Fusion splicer tray and fusion splicer set

Abstract

A tray (40) for fusion splicing work is used for fusion splicing work of optical fibers, and comprises a tray main body (41) and a first body contact member (70). The tray main body (41) has a pair of long wall parts (42) that face each other and both extend in a first direction, and a pair of short wall parts (43) that face each other and both extend in a second direction crossing the first direction. In the tray main body, a mounting part (51) on which a fusion splicer can be mounted is provided in a rectangular region demarcated by the pair of long wall parts and the pair of short wall parts. The first body contact member (70) has an outer surface configured to come into contact with the body of a worker that uses the fusion splicer, and is attached to the tray main body on the side of one long wall part of the pair of long wall parts. The first body contact member (70) is able to make a transition between a developed state in which the outer surface is developed along a third direction crossing the first direction and the second direction and a housed state in which the first body contact member is housed from the developed state.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a tray for a fusion splicing operation and a fusion splicer set. This application claims priority to Japanese Application No. 2020-174185, filed on October 15, 2020, and incorporates by reference all of the contents of said Japanese application. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an example of a workbench for fusion splicing optical fibers. This workbench includes a bracket for fixing the fusion splicer body and a base. The base has a mounting portion for mounting the bracket and a support portion supported by an operator, and the mounting portion and support portion form an L-shape when fusion splicing is performed. Patent Document 2 discloses another example of a workbench. Patent Document 3 discloses a storage case for a fusion splicer that also functions as a workbench. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2014 / 104180 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-074796 [Patent Document 3] International Publication No. 2016 / 042671 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-145528 [Patent Document 5] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-193097 Summary of the Invention

[0004] According to one aspect, the present disclosure provides a tray for fusion splicing work. The tray for fusion splicing work is a tray used for fusion splicing work of optical fibers and includes a tray body and a first body support member. The tray body has a pair of long wall portions facing each other and extending along a first direction, and a pair of short wall portions facing each other and extending along a second direction intersecting the first direction. The tray body is provided with a mounting portion on which a fusion splicer can be mounted, within a rectangular area defined by the pair of long wall portions and the pair of short wall portions. The first body support member has an outer surface configured to come into contact with the body of a worker using the fusion splicer, and is attached to the tray body on the side of one of the pair of long wall portions. The first body support member is movable between an unfolded state in which the outer surface is unfolded along a third direction intersecting the first and second directions, and a stowed state in which the first body support member is stowed from the unfolded state.

[0005] In another aspect, the present disclosure provides a fusion splicer set including a storage case having a tray for the fusion splicing operation, and a fusion splicer placed on a placement portion of the tray, wherein the tray for the fusion splicing operation is removable from the storage case. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0006] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a storage case according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a fusion splicer set including a storage case with a lid body open relative to a case body. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a housing case in which various devices such as a fusion splicer housed therein are not shown. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a region A that is a part of the case body surrounded by the dashed line shown in FIG. 2, and does not show the sealing member. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a region A that is a part of the case body surrounded by the dashed line shown in FIG. 2, and illustrates the sealing member. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of a region B that is part of the lid surrounded by the dashed line shown in FIG. 2, and does not include the sealing member. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of a region B that is a part of the lid surrounded by the dashed line shown in FIG. 2, and illustrates the sealing member. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a state in which the cable is sandwiched between two sealing members. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the tray as viewed from the first area side. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the tray as viewed from the second area side. [Figure 11] 11 is a cross-sectional view of the accommodating case taken along line XI-XI shown in FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing the first body support member. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is an enlarged view of the recessed portion of the first body support member and the protruding portion of the locking member when the first body support member is in the housed state. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing the second body support member. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing the tray in a state in which the first body support member and the second body support member are deployed. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0007] [Problem to be solved by this disclosure] By providing a tray with a body support member (corresponding to the support portion in Patent Document 1) that comes into contact with the body of an operator using a fusion splicer, the stability of the tray during fusion splicing work is improved. However, the body support member can be bulky when storing the tray in a storage case, making it difficult to store. Therefore, there is a need for the development of a tray that can be easily stored in a storage case while maintaining stability during fusion splicing work.

[0008] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a tray for fusion splicing work that can be easily stored in a storage case while maintaining stability during fusion splicing work.

[0009] [Effects of this disclosure] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a tray for fusion splicing that can be easily stored in a storage case while maintaining stability during fusion splicing.

[0010] [Description of the embodiments of the present disclosure] First, the details of the embodiments of the present disclosure will be listed and described. A tray for fusion splicing according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is a tray used for fusion splicing of optical fibers, and includes a tray main body and a first body support member. The tray main body has a pair of long wall portions facing each other and extending along a first direction, and a pair of short wall portions facing each other and extending along a second direction intersecting the first direction. The tray main body is provided with a mounting portion on which a fusion splicer can be mounted, within a rectangular area defined by the pair of long wall portions and the pair of short wall portions. The first body support member has an outer surface configured to come into contact with the body of a worker using the fusion splicer, and is attached to the tray main body on the side of one of the pair of long wall portions. The first body support member is movable between an unfolded state in which the outer surface is unfolded along a third direction intersecting the first and second directions, and a retracted state in which the first body support member is retracted from the unfolded state.

[0011] This tray for fusion splicing work is provided with a first body support member that can be moved between an unfolded state and a stored state. Therefore, when performing fusion splicing work, the first body support member is placed in the unfolded state, allowing the work to be performed in a stable tray state. On the other hand, when storing the tray, the first body support member is placed in the stored state, allowing the tray to be easily stored in the storage case.

[0012] In one embodiment, the tray body may have a first region in which the mounting portion is provided and a second region on the tray body opposite the first region in the third direction. The first body support member may be connected to the tray body in the second region via a hinge mechanism. According to this embodiment, the first body support member is located in the second region opposite the first region in which the mounting portion of the fusion splicer is provided. This allows the first body support member to be stored along the second region without coming into contact with the fusion splicer. As a result, when storing the first body support member, there is no need to remove the fusion splicer from the tray or move it from the mounting portion, and it can be left as is.

[0013] In one embodiment, the first body support member may have, in the unfolded state, a main body portion that extends in the first direction along an edge of one long wall portion of the tray main body to which the first body support member is attached, and a pair of legs that extend in the third direction in a 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 support member is in the stored state, another member (for example, a second body support member described later) can be stored in the space between the pair of legs, improving storage efficiency.

[0014] In one embodiment, the length of each of the pair of legs may be greater than the length of the tray body along the third direction. As the length of the legs increases, the outer surface of the first body support member that comes into contact with the body of the worker using the fusion splicer can be made larger. According to this embodiment, the outer surface of the first body support member can be made wider, improving the stability of the tray during work.

[0015] In one embodiment, the width of the main body in the third direction in the unfolded state may be equal to or less than half the length of each of the pair of legs. This embodiment ensures a wide space between the pair of legs, further improving storage efficiency.

[0016] In one embodiment, the tray body may have a connection portion to which a tripod supporting the tray can be connected. The connection portion may be located between the pair of legs when viewed from the third direction in the stored state. According to this embodiment, even when the first body support member is stored, the tripod can be connected to the connection portion of the tray body without being obstructed by the first body support member.

