METHOD FOR PRODUCING A MEMBRANE RING OR TEST STRIP RING AND RING MAGAZINE

1 . A method for producing a membrane ring or test strip ring for a diagnostic test device for examining body fluids, comprising:

a) cutting an elongate strip of into segments, such that the segments are divided by cuts running transversely to a longitudinal direction of the strip, wherein the cuts are made only as far as a residual width of the strip so that a material bridge remains intact between the segments adjacent to the cuts;

b) closing the strip by bringing its ends together to form a ring, wherein cut edges of each of the cuts running towards the material bridges enclose an acute angle; and

c) inserting the ring into a support structure as the membrane ring or test strip ring for the test device, wherein the ring is inserted into a disc-shaped housing of the support structure that includes a plurality of chambers so that each of the segments is allocated to one of the chambers of the housing.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the strip is cut to a residual width of 0.1 to 1.0 mm that remains as the material bridge.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the strip is uniformly cut into from one of a longitudinal edge of the strip such that the material bridges remain at an opposite longitudinal edge of the strip.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the strip is cut two-sided in each case on one line from both longitudinal edges of the strip while retaining the material bridge.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the cuts are made using a cutting or punching tool or by laser cutting.

6 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising twisting the cut strip lengthwise before ring formation so that the segments are tilted at a continuously increasing angle relative to a tilt axis running through the material bridges.

7 . The method according to claim 6 , further comprising successively placing the segments down on a flat ring surface to bring the segments from a tilted position into a mutually overlapping position.

8 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the ring is configured so that the material bridges span a circle wherein the ends of the strip make contact on the circle.

9 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein adjacent ones of the segments are placed in an overlap during ring formation, wherein the overlaps bounded by the cut edges of the cuts run from the inner side of the ring to the respective material bridge.

10 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein adjacent segments are joined to one another at the overlap.

11 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the adjacent segments are joined at the overlap under the action of heat.

12 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the adjacent segments are welded at the overlap.

13 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the adjacent segments are joined at the overlap under the action of pressure.

14 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the adjacent segments are glued at the overlap.

15 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the segments are mutually joined while the ring is at the same time attached to the support structure.

16 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the starting material is formed by one of a foil coated with a reactive test chemistry and a membrane that is at least partially permeable to the body fluid.

17 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the segments are arranged as disposables in a ring magazine and each segment is configured to provide a single test for examining the body fluid.

18 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the cuts are made in the strip at right angles from a longitudinal edge of the elongate strip, wherein the cut edges of the cuts run in pairs parallel to a common cut line.

19 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the starting material of the elongate strip is one of a membrane designed to filter body fluid and a foil coated with a reactive test chemistry for an analyte in the body fluid.

20 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the elongate strip is provided from a flat starting material.

21 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the elongate strip is provided from a tape-shaped starting material.

22 . A ring magazine for a diagnostic test device for examining body fluids, comprising: a support structure and a membrane ring or test strip ring inserted therein, wherein the membrane ring or test strip ring includes an elongate strip of starting material cut into segments divided by cuts running transversely to a longitudinal direction of the strip, wherein the cuts are made only as far as a residual width of the strip so that a material bridge remains intact between the segments adjacent to the cuts and the strip is closed by bringing opposite ends of the strip together to form a ring, wherein cut edges of each of the cuts running towards the material bridges enclose an acute angle, and wherein the support structure includes a plurality of test chambers and each of the segments is allocated to one of the chambers of the support structure to provide a filter or a detection element configured for a single test for examining the body fluid.

23 . The ring magazine according to claim 22 , wherein the support structure has a plurality of openings for the transfer of body fluid and the openings are each covered by a respective one of the segments of the membrane ring or test strip ring.

24 . The ring magazine according to claim 22 , wherein the support structure has a disc-shaped housing including the test chambers arranged in a ring shape.

25 . The ring magazine according to claim 22 , wherein the segments each have an application site for taking up body fluid.

26 . The ring magazine according to claim 22 , wherein the membrane ring is placed as a filter in front of a ring-shaped detection element.

27 . The ring magazine according to claim 22 , wherein the support structure is configured for insertion into a housing of a diagnostic test device.