Patent Description:
Patent Literature <NUM> discloses an example of a housing case that houses a fusion splicer for an optical fiber. The housing case includes a case main body having a housing portion for housing the fusion splicer, and a lid body detachably attached to the case main body with hinges. Patent Literature <NUM> and <NUM> disclose other examples of housing cases. <CIT> relates to a fiber optic splicing system. <CIT> relates to an optical fiber fusion-connecting device.

An aspect of the present invention provides a housing case for a fusion splicer according to claim <NUM>.

Another aspect of the present invention provides a fusion splicer set according to claim <NUM>. The fusion splicer set includes the above housing case, and a fusion splicer for an optical fiber housed in the housing case.

When power is supplied to a fusion splicer, the fusion splicer and the external power supply are connected through a power supply cable. When power is supplied to a fusion splicer housed in a housing case of the related art, it is necessary to leave a lid body in an opened state to prevent a power supply cable from being pinched between a case main body and the lid body and damaged. Thus, it is necessary to ensure a large arrangement space for the housing case when power is supplied to the fusion splicer. Therefore, there is a demand for a technique that allows the arrangement space of the housing case to be reduced when power is supplied to the fusion splicer.

An object of the present invention is to provide a housing case that can reduce an arrangement space when power is supplied to a fusion splicer.

According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce the arrangement space of the housing case when power is supplied to the fusion splicer.

First, contents of embodiments of the present inventionwill be listed and described. A housing case according to the present invention is a housing case for housing the fusion splicer for an optical fiber. The housing case for a fusion splicer is according to claim <NUM>.

In this housing case, the insertion portion is provided, and the cable extending from the inside of the housing case to the outside is inserted through this insertion portion, and thus, even in a case where the lid body is closed with respect to the case main body, the cable is not pinched between the case main body and the lid body. As a result, according to this housing case, damage to the cable (for example, damage to the coating) due to the pinching is prevented. That is, in this housing case, power can be supplied to the fusion splicer with the lid body closed, and the arrangement space of the housing case can be reduced during power supply.

The first side wall includes a first edge portion, the second side wall may include a second edge portion, and the first edge portion and the second edge portion may come into contact with each other when the lid body is closed with respect to the case main body. The insertion portion includes a first case notch provided in the first edge portion and a second case notch provided in the second edge portion. Since the insertion portion includes the first case notch provided in the first edge portion of the first side wall and the second case notch provided in the second edge portion of the second side wall, the cable can be easily inserted through the insertion portion.

The housing case for a fusion splicer further includes a sealing member configured to seal a gap between the insertion portion and the cable in a state where the lid body is closed with respect to the case main body. Water droplets, dust, or the like is prevented from entering the housing case through a gap between the insertion portion and the cable. As a result, failure of the fusion splicer housed in the housing case can be curbed.

As an embodiment, the sealing member may be made of sponge rubber having a hardness of <NUM> or more and <NUM> or less. According to this embodiment, since the sealing member has appropriate elasticity, the sealing member comes into close contact with the surface of the cable. As a result, the gap between the insertion portion and the cable is more appropriately sealed, and the waterproofness or dustproofness of the housing case is improved.

As an embodiment, the sealing member may be disposed such that the entire sealing member is located closer to the inside of the housing case than outermost peripheral surfaces of the first side wall and the second side wall. According to this embodiment, it is possible to prevent the sealing member from peeling off from the housing case due to external impact or the like.

The sealing member includes a first sealing member provided in the first edge portion and a second sealing member provided in the second edge portion. The first sealing member and the second sealing member are located such that the cable is sandwiched therebetween in a thickness direction of the housing case when the lid body is closed. The sealing member can be easily disposed around the cable.

As an embodiment, the housing case for a fusion splicer may further include a tray on which the fusion splicer is able to be placed. The tray may be able to be housed in the case main body such that the housing case is partitioned into an upper side housing space and a lower side housing space in a thickness direction of the housing case. According to this embodiment, tools such as devices and chemicals used for the fusion splicing work can be arranged and housed in the housing case. That is, the internal space of the housing case can be effectively utilized.

As an embodiment, at least one tray notch that connects the upper side housing space and the lower side housing space to each other may be provided in an outer peripheral edge portion of the tray. According to this embodiment, the devices disposed in the upper side housing space and the lower side housing space can be cable-connected via the tray notch. That is, the degree of freedom in arranging cable-connected devices is improved.

As an embodiment, at least one of the case main body and the lid body may include a window portion made of a transparent member. The window portion may be formed at a position at which a charging status of the fusion splicer charged through the cable is able to be visually recognized. According to this embodiment, the power supply status of the fusion splicer can be easily checked through the window portion without opening the lid body.

A fusion splicer set according to claim <NUM> includes the housing case according to any one of the embodiments described above and a fusion splicer for an optical fiber housed in the housing case. According to this fusion splicer set, it is possible to obtain the same effect as each embodiment of the housing case for a fusion splicer described above.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The present invention is not limited to this example, but is defined by the scope of the claims. In the following description, the same reference signs will be used for the same elements or elements having the same functions, and redundant description will be omitted.

A housing case <NUM> and a fusion splicer set <NUM> according to the embodiment will be described with reference to <FIG>. <FIG> is a perspective view illustrating the housing case <NUM> according to the embodiment. <FIG> is a perspective view illustrating the fusion splicer set <NUM> that includes the housing case <NUM> with a lid body <NUM> opened with respect to a case main body <NUM>. <FIG> is a perspective view illustrating the housing case <NUM> with various devices such as a fusion splicer <NUM> housed therein omitted from illustration. Hereinafter, in a state where the lid body <NUM> is closed with respect to the case main body <NUM> (a state illustrated in <FIG>), a direction along a direction from the case main body <NUM> toward the lid body <NUM> (a vertical direction in <FIG>) is referred to as a thickness direction of the housing case <NUM>.

First, the fusion splicer <NUM> housed in the housing case <NUM> will be described with reference to <FIG>. The fusion splicer <NUM> is a device for fusion splicing optical fibers. A cover <NUM> and a heater <NUM> are provided in the upper portion of the fusion splicer <NUM>. The cover <NUM> is attached to openably and closably cover a fusion portion (not illustrated) for fusion splicing the optical fibers and prevents wind from entering the fusion portion. The heater <NUM> is used to heat and shrink a fiber reinforcing sleeve that is put on a fusion splicing portion between the optical fibers fused by the fusion portion. Further, the fusion splicer <NUM> includes a monitor <NUM> that displays a fusion splicing status between the optical fibers which are imaged by a camera (not illustrated) disposed inside. In the fusion splicer set <NUM>, the fusion splicer <NUM>, other fusion splicing tools, equipment, and the like are housed in the housing case <NUM>.

