US 12,031,874 B2
Integrated temperature control within a diagnostic test sensor
Geoffrey Frank Hall, Ross-shire (GB); and Manuel Alvarez-Icaza, Inverness (GB)
Assigned to SureSensors Ltd., Inverness (GB)
Appl. No. 17/040,933
Filed by SureSensors Ltd., Inverness (GB)
PCT Filed Mar. 25, 2019, PCT No. PCT/GB2019/050839
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Sep. 23, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2019/186124, PCT Pub. Date Oct. 3, 2019.
Claims priority of application No. 1805043 (GB), filed on Mar. 28, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0025763 A1, Jan. 28, 2021
Int. Cl. G01K 7/02 (2021.01); C12Q 1/6844 (2018.01); G01N 1/44 (2006.01); H05B 3/28 (2006.01)
CPC G01K 7/021 (2013.01) [C12Q 1/6844 (2013.01); G01N 1/44 (2013.01); H05B 3/28 (2013.01); H05B 2203/013 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A diagnostic test strip, comprising:
a substrate; and
an integrated resistive heater and thermocouple, the integrated resistive heater and thermocouple comprising:
a resistive heater, the resistive heater comprising:
a continuous layer of conductive material disposed in contact with the substrate, the continuous layer defining a periphery;
a first heater connector track in electrical communication with the continuous layer along a first portion of the periphery; and
a second heater connector track in electrical communication with the continuous layer along a second portion of the periphery, the first and second heater connector tracks being spaced apart from one another by the continuous layer of conductive material;
a thermocouple, the thermocouple comprising:
a thermocouple element configured such that the thermocouple element:
(i) underlies or overlies a portion of the continuous layer of conductive material and is in contact and disposed in electrical communication with the portion of the continuous layer of conductive material;
(ii) is disposed within the periphery of the continuous layer of conductive material between the first and second heater connector tracks; and
(iii) is formed of a conductive material having a conductivity higher than a conductivity of the conductive material of the continuous layer, wherein the thermocouple element and the portion of the continuous layer form a thermocouple junction therebetween;
a first thermocouple connector track in electrical communication with the portion of the continuous layer; and
a second thermocouple connector track in electrical communication with the thermocouple element;
wherein the first and second thermocouple connector tracks are separate and distinct from the first and second heater connector tracks.