Cell for electrochemical analysis of a sample

• US 6,676,815 B1
• Filed: 12/30/1999
• Issued: 01/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Roche Diabetes Care Inc. (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Corporation (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: Bhullar, Raghbir Singh, Hill, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Olsen, Kaj K.
• Application Number:
  US09/476,442
• Time in Patent Office: 1,475 Days
• Field of Search: 204/403, 204/409, 204/400, 204/416, 204/403.01, 204/403.03, 204/403.12, 204/403.14, 422/82.01, 422/82.02, 422/82.03
• US Class Current: 204/403.03
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/3272 Test elements therefor, i.e. disposable laminated substrates with electrodes, reagent and channels optical biosensors G01N33/52
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

According to an aspect of the invention, a cell for electrochemical analysis is provided, comprising a body having a chamber, and a pair of electrodes opposing each other within the camber comprising a electrically conductive rod extending through the body transverse to the longitudinal direction and removed within the capillary channel. According to a preferred embodiment, at least one reagent is provided within the capillary channel. The cell may be part of a plurality of such cells connected in seriatim.

Claims

1. An electrochemical cell assembly comprising:

a plurality of cell bodies connected in seriatim, each cell body comprising a dielectric material and having an inner wall defining a longitudinal chamber;

a pair of opposing electrically conductive electrodes embedded in each cell body, said electrodes in said plurality of connected bodies comprising segments of a common rod of electroconductive material; and

a reagent deposited within the chamber, said reagent comprising at least one agent reactive with an analyte for electrochemically determining the concentration of the analyte in a biological sample.

2. The electrochemical cell assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of said chambers comprises a capillary channel.

3. The electrochemical cell assembly of claim 2, wherein the reagent is dried in the capillary channel overlying the electrodes.

4. The electrochemical cell assembly of claim 2, wherein said capillary channel extends longitudinally all the way through said body.

5. The electrochemical cell assembly of claim 2, wherein the inner wall defining said capillary channel is not of constant cross-section.

6. The electrochemical cell assembly of claim 1, wherein said opposing electrodes are separated by a gap of between 5 and 1000 micrometers.

7. The electrochemical cell assembly of claim 6, wherein said gap is on the order of 25 micrometers.

8. The electrochemical cell assembly of claim 1, wherein said electrodes comprise a noble metal, copper or carbon, or a noble metal plated over copper or carbon.

9. The electrochemical cell assembly of claim 1, wherein said capillary channel has a volume not exceeding 1 microliter.

10. The electrochemical cell assembly of claim 1, wherein the inner wall defining at least one of said chambers is of constant cross-section.

11. The electrochemical cell assembly of claim 1, wherein said reagent comprises at least one enzyme.

12. The electrochemical cell assembly of claim 1, wherein said reagent comprises an enzyme and a mediator, said enzyme comprising glucose dehydrogenase and said mediator comprises ferricyanide.

13. The electrochemical cell assembly of claim 1, wherein said reagent comprises more than one enzyme and a mediator, said more than one enzyme comprising glucose dehydrogenase and diaphorase, and said mediator comprising ferricyanide.