Diagnostic devices incorporating fluidics and methods of manufacture
First Claim
1. An electrode module for use in a diagnostic card for sensing at least one component concentration in a fluid sample, comprisinga substantially planar insulator layer;
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the electrode module having a centrally located sensing region, a peripherally located contacting region and an intermediate heating region located between the sensing and contacting regions and surrounding the sensing region,the insulator layer in the sensing region having a number of throughgoing apertures, a sensor membrane in each aperture for contact with the sample and for electrical contact with the conductor layer,the conductor layer being divided into a corresponding number of conductor elements and a heater contact element electrically insulated from the conductor elements, each conductor element including a conductor path having a sensor end and an opposite contact pad end, the sensor ends being located in the sensing region of the module and below one of the apertures respectively and the contact pad ends being located in the contact region and the conductor path extending from the sensor end in the sensing region, through the heating region to the contact pad end in the contacting region,the heater contact element being located in the heating region between the sensing and contacting regions and electrically insulated from the conductor elements, the heater contact element being shaped to surround the sensing region except for a connecting gap extending between the sensing and contact regions, the conductor paths extending through the connecting gap.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to diagnostic devices incorporating electrode modules and fluidics for performing chemical analyses. The invented devices consist of a sensor array formed on an electrode module, the sensor array being contained within a fluidic housing. The electrode module is a laminate of a perforated epoxy foil and a photo-formed metal foil with sensor membranes deposited into the perforations. The fluidic housing is an element consisting of a plastic card-like body with fluidic conduits and a sealed fluid reservoir contained in a foil-lined cavity.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. An electrode module for use in a diagnostic card for sensing at least one component concentration in a fluid sample, comprising
a substantially planar insulator layer; - and
a substantially planar metal conductor layer laminated to the insulator layer; the electrode module having a centrally located sensing region, a peripherally located contacting region and an intermediate heating region located between the sensing and contacting regions and surrounding the sensing region, the insulator layer in the sensing region having a number of throughgoing apertures, a sensor membrane in each aperture for contact with the sample and for electrical contact with the conductor layer, the conductor layer being divided into a corresponding number of conductor elements and a heater contact element electrically insulated from the conductor elements, each conductor element including a conductor path having a sensor end and an opposite contact pad end, the sensor ends being located in the sensing region of the module and below one of the apertures respectively and the contact pad ends being located in the contact region and the conductor path extending from the sensor end in the sensing region, through the heating region to the contact pad end in the contacting region, the heater contact element being located in the heating region between the sensing and contacting regions and electrically insulated from the conductor elements, the heater contact element being shaped to surround the sensing region except for a connecting gap extending between the sensing and contact regions, the conductor paths extending through the connecting gap. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An electrode module for use in a diagnostic card for sensing at least one component concentration in a fluid sample, comprising
a substantially planar insulator layer; - and
a substantially planar metal conductor layer laminated to the insulator layer; the electrode module having a centrally located sensing region, a peripherally located contacting region and an intermediate heating region located between the sensing and contacting regions, the insulator layer in the sensing region having a number of throughgoing apertures, a sensor membrane in each aperture for contact with the sample and for electrical contact with the conductor layer, the conductor layer being divided into a corresponding number of conductor elements and a heater contact element electrically insulated from the conductor elements, each conductor element including a conductor path having a sensor end and an opposite contact pad end, the sensor ends being located in the sensing region of the module and below one of the apertures respectively and the contact pad ends being located in the contact region, the heater contact element being located in the heating region between the sensing and contacting regions and electrically insulated from the conductor elements, the heater contact element being shaped to surround the sensing region except for a connecting gap extending between the sensing and contact regions and the conductor paths extending through the connecting gap, wherein the conductor paths are tortuously long to reduce thermal conduction along the conductor paths.
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7. An electrode module for use in a diagnostic card for sensing at least one component concentration in a fluid sample, comprising:
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a substantially planar insulator layer; and a substantially planar metal conductor layer laminated to the insulator layer; the electrode module having a centrally located sensing region, a peripherally located contacting region and an intermediate heating region located between the sensing and contacting regions, the insulator layer in the sensing region having a number of throughgoing apertures, a sensor membrane in each aperture for contact with the sample and for electrical contact with the conductor layer, the conductor layer being divided into a corresponding number of conductor elements and a heater contact element electrically insulated from the conductor elements, each conductor element including a conductor path having a sensor end and an opposite contact pad end, the sensor ends being located in the sensing region of the module and below one of the apertures respectively and the contact pad ends being located in the contact region, the heater contact element being located in the heating region between the sensing and contacting regions, shaped to surround the sensing region and electrically insulated from the conductor elements, the heater contact element having a connecting gap extending between the sensing and contact regions and the conductor paths extending through the connecting gap, wherein the heater contact element includes multiple connecting gaps corresponding in number to the conductor elements, each conductor path extending through one connecting gap, and wherein the connecting gaps and contact pad ends are positioned about the sensing region in such a way that all conductor paths are of equal length.
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8. A diagnostic card for use with a card reader for sensing at least one component concentration of a fluid sample, comprising
a card body having a measurement cell for containing a sample fluid; -
a passage for supplying the sample fluid to the measurement cell; and an electrode module mounted to the card body and including a substantially planar insulator layer and a substantially planar metal conductor layer laminated to the insulator layer; the electrode module having a centrally located sensing region, a peripherally located contacting region and an intermediate heating region located between the sensing and contacting regions and surrounding the sensing region, the insulator layer in the sensing region having a number of throughgoing apertures, a sensor membrane in each aperture for contact with the sample fluid and for electrical contact with the conductor layer, the conductor layer being divided into a corresponding number of conductor elements and a heater contact element electrically insulated from the conductor elements, each conductor element including a conductor path having a sensor end and an opposite contact pad end, the sensor ends being located in the sensing region of the module and below one of the apertures respectively and the contact pad ends being located in the contact region and the conductor path extending from the sensor end in the sensing region, through the heating region to the contact pad end in the contacting region, the heater element being located in the heating region between the sensing and contacting regions, shaped to surround the sensing region and electrically insulated from the conductor elements, the heater element having a connecting gap extending between the sensor and contact regions, the conductor paths extending through the connecting gap; the electrode module being mounted to the card body for exposure of the sensor membranes to the measurement cell and for external access to the contact pad ends and the heater contact element. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A diagnostic card for use with a card reader for sensing at least one component concentration of a fluid sample, comprising
a card body having a measurement cell for containing a sample fluid; -
a passage for supplying the sample fluid to the measurement cell; and an electrode module mounted to the card body and including a substantially planar insulator layer and a substantially planar metal conductor layer laminated to the insulator layer; the electrode module having a centrally located sensing region, a peripherally located contacting region and an intermediate heating region located between the sensing and contacting regions, the insulator layer in the sensing region having a number of throughgoing apertures, a sensor membrane in each aperture for contact with the sample fluid and for electrical contact with the conductor layer, the conductor layer being divided into a corresponding number of conductor elements and a heater contact element electrically insulated from the conductor elements, each conductor element including a conductor path having a sensor end and an opposite contact pad end, the sensor ends being located in the sensing region of the module and below one of the apertures respectively and the contact pad ends being located in the contact region, the heater element being located in the heating region between the sensing and contacting regions, shaped to surround the sensing region and electrically insulated from the conductor elements, the heater element having a connecting gap extending between the sensor and contact regions and the conductor paths extending through the connecting gap; the electrode module being mounted to the card body for exposure of the sensor membranes to the measurement cell and for external access to the contact pad ends and the heater contact element, wherein the conductor paths are tortuously long to reduce thermal conduction along the conductor paths.
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Specification