Diagnostic devices incorporating fluidics and methods of manufacture

A diagnostic card for use with a card reader in sensing at least one component concentration of a fluid sample, comprising:

• a card body
• at least one component sensor located in a sensor region of the card body;
• a sealed chamber defined in the card body outside the sensor region for containing a fluid, the chamber having a chamber wall sealing the chamber and being formed of a laminate of two opposed, plastic coated metal foil laminations bonded about their perimeter by a first heat seal made by melt bonding the plastic coatings of the laminations;
• a fluid conduit for fluidically connecting the chamber with the sensor region, when the chamber is opened;
• a valve seat in the card body and a valve for fluidically connecting the chamber to the fluid conduit, the valve including a valve body displaceably received in the valve seat and sandwiched between the laminations within the chamber, the valve body rupturing one of the laminations upon displacement of the valve body relative to the valve seat for rupturing the chamber wall of the sealed chamber at the connection to the fluid conduit without pressurization of the chamber, thereby opening the chamber;
• and
• a delivery structure for forcing fluid from the chamber and into the fluid conduit, when the chamber contains fluid, the delivery structure being operable independently of the valve and being formed by a flexible portion of the chamber wall which flexible portion is deformable for reduction of the chamber by external application of a deforming force.

A diagnostic card for use with a card reader for sensing at least one component concentration of a fluid sample, comprising:

• a planar card body having a pair of opposite planar external surfaces;
• at least one sensor located in a sensor region of the card body;
• a sample entry port in one of the external surfaces of the card for receiving a conduit for sample fluid infection;
• a sample conduit within the card body for fluidically connecting the sample entry port to the sensor region;
• and
• an adhesive gasket on the one external surface and surrounding the sample entry port for forming a liquid seal about the conduit, when inserted into the sample entry port.