Patent Description:
Patent Literature <NUM> discloses an example of a work table for performing fusion splicing for an optical fiber. The work table includes a bracket portion for fixing a fusion splicer main body and a base portion. The base portion has a mounting portion on which the bracket portion is mounted and a support portion supported by an operator, and the mounting portion and the support portion form an L shape when fusion splicing is performed. Patent Literature <NUM> discloses another example of a work table. Patent Literature <NUM> discloses a housing case for a fusion splicer that also functions as a work table.

The invention provides a tray for fusion splicing work according to independent claim <NUM>. Further embodiments are provided by the dependent claims.

In a case where the tray is provided with a body contact member (corresponding to the support portion of Patent Literature <NUM>) that comes into contact with the body of the operator using the fusion splicer, the stability of the tray during the fusion splicing work is improved. However, when the tray is housed in the housing case, the body contact member is bulky and may not be easily housed. Therefore, it is desired to develop a tray that can be easily housed in the housing case while maintaining the stability during the fusion splicing work.

An object of the present disclosure is to provide a tray for fusion splicing work that can be easily housed in a housing case while maintaining stability during fusion splicing work.

According to the aspect of the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a tray for fusion splicing work that can be easily housed in a housing case while maintaining stability during fusion splicing work.

First, contents of an embodiment of the present disclosure will be listed and described. A tray for fusion splicing work according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is a tray used for fusion splicing work for an optical fiber, and includes a tray main body and a first body contact member. The tray main body includes a pair of long wall portions opposing each other and extending along a first direction, and a pair of short wall portions opposing each other and extending along a second direction intersecting with the first direction. The tray main body is provided with a placement portion on which a fusion splicer is able to be placed within a rectangular region defined by the pair of long wall portions and the pair of short wall portions. The first body contact member includes an outer surface configured to come into contact with a body of an operator using the fusion splicer and is attached to the tray main body on a side of one long wall portion of the pair of long wall portions. The first body contact member is able to be transitioned between an unfolded state in which the outer surface is unfolded in a third direction intersecting with the first direction and the second direction, and a housed state in which the first body contact member is housed from the unfolded state.

In this tray for fusion splicing work, the first body contact member is provided, and this first body contact member can be transitioned between the unfolded state and the housed state. Therefore, when the fusion splicing work is performed, the work can be performed in a state in which the tray is stabilized by making the first body contact member be in the unfolded state. On the other hand, when the tray is housed, it is possible to easily house the tray in the housing case by making the first body contact member be in the housed state.

As an embodiment, the tray main body includes a first region in which the placement portion is provided and a second region on a side opposite to the first region in the tray main body in the third direction. The first body contact member is connected to the tray main body with a hinge mechanism in the second region. In this embodiment, the first body contact member is located in the second region on a side opposite to the first region in which the placement portion for the fusion splicer is provided. Therefore, the first body contact member can be housed along the second region without coming into contact with the fusion splicer. As a result, when the first body contact member is housed, it is possible to place the fusion splicer as it is without detaching the fusion splicer from the tray or moving the fusion splicer from the placement portion.

As an embodiment, in the unfolded state, the first body contact member includes a main body portion that extends in the first direction along an edge portion of the one long wall portion of the tray main body to which the first body contact member is attached, and a pair of leg portions that extend in the third direction away from the tray main body with both ends of the main body portion in the first direction as base ends. According to this embodiment, when the first body contact member is made to be in the housed state, another member (for example, the second body contact member which will be described later) can be housed in the space between the pair of leg portions, thereby improving the housing efficiency.

As an embodiment, a length of each of the pair of leg portions may be greater than a length of the tray main body in the third direction. As the length of the leg portion increases, the outer surface of the first body contact member that comes into contact with the body of the operator using the fusion splicer can be enlarged. According to this present embodiment, a wide outer surface of the first body contact member can be secured, and the stability of the tray during work is improved.

As an embodiment, in the unfolded state, a width of the main body portion in the third direction may be one-half or less of a length of each of the pair of leg portions. According to this embodiment, a wide space can be secured between the pair of leg portions, and the housing efficiency can be further improved.

As an embodiment, the tray main body may include a connection portion to which a tripod that supports the tray is able to be connected. In the housed state, the connection portion may exist between the pair of leg portions when viewed in the third direction. According to this embodiment, the tripod can be connected to the connection portion of the tray main body without being hindered by the first body contact member even in a state where the first body contact member is housed.