[0017] In one embodiment, the outer surface of the first body support member may include a curved portion that is convex in a direction from the outside to the inside of the tray body. According to this embodiment, the outer surface of the first body support member fits the body of the worker when performing the fusion splicing work, improving the stability of the tray.

[0018] In one embodiment, the tray may further include a second body support member that is detachably attached to the tray body on the side of one of the pair of long walls opposite the first body support member. According to this embodiment, the tray includes not only the first body support member but also the second body support member, which further improves the stability of the tray during fusion splicing. Furthermore, because the second body support member can be removed from the tray body, the tray can be easily stored in the storage case.

[0019] In one embodiment, the tray body may have a first attachment portion provided on one of the pair of long walls to which a belt that is worn around the waist of the worker can be attached, and a second attachment portion provided on each of the pair of short walls to which a strap that is worn around the neck of the worker can be attached. According to this embodiment, the tray body is fixed by attaching the belt to the tray body, improving the stability of the tray during fusion splicing work. Furthermore, by hanging the strap attached to the tray body around the neck, the worker can work while keeping the tray close to the body without having to constantly hold the tray body with their hands. This improves the efficiency of the fusion splicing work.

[0020] In one embodiment, at least one of the pair of long walls and the pair of short walls may have a notch recessed into the tray body. According to this embodiment, when the tray is stored in the storage case, devices arranged in the spaces on either side of the tray can be connected by cables via the notch.

[0021] A fusion splicer set according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a storage case having a tray for fusion splicing according to any of the above-described embodiments, and a fusion splicer placed on a placement portion of the tray. In this fusion splicer set, the tray for fusion splicing is removable from the storage case. This fusion splicer set can achieve the same effects as those of the above-described embodiments of the tray for fusion splicing.

[0022] [Details of the embodiments of the present disclosure] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The present invention is not limited to these examples, but is defined by the claims, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims. In the following description, the same elements or elements having the same functions will be designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0023] A storage case 1 and a fusion splicer set 110 according to one embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 3. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the storage case 1 according to one embodiment. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the fusion splicer set 110 including the storage case 1 in a state in which the lid 30 is open relative to the case body 10. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the storage case 1 in which illustration of various devices such as the fusion splicer 100 housed therein is omitted. Hereinafter, when the lid 30 is closed relative to the case body 10 (the state shown in Fig. 1), the direction from the case body 10 to the lid 30 (the vertical direction on the paper surface of Fig. 1) will be referred to as the thickness direction of the storage case 1.

[0024] First, the fusion splicer 100 housed in the storage case 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 2. The fusion splicer 100 is a device for fusion-splicing optical fibers together. A cover 101 and a heater 102 are provided on the top of the fusion splicer 100. The cover 101 is attached so as to be able to open and close and cover a fusion section (not shown) for fusing optical fibers together, preventing wind from entering the fusion section. The heater 102 is used to heat and shrink a fiber reinforcement sleeve that covers the fusion-spliced portion of the optical fibers fused at the fusion section. The fusion splicer 100 also has a monitor 103 that displays the fusion splicing status of the optical fibers, captured by a camera (not shown) located inside. In the fusion splicer set 110, the fusion splicer 100, other fusion splicing tools, fixtures, etc. are housed in the storage case 1.

[0025] The storage case 1 is a case that houses an optical fiber fusion splicer 100. The storage case 1 includes a case body 10, a lid 30, and a tray 40. As shown in FIG. 2, the lid 30 is attached to the case body 10 via a hinge 2 so as to be openable and closable. The hinge 2 enables the storage case 1 to transition from a state in which the lid 30 is closed as shown in FIG. 1 to a state in which the lid 30 is open as shown in FIG. 2. The lid 30 can also transition from an open state to a closed state. In this embodiment, the lid 30 is configured to open approximately 180 degrees relative to the case body 10, but the angle at which the lid 30 can be opened is not limited. For example, the lid 30 may be configured to open 90 degrees relative to the case body 10. The lid 30 may also be detachable from the storage case 1.

[0026] The storage case 1 has an annular handle 3. The handle 3 is attached to the case body 10 on the side opposite to where the hinge 2 is located. An operator can easily carry the storage case 1 by grasping the handle 3. The handle 3 may be attached to the lid 30. The storage case 1 has a pair of locking members 4. Each locking member 4 is composed of a pair of metal fittings that are attached to the case body 10 and the lid 30, respectively. The pair of metal fittings engage with each other to keep the lid 30 closed and prevent unintentional opening and closing of the lid 30.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 1 , the storage case 1 includes an insertion portion 5 configured to insert a cable extending from the inside to the outside of the storage case 1 when the lid 30 is closed on the case body 10. The cable may be, for example, a power supply cable used to supply power to the fusion splicer 100. If the cable is a power supply cable, one end of the cable is connected to the fusion splicer 100 and the other end is connected to an external power source. A detailed configuration of the insertion portion 5 will be described later. In the following description, the side on which the handle 3 is located will be referred to as the front side of the storage case 1, and the side on which the hinge 2 is located will be referred to as the rear side. Furthermore, in the thickness direction of the storage case 1, the side on which the lid 30 is located will be referred to as the upper side of the storage case 1, and the side on which the case body 10 is located will be referred to as the lower side.

[0028] As shown in Fig. 3, the case body 10 is a box-shaped member that is open at the top and has a bottom. The case body 10 has a bottom plate 11 and a first peripheral wall 12 (first side wall). The bottom plate 11 is a plate-like member that is substantially rectangular in a plan view and is located at the bottom of the case body 10. The inner surface of the bottom plate 11 is provided with an uneven portion 11a that can be used to organize devices and the like housed in the case body 10. The inner surface of the bottom plate 11 may be a flat surface without the uneven portion 11a, or may be provided with a partition plate that is taller than the uneven portion 11a.

[0029] The first peripheral wall 12 is a wall-like member rising from the edge of the bottom plate 11. The first peripheral wall 12 includes a front peripheral wall 12a on which the handle 3 is provided, a rear peripheral wall 12b located opposite the front peripheral wall 12a and on which the hinge 2 is provided, and a left peripheral wall 12c and a right peripheral wall 12d connecting the front peripheral wall 12a and the rear peripheral wall 12b, respectively. The left peripheral wall 12c is a wall-like member located on the left side of the case body 10 when viewed from the front peripheral wall 12a, and the right peripheral wall 12d is a wall-like member located on the right side of the case body 10. The widths of the front peripheral wall 12a and the rear peripheral wall 12b are slightly larger than the widths of the left peripheral wall 12c and the right peripheral wall 12d. Therefore, the overall shape of the case body 10 is such that the width in the left-right direction is greater than the width in the front-to-rear direction. The shape of the case body 10 is not limited, and it may have the same width in the front-to-rear and left-to-right directions.

