Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 77
Claim 1
Independent Claim
115 words
A sensor for measuring a concentration of an analyte in a solution, comprising: a substrate layer formed from an electrically insulating material; an electrode layer formed from an electrically conductive material, the electrode layer being supported by the substrate layer; an immobilized enzyme layer including an enzyme immobilized in a support material, the immobilized enzyme layer being supported by the electrode, the immobilized enzyme layer electrode layer having a hydrophobicity; and a hydrophobic layer supported by the immobilized enzyme layer and the substrate layer, the hydrophobic layer having a hydrophobicity greater than the hydrophobicity of the immobilized enzyme layer, the hydrophobic layer having a water droplet advancing angle of from about 60° to about 100°.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
115 words
A sensor for measuring a concentration of an analyte in a solution, comprising: a substrate layer formed from an electrically insulating material; an electrode layer formed from an electrically conductive material, the electrode layer being supported by the substrate layer; an immobilized enzyme layer including an enzyme immobilized in a support material, the immobilized enzyme layer being supported by the electrode, the immobilized enzyme layer electrode layer having a hydrophobicity; and a hydrophobic layer supported by the immobilized enzyme layer and the substrate layer, the hydrophobic layer having a hydrophobicity greater than the hydrophobicity of the immobilized enzyme layer, the hydrophobic layer having a water droplet advancing angle of from about 60° to about 100°.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 1, wherein the immobilized enzyme layer has a water droplet advancing angle of from about 0° to about 20°.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 2, wherein the water droplet advancing angle of the hydrophobic layer is from about 90° to about 100°.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 1, wherein the water droplet advancing angle of the hydrophobic layer is from about 90° to about 100°.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 1, wherein the immobilized enzyme layer includes lactate oxidase.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 1, further comprising an enzyme-polymer layer including an enzyme, the enzyme-polymer layer being supported by the hydrophobic layer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 6, wherein the enzyme of the enzyme-polymer layer is lactate oxidase.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 6, wherein the enzyme-polymer layer further includes a polymeric material.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 8, wherein the polymeric material of the enzyme-polymer layer assists in maintaining a natural conformation of the second enzyme.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 8, wherein the polymeric material of the enzyme-polymer layer is a polyvinyl alcohol.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 1, further comprising at least one membrane layer including a polymeric material.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 11, wherein the at least one membrane layer includes a plurality of membrane layers.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 11, wherein the at least one membrane layer further includes a surfactant.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
14 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 13, wherein the surfactant is a nonionic surfactant.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 13, wherein the surfactant includes a hydrophobic hydrocarbon chain bonded to an oligoalkylene oxide.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
20 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 1, wherein the immobilized enzyme layer is substantially free of a catalytically active enzyme.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
15 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 16, further comprising an enzyme-polymer layer including an enzyme.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
17 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 17, wherein the enzyme-polymer layer is supported by the hydrophobic layer.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
17 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 17, wherein the enzyme of the enzyme-polymer layer is lactate oxidase.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
16 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 17, wherein the enzyme-polymer layer further includes a polymeric material.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
25 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 20, wherein the polymeric material of the enzyme-polymer layer assists in maintaining a natural conformation of the second enzyme.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
19 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 20, wherein the polymeric material of the enzyme-polymer layer is a polyvinyl alcohol.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
30 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 16, further comprising at least one membrane layer including a polymeric material, the at least one outer layer being supported by the enzyme-polymer layer.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
20 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 23, wherein the at least one membrane layer includes a plurality of membrane layers.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
18 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 23, wherein the at least one membrane layer further includes a surfactant.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
14 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 25, wherein the surfactant is a nonionic surfactant.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
20 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 25, wherein the surfactant includes a hydrophobic hydrocarbon chain bonded to an oligoalkylene oxide.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
14 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 1, wherein the hydrophobic layer includes a silane.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
14 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 1, wherein the hydrophobic layer includes an aminosilane.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
13 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 1, wherein the hydrophobic layer includes aminopropyltriethoxysilane.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
84 words
A method of making a sensor for measuring a concentration of an analyte in a solution, the method comprising the steps of: providing a substrate layer; disposing an electrically conductive layer along a surface of the substrate layer to form an electrode layer; disposing a layer including an enzyme immobilized in a support material along a surface of the electrode layer to form an immobilized enzyme layer; and disposing a hydrophobic layer formed from a silane along a surface of the immobilized enzyme layer.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
84 words
A method of making a sensor for measuring a concentration of an analyte in a solution, the method comprising the steps of: providing a substrate layer; disposing an electrically conductive layer along a surface of the substrate layer to form an electrode layer; disposing a layer including an enzyme immobilized in a support material along a surface of the electrode layer to form an immobilized enzyme layer; and disposing a hydrophobic layer formed from a silane along a surface of the immobilized enzyme layer.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
52 words
