Pill inspection apparatus and pill inspection method

A pill inspection apparatus comprising:

• an illumination portion for irradiating light to a medical envelope in which at least a translucent pill is enclosed, the translucent pill having a roundish shape that operates as a lens having a refraction index that varies from an outer periphery toward a center of the translucent pill with light passing through the center traveling more straightly than through an outer periphery;
• an imaging portion for acquiring a transmission image of the irradiated medical envelope;
• and
• an image processing portion for detecting, as the translucent pill, a pill having a brightness value of its outer periphery lower than that of its center using the transmission image, wherein
• the illumination portion includes a light emitting portion, and a light-collecting portion for focusing the light toward the imaging portion is provided between the light emitting portion and the medical envelope such as to improve inspection irrespective of a shooting position, wherein whether the translucent pill is directly below the imaging portion in a vertical direction or deviated from directly below the imaging portion laterally to a side of the imaging portion, the light-collecting portion directs light emitted by said light emitting portion through the center of the translucent pill substantially straightly to the imaging portion with a high brightness, while light passing through the outer periphery of the translucent pill which enters the imaging portion has a low brightness, whereby the combination of the light-collecting portion and the translucent pill having a roundish shape that operates as a lens enhances inspection of the translucent pill regardless of position.