Abstract
Provided are a detection device and method whereby it is possible to accurately detect the presence or absence of a longitudinal tear in a conveyor belt, while achieving high versatility and low cost. Embedded bodies 2 embedded at intervals in the longitudinal direction in a conveyor belt 17 each comprise a passive IC tag 3 disposed at one width-direction end of the conveyor belt 17, and a linear detection element 7 that is connected to the IC tag 3, extends from one end to the other width-direction end of the conveyor belt 17, and forms a loop circuit 9. Transmitted radio waves W1 are emitted from a detector 10 toward the IC tags 3. Information from the IC tags 3 transmitted to the detector 10 by reply radio waves W2 emitted from the IC tags 3 in response to the transmitted radio waves W1 is used to determine, using a computation unit 13, whether the loop circuits 9 are energized. Whether a longitudinal tear was generated in the conveyor belt 17 in the range where the loop circuits 9 are embedded is detected on the basis of the determination result.