The housing case <NUM> is a case for housing the fusion splicer <NUM> for an optical fiber. The housing case <NUM> includes the case main body <NUM>, the lid body <NUM>, and a tray <NUM>. As illustrated in <FIG>, the lid body <NUM> is attached to the case main body <NUM> with hinges <NUM> to be openable and closable. Since the housing case <NUM> has the hinges <NUM>, it is possible to transition the lid body <NUM> from a closed state of the lid body <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> to an opened state of the lid body <NUM> illustrated in <FIG>. It is also possible to transition the lid body <NUM> from the opened state to the closed state. In the present embodiment, the lid body <NUM> is configured to open approximately <NUM> degrees with respect to the case main body <NUM>, but the angle at which the lid body <NUM> can be opened is not limited. For example, the lid body <NUM> may be configured to open <NUM> degrees with respect to the case main body <NUM>. Further, the lid body <NUM> may be separable from the housing case <NUM>.

The housing case <NUM> has a ring-shaped handle <NUM>. The handle <NUM> is attached to a side of the case main body <NUM> opposite to a side on which the hinges <NUM> are located. An operator can easily carry the housing case <NUM> by gripping the handle <NUM>. The handle <NUM> may be provided in the lid body <NUM>. The housing case <NUM> has a pair of locking members <NUM>. Each locking member <NUM> is constituted by a pair of metal fittings provided in the case main body <NUM> and the lid body <NUM>. The lid body <NUM> is maintained in a closed state by engaging the pair of metal fittings with each other, and unintended opening and closing of the lid body <NUM> is prevented.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the housing case <NUM> includes an insertion portion <NUM> configured for a cable extending from the inside of the housing case <NUM> to the outside thereof to be inserted through the insertion portion <NUM> in a state where the lid body <NUM> is closed with respect to the case main body <NUM>. The cable may be, for example, a power supply cable used to supply power to the fusion splicer <NUM>. When the cable is a power supply cable, one end of the cable is connected to the fusion splicer <NUM> and the other end is connected to an external power source. A detailed configuration of the insertion portion <NUM> will be described later. In the following description, a side on which the handle <NUM> is located is referred to as a front side of the housing case <NUM>, and a side on which the hinges <NUM> are located is referred to as a rear side. In addition, in the thickness direction of the housing case <NUM>, a side on which the lid body <NUM> is located is referred to as an upper side of the housing case <NUM>, and a side on which the case main body <NUM> is located is referred to as a lower side.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the case main body <NUM> is a bottomed box-shaped member with an open top. The case main body <NUM> has a bottom plate <NUM> and a first peripheral wall <NUM> (a first side wall). The bottom plate <NUM> is a substantially rectangular plate-like member in a plan view and is located at the bottom portion of the case main body <NUM>. The inner side surface of the bottom plate <NUM> is provided with an uneven portion 11a that can be used for arranging the devices housed in the case main body <NUM>. The inner side surface of the bottom plate <NUM> may be a flat surface without the uneven portion 11a, or may be provided with a partition plate having a higher height than the uneven portion 11a.

The first peripheral wall <NUM> is a wall-shaped member rising from the edge portion of the bottom plate <NUM>. The first peripheral wall <NUM> includes a front side peripheral wall 12a provided with the handle <NUM>, a rear side peripheral wall 12b located on a side opposite to the front side peripheral wall 12a and provided with the hinges <NUM>, and a left side peripheral wall 12c and a right side peripheral wall 12d which connect the front side peripheral wall 12a and the rear side peripheral wall 12b to each other. The left side peripheral wall 12c is a wall-shaped member located on the left side of the case main body <NUM> when the case main body <NUM> is viewed from the front side peripheral wall 12a, and the right side peripheral wall 12d is a wall-shaped member located on the right side of the case main body <NUM> when the case main body <NUM> is viewed from the front side peripheral wall 12a. The widths of the front side peripheral wall 12a and the rear side peripheral wall 12b are slightly larger than the widths of the left side peripheral wall 12c and the right side peripheral wall 12d. Therefore, the overall shape of the case main body <NUM> is such that the width in a left-right direction is larger than the width in a front-rear direction. The shape of the case main body <NUM> is not limited and may be a shape having equal widths in the front-rear direction and in the left-right direction.

The bottom plate <NUM> and the first peripheral wall <NUM> may be formed of a resin such as polypropylene or polyethylene. The bottom plate <NUM> and the lower portion of the first peripheral wall <NUM> are constituted by stacking members formed of the same material or different materials and are thicker than the upper portion of the first peripheral wall <NUM>. As a result, the fusion splicer <NUM> can be more reliably protected from impact applied to the lower portion of the housing case <NUM> when the housing case <NUM> is dropped. Moreover, due to the difference in thickness, a step surface <NUM> is provided at the boundary portion between the upper portion and the lower portion of the first peripheral wall <NUM>. The step surface <NUM> is continuously provided along the inner circumference of the first peripheral wall <NUM>. The edge portion of a tray <NUM> (see <FIG>) is placed on the step surface <NUM>.

The lid body <NUM> is a member that closes an opening of the case main body <NUM> and has a top plate <NUM> and a second peripheral wall <NUM> (a second side wall). The top plate <NUM> is a substantially rectangular plate-like member in a plan view and is located at the upper portion of the lid body <NUM>. As illustrated in <FIG>, the inner side surface of the top plate <NUM> is provided with an uneven portion 31a that matches the shape of the fusion splicer <NUM>. The uneven portion 31a covers the upper portion of the fusion splicer <NUM> in a state where the lid body <NUM> is closed. This prevents the fusion splicer <NUM> from being displaced during transportation of the housing case <NUM>. The top plate <NUM> may have a flat surface without the uneven portion 31a.

The second peripheral wall <NUM> is a wall-shaped member rising from the edge portion of the top plate <NUM>. The second peripheral wall <NUM> has a front side peripheral wall 32a, a rear side peripheral wall 32b, a left side peripheral wall 32c, and a right side peripheral wall 32d. In a state where the lid body <NUM> is closed, the front side peripheral wall 32a is a wall-shaped member located on the front side of the housing case <NUM>, and the rear side peripheral wall 32b is a wall-shaped member located on the rear side of the housing case <NUM>. Further, the left side peripheral wall 32c is a wall-shaped member located on the left side of the housing case <NUM>, and the right side peripheral wall 32d is a wall-shaped member located on the right side of the housing case <NUM>. The widths of the front side peripheral wall 32a, the rear side peripheral wall 32b, the left side peripheral wall 32c, and the right side peripheral wall 32d are designed to be approximately the same as the widths of the front side peripheral wall 12a, the rear side peripheral wall 12b, the left side peripheral wall 12c, and the right side peripheral wall 12d of the case main body <NUM>, respectively.

The top plate <NUM> and the second peripheral wall <NUM> may be formed of a resin such as polypropylene or polyethylene. The top plate <NUM> and the second peripheral wall <NUM> are constituted by stacking members formed of the same material or different materials and are thicker than the upper portion of the first peripheral wall <NUM> of the case main body <NUM>. As a result, the fusion splicer <NUM> housed inside the housing case <NUM> can be more reliably protected from external impact.

