TEST TAPE AND ANALYTICAL SYSTEM

• US 20070020143A1
• Filed: 06/29/2006
• Published: 01/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roche Diabetes Care Inc. (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Operations Incorporated (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: Heck, Wolfgang, Seidenstricker, Manfred, Miltner, Karl, Baumann, Edgar, Bogumil, Konstanze
• Granted Patent: US 8,313,696 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/56
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00019 cassette structures
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0491 Position sensing, encoding; closed-loop control
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/48764 Test tape taken off a spool
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00009 provided with a sample supporting tape, e.g. with absorbent zones
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/110833 Utilizing a moving indicator strip or tape

Abstract

A test tape for analyzing body fluids is provided comprising a flexible carrier tape and a plurality of test fields arranged spaced apart thereon for the detection of an analyte in the body fluid. The carrier tape is provided with indicator areas to register the distance and/or determine the position of the test tape or its components during tape transport.

Claims

1. Test tape for analyzing body fluids, comprising:

a flexible carrier tape, a plurality of test fields arranged spaced apart on the carrier tape and adapted for the detection of an analyte in the body fluid, the carrier tape further comprising indicator areas configured for the detection or registering of the position of the test tape during transport thereof in an analytical system.

2. Test tape according to claim 1, wherein each indicator area extends in the logitudinal direction in a section of the carrier tape between consecutive spaced apart test fields, wherein sections of the carrier tape comprising the test fields contain no indicators.

3. Test tape according to 1, wherein the indicator areas from an incremental position scale.

4. Test tape according to claim 1, wherein the indicator areas are configured for contactless position sensing.

5. Test tape according to claim 4, wherein the contactless position sensing comprises an electro-optical sensing configuration.

6. Test tape according to claim 1, wherein the test tape is configured to bring successive test fields into an active position within an analytical system by position-controlled tape advancement.

7. Test tape according to claim 1, wherein the indicator areas are formed by at least one raster strip comprising alternating optically distinguishable segments.

8. Test tape according to claim 7, wherin the optically distinguishable segments comprise light and dark segments or transparent/translucent and opaque segments.

9. Test tape according to claim 7, wherein the indicator areas comprise two parallel raster strips that are staggered relative to one another in the longitudinal direction.

10. Test tape according to claim 1, wherein the indicator areas form a coded distance scale.

11. Tape cassette for magazination of the test tape according to claim 1, comprising a supply reel having a portion of the test tape having unused test fields, and a waste reel configured to receive a portion of the test tape having used test fields.

12. Analytical system comprising:

a test tape having indicator areas and a plurality of spaced apart test fields for detecting an analyte in a sample of a body fluid, a tape transport device for positioning the test fields in an active position of the system, and a position detection device comprising sensor means and configured to scan the indicator areas on the test tape in order to detect the tape position during tape transport.

13. Analytical system according to claim 12, wherein the position detection device is further configured to detect the direction of movement and distance travelled during tape transport directly from the test tape.

14. Analytical system according to claim 12, wherein the position detection device is located a predetermined distance along the tape from a measuring unit that analyzes a sample applied to an active test field.

15. Analytical system according to claim 12, wherein the sensor means is positioned at at least one side of the test tape and is configured for contactless scanning of the indicator areas during tape transport.

16. Analytical system according to claim 15, wherein the contactless scanning comprises an electro-optical sensing configuration.

17. Analytical system according to claim 12, wherein the tape transport device comprises a drive control configured to transport the test tape into an active position, the drive control being operatively coupled to the position detection device.

18. Analytical system according to claim 17, wherein the tape transport device further comprises a drive unit configured to be actuated in an opposite direction than a tape advancement direction, the opposite actuation occurring as a function of an output signal of the position detection device.