Electronic wiring substrate with subminiature thru-holes
First Claim
1. An electronic wiring substrate having a plurality of analyte sensors for measuring characteristics of a fluid, the substrate having at least a first side defined by a planar surface and a second side, the electronic wiring substrate including:
- a plurality of analyte sensors deposited on the first side planar surface of the substrate;
a plurality of subminiature thru-holes having a diameter between about 0.002 to about 0.006 inch, each subminiature thru-hole positioned to lie under one of the plurality of analyte sensors;
conductive material disposed within at least one of said subminiature thru-holes, the conductive material is the same material from which the analyte sensor at the point of contact between the conductive material and the analyte sensor is made and the conductive material being in electrical contact with the analyte sensor which lies over the subminiature thru-hole within which the conductive material is disposed; and
at least one electrical conductor forming a first layer of the second side of the substrate, at least one of said electrical conductors being associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of subminiature thru-holes and being electrically coupled to the conductive material disposed within the corresponding one of the plurality of subminiature thru-holes, such that an electrical pathway is formed between the analyte sensor positioned over the subminiature thru-hole and the conductor associated with the subminiature thru-hole.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention is an electronic wiring substrate for sensors formed over a subminiature through hole. Because of the small diameter of the through hole, the material that fills the through hole and the through hole itself have an essentially negligible effect on the sensor. Only a small amount of conductive material which fills each through hole is in contact with each associated electrode. Therefore, the purity of the electrode is not significantly altered by the conductive material coupled to the electrode. A relatively large number of sensors can be formed on the surface of the substrate within a relatively small fluid flowcell. Thus, more information can be attained using less blood. The substrate is essentially impervious to aqueous electrolytes and blood over long periods of storage in potentially corrosive environments. Since the substrate does not break down or become unstable when exposed over time to such reactive environments, the isolation that is provided by the substrate remains very high between each sensor and each other sensor, between each sensor and each conduction path, and between each conduction path and each other conduction path. The superior isolation provided by the substrate provides for a high level of accuracy in the sensor of the present invention. This physical isolation of the sample from the conduction paths between the sensor electrodes and external devices ensures very high electrical isolation between each of the sensors is maintained over an extended period time during which corrosive fluids (such as electrolytes and/or blood) are present in the flowcell.
50 Citations
35 Claims
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1. An electronic wiring substrate having a plurality of analyte sensors for measuring characteristics of a fluid, the substrate having at least a first side defined by a planar surface and a second side, the electronic wiring substrate including:
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a plurality of analyte sensors deposited on the first side planar surface of the substrate; a plurality of subminiature thru-holes having a diameter between about 0.002 to about 0.006 inch, each subminiature thru-hole positioned to lie under one of the plurality of analyte sensors; conductive material disposed within at least one of said subminiature thru-holes, the conductive material is the same material from which the analyte sensor at the point of contact between the conductive material and the analyte sensor is made and the conductive material being in electrical contact with the analyte sensor which lies over the subminiature thru-hole within which the conductive material is disposed; and at least one electrical conductor forming a first layer of the second side of the substrate, at least one of said electrical conductors being associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of subminiature thru-holes and being electrically coupled to the conductive material disposed within the corresponding one of the plurality of subminiature thru-holes, such that an electrical pathway is formed between the analyte sensor positioned over the subminiature thru-hole and the conductor associated with the subminiature thru-hole. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A multiple sensor assembly for a portable blood gas and electrolyte analyzer, comprising
a wiring substrate formed of a commercial grade alumina, the substrate having at least a first side defined by a planar surface and a second side; -
a plurality of analyte sensors having a diameter between about 0.046 to about 0.078 inch, deposited on the first side planar surface of the substrate, the analyte sensors include at least a O2 sensor, a pH sensor, a CO2 sensor, a Na+ sensor, a K+ sensor and a Ca2+ sensor and at least one sensor having an electrode formed of silver, at least one sensor having an electrode formed of platinum, and at least one sensor having an electrode formed of gold; a plurality of subminiature thru-holes having a diameter between about 0.002 to about 0.006 inch, each subminiature thru-hole positioned to lie under one of the plurality of analyte sensors; conductive material disposed within said subminiature thru-holes, wherein the conductive material in at least one of said thru-holes is a composite of the same material from which the analyte sensor is made and at least a second conductive material, and the conductive material being in electrical contact with the analyte sensor which lies over the subminiature thru-hole within which the conductive material is disposed; at least one electrical conductor forming a first layer of the second side of the substrate, at least one of said electrical conductors being associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of subminiature thru-holes and being electrically coupled to the conductive material disposed within the corresponding one of the plurality of subminiature thru-holes, such that an electrical pathway is formed between the analyte sensor positioned over the subminiature thru-hole and the conductor associated with the subminiature thru-hole; a second layer of the second side of the substrate formed of electrically insulating material; at least one conductive via coupled to at least one of the plurality of electrical conductors forming the first layer of the second side of the substrate; and at least one electrical conductor disposed on the second layer of the second side of the substrate forming a third layer on the second side of the substrate, and coupled to the conductive via, such that an electrical pathway is formed between the electrical conductor forming the third layer and the analyte sensor positioned over the subminiature thru-hole through the conductive via and the electrical conductor forming the first layer on the second side of the substrate. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification