Electrochemical cell and method of making an electrochemical cell

• US 8,268,145 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2005
• Issued: 09/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Agamatrix Incorporated (AgaMatrix Holdings LLC d/b/a WaveForm Diabetes)
• Original Assignee: Agamatrix Incorporated (AgaMatrix Holdings LLC d/b/a WaveForm Diabetes)
• Inventors: Harding, Ian, Iyengar, Sridhar G., Larson, Marina T., Oppedahl, Carl
• Primary Examiner(s): Olsen, Kaj K
• Application Number:
  US10/908,656
• Publication Number:
  US 20050258035A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,678 Days
• Field of Search: 204/403.01, 204/403.03, 204/403.11
• US Class Current: 204/403.03
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/004 mediator-assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/30 Electrodes, e.g. test electrodes; Half-cells G01N27/414 takes precedence
• 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: G01N 27/403 Cells and electrode assemblies
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1052 with cutting, punching, tearing or severing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1062 Prior to assembly
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1074 Separate cutting of separate sheets or webs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49114 including adhesively bonding
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

Electrochemical test cells are made with precision and accuracy by adhering an electrically resistive sheet having a bound opening to a first electrically conductive sheet. A notching opening is then punched through the electrically resistive sheet and the first electrically conductive sheet. The notching opening intersects the first bound opening in the electrically resistive sheet, and transforms the first bound opening into a notch in the electrically resistive sheet. A second electrically conductive sheet is punched to have a notching opening corresponding to that of first electrically conductive sheet, and this is adhered to the other side of the electrically resistive sheet such that the notching openings are aligned. This structure is cleaved from surrounding material to form an electrochemical cell that has a sample space for receiving a sample defined by the first and second conductive sheets and the notch in the electrically resistive sheet.

Claims

1. An electrochemical device having a sample-receiving end and a connector end comprising, in sequence:

(a) a first substrate, having a layer of conductive material applied to a first surface thereof;

(b) an electrically-resistive middle layer, and

(c) a second substrate, having a layer of conductive material applied to a first surface thereof;

wherein the first surface of the first substrate and the first surface of the second substrate are adhered to the electrically resistive middle layer;

wherein the device has a first sample space, said first sample space passing through electrically resistive middle layer and being bounded on opposing sides by a portion of the conductive material of the first substrate forming an unpatterned first electrode and a portion of the conductive material of the second substrate forming an unpatterned second electrode, and

wherein the connector end comprises first and second connectors, said first connector having two separate contact pads and said second connector having at least one contact pad, wherein the first and second connectors extend from a common edge of the device and have open space therebetween, wherein the contact pad or pads of the second connector are between the contact pads of the first connector when viewed in the plane of the strip, and wherein if a conductive portion of the first connector faces a conductive portion of the second connector within the connector end of the device they are separated by the electrically resistive middle layer.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising a reagent disposed within the sample space.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the reagent comprises an enzyme and a redox mediator.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the enzyme is glucose oxidase.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the conductive material on the first substrate comprises gold.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the conductive material on the second substrate comprises gold.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the middle layer has a thickness of 50 to 500 μ

m.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the sample space has a volume of less than 1 μ

l.

9. The device of claim 1, further comprising a second sample space formed in a stacked configuration relative to the first sample space.

10. The device of claim 1, further comprising an additional sample space formed in a coplanar location relative to the first sample space.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the sample space has a volume of less than 500 nl.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the sample space has a volume of 100 to 300 nl.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the sample space has a width dimension that is defined by opposing sides of an opening punched in the electrically resistive middle layer, wherein the opposing sides are substantially straight and parallel to one another.

14. An electrochemical device having a sample-receiving end and a connector end comprising, in sequence:

(a) a first substrate, having a layer of conductive material applied to a first surface thereof;

(b) an electrically-resistive middle layer, and

(c) a second substrate, having a layer of conductive material applied to a first surface thereof;

wherein the first substrate, the second substrate and the middle layer define a sample space;

wherein the first surface of the first substrate and the first surface of the second substrate are adhered to the electrically resistive middle layer,

wherein the conductive material of the first surface forms a first unpatterned electrode in the sample space and the conductive material of the second surface forms a second unpatterned electrode in the sample space;

wherein the connector end of the first substrate has two contact pads for contacting a test meter to the conductive material on the first substrate, said contact pads being disposed on opposing edges of the test strip, and the connector end of the second substrate has a contact pad for contacting a test meter to the conductive material on the second substrate, and

wherein, except for the sample space, the facing conductive portions of the first substrate and the second substrate are separated by the electrically resistive middle layer.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the contact pad of the second substrate is between the contact pads of the first substrate when viewed in the plane of the strip.

16. The device of claim 14, further comprising a reagent disposed within the sample space.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the reagent comprises an enzyme and a redox mediator.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the enzyme is glucose oxidase.

19. The device of claim 14, wherein the conductive material on the first substrate comprises palladium.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the conductive material on the second substrate comprises gold.

21. The device of claim 14, wherein the middle layer has a thickness of 50 to 500 μ

m.

22. The device of claim 14, wherein the sample space has a volume of less than 1 μ

l.

23. The device of claim 14, wherein the sample space has a volume of less than 500 nl.

24. The device of claim 14, wherein the sample space has a volume of 100 to 300 nl.