Patent ID: 8153059

Claim:
A chip-holder for holding a micro-fluidic chip comprising an opening, the chip-holder comprising: a process control device adapted to support control or monitoring of a chemical process in the micro-fluidic chip; a printed circuit board adapted to provide electrical connection to the process control device; and a fixer for detachably fixing the micro-fluidic chip in the chip-holder such that a surface of the micro-fluidic chip is adjacent to a surface of the printed circuit board; wherein the process control device is a sensor or an actuator; wherein the chip-holder is adapted such that the process control device and the micro-fluidic chip are directly and detachably coupled when the micro-fluidic chip is fixed in the chip-holder; wherein the process control device is adapted such that the process control device is in a direct fluidic contact with the micro-fluidic chip via the opening of the micro-fluidic chip, when the micro-fluidic chip is fixed in the chip-holder; wherein the process control device is a device chip attached to the printed circuit board; wherein the chip holder comprises a sealing ring adapted to form a seal which is impermeable to a fluid in the micro-fluidic chip when a circumference of an opening in the surface of the micro-fluidic chip which is adjacent to the surface of the printed circuit board when the fixer fixes the micro-fluidic chip in the chip holder is in contact with the sealing ring, in order to form a fluid chamber bounded by the micro-fluidic chip, the sealing ring and at least one out of the printed circuit board and the process control device chip.