Piercing Mechanism and Automatic Analyzer Provided With Same

Abstract

According to the invention, a cut can be formed in a desired position range of a lid of a reagent bottle even in a state in which a distal end of a needle holder approaches an edge portion of the lid from a center of a recess of the lid of the reagent bottle. A piercing mechanism includes: a needle; and a cylindrical needle holder configured to allow the needle to pass therethrough and hold the needle to be slidable in an axial direction. The needle holder is brought into contact with a reagent bottle put into an automatic analyzer, the needle is caused to protrude from the needle holder, and the needle pierces the reagent bottle to form a cut. The needle has, on an outer peripheral surface thereof, a protrusion that protrudes outward in a radial direction and that slides on an inner peripheral surface of the needle holder. The protrusion has a shape such that the protrusion is in point contact with the inner peripheral surface of the needle holder at a contact point when viewed in a cross section taken along a plane passing through a center line of the needle, and the needle is tiltable with respect to the needle holder.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.