As an embodiment, the outer surface of the first body contact member may include a curved surface portion protruding in a direction from the outside toward the inside of the tray main body. According to this embodiment, when the fusion splicing work is performed, the outer surface of the first body contact member fits the body of the operator, and the stability of the tray is improved.

As an embodiment, the tray for fusion splicing work may further include a second body contact member detachably attached to the tray main body on a side of the one long wall portion of the pair of long wall portions and on a side opposite to the first body contact member. According to this embodiment, the tray is provided with not only the first body contact member but also the second body contact member, thereby further improving the stability of the tray during the fusion splicing work. Further, since the second body contact member can be detached from the tray main body, the tray can be easily housed in the housing case.

As an embodiment, the tray main body may include a first attachment portion which is provided on one of the pair of long wall portions and to which a belt put around a waist of the operator is able to be attached, and a second attachment portion which is provided on both of the pair of short wall portions and to which a strap put around a neck of the operator is able to be attached. According to this embodiment, by attaching the belt to the tray main body, the tray main body is fixed, and the stability of the tray is improved during the fusion splicing work. Moreover, by putting the strap attached to the tray main body around the neck, the operator can carry out the work while keeping the tray close to the body without continuously holding the tray main body by hand. Therefore, the working efficiency of the fusion splicing work is improved.

As an embodiment, at least one wall portion of the pair of long wall portions and the pair of short wall portions may be provided with a notch depressed inside the tray main body. According to this embodiment, when the tray is housed in the housing case, the devices disposed in the spaces located on both sides of the tray can be cable-connected via the notches.

A fusion splicer set according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a housing case including the tray for fusion splicing work according to any one of the embodiments described above, and a fusion splicer placed on the placement portion of the tray. In this fusion splicer set, the tray for fusion splicing work is detachable from the housing case. According to this fusion splicer set, it is possible to obtain the same effect as each embodiment of the tray for fusion splicing work described above.

An embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. 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 tray <NUM> for fusion splicing work according to the present embodiment, the first body contact member <NUM> is provided, and the first body contact member <NUM> can be transitioned between the unfolded state and the housed state. Therefore, when the fusion splicing work is performed, the work can be performed in a state in which the tray <NUM> is stabilized by making the first body contact member <NUM> be in the unfolded state. On the other hand, when the tray <NUM> is housed, it is possible to easily house the tray <NUM> in the housing case <NUM> by making the first body contact member <NUM> be in the housed state.

In the present embodiment, the tray main body <NUM> has the first region <NUM> in which the placement portion <NUM> is provided and the second region <NUM> on a side opposite to the first region <NUM> in the tray main body <NUM> in the third direction. The first body contact member <NUM> is connected to the tray main body <NUM> with the hinge mechanism in the second region <NUM>. In this case, the first body contact member <NUM> is located in the second region <NUM> on a side opposite to the first region <NUM> in which the placement portion <NUM> for the fusion splicer <NUM> is provided. Therefore, the first body contact member <NUM> can be housed along the second region <NUM> without coming into contact with the fusion splicer <NUM>. As a result, when the first body contact member <NUM> is housed, it is possible to place the fusion splicer <NUM> as it is without detaching the fusion splicer <NUM> from the tray <NUM> or moving the fusion splicer <NUM> from the placement portion <NUM>.

In the present embodiment, in the unfolded state, the first body contact member <NUM> has the main body portion <NUM> that extends in the first direction along the edge portion of the one long wall portion <NUM> (the front side long wall portion 42a) of the tray main body <NUM> to which the first body contact member <NUM> is attached, and the pair of leg portions <NUM> that extend in the third direction away from the tray main body <NUM> with both ends of the main body portion <NUM> in the first direction as base ends. In this case, when the first body contact member <NUM> is made to be in the housed state, another member (for example, the second body contact member <NUM>) can be housed in the space between the pair of leg portions <NUM>, thereby improving the housing efficiency.

In the present embodiment, the length Z of each of the pair of leg portions <NUM> is greater than the length X of the tray main body <NUM> in the third direction. As the length of the leg portion <NUM> increases, the outer surface <NUM> of the first body contact member <NUM> that comes into contact with the body of the operator using the fusion splicer <NUM> can be enlarged. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, a wide outer surface <NUM> of the first body contact member <NUM> can be secured, and the stability of the tray <NUM> during work is improved.

In the present embodiment, in the unfolded state, the width Y of the main body portion <NUM> in the third direction may be one-half or less of the length of each of the pair of leg portions <NUM>. In this case, a wide space can be secured between the pair of leg portions <NUM>, and the housing efficiency can be further improved.

