The present invention is a method and an apparatus for imaging a liquid-filling
container in which a light emitting unit is provided for emitting and irradiating
light onto the container and a light receiving unit is provided for receiving the
light transmitted through the container. The object of the present invention is
to provide such a method and an apparatus for imaging a liquid-filling container.
This method and apparatus assures reliable detection of the surface of liquid filled
in a container or of foreign substance mixed in the liquid or present in the container
or the container material not only when the container is transparent, but also
when the container is a colored container of a dark color such as black, dark green
or dark brown or the container has a frosted surface of when the liquid filled
in the container has a dark color. For accomplishing this object, according to
the present invention, the light emitting unit emits near infrared light or the
light receiving unit receives near infrared light for imaging the container.