Patent ID: 8501111

Claim:
A sensor for receiving, storing, and chemically reacting with fluid samples from a user for purposes of detecting and quantifying the amount of analytes in such samples by optical means using an optical measurement instrument, such a sensor comprising: a base support member, such a base support member providing support for said sensor and having an aperture that allows a portion of a reaction membrane to be exposed to said optical measurement instrument; said reaction membrane having a surface which is in physical contact with said base support member and covers all of said aperture, said reaction membrane comprising at least one reagent for reacting with at least one compositional component of said analytes and requiring no redox mediators for reaction; a storage chamber comprising an open-ended capillary passage for conducting said sample from an incision laterally across the width of said storage chamber and simultaneously permitting said sample to saturate said reaction membrane without an additional sorbent material, wherein: said storage chamber is attached directly to said base support member and said open-ended capillary passage is positioned directly over said reaction membrane; the open ends of said capillary passage extends to the lateral edges of said base support member and permits saturation of said reaction membrane without an additional sorbent material; the ventral side of said capillary passage is exposed entirely to said reaction membrane and the width of said capillary passage is no greater than the diameter of said aperture; said capillary passage is configured to align said sample over an area of said reaction membrane in vertical alignment with said aperture; and said capillary passage is sized to contain a volume of less than about 1 μL of said sample and where the open ends of said capillary passage prevents uncontrolled diffusion of said sample into said storage chamber; and whereby said sensor is used to measure the amount of analytes in such fluid samples without the use of electrodes on said sensor.