Patent ID: 8015685

Claim:
A method for producing combined puncturing and measuring devices for detection of an analyte in liquid, including a support and a detection element, the method comprising the following method steps: forming puncturing points on a band-shaped support material, sealing the puncturing points by embedding each point in a soft plastic cover such that each surface of the puncturing points is in contact with the soft plastic cover, the soft plastic cover being sized and shaped such that when the cover receives puncturing points therein, the soft plastic cover extends between adjacent puncturing points, and the step of sealing the puncturing points by embedding each point in a soft plastic cover further includes the step of embedding the puncturing points in a continuous soft plastic cover that receives at least two of the puncturing points therein, sterilizing the sealed puncturing points and the band-shaped support material such that the embedding of the puncturing points in the soft plastic cover provides for maintaining permanent pre-use sterility of the puncturing points, and applying a detection element to the sterilized band-shaped support material.