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Apparatus for amperometric Diagnostic analysis

DC CAFC
  • US 6,153,069 A
  • Filed: 02/09/1995
  • Issued: 11/28/2000
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/09/1995
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for measuring compounds in a sample fluid, comprising:

  • a) a housing having an access opening therethrough;

    b) a sample cell receivable into said access opening of said housing, said sample cell being composed of;

    (i) a first electrode which acts as a working electrode;

    (ii) a second electrode which acts to fix the system potential and provide opposing current flow with respect to said first electrode, said second electrode being made of the same electrically conducting material as said first electrode, and being operatively associated with said first electrode, the ratio of the surface area of said second electrode to the surface area of said first electrode being 1;

    1 or less;

    (iii) at least one non-conducting layer member having an opening therethrough, said at least one non-conducting layer member being disposed in contact with at least one of said first and second electrodes and being sealed against at least one of said first and second electrodes to form a known electrode area within said opening such that said opening forms a well to receive the sample fluid and to allow a user of said apparatus to place the sample fluid in said known electrode area in contact with said first electrode and said second electrode;

    c) means for applying an electrical potential to both said first electrode and said second electrode;

    d) means for creating an electrical circuit between said first electrode and said second electrode through the sample fluid;

    e) means for measuring a first Cottrell current reading through the sample fluid at a first predetermined time after the electrical potential is applied and for obtaining at least one additional Cottrell current reading through the sample fluid, the at least one additional Cottrell current reading occurring at a second predetermined time following the first predetermined time;

    f) microprocessor means for converting the first Cottrell current reading into a first analyte concentration measurement using a calibration slope and an intercept specific for the first Cottrell current measurement, for converting the at least one additional Cottrell current reading into an additional analyte concentration using a calibration slope and an intercept specific for the at least one additional Cottrell current measurement, and for comparing the first analyte concentration measurement with the at least one additional concentration measurement to confirm that they are within a prescribed percentage of each other; and

    g) means for visually displaying the results of said analyte concentration measurements.

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