Biological fluid measuring device
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A biological fluid measuring device comprising:
- (a) a main housing including electronic circuit means associated with at least two electrodes;
(b) a disposable cartridge having a homogeneous, monolithic membrane and being removably mounted on the housing with the membrane operably associated with the electrodes, the cartridge including means for protecting the membrane when not in use and means for maintaining the membrane in operative association with the electrodes at the electrode-membrane interface by osmotic pressure during storage and use, the maintaining means including an osmotic agent which does not permeate the membrane; and
(c) means for supporting the electrodes so that the supporting means, the electrodes, the maintaining means and the membrane are in operative contact to provide an electrode assembly.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A biological fluid measuring device for determining the presence and the amounts of substances in a biological fluid without the need for dilution of the fluid comprises a main housing including electronic circuit means and at least one electrode, and a cartridge having a membrane. The cartridge is removably mounted on the housing and the membrane is maintained operably associated by osmotic pressure with the electrode. The cartridge also includes means for protecting the membrane when the device is not in use. An enzyme electrode is also disclosed comprising a multilayered homogeneous monolithic membrane and an intermediate water-swellable coating.
1133 Citations
72 Claims
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1. A biological fluid measuring device comprising:
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(a) a main housing including electronic circuit means associated with at least two electrodes; (b) a disposable cartridge having a homogeneous, monolithic membrane and being removably mounted on the housing with the membrane operably associated with the electrodes, the cartridge including means for protecting the membrane when not in use and means for maintaining the membrane in operative association with the electrodes at the electrode-membrane interface by osmotic pressure during storage and use, the maintaining means including an osmotic agent which does not permeate the membrane; and (c) means for supporting the electrodes so that the supporting means, the electrodes, the maintaining means and the membrane are in operative contact to provide an electrode assembly. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A biological fluid measuring device comprising:
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(a) a case having an upper portion and a lower portion together defining a cavity, the upper portion also defining a recessed cell having a base surface; (b) at least two electrodes mounted on the upper portion of the case and extending upwardly from the base surface; (c) electronic circuit means carried by the case within the cavity and operably associated with the electrodes for processing a signal from the electrodes; (d) display means carried by the case and operably associated with the electronic circuit means for displaying a result; (e) a disposable cartridge having a body portion defining a receiving surface, the cartridge also including a homogeneous, monolithic membrane mounted on the receiving surface, means for maintaining the membrane in operative association with the electrodes by osmotic pressure at the electrode-membrane interface during storage and use, the maintaining means including an osmotic agent which does not permeate the membrane, and a cover movably mounted on the body portion, the body portion being removably mounted in the recessed cell of the upper portion of the case with the membrane operably associated with the electrodes; and (f) means for supporting the electrodes so that the supporting means, the electrodes, the maintaining means and the membrane are in operative contact to provide an electrode assembly. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A biological fluid measuring device comprising:
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(a) a case defining a cavity; (b) at least two electrodes mounted on the case; (c) means for supporting the electrodes; (d) electronic circuit means carried in the cavity and operably associated with the electrodes for processing a signal from the electrodes; (e) display means carried by the case and operably associated with the electronic circuit means; (f) a body portion defining an opening being removably mounted on the case; (g) a homogeneous, monolithic membrane mounted on the body portion and being operably associated with the electrodes;
means for maintaining the membrane in association with the electrodes by osmotic pressure at the electrode-membrane interface including an osmotic agent that does not permeate the membrane whereby the supporting means, the electrodes, the maintaining means and the membrane are in operative contact during use to provide an electrode assembly, the membrane and the opening together defining a well; and(h) a cover movably mounted on one of the case and body portion, the cover having a first position which permits access to the well and a second position which protects the well from the ambient surroundings. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
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29. A cartridge for use as part of a biological fluid measuring device having a housing carrying electronic circuit means and at least two electrodes, the cartridge comprising:
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(a) a body portion having a side wall defining an opening; (b) a homogeneous, monolithic membrane mounted on the body portion across the opening, whereby the sidewall and membrane together define a well, the well including means received above and in contact with the membrane for maintaining the membrane in operative association with the electrode by osmotic pressure at the electrode-membrane interface during storage and use, the maintaining means including an osmotic agent which does not permeate the membrane; (c) means for mounting the body portion on the housing with the membrane operably associated with the electrode; and (d) a cover movably mounted on the body portion and having a first position which permits access to the well and the second position which protects the well from the ambient surroundings. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A biological fluid measuring device comprising:
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(a) a working electrode; (b) a counter electrode; (c) a reference electrode; (d) a homogeneous, monolithic membrane maintained in operable association with the working electrode, counter electrode and reference electrode by osmotic pressure means at the membrane-electrode interface, the osmotic pressure means including an osmotic agent which does not permeate the membrane; (e) means for supporting the working electrode, the counter electrode and the reference electrodes so that each electrode is in operative contact with the membrane to provide an electrode assembly; (f) processing circuit means operably associated with the working electrode and the counter electrode for analyzing the current at the working electrode and counter electrode when a body fluid is placed on the membrane; (g) calibration circuit means operably associated with the working electrode and counter electrode and the processing circuit means for calibrating the processing circuit means when a reference solution is placed on the membrane; and (h) display means operably associated with the processing circuit means for displaying a result. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38)