A method in accordance with claim 31, wherein the steps of disposing the hydrophobic layer include the steps of: pouring a silane solution onto the surface of the immobilized enzyme layer; draining a portion of the silane solution; and removing excess silane solution by spinning the sensor with a spin coating device.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method in accordance with claim 32, further comprising a step of disposing an enzyme-polymer layer along a surface of the hydrophobic layer.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
59 words
A method in accordance with claim 33, wherein the step of disposing the enzyme-polymer layer includes the steps of: forming a slurry of a polymer and water; heating the slurry to dissolve the polymer in the water to form a polymer solution; cooling the polymer solution; and adding an enzyme to the polymer solution to form an enzyme solution.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method in accordance with claim 34, wherein the step of disposing the enzyme-polymer layer includes the step of disposing the enzyme solution along the hydrophobic layer with a spotting workstation.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method in accordance with claim 35, further comprising the steps of: disposing a membrane layer along a surface of the enzyme-polymer layer; and disposing the membrane layer along a surface of the hydrophobic layer.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
61 words
A method in accordance with claim 36, wherein the steps of disposing the membrane layer include the steps of: flooding the surface of the enzyme-polymer layer with a first portion of a membrane solution including a polymeric material and a surfactant; and removing excess membrane solution by spinning the sensor with a spin coating apparatus to form a first membrane layer.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method in accordance with claim 37, further comprising the steps of: disposing a second portion of the membrane solution along a surface of the first membrane layer; and removing excess membrane solution by spinning the sensor with a spin coating apparatus.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
96 words
In a sensor for measuring a concentration of an analyte in a solution, the sensor being formed from a substrate layer, an electrode layer and an immobilized enzyme layer having a hydrophobicity, the electrode layer being disposed on the substrate layer, the immobilized enzyme layer being disposed on the electrode layer, wherein the improvement comprises: a hydrophobic layer having a hydrophobicity greater than the hydrophobicity of the immobilized enzyme layer, the hydrophobic layer being supported by the immobilized enzyme layer, the hydrophobic layer having a water droplet advancing angle of from about 60° to about 100°.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
96 words
In a sensor for measuring a concentration of an analyte in a solution, the sensor being formed from a substrate layer, an electrode layer and an immobilized enzyme layer having a hydrophobicity, the electrode layer being disposed on the substrate layer, the immobilized enzyme layer being disposed on the electrode layer, wherein the improvement comprises: a hydrophobic layer having a hydrophobicity greater than the hydrophobicity of the immobilized enzyme layer, the hydrophobic layer being supported by the immobilized enzyme layer, the hydrophobic layer having a water droplet advancing angle of from about 60° to about 100°.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
15 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 39, wherein the immobilized enzyme layer includes an enzyme.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
20 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 39, wherein the immobilized enzyme layer is substantially free of a catalytically active enzyme.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
15 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 39, wherein the hydrophobic layer is formed from aminopropyltriethoxysilane.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
25 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 39, further comprising an enzyme-polymer layer including an enzyme, the enzyme containing layer being supported by the hydrophobic layer.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
16 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 43, wherein the enzyme-polymer layer further includes a polymeric material.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
18 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 39, further comprising at least one membrane layer including a polymeric material.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
15 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 45, wherein the membrane layer further includes a surfactant.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
14 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 39, wherein the hydrophobic layer includes a silane.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
14 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 39, wherein the hydrophobic layer includes an aminosilane.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
102 words
A sensor for measuring a concentration of an analyte in a solution, the sensor comprising: a substrate layer formed from an electrically insulating material; an electrode layer formed from an electrically conductive material, the electrode layer being supported by the substrate layer; an immobilized enzyme layer including an enzyme immobilized in a support member, the immobilized enzyme layer being supported by the electrode layer; an enzyme-polymer layer including an enzyme, the enzyme-polymer layer being disposed above the immobilized enzyme layer; and an hydrophobic layer disposed between the immobilized enzyme layer and the enzyme-polymer layer, the hydrophobic layer being formed from a silane.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
102 words
A sensor for measuring a concentration of an analyte in a solution, the sensor comprising: a substrate layer formed from an electrically insulating material; an electrode layer formed from an electrically conductive material, the electrode layer being supported by the substrate layer; an immobilized enzyme layer including an enzyme immobilized in a support member, the immobilized enzyme layer being supported by the electrode layer; an enzyme-polymer layer including an enzyme, the enzyme-polymer layer being disposed above the immobilized enzyme layer; and an hydrophobic layer disposed between the immobilized enzyme layer and the enzyme-polymer layer, the hydrophobic layer being formed from a silane.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
16 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 49, wherein the hydrophobic layer is formed from an aminopropylsilane.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
17 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 50, further comprising an inactive electrode uncovered by the enzyme-polymer layer.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
24 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 50, wherein the hydrophobic layer has a water droplet advancing angle of from about 60° to about 100°.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
15 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 50, wherein the hydrophobic layer is formed from aminopropyltriethoxysilane.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
24 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 49, wherein the hydrophobic layer has a water droplet advancing angle of from about 90° to about 100°.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
25 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 54, wherein the immobilized enzyme layer has a water droplet advancing angle of from about 0° to about 20°.
