Sensor and sensor system equipped with same

Abstract

A sensor has a diverter, such as a convex portion or a concave portion, on the side wall of a cavity. A biological sample deposited in a suction opening is drawn into the cavity by capillary action, but if an initial amount of biological sample is too small, either the biological sample is prevented from moving forward by the convex portion or the concave portion, or the time it takes to reach a detecting electrode is increased, which provides a user enough time to supply an additional amount of the biological sample before a false detection occurs.

1 - 4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . A sensor that is used in at least one of the detection and quantification of a target substance contained in a biological sample, said sensor comprising:
 a cavity including a side wall;   a plurality of suction openings from the outside of the sensor to the inside of the cavity, and the suction openings are formed respectively at both ends of the cavity;   a working electrode or a counter electrode disposed inside of the cavity;   a detecting electrode disposed inside of the cavity, the detecting electrode disposed toward one of the suction openings from the other of the suction openings; and   a diverter including a convex portion or a concave portion, the convex portion or the concave portion being a portion of the side wall;   the biological sample is deposited in at least one of the suction openings and advances along a path from the plurality of suction openings to the detecting electrode,   the side wall is disposed so that the diverter is configured to extend the path from the plurality of suction openings to the detecting electrode.   
     
     
         6 . The sensor according to  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a substrate;   a spacer disposed on the substrate; and   a cover disposed on the spacer;   the cavity further including:
 a bottom including the substrate, and 
 a ceiling including the cover; and 
   wherein the side wall includes the spacer,   the working electrode or the counter electrode, and the detecting electrode are formed on the substrate, and   the detecting electrode is disposed at a position in the cavity furthest from the suction openings.   
     
     
         7 . The sensor according to  claim 6 ,
 wherein the convex portion or the concave portion is formed on at least one of the bottom and the ceiling.   
     
     
         8 . The sensor according to  claim 5 ,
 wherein no matter in which of the suction openings the sample is deposited, the suction of the biological sample will be detected when the biological sample reaches the suction opening on the opposite side.   
     
     
         9 . A sensor system, comprising:
 sensor according to  claim 5 ; and   a measurement device configured to measure the concentration of a target substance in a biological sample based on a current value obtained from the sensor.