The top plate <NUM> or the second peripheral wall <NUM> has a window portion W made of a transparent member that transmits visible light. The window portion W may be formed by fitting a transparent resin member into an opening portion formed in the top plate <NUM> or the second peripheral wall <NUM>, for example. The window portion W may be provided at a position at which a charging status of the fusion splicer <NUM> is able to be visually recognized. For example, in a case where a lamp indicating the charging status is provided in the right side surface of the fusion splicer <NUM>, the window portion W may be provided in a portion of the top plate <NUM> near the right side peripheral wall 32d or in the right side peripheral wall 32d. In the present embodiment, the window portion W is provided in the right side peripheral wall 32d of the second peripheral wall <NUM>. The window portion W may be provided in the first peripheral wall <NUM> of the case main body <NUM> instead of the lid body <NUM>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the first peripheral wall <NUM> of the case main body <NUM> has a first edge portion <NUM>, and the second peripheral wall <NUM> of the lid body <NUM> has a second edge portion <NUM>. The first edge portion <NUM> and the second edge portion <NUM> come into contact with each other when the lid body <NUM> is closed with respect to the case main body <NUM>. The first edge portion <NUM> has an annular shape that continuously extends along the upper end portion of the first peripheral wall <NUM>. The second edge portion <NUM> has an annular shape that extends continuously along the lower end portion of the second peripheral wall <NUM>, similarly to the first edge portion <NUM>. A portion of each of the first edge portion <NUM> and the second edge portion <NUM> to which the locking member <NUM> is attached is recessed inside the case main body <NUM>. When the lid body <NUM> is closed, as illustrated in <FIG>, the first edge portion <NUM> comes into contact with the second edge portion <NUM> over substantially the entire circumference of the annular shape. As a result, it is possible to prevent water droplets, dust, or the like from entering the housing case <NUM> through a gap between the case main body <NUM> and the lid body <NUM>.

As described above, the housing case <NUM> includes the insertion portion <NUM> (see <FIG>) through which the cable extending from the inside of the case main body <NUM> to the outside thereof can be inserted in a state where the lid body <NUM> is closed. The insertion portion <NUM> is constituted by notches <NUM> and <NUM> (see <FIG> and <FIG>) provided in the first edge portion <NUM> and the second edge portion <NUM>, respectively. Each of the notches <NUM> and <NUM> constitutes a case notch. The notch <NUM> constitutes a first case notch, and the notch <NUM> constitutes a second case notch. The notch <NUM> is provided in the first edge portion <NUM> of the right side peripheral wall 12d, and the notch <NUM> is provided in the second edge portion <NUM> of the right side peripheral wall 32d. At least a part of the notch <NUM> overlaps the notch <NUM> in the thickness direction of the first peripheral wall <NUM> and the second peripheral wall <NUM> when the lid body <NUM> is closed. In the notches <NUM> and <NUM>, the first edge portion <NUM> does not come into contact with the second edge portion <NUM>, and an opening portion is formed.

A detailed configuration of the notches <NUM> and <NUM> will be described with reference to <FIG>. <FIG> and <FIG> are enlarged views of a region A which is a part of the case main body <NUM> (a portion of the first edge portion <NUM> in which the notch <NUM> is provided) surrounded by a dashed line illustrated in <FIG>. For convenience of explanation, illustration of a sealing member <NUM> is omitted in <FIG>, and the sealing member <NUM> is illustrated in <FIG>. <FIG> and <FIG> are enlarged views of a region B which is a part of the lid body <NUM> (a portion of the second edge portion <NUM> in which the notch <NUM> is provided) surrounded by a dashed line illustrated in <FIG>. For convenience of explanation, illustration of a sealing member <NUM> is omitted in <FIG>, and the sealing member <NUM> is illustrated in <FIG>.

The first edge portion <NUM> has an end surface <NUM> (a first end surface) and a first thin wall <NUM>, as illustrated in <FIG>. The end surface <NUM> is a flat surface provided along the first edge portion <NUM>. The first thin wall <NUM> is a wall-shaped member standing on the end surface <NUM>, and the majority thereof is provided along the first edge portion <NUM>. The first thin wall <NUM> partially has a depression portion 15A that is recessed inside the case main body <NUM>. The depression portion 15A includes a pair of lateral wall portions <NUM> (first lateral wall portions) and an inner wall portion <NUM>. Each lateral wall portion <NUM> extends toward the inside of the case main body <NUM> along a direction intersecting with (orthogonal to; in the present embodiment) an extending direction of the first edge portion <NUM>. The pair of lateral wall portions <NUM> are provided facing each other. Each lateral wall portion <NUM> has an upper surface 16a at its upper end. The height (the distance from the end surface <NUM> to the upper surface 16a) of each lateral wall portion <NUM> is equal to the height (the distance from the end surface <NUM> to an upper surface 15a) of a portion of the first thin wall <NUM> in which the depression portion 15A is not provided (hereinafter referred to as a non-depressed portion).

The inner wall portion <NUM> is located closer to the inside of the case main body <NUM> than the non-depressed portion of the first thin wall <NUM>. The inner wall portion <NUM> is provided along a facing direction of the pair of lateral wall portions <NUM>, that is, along the extending direction of the first edge portion <NUM>, and both end portions thereof are connected to the end portions of the lateral wall portions <NUM>. The inner wall portion <NUM> has an upper surface 17a at its upper end. The notch <NUM> is provided in the central portion of the inner wall portion <NUM>. The notch <NUM> is a portion through which the cable extending from the inside of the case main body <NUM> to the outside thereof is inserted. The notch <NUM> is formed in a U shape and has a gently curved bottom surface 18a. Further, a connecting portion between the end portion of the notch <NUM> and the upper surface 17a is smoothly connected as if a corner is removed. As a result, when the cable is disposed in the notch <NUM>, even in a case where the cable comes into contact with the connecting portion, the coating of the cable is less likely to be damaged. The width of the notch <NUM> in the extending direction of the inner wall portion <NUM> gradually decreases from the upper surface 17a toward the end surface <NUM>. The shape of the notch <NUM> is not limited to the shape described above and may be formed in a V shape with a sharp bottom portion, for example.

The height of a portion of the inner wall portion <NUM> close to the notch <NUM> (the distance from the end surface <NUM> to the upper surface 17a) is larger than that of each of both end portions of the inner wall portion <NUM> connected to the lateral wall portion <NUM>. As a result, it is possible to prevent the cable inserted through the notch <NUM> from slipping out of the notch <NUM>. In addition, the inner wall portion <NUM> is configured such that the thickness thereof decreases from the end surface <NUM> toward the upper surface 17a.

The sealing member <NUM> (a first sealing member) is disposed on the end surface <NUM> as illustrated in <FIG>. The sealing member <NUM> seals a gap between the notches <NUM> and <NUM> and the cable inserted through the notches <NUM> and <NUM> in cooperation with the sealing member <NUM> (see <FIG>) of the lid body <NUM>. The sealing member <NUM> is formed of a resilient material. The material of the sealing member <NUM> may be silicone rubber, a thermo plastic elastomer (TPE), or a microcell polymer sheet, for example. The hardness of the sealing member <NUM> is preferably <NUM> or more and <NUM> or less, and more preferably <NUM>, for example. The hardness of the sealing member <NUM> is a value measured on the basis of JIS K <NUM>.