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39. A device for determining the amount of a substance in a biological fluid comprising:
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(a) a main housing including electronic circuit means associated with at least two electrodes; (b) a disposable cartridge having a homogeneous, monolithic membrane and being removably mounted on the housing with the membrane operably associated with the electrodes, the cartridge including means for protecting the membrane when not in use and means for maintaining the membrane in operative association with the electrodes at the electrode-membrane interface by osmotic pressure during storage and use; and (c) means for supporting the electrodes so that the supporting means, the electrodes, the maintaining means and the membrane are in operative contact to provide an electrode assembly wherein the amount of substance in the biological fluid can be determined without dilution or pretreatment of the fluid. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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53. A device for determining the amount of a substance in a biological fluid comprising:
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(a) a case having an upper portion and a lower portion together defining a cavity, the upper portion also defining a recessed cell having a base surface; (b) at least two electrodes mounted on the upper portion of the case and extending upwardly from the base surface; (c) electronic circuit means carried by the case within the cavity and operably associated with the electrodes for processing a signal from the electrodes; (d) display means carried by the case and operably associated with the electronic circuit means for displaying a result; (e) a disposable cartridge having a body portion defining a receiving surface, the cartridge also including a homogeneous, monolithic membrane mounted on the receiving surface, means for maintaining the membrane in operative association with the electrodes by osmotic pressure at the electrode-membrane interface during storage and use and a cover movably mounted on the body portion, the body portion being removably mounted in the recessed cell of the upper portion of the case with the membrane operably associated with the electrodes; and (f) means for supporting the electrodes so that the supporting means, the electrodes, the maintaining means and the membrane are in operative contact to provide an electrode assembly wherein the amount of substance in the biological fluid can be determined without dilution or pretreatment of the fluid. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
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62. A device for determining the amount of a substance in a biological fluid comprising:
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(a) a case defining a cavity; (b) at least two electrodes mounted on the case; (c) means for supporting the electrodes; (d) electronic circuit means carried in the cavity and operably associated with the electrodes for processing a signal from the electrodes; (e) display means carried by the case and operably associated with the electronic circuit means; (f) a body portion defining an opening being removably mounted on the case; (g) a homogeneous, monolithic membrane mounted on the body portion and being operably associated with the electrodes;
means for maintaining the membrane in association with the electrodes by osmotic pressure at the electrode-membrane interface so that the supporting means, the electrodes, the pressure means and the membrane are in operative contact during use to provide an electrode assembly, the membrane and the opening together defining a well; and(h) a cover movably mounted on one of the case and body portion, the cover having a first position which permits access to the well and a second position which protects the well from the ambient surroundings wherein the amount of substance in the biological fluid can be determined without dilution or pretreatment of the fluid. - View Dependent Claims (63)
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64. A cartridge for use as part of a device for determining the amount of a substance in a biological fluid having a housing carrying electronic circuit means and at least two electrodes, the cartridge comprising:
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(a) a body portion having a side wall defining an opening; (b) a homogeneous, monolithic membrane mounted on the body portion across the opening, whereby the sidewall and membrane together define a well, the well including means received above and in contact with the membrane for maintaining the membrane in operative association with the electrode by osmotic pressure at the electrode-membrane interface during storage and use; (c) means for mounting the body portion on the housing with the membrane operably associated with the electrode; and (d) a cover movably mounted on the body portion and having a first position which permits access to the well and the second position which protects the well from the ambient surroundings wherein the amount of substance in the biological fluid can be determined without dilution or pretreatment of the fluid. - View Dependent Claims (65, 66, 67, 68, 69)
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70. A device for determining the amount of a substance in a biological fluid comprising:
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(a) a working electrode; (b) a counter electrode; (c) a reference electrode; (d) a homogeneous, monolithic membrane maintained in operable association with the working electrode, counter electrode and reference electrode by osmotic pressure means at the membrane-electrode interface; (e) means for supporting the working electrode, the counter electrode and the reference electrodes so that each electrode is in operative contact with the membrane to provide an electrode assembly; (f) processing circuit means operably associated with the working electrode and the counter electrode for analyzing the current at the working electrode and counter electrode when a body fluid is placed on the membrane; (g) calibration circuit means operably associated with the working electrode and counter electrode and the processing circuit means for calibrating the processing circuit means when a reference solution is placed on the membrane; and (h) display means operably associated with the processing circuit means for displaying a result wherein the amount of substance in the biological fluid can be determined without dilution or pretreatment of the fluid. - View Dependent Claims (71, 72)
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Specification