Patent ID: 8580210

Claim:
A sample aspirating apparatus capable of aspirating a sample from both a capped container with a cap and an uncapped container, the sample aspirating apparatus comprising: a pipette which aspirates a sample, wherein the pipette is able to penetrate a cap of a capped container; a cap sensor which detects whether a cap is present or absent; a driving section which moves the pipette upward and downward; a crash sensor which detects a crash of the pipette with an obstacle; and a controller which controls the driving section to move the pipette, and stop the pipette when the crash sensor detects a crash by the pipette, wherein when aspirating a sample in a container with a cap which has been detected by the cap sensor, the controller controls the driving section to move the pipette downward regardless of the detection by the crash sensor and thereby cause the pipette to penetrate the cap.