[0030] The bottom plate 11 and the first peripheral wall 12 may be made of a resin such as polypropylene or polyethylene. The lower portions of the bottom plate 11 and the first peripheral wall 12 are constructed by laminating members made of the same or different materials, and are thicker than the upper portion of the first peripheral wall 12. This more reliably protects the fusion splicer 100 from impacts that may be applied to the lower portion of the storage case 1 if the storage case 1 is dropped. Due to the difference in thickness, a stepped surface 20 is provided at the boundary between the upper and lower portions of the first peripheral wall 12. The stepped surface 20 is provided continuously along the inner periphery of the first peripheral wall 12. The edge of a tray 40 (see FIG. 2 ) is placed on the stepped surface 20.

[0031] The lid 30 is a member that closes the opening of the case body 10, and has a top plate 31 and a second peripheral wall 32 (second side wall). The top plate 31 is a plate-like member that is approximately rectangular in plan view, and is located at the top of the lid 30. As shown in FIG. 2, the inner surface of the top plate 31 is provided with an uneven portion 31a that matches the shape of the fusion splicer 100. When the lid 30 is closed, the uneven portion 31a covers the top of the fusion splicer 100. This prevents the fusion splicer 100 from shifting position when the storage case 1 is transported. The top plate 31 may be a flat surface without the uneven portion 31a.

[0032] The second peripheral wall 32 is a wall-like member that rises from the edge of the top plate 31. The second peripheral wall 32 has a front peripheral wall 32a, a rear peripheral wall 32b, a left peripheral wall 32c, and a right peripheral wall 32d. When the lid 30 is closed, the front peripheral wall 32a is a wall-like member located on the front side of the storage case 1, and the rear peripheral wall 32b is a wall-like member located on the rear side of the storage case 1. The left peripheral wall 32c is a wall-like member located on the left side of the storage case 1, and the right peripheral wall 32d is a wall-like member located on the right side of the storage case 1. The widths of the front peripheral wall 32a, the rear peripheral wall 32b, the left peripheral wall 32c, and the right peripheral wall 32d are designed to be approximately the same as the widths of the front peripheral wall 12a, the rear peripheral wall 12b, the left peripheral wall 12c, and the right peripheral wall 12d of the case body 10, respectively.

[0033] The top plate 31 and the second peripheral wall 32 may be made of a resin such as polypropylene or polyethylene. The top plate 31 and the second peripheral wall 32 are configured by laminating members made of the same or different materials, and are formed to be thicker than the upper portion of the first peripheral wall 12 of the case body 10. This makes it possible to more reliably protect the fusion splicer 100 housed inside the housing case 1 from external impacts.

[0034] The top plate 31 or the second peripheral wall 32 has a window W made of a transparent material that transmits visible light. The window W may be formed, for example, by fitting a transparent resin material into an opening formed in the top plate 31 or the second peripheral wall 32. The window W may be provided in a position where the charging status of the fusion splicer 100 can be visually confirmed. For example, if a lamp indicating the charging status is provided on the right side of the fusion splicer 100, the window W may be provided in a portion of the top plate 31 near the right peripheral wall 32d or in the right peripheral wall 32d. In this embodiment, the window W is provided in the right peripheral wall 32d of the second peripheral wall 32. The window W may be provided not only in the cover 30 but also in the first peripheral wall 12 of the case body 10.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 2 , the first peripheral wall 12 of the case body 10 has a first edge 13, and the second peripheral wall 32 of the lid 30 has a second edge 33. When the lid 30 is closed on the case body 10, the first edge 13 and the second edge 33 come into contact with each other. The first edge 13 has an annular shape that extends continuously along the upper end of the first peripheral wall 12. Like the first edge 13, the second edge 33 also has an annular shape that extends continuously along the lower end of the second peripheral wall 32. The portions of the first edge 13 and the second edge 33 to which the locking member 4 is attached are recessed into the inside of the case body 10. When the lid 30 is closed, as shown in FIG. 1 , the first edge 13 comes into contact with the second edge 33 around substantially the entire circumference of the annular shape. This prevents water droplets, dust, and the like from entering the interior of the storage case 1 through the gap between the case body 10 and the lid 30.

[0036] As described above, the storage case 1 includes an insertion portion 5 (see FIG. 1 ) through which a cable extending from the inside to the outside of the case body 10 can be inserted when the lid 30 is closed. The insertion portion 5 is composed of notches 18, 38 (see FIGS. 4 and 6 ) provided in the first edge portion 13 and the second edge portion 33, respectively. The notches 18, 38 constitute case notches. The notch 18 constitutes a first case notch, and the notch 38 constitutes a second case notch. The notch 18 is provided in the first edge portion 13 of the right peripheral wall 12d, and the notch 38 is provided in the second edge portion 33 of the right peripheral wall 32d. When the lid 30 is closed, at least a portion of the notch 18 overlaps with the notch 38 in the thickness direction of the first peripheral wall 12 and the second peripheral wall 32. In the notches 18 and 38, the first edge portion 13 does not come into contact with the second edge portion 33, and an opening is formed.

[0037] The detailed configuration of the notches 18, 38 will be described with reference to Figures 4 to 7. Figures 4 and 5 are enlarged views of region A, which is a part of the case body 10 surrounded by the dashed line shown in Figure 2 (the part of the first edge portion 13 where the notch 18 is provided). For ease of explanation, the sealing member 19 is not shown in Figure 4, and is shown in Figure 5. Figures 6 and 7 are enlarged views of region B, which is a part of the lid 30 surrounded by the dashed line shown in Figure 2 (the part of the second edge portion 33 where the notch 38 is provided). For ease of explanation, the sealing member 39 is not shown in Figure 6, and is shown in Figure 7.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 4, the first edge portion 13 has an end surface 14 (first end surface) and a first thin wall 15. The end surface 14 is a flat surface provided along the first edge portion 13. The first thin wall 15 is a wall-like member that stands upright relative to the end surface 14, and most of it is provided along the first edge portion 13. The first thin wall 15 has a recessed portion 15A that is recessed inward of the case body 10. The recessed portion 15A is configured to include a pair of side wall portions 16 (first side wall portions) and an inner wall portion 17. Each side wall portion 16 extends toward the inside of the case body 10 in a direction that intersects (orthogonal in this embodiment) the extending direction of the first edge portion 13. The pair of side wall portions 16 are provided opposite each other. Each side wall portion 16 has an upper surface 16a at its upper end. The height of each lateral wall portion 16 (the distance from the end face 14 to the upper face 16a) is the same as the height (the distance from the end face 14 to the upper face 15a) of the portion of the first thin wall 15 where the recessed portion 15A is not provided (hereinafter referred to as the non-recessed portion).

[0039] The inner wall portion 17 is located closer to the inside of the case body 10 than the non-recessed portion of the first thin wall 15. The inner wall portion 17 is provided along the opposing direction of the pair of side wall portions 16, i.e., along the extension direction of the first edge portion 13, and both ends are connected to the ends of the side wall portions 16. The inner wall portion 17 has an upper surface 17a at its upper end. A notch 18 is provided in the center of the inner wall portion 17. The notch 18 is a portion through which a cable extending from the inside to the outside of the case body 10 is inserted. The notch 18 is formed in a U-shape and has a gently curved bottom surface 18a. In addition, the connection portion between the end of the notch 18 and the upper surface 17a is smoothly connected, as if chamfered. This makes it less likely that the cable's insulation will be damaged even if the cable comes into contact with the connection portion when it is placed in the notch 18. The width of the notch 18 along the extension direction of the inner wall portion 17 is configured to gradually decrease from the upper surface 17a side toward the end surface 14 side. The shape of the notch 18 is not limited to the above-described shape, and may be formed, for example, in a V-shape with a pointed bottom.

