Abstract: Provided is a thermoplastic elastomer composition obtained by melt-kneading (A) an ethylene/?-olefin/non-conjugated polyene copolymer rubber that is a copolymer of ethylene, an ?-olefin having 3 to 20 carbon atoms and a non-conjugated polyene, (B) a polyolefin resin and (C) a mineral oil-based softening agent in the presence of (D) a crosslinking agent, at least part of the ethylene/?-olefin/non-conjugated polyene copolymer rubber (A) being crosslinked, the thermoplastic elastomer composition having a sea-island structure in which the ethylene/?-olefin/non-conjugated polyene copolymer rubber (A) is dispersed as a dispersed phase (island phase) in a continuous phase (sea phase) of the polyolefin resin (B), and when a cross-section of the composition is observed with an atomic force microscope (AFM), a ratio of (b) a local elastic modulus of the continuous phase to (a) a local elastic modulus of the dispersed phase being from 10 to 30.

Abstract: Provided is a thermoplastic elastomer composition obtained by melt-kneading (A) an ethylene/?-olefin/non-conjugated polyene copolymer rubber that is a copolymer of ethylene, an ?-olefin having 3 to 20 carbon atoms and a non-conjugated polyene, (B) a polyolefin resin and (C) a mineral oil-based softening agent in the presence of (D) a crosslinking agent, at least part of the ethylene/?-olefin/non-conjugated polyene copolymer rubber (A) being crosslinked, the thermoplastic elastomer composition having a sea-island structure in which the ethylene/?-olefin/non-conjugated polyene copolymer rubber (A) is dispersed as a dispersed phase (island phase) in a continuous phase (sea phase) of the polyolefin resin (B), and when a cross-section of the composition is observed with an atomic force microscope (AFM), a ratio of (b) a local elastic modulus of the continuous phase to (a) a local elastic modulus of the dispersed phase being from 10 to 30.

Abstract: A thermoplastic elastomer composition according to the present disclosure includes a component (A): an elastomer having a glass transition temperature of 0° C.

Abstract: A method and a device for identifying an upper surface and a lower surface of a component having asymmetric upper and lower outer shapes are provided. In particular, a method and a device for identifying orientation of an item that hardly allows visual identification of the upper and lower surface. A disk-like, cylindrical, or annular component having asymmetric upper and lower outer shapes is placed on a reference surface having a reference block, an outer peripheral part of the component on the reference surface is brought into contact with the reference block, and identification of the upper and lower surface of the component is achieved in an inline system based on a gap created between the outer peripheral part of the component and the reference block, using a light source lighting device and a detection camera arranged across the reference block.

Abstract: A method and a device for identifying an upper surface and a lower surface of a component having asymmetric upper and lower outer shapes are provided. The components include, for example, disk-like, cylindrical, or annular components, more specifically engine parts having an orientation such as piston rings. In particular, a method and a device for identifying orientation of an item that hardly allows visual identification of the upper and lower surface. A disk-like, cylindrical, or annular component having asymmetric upper and lower outer shapes is placed on a reference surface having a reference block, an outer peripheral part of the component on the reference surface is brought into contact with the reference block, and identification of the upper and lower surface of the component is achieved in an inline system based on a gap created between the outer peripheral part of the component and the reference block, using a light source lighting device and a detection camera arranged across the reference block.