Patent ID: 8506587

Claim:
A puncture needle cartridge comprising: a puncture needle configured to puncture skin; a lancet body configured to cover and protect part or all of a tip of the puncture needle; a cylindrical puncture needle holder disposed on an outer circumferential surface of the lancet body so as to enable the lancet body to move in an axial direction of the puncture needle, and having an opening through which the puncture needle is capable of protruding; and a protective cap configured to cover and protect the opening and configured to be separable from the puncture needle holder, wherein the protective cap comprises a base configured to cover the opening when the protective cap is joined to the puncture needle holder and a pair of raised walls which protrude from the base toward the puncture needle holder, the raised walls having tip portions that are disposed so as to face each other, the tip portions of the raised walls are disposed so as to have an original position, the original position enabling the tip portion of the raised walls to pinch the puncture needle holder when the protective cap is joined to the puncture needle holder, and the tip portions of the raised walls are configured and arranged to elastically deform outwardly along an outside diameter of the puncture needle holder when the protective cap is being separated from the puncture needle, and to return to the original position after the protective cap is separated from the puncture needle holder, such that a space between the tip portions becomes smaller than an outside diameter of the puncture needle holder.