Patent ID: 9034172
Filing Date: 2015-05-19
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
1. A method for continuously determining the concentration of an analyte in a fluid sample with a test sensor, the method comprising: providing an electrochemical test sensor including a housing and an electrode assembly, the housing having a first end and a second opposing end, the housing including an opening at the first end to receive a fluid test sample, the electrode assembly including a solid substrate, a working electrode, a counter electrode and a reagent, the solid substrate having a first surface and an opposing second surface, the working electrode being disposed on the first surface of the solid substrate, the counter electrode being disposed on the second surface of the solid substrate, the electrode assembly being positioned within the housing to define a reaction channel, the electrode assembly extending across a width dimension of an interior of the housing to form a first capillary channel being exposed to the working electrode and a second capillary channel being exposed to the counter electrode; providing the fluid sample to the reaction channel such that the fluid sample flows only on the exterior of the solid substrate so as to contact the working and counter electrodes; providing an integrated lancet being exposed outside of the opening, the lancet being integrated with the electrochemical test sensor, the integrated lancet including a lancet needle, the lancet needle including a fluid channel therein configured to pass the fluid sample from an incision via capillary action; reacting the analyte of the fluid sample with the reagent to generate an electrical signal in the sensor in response to the presence of the analyte in the fluid sample; and continuously determining the analyte concentration using the electrical signal.