[0040] The inner wall portion 17 is configured so that the height (the distance from the end face 14 to the top face 17a) of the portion close to the notch 18 is greater than that of both end portions that connect to the side wall portion 16. This prevents the cable inserted into the notch 18 from slipping out of the notch 18. The inner wall portion 17 is also configured so that the thickness decreases from the end face 14 side toward the top face 17a side.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 5, a sealing member 19 (first sealing member) is disposed on the end surface 14. The sealing member 19, in cooperation with a sealing member 39 (see FIG. 7) of the cover 30, seals the gap between the notches 18, 38 and the cables inserted through the notches 18, 38. The sealing member 19 is formed from an elastic material. The material of the sealing member 19 may be, for example, silicone rubber, TPE (Thermo Plastic Elastomer), or a microcellular polymer sheet. The hardness of the sealing member 19 is preferably 20 or more and 40 or less, and more preferably, 30. The hardness of the sealing member 19 is a value measured based on JIS standard K6253.

[0042] The sealing member 19 is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape and is disposed so that its longitudinal direction is aligned with the extension direction of the first edge portion 13. The sealing member 19 has a pair of end faces 19a facing each other in the longitudinal direction. In this embodiment, each end face 19a is positioned slightly spaced apart from the wall surface of the side wall portion 16, and these gaps facilitate deformation of the sealing member 19 when the cable is sandwiched between them. Note that each end face 19a may be in contact with the wall surface of the side wall portion 16 as long as this does not interfere with the sealing member 19's ability to hold the cable. The sealing member 19 has four side faces connecting the pair of end faces 19a. Of the four side faces, the face in contact with the end face 14 (not shown) is referred to as the lower side face, and the face opposite the lower side face is referred to as the upper side face 19b. The sides connecting the lower side face and the upper side face 19b are referred to as the outer side face 19c and the inner side face 19d. The outer side face 19c and the inner side face 19d face each other. The outer surface 19c is located further outward from the case body 10 than the inner surface 19d.

[0043] The lower surface is bonded to the end surface 14 using an adhesive. This fixes the sealing member 19 to the first edge portion 13. The method for fixing the sealing member 19 is not limited. For example, if the end surface 14 has a protrusion, the sealing member 19 may be fixed by embedding the protrusion into the lower surface. The upper surface 19b is located farther from the end surface 14 than the upper surface 16a. That is, the thickness of the sealing member 19 (the width from the lower surface to the upper surface 19b) is greater than the height of the lateral wall portion 16. Furthermore, the upper surface 19b is located farther from the end surface 14 than the bottom surface 18a of the notch 18 (see FIG. 4). That is, when the sealing member 19 is viewed from the outer surface 19c, at least a portion of the sealing member 19 overlaps the notch 18. This allows the cable to be slightly recessed into the sealing member 19 when inserted into the notch 18.

[0044] The outer surface 19c is located further outward from the case body 10 than the wall surface of the non-recessed portion of the first thin wall 15. However, the outer surface 19c may be located further inward from the wall surface of the non-recessed portion of the first thin wall 15, i.e., in the recessed portion 15A of the first thin wall 15. The inner surface 19d is located slightly spaced apart from the wall surface of the inner wall portion 17. However, the inner surface 19d may be located so as to contact the wall surface of the inner wall portion 17. The shape of the sealing member 19 is not limited to the above-described shape. The sealing member 19 may be, for example, cubic. Furthermore, a groove extending along a direction connecting the outer surface 19c and the inner surface 19d may be provided in the upper surface 19b of the sealing member 19, and a cable may be placed in the groove.

[0045] As shown in FIG. 6 , the second edge portion 33 has an end surface 34 (second end surface) and a second thin wall 35. The end surface 34 is a flat surface provided along the second edge portion 33. The second thin wall 35 is a wall-like member that stands upright relative to the end surface 34, and most of it is provided along the second edge portion 33. The second thin wall 35 has a pair of lateral wall portions 36 (second lateral wall portions) and an outer wall portion 37. Each lateral wall portion 36 extends toward the inside of the lid body 30 in a direction that intersects (orthogonal in this embodiment) the extension direction of the second edge portion 33. The pair of lateral wall portions 36 are provided opposite each other. Each lateral wall portion 36 has an upper surface 36a at its upper end. The height of each lateral wall portion 36 (the distance from the end face 34 to the upper face 36a) is the same as the height of the portion of the second thin wall 35 that extends along the second edge portion 33 (the distance from the end face 34 to the upper face 35a). The outer wall portion 37 is provided along the second edge portion 33.

[0046] A notch 38 is provided in a portion of the outer wall 37 corresponding to the opposing region of the pair of side wall portions 36 (a portion of the outer wall 37 located between the pair of side wall portions 36). A cable extending from the interior to the exterior of the case body 10 is inserted through the notch 38. The notch 38 is U-shaped and has a gently curved bottom surface 38a. The connection between the end of the notch 38 and the top surface 35a is smoothly connected as if chamfered. This makes it difficult for the cable sheath to be damaged even if the cable comes into contact with the connection portion when placing the cable in the notch 38. The width of the notch 38 along the extension direction of the second edge portion 33 is configured to gradually decrease from the top surface 35a toward the end surface 34. The shape of the notch 38 is not limited to the above-described shape and may be, for example, a V-shape with a pointed bottom.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 7, a sealing member 39 (second sealing member) is disposed on the end surface 34. The sealing member 39, in cooperation with the sealing member 19 (see FIG. 5) of the case body 10, seals the gap between the notches 18, 38 and the cables inserted through the notches 18, 38 when the lid 30 is closed on the case body 10. The sealing member 39 is formed from an elastic material, similar to the sealing member 19 described above. The material of the sealing member 39 may be, for example, silicone rubber, TPE (Thermo Plastic Elastomer), or a microcellular polymer sheet. The hardness of the sealing member 39 is preferably 20 or more and 40 or less, and more preferably, 30. The hardness of the sealing member 39 is measured based on the same standards as those for measuring the hardness of the sealing member 19 described above.

[0048] The sealing member 39 is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape and is disposed such that its longitudinal direction is aligned with the extension direction of the second edge portion 33. The sealing member 39 has a pair of end faces 39a that face each other in the longitudinal direction. In this embodiment, each end face 39a is slightly spaced apart from the wall surface of the lateral wall portion 36, but may also be in contact with the wall surface of the lateral wall portion 36. The sealing member 39 has four side faces that connect the pair of end faces 39a to each other. Of the four side faces, a face (not shown) that faces the end face 34 (see FIG. 6) is defined as a lower side face, and a face facing the lower side face is defined as an upper side face 39b. The sides that connect the lower side face and the upper side face 39b are defined as an outer side face 39c and an inner side face 39d. The outer side face 39c and the inner side face 39d face each other. The outer side face 39c is located further outward from the lid body 30 than the inner side face 39d.

