Test member

• US 6,833,110 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2001
• Issued: 12/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hypoguard USA Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hypoguard USA Inc.
• Inventors: Black, Murdo M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaki, Yelena
• Assistant Examiner(s): SIEFKE, SAMUEL P
• Application Number:
  US09/909,456
• Publication Number:
  US 20020044890A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,251 Days
• Field of Search: 422/56, 422/55, 422/57, 422/58, 422/61, 422/68.1
• US Class Current: 422/401
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/3271 Amperometric enzyme electrodes for analytes in body fluids, e.g. glucose in blood amperometry per se G01N27/49; aspects concerning the enzyme reagent C12Q1/001

Abstract

A test member suitable for use in a test device for testing of analyte concentration in a fluid to be applied thereto comprises a base member (2) having a working area (4) to which the fluid is to be applied, containing a reagent which is reactive to the said analyte to produce an electrical signal or a color change, and a non-working area (8) adjacent to the working area (4). The total thickness of the test member in at least a portion of the non-working area (8) is at least as great as the total thickness of the test member in the working area (4).

Claims

1. A test member for producing an electrical signal in response to the concentration of analyte in a fluid applied thereto, the teat member comprising;

adjacent working and non-working areas that together define a top surface of the test member and together define an opposite bottom surface of the test member, the working area being adapted and configured to engage a fluid applied thereto and having a total thickness between an uppermost portion of the top surface of the test member in the working area and a lowermost portion of the bottom surface in the working area, the working area comprising a reagent and a plurality of electrodes, the non-working area having a total thickness between an uppermost portion of the top surface of the test member in the non-working area and a lowermost portion of the bottom surface of the test member, the non-working area comprising a plurality of electrode tracks and a dielectric layer, the plurality of electrode tracks being electrically connected to the electrodes of the working area of the test member, the dielectric layer overlaying a first portion of the electrode tracks, a second portion of the electrode tracks being exposed, the total thickness of the non-working area being greater than the total thickness of the working area such list, when the test member is sandwiched in a vertical stack of identical test members, the working area of the test member will not engage an identical test member positioned immediately thereabove.

2. A test member in accordance with claim 1 wherein the total thickness of the non-working area is between 1 and 20 μ

m greater than the total thickness of the working area.

3. A test member in accordance with claim 2 wherein the total thickness of the non-working area is between 5 and 10 μ

m greater than the total thickness of the working area.

4. A test member in accordance with claim 1 wherein the non-working area of the test member comprises an ink layer that contributes to the total thickness of the non-working area.

5. A test member in accordance with claim 1 wherein the test member is shaped as an elongate strip.

6. A test member in accordance with claim 1 the reagent is configured and adapted to react with glucose in blood.

7. A test member in accordance with claim 1 wherein the lowermost portion of the bottom surface of the test member is the lowermost portion of the bottom surface in the working area.