The sealing member <NUM> is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape and disposed such that its longitudinal direction is along the extending direction of the first edge portion <NUM>. The sealing member <NUM> has a pair of end surfaces 19a opposing each other in the longitudinal direction. In the present embodiment, each end surface 19a is located slightly apart from a wall surface of the lateral wall portion <NUM>, and these gaps facilitate deformation of the sealing member <NUM> when the cable is sandwiched. Each end surface 19a may be in contact with the wall surface of the lateral wall portion <NUM> as long as it does not interfere with the holding of the cable by the sealing member <NUM>. The sealing member <NUM> has four side surfaces connecting the pair of end surfaces 19a to each other. Of the four side surfaces, a surface (not illustrated) in contact with the end surface <NUM> is referred to as a lower side surface, and a surface opposing the lower side surface is referred to as an upper side surface 19b. Further, side surfaces connecting the lower side surface and the upper side surface 19b to each other are referred to as an outer side surface 19c and an inner side surface 19d. The outer side surface 19c and the inner side surface 19d are opposed to each other. The outer side surface 19c is located closer to the outside of the case main body <NUM> than the inner side surface 19d.

The lower side surface adheres to the end surface <NUM> by an adhesive. As a result, the sealing member <NUM> is fixed to the first edge portion <NUM>. A fixing method of the sealing member <NUM> is not limited. For example, in a case where the end surface <NUM> has a protrusion, the sealing member <NUM> may be fixed by inserting the protrusion into the lower side surface. The upper side surface 19b is located further apart from the end surface <NUM> than the upper surface 16a. That is, the thickness of the sealing member <NUM> (the width from the lower side surface to the upper side surface 19b) is greater than the height of the lateral wall portion <NUM>. Further, the upper side surface 19b is located further apart from the end surface <NUM> than the bottom surface 18a (see <FIG>) of the notch <NUM>. That is, at least a part of the sealing member <NUM> overlaps the notch <NUM> when the sealing member <NUM> is viewed from the outer side surface 19c. As a result, when the cable is inserted through the notch <NUM>, the cable is disposed to sink slightly into the interior of the sealing member <NUM>.

The outer side surface 19c is located closer to the outside of the case main body <NUM> than the wall surface of the non-depressed portion of the first thin wall <NUM>. However, the outer side surface 19c may be located closer to the inside of the case main body <NUM> than the wall surface of the non-depressed portion of the first thin wall <NUM>, that is, may be located at the depression portion 15A of the first thin wall <NUM>. The inner side surface 19d is located slightly apart from the wall surface of the inner wall portion <NUM>. However, the inner side surface 19d may be located to be in contact with the wall surface of the inner wall portion <NUM>. The shape of the sealing member <NUM> is not limited to the shape described above. The sealing member <NUM> may have, for example, a cuboid shape. Further, the upper side surface 19b of the sealing member <NUM> may be provided with a groove portion extending along a direction connecting the outer side surface 19c and the inner side surface 19d to each other, and the cable may be disposed in the groove portion.

The second edge portion <NUM> has an end surface <NUM> (a second end surface) and a second thin wall <NUM>, as illustrated in <FIG>. The end surface <NUM> is a flat surface provided along the second edge portion <NUM>. The second thin wall <NUM> is a wall-shaped member standing on the end surface <NUM>, and the majority thereof is provided along the second edge portion <NUM>. The second thin wall <NUM> has a pair of lateral wall portions <NUM> (second lateral wall portions) and an outer wall portion <NUM>. Each lateral wall portion <NUM> extends toward the inside of the lid body <NUM> along a direction intersecting with (orthogonal to; in the present embodiment) an extending direction of the second edge portion <NUM>. The pair of lateral wall portions <NUM> are provided facing each other. Each lateral wall portion <NUM> has an upper surface 36a at its upper end. The height of each lateral wall portion <NUM> (the distance from the end surface <NUM> to the upper surface 36a) is equal to the height of a portion of the second thin wall <NUM> extending along the second edge portion <NUM> (the distance from the end surface <NUM> to an upper surface 35a). The outer wall portion <NUM> is provided along the second edge portion <NUM>.

The notch <NUM> is provided in a portion of the outer wall portion <NUM> corresponding to a region where the pair of lateral wall portions <NUM> face each other (a portion of the outer wall portion <NUM> located between the pair of lateral wall portions <NUM>). The notch <NUM> is a portion through which the cable extending from the inside of the case main body <NUM> to the outside thereof is inserted. The notch <NUM> is formed in a U shape and has a gently curved bottom surface 38a. Further, a connecting portion between the end portion of the notch <NUM> and the upper surface 35a is smoothly connected as if a corner is removed. As a result, when the cable is disposed in the notch <NUM>, even in a case where the cable comes into contact with the connecting portion, the coating of the cable is less likely to be damaged. The width of the notch <NUM> in the extending direction of the second edge portion <NUM> gradually decreases from the upper surface 35a toward the end surface <NUM>. The shape of the notch <NUM> is not limited to the shape described above and may be formed in a V shape with a sharp bottom portion, for example.

The sealing member <NUM> (a second sealing member) is disposed on the end surface <NUM> as illustrated in <FIG>. The sealing member <NUM> seals a gap between the notches <NUM> and <NUM> and the cable inserted through the notches <NUM> and <NUM> in cooperation with the sealing member <NUM> (see <FIG>) of the case main body <NUM> when the lid body <NUM> is closed with respect to the case main body <NUM>. The sealing member <NUM> is formed of a resilient material, similar to the sealing member <NUM> described above. The material of the sealing member <NUM> may be silicone rubber, a thermo plastic elastomer (TPE), or a microcell polymer sheet, for example. The hardness of the sealing member <NUM> is preferably <NUM> or more and <NUM> or less, and more preferably <NUM>, for example. The hardness measurement of the sealing member <NUM> is performed on the basis of the same standard as the hardness measurement of the sealing member <NUM> described above.

The sealing member <NUM> is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape and disposed such that its longitudinal direction is along the extending direction of the second edge portion <NUM>. The sealing member <NUM> has a pair of end surfaces 39a opposing each other in the longitudinal direction. In the present embodiment, each end surface 39a is slightly apart from the wall surface of the lateral wall portion <NUM>, but may be in contact with the wall surface of the lateral wall portion <NUM>. The sealing member <NUM> has four side surfaces connecting the pair of end surfaces 39a to each other. Of the four side surfaces, a surface (not illustrated) in contact with the end surface <NUM> (see <FIG>) is referred to as a lower side surface, and a surface opposing the lower side surface is referred to as an upper side surface 39b. Further, side surfaces connecting the lower side surface and the upper side surface 39b to each other are referred to as an outer side surface 39c and an inner side surface 39d. The outer side surface 39c and the inner side surface 39d are opposed to each other. The outer side surface 39c is located closer to the outside of the lid body <NUM> than the inner side surface 39d.

The lower side surface of the sealing member <NUM> adheres to the end surface <NUM> by an adhesive. As a result, the sealing member <NUM> is fixed to the second edge portion <NUM>. A fixing method of the sealing member <NUM> is not limited. For example, in a case where the end surface <NUM> has a protrusion, the sealing member <NUM> may be fixed by inserting the protrusion into the lower side surface. The upper side surface 39b is located further apart from the end surface <NUM> than the upper surface 36a. That is, the thickness of the sealing member <NUM> (the width from the lower side surface to the upper side surface 39b) is greater than the height of the lateral wall portion <NUM>. Further, the upper side surface 39b is located further apart from the end surface <NUM> than the bottom surface 38a of the notch <NUM>. That is, at least a part of the sealing member <NUM> overlaps the notch <NUM> when the sealing member <NUM> is viewed from the inner side surface 39d. When the cable is inserted through the notch <NUM>, the cable is disposed to sink slightly into the interior of the sealing member <NUM>.