[0049] The lower surface of the sealing member 39 is bonded to the end surface 34 using an adhesive. This fixes the sealing member 39 to the second edge portion 33. The method for fixing the sealing member 39 is not limited. For example, if the end surface 34 has a protrusion, the sealing member 39 may be fixed by embedding the protrusion into the lower surface. The upper surface 39b is located farther from the end surface 34 than the upper surface 36a. That is, the thickness of the sealing member 39 (the width from the lower surface to the upper surface 39b) is greater than the height of the lateral wall portion 36. Furthermore, the upper surface 39b is located farther from the end surface 34 than the bottom surface 38a of the notch 38. That is, when the sealing member 39 is viewed from the inner surface 39d, at least a portion of the sealing member 39 overlaps the notch 38. The sealing member 39 is arranged so that when a cable is inserted into the notch 38, the cable sinks slightly into the sealing member 39.

[0050] The outer surface 39c is positioned slightly spaced from the opposing wall surface of the second thin wall 35. However, the outer surface 39c may be positioned so as to contact the wall surface. The inner surface 39d is positioned more inward of the cover 30 than the ends of each side wall portion 36. However, the inner surface 39d may be positioned more outward of the cover 30 than the ends of each side wall portion 36, i.e., within the region sandwiched between the pair of side wall portions 36. The shape of the sealing member 39 is not limited to the shape described above. The sealing member 39 may be, for example, cubic. Furthermore, a groove extending along a direction connecting the outer surface 39c and the inner surface 39d may be provided on the upper surface 39b of the sealing member 39, and a cable may be placed in the groove.

[0051] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a state in which a cable C is sandwiched between sealing members 19 and 39. For ease of explanation, components of the lid 30 other than the sealing member 39 are omitted from FIG. 8 . The cable C may be a power cable used to supply power to the fusion splicer 100. When the lid 30 is closed with the cable C inserted through the notch 18 of the case body 10, the sealing members 19 and 39 come into contact with each other and overlap in the thickness direction of the case body 10, as shown in FIG. 8 . Specifically, the upper surface 19b of the sealing member 19 (see FIG. 5 ) comes into contact with the upper surface 39b of the sealing member 39 (see FIG. 7 ). When the lid 30 is closed, the second thin wall 35 (see FIG. 7 ) of the lid 30 is located outside the housing case 1 relative to the first thin wall 15 and the sealing members 19 and 39 of the case body 10. That is, from the inside to the outside of the storage case 1, the notch 18, the sealing members 19, 39, and the notch 38 are positioned in this order.

[0052] The cable C is sandwiched between the sealing member 19 and the sealing member 39. As described above, the sealing member 19 and the sealing member 39 are made of an elastic material. Therefore, the sealing member 19 and the sealing member 39 deform to fit the shape of the cable C and adhere closely to the covering of the cable C. The cable C extends from the inside of the accommodating case 1 through the notch 18, between the sealing members 19 and 39, and through the notch 38 to the outside of the accommodating case 1. As described above, the cable C may be a power supply cable used to supply power to the fusion splicer 100, or may be a power supply cable used to supply power to an information terminal (e.g., a smartphone) for managing the fusion splicing operation by the fusion splicer 100. Two or more cables C may be sandwiched between the sealing member 19 and the sealing member 39.

[0053] The configuration of the tray 40 will be described with reference to FIGS. 9 to 11. FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the tray 40 viewed from the first area 50 side. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the tray 40 viewed from the second area 60 side. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the storage case 1 taken along line XI-XI in FIG. 2. For ease of explanation, FIG. 11 omits illustration of the various devices housed in the case body 10, excluding the tray 40, and the lid 30. In the following description, when the tray 40 is housed in the case body 10 (see FIG. 2), the side facing the front peripheral wall 12a of the case body 10 will be referred to as the front side of the tray 40, the side facing the rear peripheral wall 12b will be referred to as the rear side of the tray 40, the side facing the left peripheral wall 12c will be referred to as the left side of the tray 40, and the side facing the right peripheral wall 12d will be referred to as the right side of the tray 40. The tray 40 includes a tray body 41, a first body support member 70, and a second body support member 80.

[0054] The tray body 41 is a workbench used for arranging and storing the fusion splicer 100 and other devices within the storage case 1 and for fusion splicing optical fibers. The operator positions the tray body 41 in front of his or her body (e.g., his or her abdomen) and performs fusion splicing on the tray body 41. A pair of long walls 42 and a pair of short walls 43 are provided on the outer periphery of the tray body 41. The pair of long walls 42 are wall-like members that face each other and extend along the left-right direction (first direction) of the tray 40. The pair of short walls 43 are wall-like members that face each other and extend along the front-rear direction (second direction) of the tray 40. The upper ends of the pair of long walls 42 and the pair of short walls 43 slightly protrude upward from the edge of a first region 50 (described later). This prevents tools and other items used in the fusion splicing operation placed in the first region 50 from spilling out of the tray body 41. Of the pair of long wall portions 42, the long wall portion 42 located on the front side of the tray 40 is referred to as a front long wall portion 42a (one of the long wall portions), and the long wall portion 42 located on the rear side of the tray 40 is referred to as a rear long wall portion 42b. In addition, of the pair of short wall portions 43, the short wall portion 43 located on the left side of the tray 40 is referred to as a left short wall portion 43a, and the short wall portion 43 located on the right side of the tray 40 is referred to as a right short wall portion 43b.

[0055] The front long wall 42a is the portion that contacts the body of the operator during fusion splicing. The surface of the front long wall 42a has a gently curved shape that is slightly convex from the outside (front side) of the tray body 41 to the inside (rear side). This allows the front long wall 42a to fit the body of the operator, improving the stability of the tray 40. The front long wall 42a has a pair of first attachment portions 44 to which a belt that is worn around the waist of the operator is attached. Each first attachment portion 44 is provided on the left and right ends of the front long wall 42a. Each first attachment portion 44 is formed in an annular shape so that a belt can be inserted therethrough. The operator can perform fusion splicing with a belt worn around their waist passing through each first attachment portion 44 and with the tray 40 fixed.

[0056] The left short wall portion 43a and the right short wall portion 43b each have a second attachment portion 45 to which a strap that is looped around the neck of the worker is attached. Each second attachment portion 45 is provided in approximately the center of the left short wall portion 43a and the right short wall portion 43b in the front-to-rear direction of the tray 40. Each second attachment portion 45 consists of two holes that penetrate the tray 40 in the left-to-right direction. When performing fusion splicing work, the worker first attaches the strap to the tray body 41 by passing hooks (e.g., carabiners) provided on both ends of the strap through the two holes. Thereafter, the worker can hang the strap around his neck and perform fusion splicing work without continuing to hold the tray body 41.

[0057] Notches 46, 47 recessed into the inside of the tray main body 41 are provided on the right side of the rear long wall 42b and the front side of the right short wall 43b. The notches 46, 47 form tray notches. When the tray 40 is stored in the case main body 10, these notches 46, 47 serve to connect the space above the tray 40 with the space below the tray 40. Here, the storage mode of the tray 40 will be described with reference to FIG. 11 .

