Device to operate a laboratory microchip

Abstract

In a device to operate and handle a laboratory microchip to chemically process or analyze substances, the microchip is on a chip holder () that is part of a first assembly (). The first assembly () also has an optical device () for contactless detection of the results of the chemical processes carried out on the microchip. A supply device () required to operate the microchip is in a module releasably connected to a second assembly (). In particular, the second assembly () has an intermediate carrier () that is releasably connected to the supply device (). The intermediate carrier has continuous electrical paths () or connecting channels that can bridge electrodes () or supply channels of the supply device () and the assigned counterelectrodes () of the microchip. There are correspondingly connecting lines () to bridge the supply of materials. On the one hand, the bridging serves to prevent wear and soiling of the supply device () electrodes that arises upon contacting the microchip. In addition, the intermediate carrier also serves to spatially adapt the electrodes of the supply device () to the respective surface or spatial arrangement of the electrode surfaces of the microchip. It is thereby advantageously possible to adapt the entire measuring or operating device to special microchip layouts merely by exchanging the intermediate carrier ().