Back to results
US 6,896,793 B2Granted
Liquid junction reference electrode and methods of use thereof
AssigneeInstrumentation Laboratory Company
InventorsMiklos Erdosy, Vasile V. Cosofret
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention relates to a durable and reliable miniature liquid junction reference electrode for use with at least one electrode (e.g., an electrochemical sensor cartridge) for measuring certain characteristics of a fluid sample such as blood or other body fluid.
Claims36
A reference electrode comprising:
- (a) a reference sensor;
- (b) a bridge electrolyte channel in fluid communication with said reference sensor;
- and
- (c) a connector channel connected to the bridge electrolyte channel, said connector channel comprising a sample inlet channel and a sample outflow channel through which a sample may flow, a bridge electrolyte well for retaining a volume of a bridge electrolyte solution, and a bridge electrolyte port which connects said bridge electrolyte well with said bridge electrolyte channel;
- wherein said bridge electrolyte well is dimensioned to provide a liquid junction between the sample and the bridge electrolyte solution, and wherein said liquid junction has a width that exceeds the diameter of said bridge electrolyte port.
2 more elements
A method for using a liquid junction reference electrode, comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a reference electrode comprising a reference sensor;
- a bridge electrolyte channel in fluid communication with said reference sensor;
- and a connector channel connected to the bridge electrolyte channel, said connector channel comprising a sample inlet channel and a sample outflow channel through which a sample may flow, a bridge electrolyte well for retaining a volume of a bridge electrolyte solution, and a bridge electrolyte port which connects said bridge electrolyte well with said bridge electrolyte channel;
- wherein said bridge electrolyte well is dimensioned to provide a liquid junction between the sample and the bridge electrolyte solution, and wherein said liquid junction has a width that exceeds the diameter of said bridge electrolyte port;
- (b) providing a sample to said sample inlet channel;
- (c) providing a bridge electrolyte solution to said bridge electrolyte channel;
- (d) providing a force to said sample so that it flows toward said bridge electrolyte port;
- (e) providing a force to said bridge electrolyte solution so that it flows toward said bridge electrolyte port;
- (f) forming a liquid junction between said sample and said bridge electrolyte solution at said bridge electrolyte well with a surface area in the range of about 1 mm2 to about 10 mm2;
- and
- (g) taking a measurement.
8 more elements
A reference electrode comprising:
- (a) a reference sensor comprising:
- (i) a support substrate;
- (ii) a silver layer (Ag) deposited on said support substrate;
- (iii) a silver chloride (AgCl) layer deposited on said Ag layer;
- (iv) a glaze layer deposited on at least part of said AgCl layer;
- and
- (v) a gasket disposed on said glaze layer;
- (b) a bridge electrolyte channel in fluid communication with said reference sensor;
- and
- (c) a connector channel connected to the bridge electrolyte channel via a bridge electrolyte port, said connector channel comprising a sample inlet channel and a sample outflow channel through which a sample may flow, and a bridge electrolyte well for retaining a volume of a bridge electrolyte solution;
- wherein said bridge electrolyte well is dimensioned to provide a liquid junction between the sample and the bridge electrolyte solution.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.