Abstract: A plant growing apparatus irradiates plants by switching white light from a white light source into light of a color of a specific wavelength by using a partition plate that partitions a light source placement space and a plant growing space. The plant growing apparatus includes: a white light source emitting white light and being provided to face plants to be grown; a light source placement space to place the white light source; and a plant growing space to place the plants to be grown; a housing facility blocking entry of external light; and a partition plate that extends in the housing facility in a horizontal direction, and includes a filter blocking at least one of temperature transfer and air circulation between the light source placement space and the plant growing space, and transmitting light of a specific wavelength in the white light from the white light source.

Abstract: A plant growing apparatus irradiates plants by switching white light from a white light source into light of a color of a specific wavelength by using a partition plate that partitions a light source placement space and a plant growing space. The plant growing apparatus includes: a white light source emitting white light and being provided to face plants to be grown; a light source placement space to place the white light source; and a plant growing space to place the plants to be grown; a housing facility blocking entry of external light; and a partition plate that extends in the housing facility in a horizontal direction, and includes a filter blocking at least one of temperature transfer and air circulation between the light source placement space and the plant growing space, and transmitting light of a specific wavelength in the white light from the white light source.

Abstract: A guide device includes a guideway through which a steel wire passes when the steel wire is fed to a former. The guideway includes an inner surface. At least a portion of the inner surface includes a slit or recess at a position corresponding to a direction in which the steel wire is bent.

Abstract: A bead ring bonding cord winding apparatus includes a feed roller that feeds a bead ring, which is formed by winding a wire a multiple number of times, in a circumferential direction of the bead ring, a gripping member that grips an initiating end of a bonding cord, and a rotation member that rotates past an inner side and an outer side of the bead ring while holding the bonding cord. In the bead ring bonding cord winding apparatus, while the bead ring is fed in the circumferential direction, the rotation member is rotated past the inner side and the outer side of the bead ring to spirally wind the bonding cord around the bead ring. The gripping member is located at an upstream side of the rotation member in the feeding direction of the bead ring.

Abstract: A rotary body is divided into four to form multiple partitioned members. A chuck mechanism includes an expanding and contracting mechanism that expands and contracts each partitioned member in a radial direction of the rotary body. The chuck mechanism mounts and dismounts the beginning of a wire in an interlocked relationship with expansion and contraction of each partitioned member. The expanding and contracting mechanism includes a guide member that moves each partitioned member back and forth in the radial direction, and a cam member that moves each partitioned member between a large-diameter position and a small-diameter position. The chuck mechanism includes a chuck arm, a coil spring that biases the chuck arm in a direction in which the chuck arm is closed, an arm member that opens and closes the chuck arm, and a cam actuator that makes the arm member pivot.

Abstract: Provided is a filler connection part inspection method by which the connection state of both end surfaces of a belt-shaped filler that has been affixed annularly along the outer periphery of a bead core is inspected. The filler connection part inspection method includes a step of obtaining data of the distance between optical sensors and side surfaces of the filler by scanning, at the side surfaces of the filler, sections of the vicinity of the both end surfaces along the tangential direction of the filler over a predetermined scanning range with the optical sensors, a step of repeating the data obtaining step while the positions of the optical sensors are changed along the radial direction of the filler, and a step of comparing the obtained data with reference data that is set in advance.

Abstract: A guide device includes a guideway through which a steel wire passes when the steel wire is fed to a former. The guideway includes an inner surface. At least a portion of the inner surface includes a slit or recess at a position corresponding to a direction in which the steel wire is bent.

Abstract: Provided is a filler connection part inspection method by which the connection state of both end surfaces of a belt-shaped filler that has been affixed annularly along the outer periphery of a bead core is inspected. The filler connection part inspection method includes a step of obtaining data of the distance between optical sensors and side surfaces of the filler by scanning, at the side surfaces of the filler, sections of the vicinity of the both end surfaces along the tangential direction of the filler over a predetermined scanning range with the optical sensors, a step of repeating the data obtaining step while the positions of the optical sensors are changed along the radial direction of the filler, and a step of comparing the obtained data with reference data that is set in advance.

Abstract: A grasping device for a bead ring grasps the bead ring formed of a wire wound around an annular winding unit provided on the outer circumferential surface of a rotary body while fixing a beginning and a termination of the wire. The grasping device includes an upper grasping unit that grasps an upper part of the bead ring and a lower receiver that receives a lower part of the bead ring. The upper grasping unit is formed of a pair of grasping bodies that can be released from each other and closed relative to each other so as to clamp the upper part of the bead ring therebetween. The lower receiver is formed of a receiving recessed part that receives the lower end of the bead ring.

Abstract: A bead ring bonding cord winding apparatus includes a feed roller that feeds a bead ring, which is formed by winding a wire a multiple number of times, in a circumferential direction of the bead ring, a gripping member that grips an initiating end of a bonding cord, and a rotation member that rotates past an inner side and an outer side of the bead ring while holding the bonding cord. In the bead ring bonding cord winding apparatus, while the bead ring is fed in the circumferential direction, the rotation member is rotated past the inner side and the outer side of the bead ring to spirally wind the bonding cord around the bead ring. The gripping member is located at an upstream side of the rotation member in the feeding direction of the bead ring.

