Patent ID: 8182636

Claim:
A method of manufacturing an electrochemical cell, wherein the electrochemical cell comprises opposing first and second electrodes separated by an electrically resistive sheet, wherein the method comprises the steps of: (a) forming a first bound opening in an electrically resistive sheet thereby forming a punched electrically resistive sheet; (b) adhering the punched electrically resistive sheet to a first electrically conductive sheet thereby forming a combined sheet, wherein a first portion of a conductive surface of the first electrically conductive sheet is exposed through the first bound opening, and a second portion of the conductive surface of the electrically conductive sheet is exposed either through a second bound opening in the electrically resistive sheet or as an extension beyond an edge of the electrically resistive sheet; (c) punching a notching opening through the electrically resistive sheet and the first electrically conductive sheet of the combined sheet, wherein the notching opening intersects the first bound opening in the electrically resistive sheet thereby transforming the first bound opening into a notch in the electrically resistive sheet, and punching a first contact area punch through the second exposed portion of the electrically conductive sheet visible to form a first electrical contact, thereby forming a punched combined sheet; (d) punching a second electrically conductive sheet with a punch or punches to form an electrically conductive sheet having a notching opening corresponding to that of the punched combined sheet and a second contact area in the second electrically conductive sheet, thereby forming an opposite electrode sheet; (e) adhering the opposite electrode sheet to the electrically resistive sheet portion of the punched combined sheet with an electrically conductive surface facing the electrically resistive sheet, said opposite electrode sheet being adhered such that the notching opening corresponding to the notching opening in the combined sheet is aligned with the notching opening in the combined sheet, and the second contact area is aligned with the second bound opening, thereby forming an electrochemical sheet, and (f) cleaving the electrochemical sheet thereby forming a spent electrochemical sheet and a free electrochemical cell having a sample space for receiving a sample defined by the first and second conductive sheets and the notch in the electrically resistive sheet, and first and second contact areas in electrically-conductive contact with electrode portions of the first and second conductive sheets exposed in the sample space for connection of said first and second electrode portions with a meter.