Claim 60
Dependent Claim
25 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 54, wherein the immobilized enzyme layer has a water droplet advancing angle of from about 0° to about 20°.
Claim 61
Dependent Claim
18 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 49, wherein the enzyme of the immobilized enzyme layer is lactate oxidase.
Claim 62
Dependent Claim
17 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 57, wherein the enzyme of the enzyme-polymer layer is lactate oxidase.
Claim 63
Dependent Claim
17 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 49, wherein the enzyme of the enzyme-polymer layer is lactate oxidase.
Claim 64
Dependent Claim
15 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 49, wherein the enzyme-polymer layer further comprises a polymer.
Claim 65
Dependent Claim
30 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 60, wherein the polymer of the enzyme-polymer layer is capable of assisting in maintaining a natural conformation of the enzyme of the enzyme-polymer layer.
Claim 66
Dependent Claim
18 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 60, wherein the polymer of the enzyme-polymer layer is a polyhydric alcohol.
Claim 67
Dependent Claim
59 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 49, further comprising a hydrophobic layer disposed between the immobilized enzyme layer and the enzyme-polymer layer, the hydrophobic layer being formed from aminopropyltriethoxysilane, wherein the substrate layer is formed from alumina, the electrode layer is formed from platinum, the immobilized enzyme layer includes lactate oxidase and the enzyme polymer layer includes lactate oxidase.
Claim 68
Dependent Claim
104 words
In a sensor for measuring a concentration of an analyte in a solution, the sensor being formed from a substrate layer, a dielectric layer, an electrode layer and an immobilized enzyme layer, wherein the electrode layer is disposed on the substrate layer, the dielectric layer is disposed on the substrate, and the immobilized enzyme layer is disposed on the electrode layer, and wherein the improvement comprises: an enzyme-polymer layer including an enzyme, the enzyme-polymer layer being disposed above the immobilized enzyme layer and a hydrophobic layer disposed between the immobilized enzyme layer and the enzyme-polymer layer, the hydrophobic layer being formed from a silane.
Claim 69
Dependent Claim
104 words
In a sensor for measuring a concentration of an analyte in a solution, the sensor being formed from a substrate layer, a dielectric layer, an electrode layer and an immobilized enzyme layer, wherein the electrode layer is disposed on the substrate layer, the dielectric layer is disposed on the substrate, and the immobilized enzyme layer is disposed on the electrode layer, and wherein the improvement comprises: an enzyme-polymer layer including an enzyme, the enzyme-polymer layer being disposed above the immobilized enzyme layer and a hydrophobic layer disposed between the immobilized enzyme layer and the enzyme-polymer layer, the hydrophobic layer being formed from a silane.
Claim 70
Dependent Claim
18 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 64, wherein the enzyme layer of the enzyme-polymer layer is lactate oxidase.
Claim 71
Dependent Claim
15 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 64, wherein the enzyme-polymer layer further includes a polymer.
Claim 72
Dependent Claim
15 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 64, wherein the enzyme-polymer layer further includes a polymer.
Claim 73
Dependent Claim
27 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 67, wherein the polymer of the enzyme-polymer layer assists in maintaining a natural conformation of the enzyme of the enzyme-polymer layer.
Claim 74
Dependent Claim
18 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 67, wherein the polymer of the enzyme-polymer layer is a polyhydric alcohol.
Claim 75
Dependent Claim
18 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 67, wherein the polymer of the enzyme-polymer layer is a polyvinyl alcohol.
Claim 76
Dependent Claim
14 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 64, wherein the hydrophobic layer includes an aminosilane.
Claim 77
Dependent Claim
13 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 64, wherein the hydrophobic layer includes aminopropyltriethoxysilane.