Abstract: A rotary body is divided into four to form multiple partitioned members. A chuck mechanism includes an expanding and contracting mechanism that expands and contracts each partitioned member in a radial direction of the rotary body. The chuck mechanism mounts and dismounts the beginning of a wire in an interlocked relationship with expansion and contraction of each partitioned member. The expanding and contracting mechanism includes a guide member that moves each partitioned member back and forth in the radial direction, and a cam member that moves each partitioned member between a large-diameter position and a small-diameter position. The chuck mechanism includes a chuck arm, a coil spring that biases the chuck arm in a direction in which the chuck arm is closed, an arm member that opens and closes the chuck arm, and a cam actuator that makes the arm member pivot.

Abstract: A grasping device for a bead ring grasps the bead ring formed of a wire wound around an annular winding unit provided on the outer circumferential surface of a rotary body while fixing a beginning and a termination of the wire. The grasping device includes an upper grasping unit that grasps an upper part of the bead ring and a lower receiver that receives a lower part of the bead ring. The upper grasping unit is formed of a pair of grasping bodies that can be released from each other and closed relative to each other so as to clamp the upper part of the bead ring therebetween. The lower receiver is formed of a receiving recessed part that receives the lower end of the bead ring.

Abstract: A tire vulcanizing device including: an upper annular mold attaching member and a lower annular mold attaching member that respectively attach side portion forming molds for forming side portions of a tire; a plurality of segments that respectively attach a plurality of segmented tread molds for forming a tread portion of the tire; and a mold closing mechanism for radially moving the segments to close the tread molds at an advanced end. The respective segments are respectively independently provided with heat medium passages for applying heat for vulcanization to the tread molds when supplied with a heat medium.

Abstract: A rubber sheet jointing apparatus is provided with first holding means for releasably holding a joint end portion of one of two rubber sheets, second holding means provided movably relative to the first holding means for releasably holding a joint end portion of the other of the two rubber sheets, and operating means for pressure-contacting the end surfaces of the two rubber sheets respectively held by the first and second holding means by moving the second holding means relative to the first holding means. Mutually facing surfaces of the first and second holding means are respectively provided with holder portions which are formed as rugged portions each taking a comb tooth shape and which are able to partly overlap to mesh with each other.

Abstract: A tire vulcanizing device includes a plurality of opening/closing cylinders for respectively independently moving a plurality of mold holding members, which respectively hold a plurality of segmented molds arranged in a circumference direction, forward and backward in radial directions, a plurality of positioning blocks arranged in respective spaces in the circumferential direction between the plurality of segmented molds, respective pairs of engaging members respectively provided at opposite sides of the respective mold holding members, and respective pairs of stopper members each pair of which are provided on the adjoining positioning blocks, for restricting the advanced end positions of the segmented molds in engagements with the respective pairs of engaging members.

Abstract: A tire vulcanizing device includes a plurality of opening/closing cylinders for respectively independently moving a plurality of mold holding members, which respectively hold a plurality of segmented molds arranged in a circumference direction, forward and backward in radial directions, a plurality of positioning blocks arranged in respective spaces in the circumferential direction between the plurality of segmented molds, respective pairs of engaging members respectively provided at opposite sides of the respective mold holding members, and respective pairs of stopper members each pair of which are provided on the adjoining positioning blocks, for restricting the advanced end positions of the segmented molds in engagements with the respective pairs of engaging members.

Abstract: In a bead manufacturing method and bead manufacturing device, a former rotatably supported on a support base and pivotably holds opposite end portions of a plurality of elastically deformable spring members arranged on an outer circumference thereof with gaps in a circumferential direction for annularly winding a bead filler around the spring members, an actuation mechanism is provided for curving the spring members in the radial directions of the former, and a bead core holding portion is arranged at one end side of the former for holding a bead core. When the spring members are elastically deformed outward in the radial directions of the former to a semicircular shape, the bead filler annularly wound around the spring members are raised up to fixedly fit a short bottom side thereof on the outer circumference of the bead core held at one end side of the former.

Abstract: A tire vulcanizing device including: an upper annular mold attaching member and a lower annular mold attaching member that respectively attach side portion forming molds for forming side portions of a tire; a plurality of segments that respectively attach a plurality of segmented tread molds for forming a tread portion of the tire; and a mold closing mechanism for radially moving the segments to close the tread molds at an advanced end. The respective segments are respectively independently provided with heat medium passages for applying heat for vulcanization to the tread molds when supplied with a heat medium.

Abstract: In a tire vulcanization forming mold which is circumferentially divided into a plurality of segment molds, a plurality of circumferential grooves are formed on each segment mold with spaces in a tire width direction; arc-shape mold blocks are detachably fitted respectively in the plurality of circumferential grooves; a plurality of slit grooves are formed on each mold block to open on side surfaces of the mold block; tread pattern forming blades are detachably inserted into these slit grooves in the tire width direction; and coming-off prevention engaging portions are provided on the slit grooves and the blades. Thus, the tire vulcanization forming mold is capable of enabling the blades to be replaced easily with respect to the segment molds.

Abstract: A bead wire manufacturing method/apparatus includes a descaling step/device for removing oxide on the surface of a wire rod, a coating liquid adhesion step/device for adhering a coating liquid to the wire rod, wiredrawing steps/devices for performing area reduction workings on the wire rod, and a bluing step/device for bluing the wire rod having been raised to a high temperature through the area reduction workings, in a temperature range of 350° C. to 480° C. Thus, the wire rod having been raised to a high temperature through wiredrawing is blued without being cooled down to effectively utilize the temperature retained therein, so that the method/apparatus is little in energy loss.