US 7,582,263 B2Granted

Universal interface for a micro-fluidic chip

AssigneeOctrolix BV

InventorsAlbert Prak, Hendrik Harmen van den Vlekkert

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Abstract

An integrated capillary electrophoresis system comprising a universal interface is disclosed. The universal interface includes one or more of the following structural elements: a chip assembly that receives a capillary electrophoresis CE chip; a fluidic interface for coupling fluids between the chip assembly and external sources or destinations; a first electrical interface for coupling power from an external source to the chip assembly; a second electrical interface for coupling electrical signals from the chip assembly to external analysis electronics; an optical interface for coupling optical signals between the chip assembly and external sources or destinations; and a docking station for uniting and spatially locating the various other structural elements.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An apparatus comprising a universal interface, wherein the universal interface comprises:

a chip interface, wherein the chip interface receives a microfluidic chip, and wherein the chip interface has a first face at which it receives at least one of fluid and electrical energy;
a docking station, wherein the docking station receives the chip interface, and wherein the docking station facilitates:
the coupling of an external source of fluid to the first face of the chip interface;
and
the coupling of an external source of electrical energy to the first face of the chip interface;
and
a fluidic interface, wherein the fluidic interface is received by the docking station, and wherein the fluidic interface comprises:
an inlet face at which the fluidic interface receives fluid from the external source of fluid;
and
an outlet face at which the fluidic interface delivers the fluid to the first face of the chip interface, wherein the inlet face and the outlet face of the fluidic interface are orthogonal to each other.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 11/044,542Filed 27 Jan 2005
Published: US 2006/0163069 A127 Jul 2006
Granted: 1 Sep 2009
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification12 codes

G01N 21/05
Cuvette constructions: flow-through cuvettes
B01L 9/527
Supports specially adapted for flat sample carriers, e.g. for plates, slides, chips: for microfluidic devices, e.g. used for lab-on-a-chip
G01N 27/44704
Using electrophoresis: details; Accessories
B01L 3/5027
With fluid transport, e.g. in multi-compartment structures: by integrated microfluidic structures, i.e. dimensions of channels and chambers are…