The outer side surface 39c is located slightly apart from the wall surface of the second thin wall <NUM> facing it. However, the outer side surface 39c may be located to be in contact with the wall surface. The inner side surface 39d is located closer to the inside of the lid body <NUM> than the end portion of each lateral wall portion <NUM>. However, the inner side surface 39d may be located closer to the outside of the lid body <NUM> than the end portion of each lateral wall portion <NUM>, that is, may be located within a region sandwiched between the pair of lateral wall portions <NUM>. The shape of the sealing member <NUM> is not limited to the shape described above. The sealing member <NUM> may have, for example, a cuboid shape. Further, the upper side surface 39b of the sealing member <NUM> may be provided with a groove portion extending along a direction connecting the outer side surface 39c and the inner side surface 39d to each other, and the cable may be disposed in the groove portion.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating a state in which the cable C is sandwiched between the sealing member <NUM> and the sealing member <NUM>. In <FIG>, illustration of components of the lid body <NUM> other than the sealing member <NUM> is omitted for convenience of explanation. The cable C may be a power supply cable used to supply power to the fusion splicer <NUM>. When the lid body <NUM> is closed with the cable C inserted into the notch <NUM> of the case main body <NUM>, the sealing member <NUM> and the sealing member <NUM> come into contact with each other such that they overlap each other in the thickness direction of the case main body <NUM>, as illustrated in <FIG>. Specifically, the upper side surface 19b (see <FIG>) of the sealing member <NUM> and the upper side surface 39b (see <FIG>) of the sealing member <NUM> come into contact with each other. In a state where the lid body <NUM> is closed, the second thin wall <NUM> (see <FIG>) of the lid body <NUM> is located closer to the outside of the housing case <NUM> than the first thin wall <NUM> of the case main body <NUM> and the sealing members <NUM> and <NUM>. That is, the notch <NUM>, the sealing members <NUM> and <NUM>, and the notch <NUM> are located to be arranged in that order from the inside toward the outside of the housing case <NUM>. The outer side wall surface of the second thin wall <NUM> is the outermost peripheral surface of the first peripheral wall <NUM> and the second peripheral wall <NUM>.

The cable C is sandwiched between the sealing member <NUM> and the sealing member <NUM>. The sealing member <NUM> and the sealing member <NUM> are formed of a resilient material as described above. Therefore, the sealing member <NUM> and the sealing member <NUM> are deformed according to the shape of the cable C and come into close contact with the coating of the cable C. The cable C extends from the inside of the housing case <NUM> to the outside of the housing case <NUM> through the notch <NUM>, the portion between the sealing member <NUM> and the sealing member <NUM>, and the notch <NUM>. The cable C may be a power supply cable used to supply power to the fusion splicer <NUM> as described above, or may be a power supply cable used to supply power to an information terminal (such as a smart phone, for example) for managing fusion work in the fusion splicer <NUM>. Two or more cables C may be sandwiched between the sealing member <NUM> and the sealing member <NUM>.

A configuration of the tray <NUM> will be described with reference to <FIG>. <FIG> is a perspective view of the tray <NUM> from a side of a first region <NUM>. <FIG> is a perspective view of the tray <NUM> from a side of a second region <NUM>. <FIG> is a cross-sectional view of the housing case <NUM> along line XI-XI illustrated in <FIG>. In <FIG>, for convenience of explanation, illustration of various devices housed in the case main body <NUM> and the lid body <NUM>, except for the tray <NUM>, is omitted. In the following description, when the tray <NUM> is housed in the case main body <NUM> (see <FIG>), a side facing the front side peripheral wall 12a of the case main body <NUM> is referred to as a front side of the tray <NUM>, and a side facing the rear side peripheral wall 12b thereof is referred to as a rear side of the tray <NUM>, a side facing the left side peripheral wall 12c thereof is referred to as a left side of the tray <NUM>, and a side facing the right side peripheral wall 12d thereof is referred to as a right side of the tray <NUM>. The tray <NUM> includes a tray main body <NUM>, a first body contact member <NUM>, and a second body contact member <NUM>.

The tray main body <NUM> is a work table that houses the fusion splicer <NUM> and the like in order in the housing case <NUM> and is used for the fusion splicing work for the optical fibers. The operator positions the tray main body <NUM> in front of his/her body (for example, abdomen) and performs the fusion splicing work on the tray main body <NUM>. A pair of long wall portions <NUM> and a pair of short wall portions <NUM> are provided in the outer peripheral edge portion of the tray main body <NUM>. The pair of long wall portions <NUM> are wall-shaped members opposing each other and extending along a left-right direction (a first direction) of the tray <NUM>. The pair of short wall portions <NUM> are wall-shaped members opposing each other and extending along a front-rear direction (a second direction) of the tray <NUM>. The upper side end portions of the pair of long wall portions <NUM> and the pair of short wall portions <NUM> slightly protrude upward from the edge portion of the first region <NUM>, which will be described later. This prevents tools and the like placed in the first region <NUM> and used for the fusion splicing work from falling out of the tray main body <NUM>. Of the pair of long wall portions <NUM>, the long wall portion <NUM> located on the front side of the tray <NUM> is referred to as a front side long wall portion 42a (one long wall portion), and the long wall portion <NUM> located on the rear side of the tray <NUM> is referred to as a rear side long wall portion 42b. Further, of the pair of short wall portions <NUM>, the short wall portion <NUM> located on the left side of the tray <NUM> is referred to as a left side short wall portion 43a, and the short wall portion <NUM> located on the right side of the tray <NUM> is referred to as a right side short wall portion 43b.

The front side long wall portion 42a is a portion that comes into contact with the body of the operator during the fusion splicing work. The surface of the front side long wall portion 42a has a gently curved surface shape that is slightly protruded from the outer side (the front side) toward the inner side (the rear side) of the tray main body <NUM>. As a result, the front side long wall portion 42a fits the body of the operator, and the stability of the tray <NUM> is improved. The front side long wall portion 42a has a pair of first attachment portions <NUM> to which a belt put around the waist of the operator is attached. Each first attachment portion <NUM> is provided at each of the left and right end portions of the front side long wall portion 42a. Each first attachment portion <NUM> is formed in an annular shape, and a belt can be inserted therein. The operator can pass the belt put around his/her waist through each first attachment portion <NUM> and perform the fusion splicing work in a state where the tray <NUM> is fixed.

