Biosensor, biosensor chip and biosensor device

• US 9,074,998 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2014
• Issued: 07/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PHC Holdings Corporation
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Healthcare Holdings Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Ueno, Hiroya, Nakatsuka, Junji
• Primary Examiner(s): Noguerola, Alex
• Application Number:
  US14/512,817
• Publication Number:
  US 20150060271A1
• Time in Patent Office: 267 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 working electrode;

a counter electrode;

at least one working electrode terminal;

at least one counter electrode terminal;

at least one first reference terminal; and

at least one second reference terminal;

wherein;

the working electrode is connected to the at least one working electrode terminal and to the at least one first reference terminal;

the counter electrode is connected to the at least one counter electrode terminal and to the at least one second reference terminal; and

the number of working electrode terminals is different than the number of counter electrode terminals.

2. The biosensor of claim 1, wherein the biosensor has one working electrode terminal, two counter electrode terminals, one first reference terminal, and one second reference terminal.

3. The biosensor of claim 2, wherein:

the working electrode and the counter electrode are disposed on a proximal end of the biosensor; and

the working electrode terminal, the first reference terminal, the counter electrode terminals and the second reference terminal are disposed on a distal end of the biosensor.

4. The biosensor of claim 2, further comprising:

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 each one of the two counter electrode terminals; and

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

5. The biosensor of claim 4, wherein the third conductive line branches into two lines and each of the two lines connects to one of the two counter electrode terminals.

6. The biosensor of claim 4, 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.

7. The biosensor of claim 4, 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.

8. The biosensor of claim 4, wherein:

a portion of the third conductive line and the fourth conductive line is partially shared; and

the partially shared portion of the third conductive line and the fourth conductive line is connected to the counter electrode.

9. The biosensor of claim 4, wherein:

a portion of the first conductive line and the second conductive line is partially shared; and

the partially shared portion of the first conductive line and the second conductive line is connected to the working electrode.

10. The biosensor of claim 4, further comprising an additional counter electrode disposed on the proximal end of the biosensor.

11. The biosensor of claim 10, wherein the working electrode is provided between the counter electrode and the additional counter electrode.

12. The biosensor of claim 10, wherein the counter electrode and the additional counter electrode share the working electrode.

13. The biosensor of claim 4, wherein:

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

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

14. The biosensor of claim 1, wherein the first reference terminal is disposed near an outside edge of the biosensor relative to a centerline that extends between a proximal end and a distal end of the biosensor.

15. The biosensor of claim 1, wherein the second reference terminal is disposed near an outside edge of the biosensor relative to a centerline that extends between a proximal end and a distal end of the biosensor.

16. A biosensor device, comprising:

a biosensor comprising;

a working electrode;

a counter electrode;

at least one working electrode terminal;

at least one counter electrode terminal;

at least one first reference terminal; and

at least one second reference terminal; and

a measurement circuit configured to be connected to the for performing an assay of a fluid to determine the concentration of a substance in the fluid based on a current flowing between the working electrode and the counter electrode;

wherein;

the working electrode is connected to the at least one working electrode terminal and to the at least one first reference terminal;

the counter electrode is connected to the at least one counter electrode terminal and to the at least one second reference terminal;

the number of working electrode terminals is different than the number of counter electrode terminals; and

substantially no current flows through the at least one first reference terminal and the at least one second reference terminal during the assay.

17. The biosensor device of claim 16, wherein the biosensor has one working electrode terminal, two counter electrode terminals, one first reference terminal, and one second reference terminal.

18. The biosensor device of claim 17, wherein:

the working electrode and the counter electrode are disposed on a proximal end of the biosensor; and

the working electrode terminal, the first reference terminal, the counter electrode terminals, and the second reference terminal are disposed on a distal end of the biosensor.

19. The biosensor device of claim 17, further comprising:

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 each one of the two counter electrode terminals; and

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

20. The biosensor device of claim 19, wherein the third conductive line branches into two lines and each of the two lines connects to one of the two counter electrode terminals.

21. The biosensor device of claim 19, wherein:

a portion of the third conductive line and the fourth conductive line is partially shared; and

the partially shared portion of the third conductive line and the fourth conductive line is connected to the counter electrode.

22. The biosensor device of claim 19, wherein:

a portion of the first conductive line and the second conductive line is partially shared; and

the partially shared portion of the first conductive line and the second conductive line is connected to the working electrode.

23. The biosensor device of claim 19, further comprising an additional counter electrode disposed on the proximal end of the biosensor.

24. The biosensor device of claim 23, wherein the working electrode is provided between the counter electrode and the additional counter electrode.

25. The biosensor device of claim 23, wherein the counter electrode and the additional counter electrode share the working electrode.

26. The biosensor device of claim 16, wherein the first reference terminal is disposed near an outside edge of the biosensor relative to a centerline that extends between a proximal end and a distal end of the biosensor.

27. The biosensor device of claim 16, wherein the second reference terminal is disposed near an outside edge of the biosensor relative to a centerline that extends between a proximal end and a distal end of the biosensor.

28. The biosensor device of claim 19, wherein:

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

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