[0058] As shown in FIG. 11 , the tray 40 is accommodated inside the case body 10 through the opening. The lower ends of the front long wall portion 42a and the rear long wall portion 42b of the tray body 41 abut against the step surface 20 of the case body 10. The internal space of the accommodation case 1 is divided into an upper accommodation space S1 and a lower accommodation space S2 by the tray 40. The upper accommodation space S1 is a space surrounded by the lid 30 (not shown) and the tray 40. The upper accommodation space S1 may accommodate the fusion splicer 100, work tools such as a remover, and containers for containing chemicals. The lower accommodation space S2 is a space surrounded by the case body 10 and the tray 40. The lower accommodation space S2 may accommodate an AC adapter or a battery used to power the fusion splicer 100.

[0059] The notches 46 and 47 serve to connect the upper housing space S1 and the lower housing space S2 described above. For example, when power is supplied to the fusion splicer 100 using a power supply cable that includes an AC adapter midway, the AC adapter is accommodated in the lower housing space S2. In this case, the portion of the power supply cable that extends from the AC adapter to the fusion splicer 100 is drawn from the lower housing space S2 to the upper housing space S1 via the notch 46. Meanwhile, the portion that extends from the AC adapter to an external power source is drawn from the lower housing space S2 to the upper housing space S1 via the notch 47. The portion of the power supply cable that is drawn from the notch 47 to the upper housing space S1 may be drawn to the outside of the housing case 1 via the insertion portion 5 (notches 18 and 38) of the housing case 1.

[0060] 9 and 10, the tray body 41 has a first region 50 and a second region 60 defined (surrounded) by a pair of long wall portions 42 and a pair of short wall portions 43. The first region 50 is a region located on one side (upper side) of the tray body 41 in the up-down direction (third direction) of the tray 40. The second region 60 is a region located on the opposite side of the tray body 41 from the first region 50 in the up-down direction of the tray 40 (the other side (lower side) of the tray body 41).

[0061] As shown in Fig. 9, the first area 50 is a substantially rectangular area in a plan view. Various devices such as a fusion splicer 100 used for fusion splicing are placed in the first area 50. A placing section 51 on which the fusion splicer 100 is placed is provided in the approximate center of the first area 50. The placing section 51 has a shape recessed into the inside of the tray body 41, and has a bottom surface large enough to place the fusion splicer 100 on. The bottom surface has a substantially rectangular shape in a plan view.

[0062] The mounting portion 51 is surrounded by a front restricting portion 52, a pair of side restricting portions 53, and a rear restricting portion 54 that restrict movement of the fusion splicer 100 mounted on the mounting portion 51. The front restricting portion 52 is a wall-like member rising upward from the first region 50 and is provided to surround the front corners of the mounting portion 51. Each side restricting portion 53 is an arch-shaped member having two support posts aligned in the front-rear direction of the tray 40 and a rod-shaped connecting portion extending in the front-rear direction and connecting the upper ends of the two support posts. The pair of side restricting portions 53 are provided to sandwich the mounting portion 51 in the left-right direction of the tray 40. The rear restricting portion 54 is a plate member connecting the rear ends of the pair of side restricting portions 53. The first region 50 is provided with a plurality of storage recesses 55 recessed into the inner side of the tray body 41. The storage recesses 55 store containers of chemicals used in the fusion splicing operation (e.g., hand wrap). Further, a plurality of insertion recesses 56 recessed into the inside of the tray body 41 are provided in the first region 50 near the front long wall portion 42a. Insertion portions 83 (see FIG. 14) of a second body support member 80, which will be described later, are inserted into the insertion recesses 56.

[0063] As shown in FIG. 10 , the second region 60 is a region that is substantially rectangular in plan view and is located on the opposite side of the first region 50. The second region 60 is provided with a plurality of recesses 61 that are recessed into the inside of the tray body 41. The provision of the recesses 61 creates a cavity inside the tray body 41, thereby realizing a reduction in the weight of the tray body 41. In addition, a plurality of beam portions 62 that extend linearly are provided between the plurality of recesses 61, thereby suppressing a decrease in the strength of the tray body 41. The shape of the second region 60 is not limited to the shape described above, and may be a flat surface shape overall. The second region 60 is capable of accommodating a first body support member 70 and a second body support member 80.

[0064] The detailed configurations of the first body support member 70 and the second body support member 80 will be described with reference to Figures 12 to 15. Figure 12 is a perspective view showing the first body support member 70. Figure 13 is an enlarged view of the recessed portion 72a of the first body support member 70 and the protruding portion 65a of the locking member 65 when the first body support member 70 is in the stored state. Figure 14 is a perspective view showing the second body support member 80. Figure 15 is a perspective view showing the tray 40 in a state in which the first body support member 70 and the second body support member 80 are unfolded.

[0065] The first body support member 70 is a member that contacts the body of a worker during fusion splicing. As shown in FIG. 12, the first body support member 70 has a pair of shafts 71, a pair of connecting portions 72, a main body portion 73, and a pair of legs 74. The pair of shafts 71 are cylindrical members extending in the same direction. The pair of shafts 71 are positioned apart from each other in the extending direction. Each shaft 71 is inserted into a recess (not shown) provided in the second region 60 of the tray main body 41. The pair of shafts 71 and the recess provided in the tray main body 41 function as a hinge mechanism. This allows the first body support member 70 to transition between a stored state (see FIG. 10) in which it is arranged along the extending direction of the tray main body 41 and an expanded state (see FIG. 15) in which it stands upright on the tray main body 41. As shown in FIG. 15, in the expanded state, the first body support member 70 is arranged along the extending direction of the front long wall portion 42a.

[0066] As shown in FIG. 12 , the pair of connecting portions 72 are members that connect the pair of shaft portions 71 and the main body portion 73. Each connecting portion 72 has a recess 72a on its inner surface. The recess 72a is configured to fit into a protrusion 65a of the locking member 65. Here, the locking member 65 will be described. As shown in FIG. 10 , the locking member 65 is provided in the second region 60 of the tray main body 41. The locking member 65 is a member that maintains the accommodated state of the first body support member 70. As shown in the enlarged view of FIG. 13 , the locking member 65 has a pair of protrusions 65a on its outer side. When the first body support member 70 is in the accommodated state, the protrusions 65a of the locking member 65 fit into the recesses 72a of the first body support member 70, respectively, to lock the first body support member 70. This maintains the accommodated state of the first body support member 70. When the first body support member 70 is to be shifted from the housed state to the deployed state, both ends of the locking member 65 are pushed inward (in the direction of arrow D shown in FIG. 13) to release the lock on the first body support member 70.

