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Robotic microchannel bioanalytical instrument

  • US 6,627,446 B1
  • Filed: 07/02/1998
  • Issued: 09/30/2003
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/02/1998
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. Simultaneous chemical analysis in a first microchip substrate, by the method comprising:

  • a) providing a microchip substrate defining a plurality of microchannels communicating between opposed cathode and anode ports, said microchip further defining for each microchannel a sample port and a waste port communicating across a segment of said microchannel adjacent said cathode port, and movably mounting the microchannel substrate on a first track at a loading station;

    b) providing a plurality of sample wells, each of said sample wells containing a sample aliquot, and movably mounting the sample wells on a second track;

    c) mounting a multifunctional microchannel loading device on a gantry spanning the first and second tracks, said loading device having a plurality of disengageable pipette tips;

    d) robotically moving said loading device between said plurality of sample wells and said sample ports, and robotically picking up a plurality of said sample aliquots with said plurality of pipette tips, said sample aliquots having detectable target molecules with characteristic migration rates;

    e) robotically delivering said plurality of said sample aliquots simultaneously to said plurality of sample ports, said robotically delivering step further comprising the step of inserting said pipette tips through a corresponding plurality of apertures defined by a tip guide positioned in overlying registry with said sample ports;

    f) repeating steps d) and e) until a desired number of said sample ports have received samples;

    g) robotically moving said first microchip substrate away from said loading station, freeing said loading station for accommodating a replacement microchip substrate;

    h) causing sample separation in the microchannels of said first microchip substrate until desired sample separations are achieved; and

    i) detecting said sample separations in the microchannels at a measurement location.

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