Patent ID: 7977100

Claim:
A punching method for use in dispensing, which punches dispensing holes on respective plug bodies of specimen containers closed by the plug bodies which are made of a rubber or synthetic resin material at an upper end opening of the specimen containers, the specimen containers having a blood specimen contained therein, the method comprising: transporting one of the specimen containers along a transport passage to a punch position while the plug body thereof is held at the upper end; setting a stroke of an ultrasonic cutter relative to the plug body such that the ultrasonic cutter stops immediately before penetrating the plug body; when the plug body of the one specimen container reaches the punch position, punching by lowering the ultrasonic cutter according to the stroke set in the setting step from a top face thereof without penetrating the plug body to form a dispensing hole having a bottom; raising the ultrasonic cutter; transporting the one of the specimen containers along the transport passage away from the punch position; transporting another of the specimen containers along the transport passage to the punch position while the plug body thereof is held at the upper end; and repeating the punching step on the other specimen container without washing out a chip caused in the punching step on the one specimen container.