Abstract: A tire transport apparatus includes at least three arms each having an arm main body and a protrusion disposed to protrude outward at a lower part of the arm main body to lift the tire; an arm extension/retraction mechanism configured to move the at least three arms in a horizontal extension/retraction direction; a lift mechanism configured to raise and lower the at least three arms; at least three optical reflection sensors disposed on an outer side of a circle including distal ends of the protrusions when the at least three arms are above the tire and in a retracted state to detect an object below; and a controller configured to determine that one or more arms among the at least three arms are in an inappropriate position, if one or more optical reflection sensors among the at least three optical reflection sensors detect the tire.

Abstract: A cross-linked rubber obtained by crosslinking a rubber composition containing a conjugated diene rubber and an inorganic filler, wherein when a loss tangent value of a non-interface component forming, of the cross-linked rubber ingredient, a portion other than an interface with the inorganic filler is represented as L(m) and a loss tangent value of an interface component forming, of the cross-linked rubber ingredient, an interface portion with the inorganic filler is represented as L(i), each loss tangent value being measured using an atomic force microscope in a state in which sinusoidal vibrations of 5 kHz are applied to the cross-linked rubber, the cross-linked rubber has a ratio L(i)/L(m) of 0.85 or less.

Abstract: A cross-linked rubber obtained by crosslinking a rubber composition containing a conjugated diene rubber and an inorganic filler, wherein when a loss tangent value of a non-interface component forming, of the cross-linked rubber ingredient, a portion other than an interface with the inorganic filler is represented as L(m) and a loss tangent value of an interface component forming, of the cross-linked rubber ingredient, an interface portion with the inorganic filler is represented as L(i), each loss tangent value being measured using an atomic force microscope in a state in which sinusoidal vibrations of 5 kHz are applied to the cross-linked rubber, the cross-linked rubber has a ratio L(i)/L(m) of 0.85 or less.

Abstract: A method of production of a modified conjugated diene rubber including a first step of polymerizing a monomer containing at least a conjugated diene compound by using a polymerization initiator in an inert solvent so as to obtain a conjugated diene polymer having an active end, and a second step of causing a compound represented by a following formula (1) to react with the active end of the conjugated diene polymer having an active end: wherein, in formula (1), each of R1 to R3 independently is an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, R4 is a hydrocarbon group containing an aromatic ring and having 6 to 10 carbon atoms, R5 is an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and “n” is an integer of 0 to 10.

Abstract: A conjugated diene polymer represented by the following formula (1) or the following formula (2): (wherein, in the formula (1) and in the formula (2), the “polymer” represents a polymer chain containing conjugated diene monomer units, X1 and X2 represent a functional group selected from a hydrocarbyloxy group, halogen group, and hydroxyl group, R1 and R4 represent a substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbon group, R2 and R3 and R5 and R6 respectively represent a substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbon group, R2 and R3 or R5 and R6 may bond with each other to form a ring structure. In the formula (1), “n” is an integer of 1 to 3, “m” is an integer of 0 to 2, “p” is an integer of 0 to 2, and n+m+p=3. Further, in the formula (2), “s” is 1 or 2, “t” is 0 or 1, “u” is 0 or 1, and s+t+u=2).

Abstract: A method of production of a modified conjugated diene rubber including a first step of polymerizing a monomer containing at least a conjugated diene compound by using a polymerization initiator in an inert solvent so as to obtain a conjugated diene polymer having an active end, and a second step of causing a compound represented by a following formula (1) to react with the active end of the conjugated diene polymer having an active end: wherein, in formula (1), each of R1 to R3 independently is an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, R4 is a hydrocarbon group containing an aromatic ring and having 6 to 10 carbon atoms, R5 is an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and “n” is an integer of 0 to 10.

Abstract: A conjugated diene polymer represented by the following formula (1) or the following formula (2): (wherein, in the formula (1) and in the formula (2), the “polymer” represents a polymer chain containing conjugated diene monomer units, X1 and X2 represent a functional group selected from a hydrocarbyloxy group, halogen group, and hydroxyl group, R1 and R4 represent a substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbon group, R2 and R3 and R5 and R6 respectively represent a substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbon group, R2 and R3 or R5 and R6 may bond with each other to form a ring structure. In the formula (1), “n” is an integer of 1 to 3, “m” is an integer of 0 to 2, “p” is an integer of 0 to 2, and n+m+p=3. Further, in the formula (2), “s” is 1 or 2, “t” is 0 or 1, “u” is 0 or 1, and s+t+u=2.

Abstract: A block copolymer comprising at least one polymer block A comprising conjugated diene monomer units, and at least one polymer block B comprising conjugated diene monomer units and aromatic vinyl monomer units. This block copolymer is characterized in that (1) the polymer block A has a glass transition temperature of ?88° C. to ?45° C., (2) the polymer block B has a glass transition temperature of 30° C. to 90° C., (3) the content of aromatic vinyl monomer units in the whole block copolymer is 3-52 wt. %, (4) the aromatic vinyl block ratio in the whole block copolymer is smaller than 69 wt. %, and (5) the viscosity of a 5 wt. % solution of the block copolymer in styrene is 30-80 mPa·s. The block copolymer is useful as a resin modifier.

Abstract: A block copolymer comprised of a polymer block or blocks (A) comprising conjugated diene monomer units and a polymer block or blocks (B) comprising conjugated diene monomer units and aromatic vinyl monomer units, wherein (1) the polymer block or blocks (A) have a glass transition temperature in the range of ?88 to ?45° C., (2) the polymer block or blocks (B) have a glass transition temperature in the range of 30 to 90° C., (3) the content of aromatic vinyl monomer units in the block copolymer is in the range of 30 to 52% by weight based on the total weight of the block copolymer, (4) the block copolymer has an aromatic vinyl block ratio of smaller than 69% by weight based on the total weight of the block copolymer, and (5) the viscosity of a 5% by weight solution of the block copolymer in styrene is at least 5 mPa·s but smaller than 30 mPa·s. This block copolymer is used as a modifier for resin.

Abstract: A block copolymer comprised of a polymer block or blocks (A) comprising conjugated diene monomer units and a polymer block or blocks (B) comprising conjugated diene monomer units and aromatic vinyl monomer units, wherein (1) the polymer block or blocks (A) have a glass transition temperature in the range of ?88 to ?45° C., (2) the polymer block or blocks (B) have a glass transition temperature in the range of 30 to 90° C., (3) the content of aromatic vinyl monomer units in the block copolymer is in the range of 30 to 52% by weight based on the total weight of the block copolymer, (4) the block copolymer has an aromatic vinyl block ratio of smaller than 69% by weight based on the total weight of the block copolymer, and (5) the viscosity of a 5% by weight solution of the block copolymer in styrene is at least 5 mPa·s but smaller than 30 mPa·s. This block copolymer is used as a modifier for resin.

Abstract: A comprising conjugated diene monomer units, and at least one polymer block B comprising conjugated diene monomer units and aromatic vinyl monomer units. This block copolymer is characterized in that (1) the polymer block A has a glass transition temperature of ?88° C. to ?45° C., (2) the polymer block B has a glass transition temperature of 30° C. to 90° C., (3) the content of aromatic vinyl monomer units in the whole block copolymer is 3-52 wt. %, (4) the aromatic vinyl block ratio in the whole block copolymer is smaller than 69 wt. %, and (5) the viscosity of a 5 wt. % solution of the block copolymer in styrene is 30-80 mPa·s. The block copolymer is useful as a resin modifier.