In the present embodiment, the tray main body <NUM> has the connection portion E to which the tripod that supports the tray <NUM> is able to be connected. In the housed state, the connection portion E exists between the pair of leg portions <NUM> when viewed in the third direction. In this case, the tripod can be connected to the connection portion E of the tray main body <NUM> without being hindered by the first body contact member <NUM> even in a state where the first body contact member <NUM> is housed.

In the present embodiment, the outer surface <NUM> of the first body contact member <NUM> includes the curved surface portion protruding in a direction from the outside toward the inside of the tray main body <NUM>. In this case, when the fusion splicing work is performed, the outer surface <NUM> of the first body contact member <NUM> fits the body of the operator, and the stability of the tray <NUM> is improved.

In the present embodiment, the second body contact member <NUM> detachably attached to the tray main body <NUM> on a side of the one long wall portion of the pair of long wall portions <NUM> and on a side opposite to the first body contact member <NUM> is further provided. In this case, the tray <NUM> is provided with not only the first body contact member <NUM> but also the second body contact member <NUM>, thereby further improving the stability of the tray <NUM> during the fusion splicing work. Further, since the second body contact member <NUM> can be detached from the tray main body <NUM>, the tray <NUM> can be easily housed in the housing case <NUM>.

In the present embodiment, the tray main body <NUM> has the first attachment portion <NUM> which is provided on one of the pair of long wall portions <NUM> and to which the belt put around the waist of the operator is able to be attached, and the second attachment portion <NUM> which is provided on both of the pair of short wall portions <NUM> and to which the strap put around the neck of the operator is able to be attached. In this case, by attaching the belt to the tray main body <NUM>, the tray main body <NUM> is fixed, and the stability of the tray <NUM> is improved during the fusion splicing work. Moreover, by putting the strap attached to the tray main body <NUM> around the neck, the operator can carry out the work while keeping the tray <NUM> close to the body without continuously holding the tray main body <NUM> by hand. Therefore, the working efficiency of the fusion splicing work is improved.

In the present embodiment, at least one wall portion of the pair of long wall portions <NUM> and the pair of short wall portions <NUM> is provided with the notch <NUM> or <NUM> depressed inside the tray main body <NUM>. In this case, when the tray <NUM> is housed in the housing case <NUM>, the devices disposed in the spaces (the upper side housing space S1 and the lower side housing space S2) located on both sides of the tray <NUM> can be cable-connected through the notches <NUM> and <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.

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>. In this case, a through hole may be provided in the bottom plate <NUM> of the case main body <NUM> or the top plate <NUM> of the lid body <NUM>.

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 tray (<NUM>) for fusion splicing work which is used for fusion splicing work for an optical fiber, comprising:
a tray main body (<NUM>) including a pair of long wall portions (<NUM>, 42a, 42b) opposing each other and extending along a first direction, and a pair of short wall portions (<NUM>, 43a, 43b) opposing each other and extending along a second direction intersecting with the first direction, the tray main body (<NUM>) being provided with a placement portion (<NUM>) on which a fusion splicer (<NUM>) is able to be placed within a rectangular region defined by the pair of long wall portions (<NUM>, 42a, 42b) and the pair of short wall portions (<NUM>, 43a, 43b); and
a first body contact member (<NUM>) including an outer surface (<NUM>) configured to come into contact with a body of an operator using the fusion splicer (<NUM>) and attached to the tray main body (<NUM>) on a side of one long wall portion (42a) of the pair of long wall portions (<NUM>, 42a, 42b),
wherein the first body contact member (<NUM>) is able to be transitioned between an unfolded state in which the outer surface (<NUM>) is unfolded in a third direction intersecting with the first direction and the second direction, and a housed state in which the first body contact member (<NUM>) is housed from the unfolded state,
characterised in that
the tray main body (<NUM>) includes a first region (<NUM>) in which the placement portion (<NUM>) is provided and a second region (<NUM>) on a side opposite to the first region (<NUM>) in the tray main body (<NUM>) in the third direction,
the first body contact member (<NUM>) is connected to the tray main body (<NUM>) with a hinge mechanism in the second region (<NUM>), and
in the unfolded state, the first body contact member (<NUM>) includes a main body portion (<NUM>) that extends in the first direction along an edge portion of the one long wall portion (42a) of the tray main body (<NUM>) to which the first body contact member (<NUM>) is attached, and a pair of leg portions (<NUM>) that extend in the third direction away from the tray main body (<NUM>) with both ends of the main body portion (<NUM>) in the first direction as base ends.