Electrode module

• US 6,896,778 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2001
• Issued: 05/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Epocal Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Lauks, Imants R
• Primary Examiner(s): Olsen, Kaj K.
• Application Number:
  US09/871,823
• Publication Number:
  US 20020179444A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,450 Days
• Field of Search: 204/403.02, 204/403.05, 204/409, 204/406, 204/400, 204/403.06
• US Class Current: 204/400
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/307 Disposable laminated or multilayered electrodes G01N27/3272 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/403 Cells and electrode assemblies
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3011 Impedance

Abstract

Planar devices incorporating electrodes for performing chemical analyses are disclosed. The devices include an electrode module in a fluidic housing. The electrode module includes a carrier module and at least one electrode thereon. More specifically, the electrode module includes a planar carrier module made of a laminate of a metal layer and an insulator layer, which metal layer is divided into at least two metal conductor elements; and at least one electrode formed directly on the carrier module and including a membrane element for imparting chemical sensitivity to the electrode, the membrane element being applied to the insulator layer to be in electrical contact with one of the metal conductor elements through the insulator layer. The insulator layer preferably has die cut perforations through which the membrane element extends into electrical contact with the conductor layer. In the most economical embodiment, the carrier module is a common chip carrier according to ISO 7816-2. The devices of cheaper construction than prior art chemical analysis chips, especially since they are of much simplified construction and of standardized format which allows the use of readily available low cost components.

Claims

1. A diagnostic card device for performing chemical analysis, comprising

a card housing;

and

an electrode module, the electrode module including a carrier module and at least one electrode for contact with a sample fluid and formed directly on the carrier module, the carrier module being a laminate of an insulating layer having opposing first and second sides and a metal layer applied to the first side and divided into at least two metal conductor elements, the at least one electrode including a membrane element for imparting chemical sensitivity to the electrode, the membrane element being on the second side of the insulating layer and in electrical contact with one of the metal conductor elements through the insulating layer, to permit electrical contact and sample fluid contact with the electrode module on the first and second sides of the insulating layer respectively;

the electrode module being mounted to the card housing to expose the conductor elements for exterior electrical contact on the first side of the insulating layer.

2. The diagnostic device of claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises an opening to introduce fluid for contact with the at least one electrode.

3. The diagnostic device of claim 2, wherein the housing has a module cavity for receiving the electrode module.

4. The diagnostic device of claim 3, wherein the opening is in fluid communication with the module cavity.

5. The diagnostic device of claim 3, wherein the housing is rigid in proximity to the module cavity.

6. The diagnostic device of claim 3, wherein the electrode module is sealingly mounted to the housing for preventing fluids located in the module cavity flowing around the electrode module to the conductor layer and for exposing the conductor elements to an exterior of the housing.

7. The diagnostic device of claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises fluidic elements.

8. The diagnostic device of claim 1, wherein the carrier module is a chip carrier according to ISO standard 7816.

9. The diagnostic device of claim 1, wherein the metal layer of the electrode module has at least two metal conductor elements and at least one electrode for each metal conductor element.

10. The diagnostic device of claim 1, wherein the metal layer is a metal foil and the insulating layer is an insulator foil.

11. The diagnostic device of claim 1, wherein the insulator foil has a perforation over each metal conductor element and the membrane element extends through the perforation for electrical contact with the metal conductor element.

12. The diagnostic device of claim 11, wherein the perforation is die-cut through the insulator layer.

13. The diagnostic device of claim 1, wherein the electrode module further includes an electrokinetic conductor for electrokinetic transport of a solute species to the at least one electrode.

14. The diagnostic device of claim 1, wherein the metal layer is made of copper.

15. The diagnostic device of claim 1, wherein the metal layer is made of copper coated with films of nickel and gold.

16. The diagnostic device of claim 1, wherein the insulating layer is made of an epoxy material.

17. The diagnostic device of claim 1, wherein the metal layer is divided into a conductor array consisting of a regular pattern of individual metal conductor elements.

