Biosensor, biosensor chip and biosensor device

• US 9,074,997 B2
• Filed: 10/07/2014
• Issued: 07/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: PHC Holdings Corporation
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Healthcare Holdings Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Ueno, Hiroya, Nakatsuka, Junji
• Primary Examiner(s): Noguerola, Alex
• Application Number:
  US14/508,780
• Publication Number:
  US 20150053559A1
• Time in Patent Office: 273 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/001 Enzyme electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/30 Electrodes, e.g. test electrodes; Half-cells G01N27/414 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/307 Disposable laminated or multilayered electrodes G01N27/3272 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/327 Biochemical electrodes , e.g. electrical or mechanical details for in vitro measurements
• 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
• 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 27/3273 Devices therefor, e.g. test element readers, circuitry details not specific to biochemical electrodes G01N33/4875
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/416 Systems G01N27/27 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/0092 measuring current only all subgroups of G01R19/00 take precedence

Abstract

A biosensor includes a working electrode 101, a counter electrode 102 opposing the working electrode 101, a working electrode terminal 103 and a working electrode reference terminal 10 connected to the working electrode 101 by wires, and a counter electrode terminal 104 connected to the counter electrode 102 by a wire. By employing a structure with at least three electrodes, it is possible to assay a target substance without being influenced by the line resistance on the working electrode side.

Claims

1. A biosensor, comprising:

a first electrode set disposed on a proximal end of the biosensor for performing an assay on a fluid that is applied to the biosensor, the first electrode set comprising a working electrode and a counter electrode;

a working electrode terminal disposed on a distal end of the biosensor;

a counter electrode terminal disposed on the distal end of the biosensor;

a first reference terminal disposed on the distal end of the biosensor;

a second reference terminal disposed on the distal end of the biosensor;

a first conductive line connecting the working electrode to the working electrode terminal;

a second conductive line connecting the working electrode to the first reference terminal;

a third conductive line connecting the counter electrode to the counter electrode terminal;

a fourth conductive line connecting the counter electrode to the second reference terminal; and

a second electrode set disposed near the first electrode set, the second electrode set comprising two electrodes.

2. The biosensor of claim 1, wherein the second electrode set is used to perform another assay on the fluid.

3. The biosensor of claim 2, wherein the assays are different assays.

4. The biosensor of claim 1, wherein the first electrode set and the second electrode set are disposed such that a single drop of the assayed fluid is applied to both the first electrode set and the second electrode set.

5. A device configured to be connected to the biosensor of claim 2, wherein the assay performed by the first electrode set is based on a current flowing between the working electrode and the counter electrode of the biosensor and the assay performed by the second electrode set is based on a current flowing between the two electrodes of the second electrode set.

6. The biosensor of claim 1, wherein the second electrode set is disposed between the first conductive line and the third conductive line.

7. The biosensor of claim 1, further comprising:

a fifth conductive line connected to one of the two electrodes of the second electrode set and extending to the distal end; and

a sixth conductive line connected to the other one of the two electrodes of the second electrode set and extending to the distal end;

wherein the fifth and sixth conductive lines are disposed between the first conductive line and the third conductive line.

8. A device configured to be connected to the biosensor of claim 7, wherein the assay performed by the first electrode set is based on a current flowing between the working electrode and the counter electrode of the biosensor and an assay performed by the second electrode set is based on a current flowing between the two electrodes of the second electrode set.

9. The biosensor of claim 1, wherein:

at least a portion of the second conductive line is disposed outside the first conductive line relative to a centerline that extends between the proximal end and the distal end; and

at least a portion of the fourth conductive line is disposed outside the third conductive line relative to the centerline.

10. The biosensor of claim 1, wherein:

the second conductive line is provided to enable a voltage at the working electrode to be detected; and

the fourth conductive line is provided to enable a voltage at the counter electrode to be detected.

11. The biosensor of claim 1, wherein the second conductive line and the fourth conductive line are provided to enable a voltage between the working electrode and the counter electrode to be constant.

12. The biosensor of claim 1, wherein the counter electrode comprises two fingers.

13. The biosensor of claim 12, wherein the working electrode is provided between the two fingers.

14. The biosensor of claim 1, further comprising an assay reagent applied on the first electrode set.

15. The biosensor of claim 1, further comprising an assay reagent applied on the second electrode set.

16. A biosensor device, comprising:

a biosensor, comprising;

a first electrode set disposed on a proximal end of the biosensor, the first electrode set comprising a working electrode and a counter electrode;

a working electrode terminal disposed on a distal end of the biosensor;

a counter electrode terminal disposed on the distal end of the biosensor;

a first reference terminal disposed on the distal end of the biosensor;

a second reference terminal disposed on the distal end of the biosensor;

a first conductive line connecting the working electrode to the working electrode terminal;

a second conductive line connecting the working electrode to the first reference terminal;

a third conductive line connecting the counter electrode to the counter electrode terminal;

a fourth conductive line connecting the counter electrode to the second reference terminal; and

a second electrode set disposed near the first electrode set, the second electrode set comprising two electrodes; and

a measurement circuit connected to the biosensor for performing an assay on a fluid based on a current flowing between the working electrode and the counter electrode;

wherein substantially no current flows through the second conductive line and through the fourth conductive line during the assay performed by the first electrode set.

17. The biosensor device of claim 16, wherein the measurement circuit performs another assay on a fluid based on a current flowing between the two electrodes of the second electrode set.

18. The biosensor device of claim 17, wherein the two assays are different assays.

19. The biosensor device of claim 16, wherein the first electrode set and the second electrode set are disposed such that a single drop of the assayed fluid is applied to both the first electrode set and the second electrode set.

20. The biosensor device of claim 16, wherein the measurement circuit comprises an amplifier having high input impedance, wherein the first reference terminal connects to an input of the amplifier.

21. The biosensor device of claim 16, wherein the measurement circuit comprises an amplifier having high input impedance, wherein the second reference terminal connects to an input of the amplifier.

22. The biosensor device of claim 16, wherein the second electrode set is disposed between the first conductive line and the third conductive line.

23. The biosensor device of claim 16, further comprising:

a fifth conductive line connected to one of the two electrodes of the second electrode set and extending to the distal end; and

a sixth conductive line connected to the other one of the two electrodes of the second electrode set and extending to the distal end;

wherein the fifth and sixth conductive lines are disposed between the first conductive line and the third conductive line.

24. The biosensor device of claim 16, wherein:

at least a portion of the second conductive line is disposed outside the first conductive line relative to a centerline that extends between the proximal end and the distal end; and

at least a portion of the fourth conductive line is disposed outside the third conductive line relative to the centerline.

25. The biosensor device of claim 16, wherein the counter electrode comprises two fingers.

26. The biosensor device of claim 25, wherein the working electrode is provided between the two fingers.

27. The biosensor device of claim 16, further comprising an assay reagent applied on the first electrode set.

28. The biosensor device of claim 16, further comprising an assay reagent applied on the second electrode set.