Patent ID: 6939452

Claim:
A sample load and injection device for the parallel transfer of liquid samples into channels of a multichannel microfluidic device, said sample load and injection device comprising: multiple sample introduction capillaries, each said introduction capillary having an inlet end and an outlet end, the inlet end of each said individual capillary being external to said sample load and injection device and capable of being placed in alignment with one of multiple samples in a sample holder, and the outlet end of each said introduction capillary opening to an introduction channel in said sample load and injection device, said introduction channel having an introduction channel end in said sample load and injection device; a sample channel originating at each said introduction channel; an auxiliary channel originating at each said sample channel and ending at an auxiliary channel end in said sample load and injection device; a connecting channel connecting said introduction channel ends; and a connecting channel connecting said auxiliary channel ends, said connecting channel for said introduction channel ends and said connecting channel for said auxiliary channel ends each terminating at one end at a surface of said sample load and injection device, wherein each said connecting channel is configured for connection to a source of positive or negative pressure or to a source for applying an electric field across any channel segment.