Tubular Sensor Electrode Immobilization via Flat Sheet Press-Forming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for measuring constituents in body fluids, such as blood glucose, face challenges in immobilizing electrodes within tubular sensors, leading to inaccuracies due to uneven inter-electrode distances and increased manufacturing costs, particularly in integrating puncture needles and electrodes.
Innovation Solution
A tubular sensor with an insulation layer and electrodes extending along its inner surface, allowing for precise immobilization and constant inter-electrode distance, manufactured by forming electrodes on a thin metal sheet and press-working it into a tubular shape, eliminating the need for separate electrode insertion and immobilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If electrodes are separately produced and then immobilized inside the puncture needle, then the puncture needle and electrodes can be integrated, but the immobilization accuracy and productivity deteriorate due to the minute space constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The electrodes are preliminarily arranged and fixed on a flat sheet in a development shape before the sheet is formed into a tubular puncture needle. This preliminary arrangement ensures accurate positioning and constant inter-electrode distances are achieved during the forming process, avoiding the need for difficult post-assembly immobilization work.
2Ease of operation
If three electrodes (working electrode, counter electrode, and reference electrode) are inserted into a capillary tube, then blood can be guided into the tube, but the positional accuracy of electrodes deteriorates making it difficult to arrange them with high precision
Solution Approach 1:
The reference electrode is extracted from the tubular sensor structure and replaced by using the distal end surface of the tubular body itself as the reference electrode. This eliminates the need to insert and position a separate reference electrode inside the capillary tube, thereby maintaining high positional accuracy for the working and counter electrodes while still enabling blood guidance functionality.
3Adaptability or versatility
If separate production of puncture needle and electrodes is followed by immobilization, then component flexibility is maintained, but productivity deteriorates due to the complex assembly process
Solution Approach 1:
The production processes for the puncture needle and electrodes are merged into a single integrated process. The electrodes are formed and positioned on the flat sheet during the same manufacturing process that forms the tubular puncture needle, eliminating separate assembly steps and significantly improving productivity while maintaining design flexibility.
Data Source
AI summary
A puncture needle sensor manufacturing method includes applying an insulation layer to a metal sheet and applying spaced apart stripe-shaped electrodes on the insulation layer after the insulation layer is applied on the metal sheet. The manufacturing method also includes cutting the metal sheet to produce a plate-shaped body that includes at least two of the electrodes. The plate-shaped body is press-worked to form the plate-shaped body into a tubular body, and a pointed, beveled end portion is formed at the distal end of the tubular body.