18. A diagnostic device for insertion into and electric contact with a connector device for providing an electric connection to a utility electrical device, the diagnostic device comprising

a housing;

an electrode module including a substantially planar carrier module made of a laminate of a metal foil and a perforated insulator foil, which metal foil is divided into at least two metal conductor elements; and

at least one electrode formed directly on the carrier module and including a membrane element for imparting chemical sensitivity to the electrode, the membrane element being applied to the insulator foil to be in electrical contact with one of the metal conductor elements through a perforation of the perforated insulator foil;

the housing having a module cavity for receiving the electrode module and the electrode module being placed in the module cavity with the insulator foil facing the interior of the module cavity, the electrode module being sealed in the housing for preventing fluids located in the module cavity flowing around the electrode module to the conductor layer and for exposing the conductor layer to an exterior of the housing for electric contact with the connector device; and

the housing having means for exposing the electrode of the electrode module to a sample fluid.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the electrode module is unit-use and the device is a single use disposable device.

20. A diagnostic card device for insertion into and electric contact with a connector device for providing an electric connection to a utility electrical device, the diagnostic card device comprising

a card housing;

and

an electrode module, the electrode module including a carrier module and at least one electrode for contact with a sample fluid and formed directly on the carrier module, the carrier module being a laminate of an insulating layer having opposing first and second sides and a metal layer applied to the first side and divided into at least two metal conductor elements, the at least one electrode including a membrane element for imparting chemical sensitivity to the electrode, the membrane element being on the second side of the insulating layer and in electrical contact with one of the metal conductor elements through the insulating layer, to permit electrical contact and sample fluid contact with the electrode module on the first and second sides of the insulating layer respectively;

the electrode module being mounted to the card housing with the second side of the carrier layer facing the card housing, the card housing having means for exposing the membrane element of the electrode module to a sample fluid, and the electrode module being sealingly mounted to the card housing for preventing sample fluid in contact with the membrane element from flowing around the insulating layer to the conductor elements, and to expose the conductor elements to an exterior of the housing for exterior electric contact with the connector device on the first side of the insulating layer.

21. An electrode module for use in a diagnostic device, comprising

a planar carrier module made of a laminate of an insulating layer having opposing first and second sides and a metal layer divided into at least two metal conductor elements;

at least one electrode formed directly on the carrier module and including a membrane element for imparting chemical sensitivity to the electrode, the membrane element being applied to the second side of the insulating layer to be in electrical contact with one of the metal conductor elements through the insulating layer to permit electrical contact and sample fluid contact with the electrode module on the first and second sides of the insulating layer respectively; and

an electrokinetic conductor for electrokinetic transport of a solute species to the at least one electrode.

22. The electrode module as defined in claim 21, wherein the metal layer is a metal foil and the insulator layer is an insulator foil.

23. The electrode module as defined in claim 21, wherein the carrier module is a chip carrier conforming to ISO standard 7816.

24. The electrode module as defined in claim 21, wherein the insulating layer has a perforation over each metal conductor element and the membrane element extends through the perforation for electrical contact with the metal conductor element.

25. A diagnostic device for performing chemical analysis, comprising

a housing;

an electrode module according to claim 21 mounted to the housing for exposing the conductor elements to an exterior of the housing; and

means in the housing for exposing the membrane element of the electrode module to a sample fluid.

26. The diagnostic device of claim 25, wherein the housing further comprises fluidic elements.

27. The diagnostic device of claim 25, wherein the housing has a module cavity for receiving the electrode module.

28. The diagnostic device of claim 27, wherein the means for exposing is an opening in the housing in fluid communication with the module cavity.

29. The diagnostic device of claim 28, wherein the housing is rigid in proximity to the module cavity.

30. The diagnostic device of claim 25, wherein the electrode module is sealingly mounted to the housing for preventing fluids located in the module cavity flowing around the insulating layer to the conductor elements.

31. The diagnostic device of claim 25, wherein the carrier module is a chip carrier according to ISO standard 7816.

32. The diagnostic device of claim 25, wherein the metal layer of the electrode module has at least two metal conductor elements and the diagnostic device has at least one electrode for each metal conductor element.

33. The diagnostic device of claim 25, wherein the insulating layer has a perforation over each metal conductor element and the membrane element extends through the perforation for electrical contact with the metal conductor element.

34. The diagnostic device of claim 25, wherein the metal layer is divided into a conductor array consisting of a regular pattern of individual metal conductor elements.