Boehringer Mannheim Gmbh

Manfred Pauli

Rudolf Schussler

Dieter Meinecke

Rainer Van Rijckevorsel

Dieter Knoll

Thomas Jack

Uwe Ruppender

Elmar Schmidt

Manfred Seidenstricker

Werner Fey

Test carrier analysis device for determining the reflectivity of a test field surface (measurement surface). An optical unit (2) of the device contains several light transmitters (6, 7) and a measurement receiver, and the light transmitters are directed obliquely from above onto the measurement surface. Improved accuracy without additional outlay is achieved by the fact that the light transmitters (6, 7) in the optical unit (2) are arranged opposite one another with off-set planes of incidence (28, 29).

Test carrier analysis device

Test carrier analysis system consisting of test carriers and an associated evaluation apparatus. The evaluation apparatus has a positioning device (5) for the exact positioning of a test carrier (1). A fixing element engaging with a recess (8) of the test carrier (1) is used for this purpose. Improved handling properties with lowest possible design outlay and good positional accuracy are achieved by the fact that the positioning device (5) comprises a stop (17) for the introduction end (1a) of the test carrier (1), the test carrier rest (6) supports the test carrier (1) at least in the vicinity of the recess (8) in a level plane, the fixing element (9) comprises a bit stop (9b) limiting its depth of penetration into the recess (8) and the actuating organ (10) of the fixing element (9) is so designed and disposed that in the measurement position a force is exerted on the test carrier (1) which has both a component parallel to the surface of the latter in direction onto the stop (17) and a component normal to its surface in direction onto the test carrier rest (6).

Test carrier analysis system

According to a second aspect, the present invention also provides an apparatus for the evaluation of a flat test carrier for the analytical determination of components of a body fluid, said apparatus having a measurement unit and a positioning means, by means of which the test carrier is positioned and firmly held in a measurement position in such a manner that its test field is present in a definite position with regard to the measurement unit, wherein, for the evaluation of test carriers with a covering layer fixed in the manner of a flap on one edge of the test carrier, there is present a shutter element with a contact surface for pressing on the covering layer, the aperture element and/or the positioning means being mounted and operable in such a manner that the contact surface in the last phase of approaching the covering layer makes, relative to the test carrier, a tilting movement about a tilting axis which lies in close proximity to a fixing edge of the covering layer.

Apparatus for the evaluation of a test carrier for the analytical

According to a first aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus for the evaluation of a longitudinally extending, flexible test carrier for the analytical determination of components of a body fluid. The test carrier has an insertion end to be inserted into the apparatus and a handling end. The test carrier is positioned and securely held in a measurement position in such a manner that its test field is present in a definite position with regard to the measurement unit. The positioning element includes at least two holding elements, one of which firmly holds the test carrier close to its insertion end and the other of which firmly holds the test carrier close to its handling end. A supporting surface being provided on which the test carrier lies at least partly in its measurement position. According to a second aspect for the evaluation of test carriers with a covering layer fixed in the manner of a flap on one edge of the test carrier, there is present a shutter element with a contact surface for pressing on the covering layer, the aperture element being mounted and operable in such a manner that the contact surface in the last phase of approaching the covering layer makes, relative to the test carrier, a tilting movement about a tilting axis which lies in close proximity to a fixing edge of the covering layer.

The present invention provides a device for the evaluation of a flat test carrier for the analytical determination of components of body fluids, said device having a tempering device and a regulating unit, the tempering device including a heating and measurement unit which can be pressed flatly against the test carrier in the region of its reference surface utilized for the evaluation and having a heating surface, wherein the heating and measurement unit has a heating surface which can be homogeneously heated with at least one resistance heating element, at least one resistance heating element is associated at least partly in close proximity to the heating surface, at least one part, serving as temperature measurement section, of the part of the resistance heating element arranged in the neighborhood of the heating surface consisting of a material with a temperature-dependent electrical resistance and the electrical resistance of the temperature measurement section is used for the regulation of the temperature of the heating and measurement unit by means of the regulating unit so that a part of the heating element simultaneously serves as temperature measurement element.

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Schwetzingen, Germany

Manfred Pauli