distance to induce capillary flow of liquid between the surfaces.

Claims

1. A method for making a device for the determination of activity of an ionic analyte of a liquid, said device including a pair of solid electrodes each constructed to generate therein an electrical potential that is proportional to the analyte activity present in a contacting quantity of said liquid, and flow control means for directing flow of respective quantities of two such liquids each to a different one of said electrodes and to a junction between said liquids, said control means including a member bridging and contacting said two electrodes;

the method comprising the steps of

(a) providing a first sheet of formable insulative material having a width and length;

(b) forming in said sheet a plurality of adjacent channels extending generally the length of said sheet, a surface of one of said channels being configured to transport liquid;

(c) superimposing above said formed sheet a second insulative sheet a surface portion of which is channeled to transport liquid and is opposite to and spaced away from said one surface a distance effective to induce capillary flow of the liquid between said portion and said one channel surface;

(d) securing said second sheet to said first sheet to define a capillary liquid transport zone extending in the direction of the length of said first sheet; and

, in any order,

(e) forming apertures extending all the way through said secured first and second sheets;

(f) severing individual units from said secured sheets; and

(g) completing the manufacture of a plurality of said devices by attaching a pair of said electrodes to an exterior surface of said first sheet of each of said individual units, each of said electrodes being aligned with one of said apertures.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said second sheet is the mirror image of said first sheet.

3. A method as defined in claim 1 or 2, wherein said sheets are formed by extrusion.

4. A method as defined in claim 1 or 2, wherein at least each of said steps (a) and (b) is performed as a continuous process.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said channels of said sheet are at least 95% void by volume.