WE CLAIM:
1. A blister packaging machine provided with a pocket portion
forming unit configured to form a pocket portion that includes a bottom
portion and a side portion, in a conveyed belt-like container film,
wherein the pocket portion forming unit is configured to adjust balance between thickness of the bottom portion and thickness of the side portion,
the blister packaging machine comprising:
an illumination unit placed downstream of the pocket portion forming unit and configured to irradiate at least the pocket portion with predetermined electromagnetic radiation!
an imaging unit placed on a side opposite to the illumination unit across the container film and configured to obtain at least transmitted image data based on the electromagnetic radiation transmitted through the pocket portion!
a side portion state detecting unit configured to detect a state with regard to the thickness of the side portion, based on the transmitted image data obtained by the imaging unit; and
a controller configured to control operation of the pocket portion forming unit, based on a result of detection by the side portion state detecting unit.
2. The blister packaging machine according to claim 1,
wherein the side portion state detecting unit detects the state with regard to the thickness of the side portion, based on a state with regard to the thickness of the bottom portion in the transmitted image data.
3. The blister packaging machine according to either claim 1 or claim
2,
wherein the container film is formed from a transparent resin material, and
the illumination unit is configured to emit ultraviolet light as the electromagnetic radiation.
4. The blister packaging machine according to any one of claims 1 to

3,
wherein the pocket portion forming unit comprises:
a first mold having a predetermined first hole!
a second mold having a second hole that is opposed to the first hole across the container film!
a pressing element placed to be movable back and forth relative to the second hole! and
an expanding unit configured to perform a film expanding operation that is at least one of supplying a predetermined gas to the first hole and supplying a negative pressure to the second hole, wherein
the pocket portion forming unit is configured to perform:
a process of sandwiching the container film between the two molds, placing the pressing element at an intermediate stop position set in advance to be away from the container film, and performing the film expanding operation to expand a predetermined forming region of the pocket portion in the container film toward the pressing element; and
a process of pressing the expanded predetermined forming region toward the first hole by the pressing element, so as to form the pocket portion.
5. The blister packaging machine according to any one of claims 1 to
4, further comprising:
a filling unit placed downstream of the illumination unit and configured to fill a predetermined content into the pocket portion! and
a filling controller configured to control an operation of the filling unit, based on the result of detection of the side portion state detecting unit and change over between permission and prohibition of filling of the content into the pocket portion.
6. The blister packaging machine according to any one of claims 1 to
4, further comprising:
a filling unit placed downstream of the pocket portion forming unit and configured to fill a predetermined content into the pocket portion, wherein
the illumination unit irradiates at least the pocket portion and the content with the electromagnetic radiation in downstream of the filling unit,

the blister packaging machine further comprising:
a content quality determination unit configured to determine quality
of the content, based on the transmitted image data obtained by the imaging
unit.