Biosensor

Abstract

A biosensor is provided in accordance with the present invention. The biosensor includes an electrode support substrate, electrodes positioned on the electrode support, each electrode including a meter-contact portion and a measurement portion, and a sensor support substrate. The sensor support substrate cooperates with the electrode support substrate to define channel in alignment with the measurement portion of the electrodes. Additionally, the sensor support substrate includes opposite ends and at least one window. The at least one window is spaced-apart from the ends and in alignment with the meter-contact portion of at least one of the electrodes.

1 . A biosensor comprising: 
 an electrode support substrate,    electrodes positioned on the electrode support, each electrode including a meter-contact portion and a measurement portion, and    a sensor support substrate cooperating with the electrode support substrate to define a channel in alignment with the measurement portion of the electrodes, the sensor support substrate including opposite ends and at least one window, the at least one window being spaced-apart from the ends and in alignment with the meter-contact portion of at least one of the electrodes.    
     
     
         2 . The biosensor of  claim 1  further comprising a cover substrate coupled to the sensor support substrate.  
     
     
         3 . The biosensor of  claim 2  wherein the cover substrate cooperates with the electrode support substrate and the sensor support substrate to define the channel.  
     
     
         4 . The biosensor of  claim 1  further comprising a reagent positioned on the electrode support substrate and spaced-apart from the meter-contact portion of the electrodes.  
     
     
         5 . The biosensor of  claim 1  wherein the dimensions of at least one of the windows are greater than the dimensions of the meter-contact portion of the respective electrodes.  
     
     
         6 . The biosensor of  claim 1  wherein the sensor support substrate includes three windows.  
     
     
         7 . The biosensor of  claim 1  wherein the sensor support substrate includes four windows.  
     
     
         8 . The biosensor of  claim 1  wherein the sensor support substrate includes five windows.  
     
     
         9 . The biosensor of  claim 1  wherein the electrode support substrate includes a greater number of electrodes than the sensor support substrate includes windows.  
     
     
         10 . The biosensor of  claim 1  further comprising a second sensor support substrate coupled to the electrode support substrate, the second sensor support substrate including opposite ends and at least one window, the at least one window being spaced-apart from the ends and in alignment with the meter-contact portion of at least one of the electrodes.  
     
     
         11 . A method of forming a biosensor, the method comprising the steps of: 
 forming electrodes on a first surface of an electrode support substrate, each electrode including a meter-contact portion and a measurement portion,    forming a sensor support substrate having opposite ends and at least one window spaced apart from the opposite ends,    coupling the sensor support and the electrode support substrate together so that the at least one window is aligned with the meter-contact portion of the electrodes, and    applying a reagent to the measurement portion of the electrodes.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the sensor support substrate includes windows, the windows being used to perform alignment of the sensor support substrate with the sensor support substrate.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising the step of forming electrodes on a second surface of the electrode support substrate.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising the steps of forming a second sensor support substrate and coupling the second sensor support substrate to the second surface of the electrode support substrate.  
     
     
         15 . (canceled)  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the electrodes are formed on the electrode support substrate with a laser.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11  wherein an equal number of electrodes are formed on the electrode support substrate as are windows formed in the sensor support substrate.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11  wherein a greater number of electrodes are formed on the electrode support substrate than are windows formed in the sensor support substrate.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein at least one window is formed to expose greater than one electrode.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11  wherein an equal number of electrodes are formed on the electrode support substrate as are windows formed in the sensor support substrate.  
     
     
         21 . (canceled)  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising forming an opening in the sensor support substrate and the coupling step includes aligning the opening with the measurement portion of the electrodes.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22  further comprising coupling a cover substrate to the spacer support substrate so that the cover extends across the opening.  
     
     
         24 . A biosensor comprising: 
 an electrode support substrate,    electrodes positioned on the electrode support substrate, each electrode including a meter-contact portion and a measurement portion,    a sensor support substrate coupled to the electrode support substrate, the sensor support substrate including opposite ends, an opening in alignment with the measurement portion of the electrodes and at least one window spaced-apart from the ends and in alignment with the meter-contact portion of the electrodes, and    a cover coupled to the sensor support substrate.    
     
     
         25 . The biosensor of  claim 24  wherein the cover extends across the opening.  
     
     
         26 . The biosensor of  claim 24  wherein the electrode support substrate includes opposite first and second ends and the meter-contact portions are spaced apart from ends.  
     
     
         27 . The biosensor of  claim 24  wherein the electrode support substrate includes a greater number of electrodes than the sensor support substrate includes windows.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 24  wherein the electrode support substrate includes an equal number of electrodes as windows formed in the sensor support substrate.  
     
     
         29 . The biosensor of  claim 22  further comprising a second sensor support substrate coupled to the electrode support substrate, the second sensor support substrate including opposite ends and at least one window, the at least one window being spaced-apart from the ends and in alignment with the meter-contact portion of at least one of the electrodes.  
     
     
         30 . A biosensor comprising: 
 a substrate,    an electrode positioned on the substrate, the electrode including a contact portion and a measurement portion, and a support substrate cooperating with the substrate to define a channel in alignment with the measurement portion, the support substrate including opposite ends and a window, the window being positioned away from the ends and in alignment with the contact portion.    
     
     
         31 . The biosensor of  claim 30  further comprising a reagent positioned on the substrate and away from the contact portion.  
     
     
         32 . The biosensor of  claim 30  wherein the dimensions of the window are greater than the dimensions of the contact portion.  
     
     
         33 . The biosensor of  claim 30  comprising windows.  
     
     
         34 . The biosensor of  claim 30  comprising electrodes.  
     
     
         35 . A method of forming a biosensor, the method comprising the steps of: 
 forming an electrode on a first surface of a substrate, the electrode including a meter-contact portion and a measurement portion,    forming a support substrate having opposite ends and a window spaced positioned away from the opposite ends,    applying a reagent to the measurement portion, and    coupling the support substrate and the substrate together so that the window is aligned with the meter-contact portion.    
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35  wherein the electrode is formed with a laser.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 35  wherein electrodes are formed on the substrate.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37  wherein the window is formed to expose electrodes.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 35  wherein the support substrate is formed to include windows.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39  wherein an equal number of electrodes are formed on the substrate as are windows formed in the support substrate.  
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 39  wherein a greater number of electrodes are formed on the electrode support substrate than are windows formed in the sensor support substrate.  
     
     
         42 . A biosensor comprising: 
 a substrate,    an electrode positioned on the substrate, the electrode including a contact portion and a measurement portion,    a support substrate including opposite ends, an opening in alignment with the measurement portion and a window positioned away from the ends and in alignment with the contact portion, and    a cover coupled to the support substrate.    
     
     
         43 . The biosensor of  claim 42  wherein the cover extends across the opening.  
     
     
         44 . The biosensor of  claim 42  comprising windows.  
     
     
         45 . The biosensor of  claim 42  comprising electrodes.