Patent ID: 7604118

Claim:
A puncture needle cartridge comprising: a single substrate; a plurality of puncture needles, each being integrally formed by plastic molding, arranged in a line on the single substrate, with front ends thereof being integrally plastic-molded with the substrate, and rear ends of the respective puncture needles being free ends; a waste box for a used puncture needle formed with the single substrate, the waste box being separated from the integrally formed puncture needles; and a puncture needle holding mechanism for capturing and holding a used puncture needle, the puncture needle holding mechanism being disposed on a side surface of the single substrate, wherein each of the respective puncture needles has a stopping part configured to engage puncture needle holding claws of the lancet, the stopping part including a recessed portion, a front stepped portion, and a rear stepped portion, the front stepped portion being formed between a front portion of the respective puncture needle and the recessed portion, the rear stepped portion being formed between a rear portion of the respective puncture needle and the recessed portion, wherein the puncture needle holding mechanism includes a puncture needle pull-out claw for engaging the stopping part of the respective puncture needle so as to hold the respective puncture needle, wherein the puncture needle holding mechanism is configured such that when a used puncture needle held by the puncture needle holding mechanism is externally pressed by another used puncture needle that is held by a lancet, the previously used puncture needle that is held by the puncture needle holding mechanism is dropped into the waste box of the puncture needle cartridge to be discarded, and wherein the puncture needle holding mechanism is configured such that when the lancet that holds a used puncture needle is pressed against the puncture needle holding mechanism, the puncture needle holding mechanism captures the used puncture needle held by the lancet and causes the lancet to release the used puncture needle, and such that when the lancet is drawn away from the puncture needle holding mechanism, the puncture needle holding mechanism holds the used puncture needle.