Test Sensors and Methods of Using Side Mounted Meter Contacts

• US 20100206747A1
• Filed: 07/30/2008
• Published: 08/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ascensia Diabetes Care Holdings AG (PHC Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bayer Healthcare LLC (Bayer AG)
• Inventors: Beer, Greg P., Creaven, John P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,679,309 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 205/777.500
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/001 Enzyme electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/006 for glucose
• 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 27/4166 measuring a particular property of an electrolyte
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/00 Payment architectures, schemes or protocols apparatus for performing or posting payment transactions G07F7/08, G07F19/00; electronic cash registers G07G1/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/042 characterized in that the payment protocol involves at least one cheque
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/403 Solvency checks

Abstract

An electrochemical test sensor includes a lid and a base. The base has a length and a width. The length of the base is greater than the width of the base. The base includes at least a working electrode, a counter electrode and at least three test-sensor contacts for electrically connecting to a meter. The at least three test-sensor contacts are spaced along the length of the base from each other. The base and the lid assist in forming a fluid chamber for receiving the fluid sample. The electrochemical test sensor further includes a reagent to assist in determining the concentration of the analyte in the fluid sample.

Claims

1. An electrochemical test sensor adapted to assist in determining the concentration of an analyte in a fluid sample, the test sensor comprising:

a lid; and

a base having a length and a width, the length of the base being greater than the width of the base, the base including at least a working electrode, a counter electrode and at least three test-sensor contacts for electrically connecting to a meter, the at least three test-sensor contacts being staggered along the width of the base from each other and being spaced along the length of the base from each other, the base and the lid assisting in forming a fluid chamber for receiving the fluid sample, and

wherein the electrochemical test sensor further includes a reagent to assist in determining the concentration of the analyte in the fluid sample.

2. The test sensor of claim 1 further including a spacer such that at least a portion of the spacer is located between the lid and the base, the lid, the base and the spacer assisting in forming the fluid chamber for receiving the fluid sample.

3. The test sensor of claim 1 wherein the length of the base is at least 3 times greater than the width of the base.

5. The test sensor of claim 1 wherein the test-sensor contacts are in a generally polygonal shape.

8. The test sensor of claim 1 wherein the reagent includes an enzyme, the enzyme being glucose oxidase or glucose dehydrogenase.

4. (canceled)

6. (canceled)

7. (canceled)

9. An electrochemical test sensor adapted to assist in determining the concentration of an analyte in a fluid sample, the test sensor comprising:

a lid; and

a base having a length and a width, the length of the base being greater than the width of the base, the base including at least a working electrode, a counter electrode and at least three test-sensor contacts for electrically connecting to a meter, the at least three test-sensor contacts being spaced along the length of the base from each other, the base and the lid assisting in forming a fluid chamber for receiving the fluid sample, and

wherein the electrochemical test sensor further includes a reagent to assist in determining the concentration of the analyte in the fluid sample.

10. The test sensor of claim 9 further including a spacer such that at least a portion of the spacer is located between the lid and the base, the lid, the base and the spacer assisting in forming the fluid chamber for receiving the fluid sample.

13. The test sensor of claim 9 wherein the test-sensor contacts are in a generally polygonal shape.

16. The test sensor of claim 9 wherein the reagent includes an enzyme, the enzyme being glucose oxidase or glucose dehydrogenase.

11. (canceled)

12. (canceled)

14. (canceled)

15. (canceled)

17. A method of determining an analyte concentration of a fluid sample, the method comprising the acts of:

providing an electrochemical test sensor, the test sensor including a lid, a base and a reagent that assists in determining the concentration of the analyte in the fluid sample, the base having a length and a width, the length of the base being greater than the width of the base, the base including at least a working electrode, a counter electrode and at least three test-sensor contacts, the at least three test-sensor contacts being spaced along the length of the base from each other, the base and the lid assisting in forming a fluid chamber for receiving the fluid sample;

providing a meter including a test-sensor opening, the test-sensor opening being formed between a bottom surface, a top surface and corresponding side surfaces, the side surfaces bridging the bottom and top surfaces, at least one of the side surfaces including a plurality of side-mounted meter contacts;

placing the test sensor into the test-sensor opening such that the plurality of side-mounted meter contacts electrically contact a respective one of the test-sensor contacts of the electrochemical test sensor; and

determining the analyte concentration using electrical signals from the side-mounted meter contacts.

18. The method of claim 17 further including a spacer such that at least a portion of the spacer is located between the lid and the base, the lid, the base and the spacer assisting in forming the fluid chamber for receiving the fluid sample.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the length of the base is at least 3 times greater than the width of the base.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein the test-sensor contacts are in a generally polygonal shape.

22. The method of claim 17 wherein the electrochemical test sensor further includes at least four test-sensor contacts, the at least four test-sensor contacts being spaced along the length of the base from each other.

23. The method of claim 17 wherein the fluid sample is blood.

24. The method of claim 17 wherein the analyte is glucose.

25. The method of claim 17 wherein the plurality of side-mounted meter contacts is generally perpendicular to the direction of the electrochemical test sensor being placed into the test-sensor opening.

26. The method of claim 17 wherein the at least three test-sensor contacts are staggered along the width of the base with each other.

27. The method of claim 17 wherein the placing of the test sensor into the test-sensor opening is performed by front-loading.

20. (canceled)