The left side short wall portion 43a and the right side short wall portion 43b each have a second attachment portion <NUM> to which a strap put around the neck of the operator is attached. The second attachment portion <NUM> is provided at substantially the center portion of each of the left side short wall portion 43a and the right side short wall portion 43b in the front-rear direction of the tray <NUM>. Each second attachment portion <NUM> is constituted by two holes penetrating the tray <NUM> in the left-right direction. When performing the fusion splicing work, the operator first attaches the strap to the tray main body <NUM> by passing hooks (for example, carabiners) provided at both ends of the strap through two holes. After that, the operator can carry out the fusion splicing work by putting the strap around the neck without continuously holding the tray main body <NUM>.

Notches <NUM> and <NUM> depressed inside the tray main body <NUM> are provided in the right side portion of the rear side long wall portion 42b and the front side portion of the right side short wall portion 43b. Each of the notches <NUM> and <NUM> constitutes a tray notch. These notches <NUM> and <NUM> serve to connect the space above the tray <NUM> and the space below the tray <NUM> to each other when the tray <NUM> is housed in the case main body <NUM>. Here, an aspect in which the tray <NUM> is housed will be described with reference to <FIG>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the tray <NUM> is housed inside the case main body <NUM> through the opening thereof. The lower side end portions of the front side long wall portion 42a and the rear side long wall portion 42b of the tray main body <NUM> abut on the step surface <NUM> of the case main body <NUM>. The internal space of the housing case <NUM> is partitioned into an upper side housing space S1 and a lower side housing space S2 by the tray <NUM>. The upper side housing space S1 is a space surrounded by the lid body <NUM> (not illustrated) and the tray <NUM>. The upper side housing space S1 may house the fusion splicer <NUM>, the working tools such as a remover, containers for housing chemicals, and the like. The lower side housing space S2 is a space surrounded by the case main body <NUM> and the tray <NUM>. An AC adapter, a battery, or the like used to supply power to the fusion splicer <NUM> may be housed in the lower side housing space S2.

The notches <NUM> and <NUM> serve to connect the upper side housing space S1 and the lower side housing space S2 described above to each other. For example, when the power is supplied to the fusion splicer <NUM> using the power supply cable having an AC adapter in the middle thereof, the AC adapter is housed in the lower side housing space S2. In this case, a portion of the power supply cable which extends from the AC adapter to the fusion splicer <NUM> is pulled out from the lower side housing space S2 to the upper side housing space S1 through the notch <NUM>. On the other hand, a portion of the power supply cable which extends from the AC adapter to the external power supply is pulled out from the lower side housing space S2 to the upper side housing space S1 through the notch <NUM>. The portion of the power supply cable which is pulled out through the notch <NUM> to the upper side housing space S1 may be pulled out to the outside of the housing case <NUM> through the insertion portion <NUM> (the notches <NUM> and <NUM>) of the housing case <NUM>.

The tray main body <NUM> has the first region <NUM> and the second region <NUM> defined (surrounded) by the pair of long wall portions <NUM> and the pair of short wall portions <NUM>, as illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>. The first region <NUM> is a region located on one side (the upper side) of the tray main body <NUM> in the vertical direction (a third direction) of the tray <NUM>. The second region <NUM> is a region located on a side opposite to the first region <NUM> (the other side (the lower side) of the tray main body <NUM>) in the tray main body <NUM> in the vertical direction of the tray <NUM>.

The first region <NUM> is a substantially rectangular region in a plan view, as illustrated in <FIG>. Various devices such as the fusion splicer <NUM> used for the fusion splicing work are placed in the first region <NUM>. A placement portion <NUM> on which the fusion splicer <NUM> is placed is provided in the substantially central portion of the first region <NUM>. The placement portion <NUM> has a shape depressed inside the tray main body <NUM> and has a bottom surface with a size allowing the fusion splicer <NUM> to be placed thereon. The bottom surface has a substantially rectangular shape in a plan view.

A front restricting portion <NUM>, a pair of side restricting portions <NUM>, and a rear restricting portion <NUM> are provided around the placement portion <NUM> to restrict movement of the fusion splicer <NUM> placed on the placement portion <NUM>. The front restricting portion <NUM> is a wall-shaped member rising upward from the first region <NUM> and is provided to surround a front side corner portion of the placement portion <NUM>. Each side restricting portion <NUM> is an arch-shaped member having two columns aligned in the front-rear direction of the tray <NUM> and a rod-shaped connecting portion that extends in the front-rear direction and connects the upper side end portions of the two columns to each other. The pair of side restricting portions <NUM> are provided such that the placement portion <NUM> is sandwiched therebetween in the left-right direction of the tray <NUM>. The rear restricting portion <NUM> is a plate member that connects the rear side end portions of the pair of side restricting portions <NUM>. The first region <NUM> is provided with a plurality of housing recesses <NUM> depressed inside the tray main body <NUM>. The housing recess <NUM> houses a container (for example, a hand wrap) for a chemical used for the fusion splicing work. Further, a plurality of insertion recesses <NUM> depressed inside the tray main body <NUM> are provided in the vicinity of the front side long wall portion 42a in the first region <NUM>. Insertion portions <NUM> (see <FIG>) of the second body contact member <NUM> described later are inserted into the insertion recesses <NUM>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the second region <NUM> is a substantially rectangular region in a plan view and located a side opposite to the first region <NUM>. The second region <NUM> is provided with a plurality of recesses <NUM> depressed inside the tray main body <NUM>. By providing the recesses <NUM>, cavities are generated inside the tray main body <NUM>, and weight reduction of the tray main body <NUM> is realized. Moreover, a plurality of beam portions <NUM> extending linearly are provided between the plurality of recesses <NUM> to curb a decrease in the strength of the tray main body <NUM>. The shape of the second region <NUM> is not limited to the shape described above and may be a flat surface shape as a whole. The first body contact member <NUM> and the second body contact member <NUM> can be housed in the second region <NUM>.

A detailed configuration of the first body contact member <NUM> and the second body contact member <NUM> will be described with reference to <FIG>. <FIG> is a perspective view illustrating the first body contact member <NUM>. <FIG> is an enlarged view of a recess 72a of the first body contact member <NUM> and a protrusion 65a of a locking member <NUM> in a state in which the first body contact member <NUM> is housed. <FIG> is a perspective view illustrating the second body contact member <NUM>. <FIG> is a perspective view illustrating the tray <NUM> with the first body contact member <NUM> and the second body contact member <NUM> unfolded.

The first body contact member <NUM> is a member that comes into contact with the body of the operator during the fusion splicing work. The first body contact member <NUM> has a pair of shaft portions <NUM>, a pair of connecting portions <NUM>, a main body portion <NUM>, and a pair of leg portions <NUM>, as illustrated in <FIG>. The pair of shaft portions <NUM> are cylindrical members extending in the same direction. The pair of shaft portions <NUM> are located apart from each other in the extending direction. Each shaft portion <NUM> is inserted into a recess (not illustrated) provided in the second region <NUM> of the tray main body <NUM>. The pair of shaft portions <NUM> and the recess provided in the tray main body <NUM> function as a hinge mechanism. As a result, the first body contact member <NUM> can be transitioned between a housed state in which the first body contact member <NUM> is disposed along the extending direction of the tray main body <NUM> (see <FIG>) and an unfolded state in which the first body contact member <NUM> stands against the tray main body <NUM> (see <FIG>). As illustrated in <FIG>, the first body contact member <NUM> is disposed along the extending direction of the front side long wall portion 42a in the unfolded state.

