(19)
(11) EP 1 360 992 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
19.05.2004 Bulletin 2004/21

(43) Date of publication A2:
12.11.2003 Bulletin 2003/46

(21) Application number: 03017747.1

(22) Date of filing: 15.06.2000
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)7: B01L 3/00
// B01J19/00
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE

(30) Priority: 22.06.1999 US 140215 P

(62) Application number of the earlier application in accordance with Art. 76 EPC:
00944720.2 / 1187677

(71) Applicants:
  • Caliper Life Sciences, Inc.
    Mountain View, CA 94043 (US)
  • Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Palo Alto, CA 94303 (US)

(72) Inventors:
  • Berndt, Manfred
    76337 Waldbronn (DE)
  • Kaltenbach, Patrick
    76476 Bischweier (DE)
  • Kennedy, Colin B.
    Greenbrae, CA 94904-2442 (US)

(74) Representative: Kiddle, Simon John et al
Mewburn Ellis, York House, 23 Kingsway
London WC2B 6HP
London WC2B 6HP (GB)

   


(54) Apparatus for the operation of a microfluidic device


(57) In a system for operation or handling of a laboratory micro chip (41) for chemical processing or analysis, the microchip (41) is mounted in a first physical unit (42). The microchip (41) is arranged on a mounting plate, such that it is readily accessible from the top and thus the fitting and removal of the microchip is considerably simplified. Furthermore, the first physical unit (42) comprises an optical device (43) for contactless detection of the results of the chemical processes conducted on the microchip. The supply systems necessary for the operation of the microchip are arranged in a module unit that has a separable connection with a second physical unit. The proposed modular layout enables ease of interchangeability of the required supply systems and thus, overall, ease of adaptability of the proposed system for various types of microchips.






Search report