APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DETECTING TIRE SHAPE

A tire shape detecting apparatus includes a projector that applies a plurality line light beams in a continuously joined manner, from a direction different from the detection height direction (Z-axis direction) in one light section line, or that applies one line light beam in a condensed manner in the line length direction thereof in order that the one light section line may be formed on the one line Ls on the surface of the tire; and a camera for picking up images of the plurality of line light beams applied to the tire surface in the direction in which the principal ray of each of the plurality of line light beams performs specular reflection with respect to the tire surface, or in the direction in which the principal ray of the condensed one line light beam performs specular reflection with respect to the tire surface.