[0067] As shown in FIG. 12 , the main body 73 and the pair of legs 74 are elongated plate-like members. When the first body support member 70 is in the unfolded state, as shown in FIG. 15 , the main body 73 extends in the left-right direction of the tray 40 along the front long wall 42 a. The pair of legs 74 extend from both left-right ends of the main body 73 as base ends along the up-down direction of the tray 40 in a direction away from the tray main body 41. As shown in FIG. 12 , each leg 74 has a recess 74 a on the inside of its tip. As shown in FIG. 10 , when the first body support member 70 is in the stowed state, the second body support member 80 is accommodated in the space between the pair of legs 74. At this time, the recess 74 a of each leg 74 fits into the protrusion 84 a of the second body support member 80 (described later), preventing the second body support member 80 from slipping out from between the pair of legs 74.

[0068] As shown in FIG. 15 , the length Z of each leg portion 74 is greater than the length (thickness) X of the tray main body 41 in the up-down direction. For example, the length Z of each leg portion 74 may be more than twice the length X of the tray main body 41. The length X of the tray main body 41 may be, for example, 40 mm or more and 80 mm or less. The length Z of each leg portion 74 may be, for example, 80 mm or more and 120 mm or less. Furthermore, the width Y of the main body portion 73 in the up-down direction of the tray main body 41 is smaller than the length Z of each leg portion 74. For example, the width Y of the main body portion 73 may be half or less, or a quarter or less, of the length Z of each leg portion 74.

[0069] When the first body support member 70 is in the stored state, as shown in FIG. 10, the second body support member 80 can be stored in the space between the pair of leg portions 74. Furthermore, a connection portion E for connecting a tripod that supports the tray 40 is provided in the second region 60 of the tray 40. In FIG. 10, the connection portion E overlaps with the second body support member 80, and is therefore indicated by a dashed line. The connection portion E exists between the pair of legs 74 when viewed from the third direction. The connection portion E is provided in a position that overlaps with the space between the pair of legs 74 in the up-down direction of the tray main body 41 (the space where the second body support member 80 is located in FIG. 10). In other words, a tripod can be connected to the connection portion by removing the second body support member 80.

[0070] As shown in FIG. 12 , the main body 73 and the pair of leg portions 74 have outer surfaces 75 that come into contact with the body of a worker performing a fusion splicing operation. The outer surfaces 75 are the outer (front) surfaces of the main body 73 and the pair of leg portions 74 in the direction from the inside (rear) of the tray main body 41 to the outside (front) when the first body support member 70 is in the unfolded state (see FIG. 15 ). The outer surfaces 75 have a gently curved shape that is slightly convex toward the inside (rear) of the tray main body 41. The outer surface 75 does not have to be entirely curved, and may have a partially curved surface. For example, only the surface of the main body 73 may be curved. Alternatively, the outer surface 75 may not have a curved shape, but may be entirely flat.

[0071] The second body support member 80 is a member that comes into contact with the body of the worker during the fusion splicing operation. As shown in FIG. 14 , the second body support member 80 has a plate portion 81, a pair of insertion portions 83, and a pair of protrusions 84a. The plate portion 81 is a plate-like member that is rectangular in plan view. The plate portion 81 has an outer surface 82. The outer surface 82 is the outer (front) surface in the direction from the inside (rear) of the tray main body 41 to the outside (front) of the tray main body 41 when the second body support member 80 is in an expanded state (see FIG. 15 ) where it is erected on the tray main body 41. The outer surface 82 has a gently curved shape that is slightly convex toward the inside (rear) of the tray main body 41. The outer surface 82 does not have to be entirely curved, and may have partial curved portions. Alternatively, the outer surface 82 may be entirely flat without having a curved shape.

[0072] The pair of insertion portions 83 are portions that protrude outward from the lower end of the plate portion 81. Each insertion portion 83 is inserted into an insertion recess 56 of the first region 50 shown in FIG. 9. The insertion portions 83 have a structure that makes the second body support member 80 detachable from the tray main body 41. This allows the second body support member 80 to transition between a stored state (see FIG. 10) in which it is arranged along the extension direction of the tray main body 41 and an unfolded state (see FIG. 15) in which it stands upright on the tray main body 41. As shown in FIG. 15, the second body support member 80 is arranged along the extension direction of the front long wall portion 42a in the unfolded state.

[0073] The pair of protrusions 84a are provided on the upper portions of a pair of opposing lateral sides 84 that sandwich the outer surface 82. As described above, when the second body support member 80 is stored in the space between the pair of legs 74 (see FIG. 10), each of the protrusions 84a fits into the recessed portions 74a provided in each of the pair of legs 74, preventing the second body support member 80 from falling out of the space between the pair of legs 74.

[0074] As described above, the tray 40 for fusion splicing according to this embodiment is provided with the first body support member 70, which is movable between an unfolded state and a stored state. Therefore, when performing fusion splicing, the first body support member 70 is placed in the unfolded state, allowing the work to be performed in a stable state of the tray 40. On the other hand, when storing the tray 40, the first body support member 70 is placed in the stored state, allowing the tray 40 to be easily stored in the storage case 1.

[0075] In this embodiment, the tray body 41 has a first region 50 in which the mounting portion 51 is provided and a second region 60 on the opposite side of the tray body 41 from the first region 50 in the third direction. The first body support member 70 is connected to the tray body 41 in the second region 60 via a hinge mechanism. In this case, the first body support member 70 is located in the second region 60 on the opposite side from the first region 50 in which the mounting portion 51 of the fusion splicer 100 is provided. This allows the first body support member 70 to be stored along the second region 60 without coming into contact with the fusion splicer 100. As a result, when storing the first body support member 70, there is no need to remove the fusion splicer 100 from the tray 40 or move it from the mounting portion 51, and it can be left as is.

[0076] In this embodiment, the first body support member 70, in the unfolded state, has a main body portion 73 that extends in the first direction along an edge of one long wall portion 42 (front long wall portion 42a) of the tray main body 41 to which the first body support member 70 is attached, and a pair of legs 74 that extend in the third direction with both ends of the main body portion 73 in the first direction as base ends, in a direction away from the tray main body 41. In this case, when the first body support member 70 is in the stored state, another member (for example, the second body support member 80) can be stored in the space between the pair of legs 74, improving storage efficiency.

[0077] In this embodiment, the length Z of each of the pair of leg portions 74 is greater than the length X of the tray body 41 along the third direction. As the length of the leg portions 74 increases, the outer surface 75 of the first body support member 70 that comes into contact with the body of the worker using the fusion splicer 100 can be made larger. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the outer surface 75 of the first body support member 70 can be made wider, improving the stability of the tray 40 during work.

[0078] In this embodiment, in the unfolded state, the width Y of the main body 73 along the third direction may be equal to or less than half the length of each of the pair of leg portions 74. In this case, a wide space can be secured between the pair of leg portions 74, and storage efficiency can be further improved.

[0079] In this embodiment, the tray main body 41 has a connection part E to which a tripod that supports the tray 40 can be connected. In the stored state, the connection part E is located between the pair of legs 74 when viewed from the third direction. In this case, even in a state in which the first body support member 70 is stored, the tripod can be connected to the connection part E of the tray main body 41 without being obstructed by the first body support member 70.

[0080] In this embodiment, the outer surface 75 of the first body support member 70 includes a curved surface portion that is convex in a direction from the outside toward the inside of the tray main body 41. In this case, when performing the fusion splicing work, the outer surface 75 of the first body support member 70 fits the body of the worker, improving the stability of the tray 40.