The pair of connecting portions <NUM> are members that connect the pair of shaft portions <NUM> and the main body portion <NUM> to each other, as illustrated in <FIG>. Each connecting portion <NUM> has the recess 72a on the inner side surface thereof. The recess 72a is configured such that the protrusion 65a of the locking member <NUM> is fitted into the recess 72a. Hereinafter, the locking member <NUM> will be described. The locking member <NUM> is provided in the second region <NUM> of the tray main body <NUM>, as illustrated in <FIG>. The locking member <NUM> is a member that maintains the housed state of the first body contact member <NUM>. As illustrated in the enlarged view of <FIG>, the locking member <NUM> has a pair of protrusions 65a on the outer side thereof. In the housed state of the first body contact member <NUM>, the protrusions 65a of the locking member <NUM> are fitted into the recesses 72a of the first body contact member <NUM>, and the first body contact member <NUM> is locked. As a result, the housed state of the first body contact member <NUM> is maintained. In a case where the first body contact member <NUM> is transitioned from the housed state to the unfolded state, both end portions of the locking member <NUM> are pushed inward (in a direction of arrow D illustrated in <FIG>) to release the locking of the first body contact member <NUM>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the main body portion <NUM> and the pair of leg portions <NUM> are elongated plate-like members. In the unfolded state of the first body contact member <NUM>, as illustrated in <FIG>, the main body portion <NUM> extends in the left-right direction of the tray <NUM> along the front side long wall portion 42a. Further, the pair of leg portions <NUM> extend in the vertical direction of the tray <NUM> in a direction apart from the tray main body <NUM> with both ends of the main body portion <NUM> in the left-right direction as base ends. Each leg portion <NUM> has a recess 74a inside the tip end portion thereof, as illustrated in <FIG>. As illustrated in <FIG>, in the housed state of the first body contact member <NUM>, the second body contact member <NUM> is housed in a space between the pair of leg portions <NUM>. At this time, a protrusion 84a of the second body contact member <NUM>, which will be described later, is fitted into the recess 74a of each leg portion <NUM>, and thus the second body contact member <NUM> is prevented from falling out from the space between the pair of leg portions <NUM>.

The length Z of each leg portion <NUM> is greater than the length (the thickness) X in the vertical direction of the tray main body <NUM>, as illustrated in <FIG>. For example, the length Z of each leg portion <NUM> may be twice or more the length X of the tray main body <NUM>. The length X of the tray main body <NUM> may be, for example, <NUM> or more and <NUM> or less. The length Z of each leg portion <NUM> may be, for example, <NUM> or more and <NUM> or less. Further, the width Y of the main body portion <NUM> in the vertical direction of the tray main body <NUM> is smaller than the length Z of each leg portion <NUM>. For example, the width Y of the main body portion <NUM> may be one-half or less of the length Z of each leg portion <NUM>, or may be one-fourth or less thereof.

As illustrated in <FIG>, in the housed state of the first body contact member <NUM>, the second body contact member <NUM> can be housed in the space between the pair of leg portions <NUM>. Further, a connection portion E to which a tripod that supports the tray <NUM> is connected is provided in the second region <NUM> of the tray <NUM>. In <FIG>, the connection portion E is indicated by a dashed line because it overlaps the second body contact member <NUM>. The connection portion E exists between the pair of leg portions <NUM> when viewed in the third direction. The connection portion E is provided at a position overlapping the space between the pair of leg portions <NUM> (the space at which the second body contact member <NUM> is located in <FIG>) in the vertical direction of the tray main body <NUM>. That is, when the second body contact member <NUM> is removed, it is possible to connect the tripod to the connection portion.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the main body portion <NUM> and the pair of leg portions <NUM> have an outer surface <NUM> that comes into contact with the body of the operator performing the fusion splicing work. The outer surface <NUM> is a surface on an outer side (the front side) in a direction from an inner side (the rear side) of the tray main body <NUM> toward the outer side (the front side) in the unfolded state of the first body contact member <NUM> (see <FIG>) among the surfaces of the main body portion <NUM> and the pair of leg portions <NUM>. The outer surface <NUM> has a gently curved surface shape that is slightly protruded toward the inner side (the rear side) of the tray main body <NUM>. The outer surface <NUM> may not be entirely curved and may have a partially curved surface portion. For example, only the surface of the main body portion <NUM> may be curved. Further, the outer surface <NUM> may be flat as a whole without having a curved surface shape.

The second body contact member <NUM> is a member that comes into contact with the body of the operator during the fusion splicing work. As illustrated in <FIG>, the second body contact member <NUM> has a plate portion <NUM>, a pair of insertion portions <NUM>, and a pair of protrusions 84a. The plate portion <NUM> is a rectangular plate-like member in a plan view. The plate portion <NUM> has an outer surface <NUM>. The outer surface <NUM> is a surface on an outer side (the front side) in a direction from the inner side (the rear side) of the tray main body <NUM> toward the outer side (the front side) in the unfolded state in which the second body contact member <NUM> stands on the tray main body <NUM> (see <FIG>). The outer surface <NUM> has a gently curved surface shape that is slightly protruded toward the inner side (the rear side) of the tray main body <NUM>. The outer surface <NUM> may not be entirely curved and may have a partially curved surface portion. Further, the outer surface <NUM> may be flat as a whole without having a curved surface shape.

The pair of insertion portions <NUM> are portions protruding from the lower side end portion of the plate portion <NUM> toward the outside of the plate portion <NUM>. Each insertion portion <NUM> is inserted into the insertion recess <NUM> of the first region <NUM> illustrated in <FIG>. The insertion portion <NUM> has a structure that allows the second body contact member <NUM> to be attachable to and detachable from the tray main body <NUM>. As a result, the second body contact member <NUM> can be transitioned between a housed state in which the second body contact member <NUM> is disposed along the extending direction of the tray main body <NUM> (see <FIG>) and an unfolded state in which the second body contact member <NUM> stands on the tray main body <NUM> (see <FIG>). As illustrated in <FIG>, the second body contact member <NUM> is disposed along the extending direction of the front side long wall portion 42a in the unfolded state.

The pair of protrusions 84a are provided on the upper portions of a pair of lateral side surfaces <NUM> that are opposed to each other with the outer surface <NUM> interposed therebetween. As described above, when the second body contact member <NUM> is housed in the space between the pair of leg portions <NUM> (see <FIG>), each protrusion 84a is fitted into the recess 74a provided in each of the pair of leg portions <NUM>, and thus the second body contact member <NUM> is prevented from falling out from the space between the pair of leg portions <NUM>.

As described above, in the housing case <NUM> according to the present embodiment, the insertion portion <NUM> is provided, and the cable extending from the inside of the housing case <NUM> to the outside is inserted through the insertion portion <NUM>, and thus, even in a case where the lid body <NUM> is closed with respect to the case main body <NUM>, the cable is not pinched between the case main body <NUM> and the lid body <NUM>. As a result, according to the housing case <NUM>, damage to the cable (for example, damage to the coating) due to the pinching is prevented. That is, power can be supplied to the fusion splicer <NUM> with the lid body <NUM> closed, and the arrangement space of the housing case <NUM> can be reduced during power supply.

