Method for manufacturing an electro chemical sensor

• US 5,310,471 A
• Filed: 05/26/1993
• Issued: 05/10/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Minimed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Biomedical Sensors Limited (Allegro Biodiesel Corp.)
• Inventors: Markle, David R., Hendry, Stuart P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gorgos, Kathryn
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bell, Bruce F.
• Application Number:
  US08/067,649
• Time in Patent Office: 349 Days
• Field of Search: 204/415, 204/403, 128/635, 128/637
• US Class Current: 29/856
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14542 for measuring blood gases A61B5/14551 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: Y10T 29/4911 including sealing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49172 by molding of insulating material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49176 with molding of electrically insulating material

Abstract

A method for manufacturing an electrochemical sensor which comprises folding into a "U" shape an exposed, uninsulated portion of an elongate, insulated conductor to form an anode having an exposed, uninsulated distal end surface, positioning the end surface of the anode to face the exposed, uninsulated distal end surface of an elongate insulated conductor forming a cathode, placing the anode and facing cathode within a tube defined by a gas permeable membrane, filling the tube with an electrolyte and sealing the distal end of the tube.

Claims

1. A method for manfacturing an electrochemical sensor comprising an anode and a cathode immersed in an electrolyte, which method comprises the following steps:

folding a first elongate, insulated conductor having an exposed uninsulated distal portion terminating in an exposed uninsulated distal end surface and a proximal end into a "U" shape so that the uninsulated distal portion forms one arm of the "U" and the exposed uninsulated end surface faces the same direction as the proximal end;

positioning a second elongate, insulated conductor with an exposed, uninsulated distal portion terminating in an exposed, uninsulated end surface adjacent the first elongate, insulated conductor, so that the exposed uninsulated distal end surface each of the first conductor and second conductor faces each other to form an anode and a facing cathode, respectively with a gap therebetween;

placing the positioned anode and the facing cathode within a hollow tube having a longitudinal axis and defined by a gas permeable membrane with the anode and cathode parallel to the axis of the tube;

sealing the insulated portions of the first and second conductors within the proximal end of the tube;

filling the tube with electrolyte so that the gap between the anode and the cathode is filled with electrolyte; and

sealing the distal end of tube to form a closed chamber containing the anode, cathode and electrolyte.