[0081] In this embodiment, the tray 40 further includes a second body support member 80 that is detachably attached to the tray main body 41 on the side of one of the pair of long wall portions 42, opposite the first body support member 70. In this case, the tray 40 includes not only the first body support member 70 but also the second body support member 80, which further improves the stability of the tray 40 during the fusion splicing operation. In addition, because the second body support member 80 can be removed from the tray main body 41, the tray 40 can be easily stored in the storage case 1.

[0082] In this embodiment, the tray body 41 has a first attachment portion 44 provided on one of the pair of long wall portions 42 and adapted to attach a belt that is worn around the waist of the worker, and a second attachment portion 45 provided on both of the pair of short wall portions 43 and adapted to attach a strap that is worn around the neck of the worker. In this case, attaching a belt to the tray body 41 fixes the tray body 41, improving the stability of the tray 40 during fusion splicing work. Furthermore, by hanging the strap attached to the tray body 41 around the neck, the worker can perform work while keeping the tray 40 close to the body without having to continuously hold the tray body 41 with their hands. This improves the efficiency of the fusion splicing work.

[0083] In this embodiment, at least one of the pair of long wall portions 42 and the pair of short wall portions 43 has notches 46, 47 recessed into the inside of the tray body 41. In this case, when the tray 40 is accommodated in the accommodation case 1, the devices arranged in the spaces on either side of the tray 40 (the upper accommodation space S1 and the lower accommodation space S2) can be connected by cables via the notches 46, 47.

[0084] Although the embodiments according to the present disclosure have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and can be applied to various embodiments.

[0085] The insertion portion 5 through which the cable is inserted may be a through-hole provided in the first peripheral wall 12 of the case body 10 or the second peripheral wall 32 of the lid 30, instead of the notch 18, 38. In this case, the through-hole may be provided in the bottom plate 11 of the case body 10 or the top plate 31 of the lid 30.

[0086] The first body support member 70 may be detachable from the tray main body 41, similar to the second body support member 80. In this case, the state in which it is detached from the tray main body 41 corresponds to the stored state of the first body support member 70. Furthermore, similar to the second body support member 80, the first body support member 70 may have a rectangular plate shape in a plan view.

[0087] The second body support member 80 may be connected to the tray main body 41 via a hinge mechanism, similar to the first body support member 70, and may be stored by being folded toward the first region 50 of the tray main body 41. In this case, the second body support member 80 may have a hollow U-shape (similar to the shape of the first body support member 70) in the center so as not to come into contact with the fusion splicer 100 or the like when stored.

[0088] The first body support member 70 and the second body support member 80 may be provided with a handle that can be held by an operator in order to easily transition between the deployed state and the stored state. [Explanation of symbols]

[0089] 1. Storage case 2...hinge 3...Handle 4... Locking member 5...Passage part 10...Case body 11...Bottom plate 11a...Uneven part 12...First peripheral wall 12a, 32a...front peripheral wall 12b, 32b...Rear side peripheral wall 12c, 32c...Left side peripheral wall 12d, 32d...Right side wall 13...First edge 14, 34...end face 15...First thin wall 15A...recessed part 16, 36...Side wall 15a, 16a, 17a, 35a, 36a...Top surface 17...Inner wall 18, 38...notch 18a, 38a...bottom 19, 39...Sealing member 19a, 39a...end face 19b, 39b...Top side 19c, 39c...outer surface 19d, 39d...Inner surface 20…Step surface 30...lid body 31...Tabletop 31a...Uneven part 32…Second peripheral wall 33...Second edge 35…Second thin wall 37…Outer wall part 40...tray 42...Long wall part 42a...Front long wall 42b…Rear side long wall part 43…Short wall part 43a…Left side short wall part 43b…Right side short wall part 44...First mounting part 45...Second mounting part 46, 47...Notch 50…First area 51...Placement section 52...Front regulation section 53...Side regulation section 54...Rear regulation section 55... Storage recess 56...insertion recess 60…Second area 61...recess 62…beam part 65...Lock member 65a...Convex part 70...First support member 71...Shaft 72...Connection part 72a...recess 73...Main body 74…legs 74a...recess 75...Outer surface 80...Second body support member 81...Plate part 82...Outer surface 83...insertion part 84...Side 84a...Convex part 100...Fusion splicer 101...Cover 102...heater 103...Monitor A…Area B…Area C...Cable E...Connection S1: Upper storage space S2: Lower storage space W…Window section

Claims

1. A tray used for optical fiber fusion splicing work, a tray body having a pair of long wall portions facing each other and extending along a first direction and a pair of short wall portions facing each other and extending along a second direction intersecting the first direction, wherein a mounting portion on which a fusion splicer can be mounted is provided within a rectangular area defined by the pair of long wall portions and the pair of short wall portions; a first body support member having an outer surface configured to come into contact with the body of an operator using the fusion splicer, the first body support member being attached to the tray body on one of the pair of long wall portions; Equipped with the first body support member is capable of transitioning between an unfolded state in which the outer surface is unfolded along a third direction intersecting the first direction and the second direction, and a stowed state in which the first body support member is stowed from the unfolded state, the tray body has a first region in which the placement portion is provided and a second region that is on the opposite side of the tray body from the first region in the third direction, A tray for fusion splicing work, wherein the first body support member is connected to the tray body in the second region via a hinge mechanism.

2. The first body support member has, in the unfolded state, a main body portion extending in the first direction along an edge portion of the one long wall portion of the tray main body to which the first body support member is attached, and a pair of legs extending in the third direction from both ends of the main body portion in the first direction as base ends in a direction away from the tray main body. The tray for fusion splicing according to claim 1.

3. The length of each of the pair of legs is greater than the length of the tray body along the third direction. The tray for fusion splicing according to claim 2.

4. In the unfolded state, the width of the main body along the third direction is equal to or less than half the length of each of the pair of legs. The tray for fusion splicing according to claim 2 or 3.

5. the tray body has a connection portion to which a tripod supporting the tray can be connected, The connection portion is located between the pair of legs when viewed from the third direction in the housed state. The tray for fusion splicing according to any one of claims 2 to 4.

6. the outer surface of the first body support member includes a curved surface portion that is convex in a direction from the outside toward the inside of the tray main body, The tray for fusion splicing according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. a second body support member detachably attached to the tray body on the side of one of the pair of long wall portions and on the opposite side of the first body support member in the third direction, The tray for fusion splicing according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. The tray body includes: a first attachment portion provided on one of the pair of long wall portions, to which a belt that is wound around the waist of the worker can be attached; a second attachment portion provided on each of the pair of short wall portions, to which a strap can be attached to be wrapped around the neck of the worker; having The tray for fusion splicing according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. At least one of the pair of long wall portions and the pair of short wall portions is provided with a notch recessed toward the inside of the tray body. The tray for fusion splicing according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. a storage case having a tray for fusion splicing according to any one of claims 1 to 9; a fusion splicer placed on the placement portion of the tray; Equipped with the tray for the fusion splicing operation is removable from the storage case; Fusion splicer set.

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