Chemical signal-impermeable mask
First Claim
1. An assembly for use in a device for monitoring a chemical signal which diffuses through the skin of a subject, said assembly comprising:
- (a) an ionically conductive material having first and second opposing faces, wherein said first face comprises a chemical signal target area and said second face comprises a skin contact surface area;
(b) a mask characterized by being substantially impermeable to a chemical signal, said mask having first and second opposing faces and an opening extending between said first and second faces, wherein the first face of the mask is positioned on the skin contact surface of the ionically conductive material and the opening in the mask is less than or substantially equal to said skin contact surface area; and
(c) a first release liner positioned over the first face of the ionically conductive material, wherein said first release liner is easily removed prior to use of the assembly.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A chemical signal-impermeable mask is positioned in the electrolyte flow such that the mask is between a source of chemical signal and a working electrode which senses the chemical signal transported from the source (e.g., by diffusion). The configuration of the mask is such that the mask prevents substantially all chemical signal transport from the chemical signal source having a radial vector component relative to a plane of the mask and the catalytic face of the working electrode, thus allowing primarily only chemical signal transport that is substantially perpendicular to the place of the mask and the catalytic surface of the working electrode. By reducing or eliminating chemical signal radial transport toward the working electrode, the mask thus significantly reduces or eliminates edge effects. By substantially reducing edge effects created by radial transport of chemical signal, it is possible to obtain a more accurate measurement of the amount (e.g., concentration) of chemical signal that is transported from a given area of source material.
304 Citations
17 Claims
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1. An assembly for use in a device for monitoring a chemical signal which diffuses through the skin of a subject, said assembly comprising:
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(a) an ionically conductive material having first and second opposing faces, wherein said first face comprises a chemical signal target area and said second face comprises a skin contact surface area; (b) a mask characterized by being substantially impermeable to a chemical signal, said mask having first and second opposing faces and an opening extending between said first and second faces, wherein the first face of the mask is positioned on the skin contact surface of the ionically conductive material and the opening in the mask is less than or substantially equal to said skin contact surface area; and (c) a first release liner positioned over the first face of the ionically conductive material, wherein said first release liner is easily removed prior to use of the assembly. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification