The invention is within the field of packaging and storing of test elements that are usually sensitive towards atmospheric humidity or water vapor. The invention concerns a system for the storage of test elements for the analysis of sample liquids in which two or more test elements are present in a storage container which can be sealed water-vapor tight and contains a desiccant inside.

A pad dispenser for moistened treatment pads includes a wide mouth container and a pad elevator which is receivable within the container. The pad elevator has a generally planar pad support platform to whose periphery are joined a plurality of spaced, resilient collets. A generally vertically directed grasping stem is formed in the middle of the platform. A plurality of treatment pads or disks are positionable in a generally on edge array on the pad elevator's platform. Access to these pads is afforded by raising of the pad elevator within the container. Once raised, the pad elevator will be maintained in its elevated position by a sliding interference fit between the elevator collets and the container sidewall.

A packaged sheath for a probe comprises a backing web, a flattened probe sheath having an open and a closed end and made of a pair of connected flat sides, and first and second tab members sealed to respective flat sides of the sheath adjacent the open end. The tab members serve as a gripping handle for the sheath, the first tab member having an outer end projecting beyond the second tab member. An upper web is peripherally sealed to the backing web at side areas, the first and second tab members projecting outwardly beyond the ends of the backing web and upper web adjacent the sheath open end. This permits easy grasping of the tab members without grasping of the backing or upper web, having advantages as described.

A sensor strip comprises an electrode substrate, an electrode set, on the electrode substrate, and a heat conducting layer, on the electrode substrate opposite the electrode set. A sensor instrument for use with this sensor strip comprises a temperature sensor, at a side of a gap for accepting the sensor strip, opposite electrical contacts. The invention provides an accurate determination of the temperature of a sample.

A chromatographic assay test device for use with immunoassays. The test device has a sample collection member pivotally coupled to a test strip receiving member. The sample collection member has a window for applying a test sample to a pad accessible through the window and the pad is repositionable to an inverted position to contact a chromatographic member inserted into the test device. The chromatographic member is then brought into opposition to the sample collection member thus improving test performance by reducing the manipulation of samples. The test device is constructed from five interconnected panels which are die cut from SBS cardboard. The first panel has a window for inserting a test strip and the second panel has a window for viewing the test strip during the test procedure. The third panel has the repositionable pad section. The fourth panel has a window for applying the test sample and the fifth panel covers the test sample window. The first and second panels are coupled to form a first planar member and the third and fourth panels are coupled to form the sample collection member. The fifth panel includes a reusable adhesive for securing the fifth panel over the sample window in the fourth panel.