In the present embodiment, the first peripheral wall <NUM> has the first edge portion <NUM>, the second peripheral wall <NUM> has the second edge portion <NUM>, and the first edge portion <NUM> and the second edge portion <NUM> come into contact with each other when the lid body <NUM> is closed with respect to the case main body <NUM>. The insertion portion <NUM> includes the notch <NUM> or <NUM> provided in at least one of the first edge portion <NUM> and the second edge portion <NUM>. Since the insertion portion <NUM> includes the notch <NUM> or <NUM> provided in the first edge portion <NUM> of the first peripheral wall <NUM> or the second edge portion <NUM> of the second peripheral wall <NUM>, the cable can be easily inserted through the insertion portion <NUM>.

In the present embodiment, the housing case <NUM> further includes the sealing members <NUM> and <NUM> configured to seal the gap between the insertion portion <NUM> and the cable in a state where the lid body <NUM> is closed with respect to the case main body <NUM>. In this case, water droplets, dust, or the like is prevented from entering the housing case <NUM> through a gap between the insertion portion <NUM> and the cable. As a result, failure of the fusion splicer <NUM> housed in the housing case <NUM> can be curbed.

In the present embodiment, the sealing members <NUM> and <NUM> may be made of sponge rubber having a hardness of <NUM> or more and <NUM> or less. In this case, since the sealing members <NUM> and <NUM> have appropriate elasticity, the sealing members come into close contact with the surface of the cable. As a result, the gap between the insertion portion <NUM> and the cable is more appropriately sealed, and the waterproofness or dustproofness of the housing case <NUM> is improved.

In the present embodiment, the sealing members <NUM> and <NUM> are disposed such that the entire sealing members <NUM> and <NUM> are located closer to the inside of the housing case <NUM> than outermost peripheral surfaces of the first peripheral wall <NUM> and the second peripheral wall <NUM>. In this case, it is possible to prevent the sealing members <NUM> and <NUM> from peeling off from the housing case <NUM> due to external impact or the like.

In the present embodiment, the sealing members <NUM> and <NUM> include the sealing member <NUM> (the first sealing member) provided in the first edge portion <NUM> and the sealing member <NUM> (the second sealing member) provided in the second edge portion <NUM>. The sealing member <NUM> and the sealing member <NUM> are located such that the cable is sandwiched therebetween in a thickness direction of the housing case <NUM> when the lid body <NUM> is closed. In this case, the sealing members <NUM> and <NUM> can be easily disposed around the cable.

In the present embodiment, the housing case <NUM> for the fusion splicer <NUM> further includes the tray <NUM> on which the fusion splicer <NUM> is able to be placed. The tray <NUM> is able to be housed in the case main body <NUM> such that the housing case <NUM> is partitioned into the upper side housing space S1 and the lower side housing space S2 in the thickness direction of the housing case <NUM>. In this case, tools such as devices and chemicals used for the fusion splicing work can be arranged and housed in the housing case <NUM>. That is, the internal space of the housing case <NUM> can be effectively utilized.

In the present embodiment, the notches <NUM> and <NUM> that connect the upper side housing space S1 and the lower side housing space S2 to each other are provided in the outer peripheral edge portion of the tray <NUM>. In this case, the devices (for example, the fusion splicer <NUM> and the AC adapter) disposed in the upper side housing space S1 and the lower side housing space S2 can be cable-connected via the notches <NUM> and <NUM>. That is, the degree of freedom in arranging cable-connected devices is improved.

In the present embodiment, at least one of the case main body <NUM> and the lid body <NUM> may have a window portion W made of a transparent member. The window portion W may be formed at a position at which a charging status of the fusion splicer <NUM> charged through the cable is able to be visually recognized. In this case, the power supply status of the fusion splicer <NUM> can be easily checked through the window portion W without opening the lid body <NUM>.

Although the embodiment according to the present disclosure is described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment and can be applied to various embodiments.

For example, the insertion portion <NUM> through which the cable is inserted may be a through hole provided in the first peripheral wall <NUM> of the case main body <NUM> or the second peripheral wall <NUM> of the lid body <NUM> instead of the notches <NUM> and <NUM>, and the cable may be inserted through the through hole. A sealing member may be provided in such a through hole.

The first body contact member <NUM> may be attachable to and detachable from the tray main body <NUM> similarly to the second body contact member <NUM>. In this case, the state in which the first body contact member <NUM> is detached from the tray main body <NUM> corresponds to the housed state of the first body contact member <NUM>. Further, the first body contact member <NUM> may have a rectangular plate shape in a plan view similarly to the second body contact member <NUM>.

The second body contact member <NUM> may be able to be housed such that the second body contact member <NUM> is connected to the tray main body <NUM> with a hinge mechanism and is folded to a side of the first region <NUM> of the tray main body <NUM> similarly to the first body contact member <NUM>. In this case, the second body contact member <NUM> may have a U shape (the shape similar to the first body contact member <NUM>) with a hollow central portion not to come into contact with the fusion splicer <NUM> or the like in the housed state.

Claim 1:
A housing case (<NUM>) for a fusion splicer (<NUM>) which is for housing the fusion splicer (<NUM>) for an optical fiber, comprising:
a case main body (<NUM>) including a first side wall (<NUM>); and
a lid body (<NUM>) attached to the case main body (<NUM>) to be openable and closable and including a second side wall (<NUM>) configured to match the first side wall (<NUM>) when closed,
wherein at least one of the first side wall (<NUM>) and the second side wall (<NUM>) includes an insertion portion (<NUM>) configured for a cable extending from the inside of the housing case (<NUM>) to the outside thereof to be inserted through the insertion portion (<NUM>) in a state where the lid body (<NUM>) is closed with respect to the case main body (<NUM>), characterized in that:
the first side wall (<NUM>) includes a first edge portion (<NUM>), the second side wall (<NUM>) includes a second edge portion (<NUM>), and the first edge portion (<NUM>) and the second edge portion (<NUM>) come into contact with each other when the lid body (<NUM>) is closed with respect to the case main body (<NUM>),
the insertion portion (<NUM>) includes a first case notch (<NUM>) provided in the first edge portion (<NUM>) and a second case notch (<NUM>) provided in the second edge portion (<NUM>), and
the housing case (<NUM>) further comprises:
a first sealing member (<NUM>) provided in the first edge portion (<NUM>); and
a second sealing member (<NUM>) provided in the second edge portion (<NUM>),
wherein the first sealing member (<NUM>) and the second sealing member (<NUM>) are configured to seal a gap between the first case notch (<NUM>), the second case notch (<NUM>), and the cable when the lid body is closed with respect to the case main body (<NUM>),
wherein the first sealing member (<NUM>) is located outside the first case notch (<NUM>), and the second sealing member (<NUM>) is located inside the second case notch (<NUM>), and
wherein the first sealing member (<NUM>) and the second sealing member (<NUM>) are configured such that the cable is sandwiched therebetween in a thickness direction of the housing case (<NUM>) when the lid body (<NUM>) is closed with respect to the case main body (<NUM>).