Rubber sheet member joining device and method

A rubber sheet member joining device, comprising:

• a pair of gripping parts for gripping, respectively, end portions in proximity to end surfaces of rubber sheet members to be joined, the rubber sheet members being unvulcanized;
• a drive unit that moves at least one of the pair of gripping parts in a direction approaching and separating from each other;
• and
• a control unit for controlling operation of the pair of gripping parts and operation of the drive unit,
• the rubber sheet member joining device being configured such that:
• one opposing surface of each gripping part of the pair of gripping parts comprises a contact member with a contact surface projecting toward an other opposing surface of the pair of gripping parts;
• when the pair of gripping parts are in close proximity to each other, the contact member is in a state of being sandwiched between the opposing surfaces and in which the contact surface of one of the contact members is in contact with the contact surface of an other one of the contact members, and movement of the pair of gripping parts in proximity to each other is stopped;
• the end portions in proximity to the end surfaces of the rubber sheet members are gripped, respectively, in a state in which the end surfaces project from the one opposing surface and project beyond the contact surface toward the other opposing surface of the pair of gripping parts, respectively;
• and
• a total end surface projection amount of the end surfaces from the opposing surfaces, respectively, is set to be larger by a predetermined length than a separation distance between the opposing surfaces when the contact member is in a state of being sandwiched between the opposing surfaces and movement in proximity to each other is stopped.