Patent ID: 7110093

Claim:
An inspection apparatus for inspecting a target object based on content of a fluorescent component included in the target object, the inspection apparatus comprising: conveying means for conveying the target object along a conveyance path; a light-emitting device for emitting light toward the target object conveyed by the conveying means; a light-detecting device for detecting fluorescence emitted from the target object when irradiated with the light; a fluorescent member disposed on the conveyance path for generating fluorescence in response to light emitted from the light-emitting device: and controlling means for, before the target object conveyed by the conveying means arrives at an inspection area of the conveyance path, receiving an output signal from the light-detecting device to detect quantity of the fluorescence generated from the fluorescent member, and for controlling quantity of the light from the light-emitting device based on quantity of the fluorescence generated by the fluorescent member.