Abstract: A ferrule and an associated fabrication method are provided that facilitates fiber-to-fiber contact without requiring the end portions of the optical fibers to protrude beyond the front face of the ferrule. The ferrule includes a ferrule body having opposed front and rear faces and defining at least one optical fiber bore extending between the front and rear faces and adapted to receive an optical fiber. Advantageously, at least the medial portion of the front face through which the optical fiber bores open protrudes outwardly beyond at least some peripheral portions of the front face. By designing the front face such that the medial portion protrudes outwardly beyond peripheral portions of the front face, angular errors in the peripheral portions of the front face and dirt or other particles that accumulate on the peripheral portions of the front face will not prevent the medial portions of the front faces of a pair of ferrules from making contacting as the respective fiber optic connectors are mated.

Abstract: A ferrule is provided that defines a shoulder having curved corners. In this regard, the ferrule includes a lengthwise extending shaft and an enlarged rear portion proximate the shaft. The rear portion is larger in lateral cross-section than the shaft to thereby define a shoulder. In addition, that portion of the shaft proximate the enlarged rear portion includes curved corners such that the shoulder has corresponding curved inner corners. A fiber optic connector housing is also provided that defines an inwardly projecting shoulder having curved corners. The fiber optic connector housing includes a forward segment defining a lengthwise extending passage and a rearward segment also defining a lengthwise extending passage. The lengthwise extending passage defined by the rearward segment is larger in lateral cross-section than the lengthwise extending passage defined by the forward segment such that a shoulder is defined at the intersection of the forward and rearward segments.

Abstract: A snag-reducing member is disclosed for an optical fiber cable connector having a housing for insertion into a receptacle and a latch pivotably extending from the housing for securing the housing to the receptacle. The snag-reducing member includes a body configured to radially receive the optical fiber cable and to be axially slid along the optical fiber cable into engagement with the housing, and a trigger having a proximal end attached to the body and a distal end extending from the body. The distal end is movable toward and away from the body for engaging and pivoting the latch to selectably release the connector from the receptacle when the body is engaged with the housing. The distal end extends in a direction so as to reduce snagging of the latch when the optical fiber cable and connector are moved in a direction away from the receptacle. Duplex embodiments and related methods of assembling connectors are also disclosed.

Abstract: A preassembled multifiber connector is provided that includes a connector housing and a windowless multifiber ferrule that is substantially rectangular in lateral cross-section. The windowless multifiber ferrule can be at least partially disposed within an internal cavity defined by the connector housing to thereby form a multifiber connector that is free of optical fibers. Thus, the multifiber connector is capable of being preassembled prior to inserting the plurality of optical fibers into the optical fiber bores defined by the windowless multifiber ferrule. A corresponding method of preassembling a multifiber connector is therefore also provided according to the present invention. A ferrule is also provided that is capable of being selectively converted from a windowless configuration to a windowed configuration. The ferrule of this embodiment includes a ferrule body that not only defines at least one optical fiber bore, but that also defines a well extending through a side surface of the ferrule body.

Abstract: The splice housing assembly provides a non-activated mechanical splice that provides temperature compensation such that the resulting splice is substantially unaffected by temperature fluctuations, thereby permitting the splice housing assembly to be formed of relatively inexpensive materials, such as plastic. The splice housing assembly includes a splice tube having a first end that is attached to an end portion of the first optical fiber. The splice housing assembly also includes a temperature compensator disposed at least partially within the splice tube. The temperature compensator defines an opening through which the end portion of the second optical fiber extends. The first end of the temperature compensator is attached to the second optical fiber and the second end of the temperature compensator is attached is the splice tube.

Abstract: A splice housing assembly and an associated assembly method are provided in which the ferrule is mechanically decoupled from the splice body such that the ferrule has at least limited movement, typically in an off-axis direction, relative to the splice body. For example, the ferrule can be mechanically decoupled from the splice body by spacing the ferrule in a lengthwise direction from the splice body such that a medial portion of the first optical fiber extends between the ferrule and the splice body.

Abstract: A splicing connector and an associated splice mechanism are provided to splice first and second pluralities of optical fibers without buckling the optical fibers. The connector includes a housing and a retainer disposed of at least partially within the housing which defines a channel through which a plurality of optical fibers extend. The connector also includes a clip for securing the optical fibers within the retainer such that the end portions of the optical fibers are exposed through the forward end of the housing in preparation for splicing the optical fibers. Further, the connector includes a spring for urging the retainer and the optical fibers secured within the retainer toward the forward end of the housing, thereby permitting the optical fibers to be spliced without buckling the optical fibers.

Abstract: The at least partially flexible connector assembly includes a slack storage tube connected to the first end of a fiber optic cable for loosely storing excess lengths of the optical fibers. The slack storage tube is typically at least partially flexible. By including a flexible slack storage tube, the connector assembly can be readily flexed, such as during installations of the fiber optic cable in which the end portion of the fiber optic cable must be bent relatively sharply. However, the slack storage tube does generally include crush resistance means for supporting the slack storage tube as the connector assembly is flexed such that the longitudinal bore defined by the slack storage tube remains open. The crush resistance means can include a wire helically wound about the slack storage tube. Alternatively, the slack storage tube can be a corrugated tube.

Abstract: The receptacle includes a rotatable coupling nut for engaging an externally threaded fiber optic connector assembly or plug which is mounted upon the end portion of a fiber optic cable. As such, the cross-sectional dimensions of the fiber optic connector assembly can be significantly decreased, thereby permitting the fiber optic cable to be pulled through much smaller ducts or passageways. The receptacle also includes a receptacle body adapted to be mounted in a fixed position, such as to a sidewall of an enclosure. The coupling nut cooperably engages the receptacle body such that the coupling nut is free to rotate relative to the receptacle body even though the longitudinal movement of the coupling nut relative to the receptacle body is limited.

Abstract: The receptacle permits selected ones of the ferrules to be withdrawn from the receptacle without disconnecting the fiber optic connector from the receptacle and without disassembling the receptacle. As such, the ferrule that is withdrawn from the receptacle can be disconnected from the corresponding ferrule of the fiber optic connector assembly without disconnecting the other ferrules from the corresponding ferrules of the fiber optic connector assembly.

Abstract: The fiber optic interconnection apparatus includes a receptacle mounted at least partially within a wall of an enclosure, such as an optical network unit, a network interface device or a splice closure, and a fiber optic cable assembly for mating with the receptacle. By mating the fiber optic cable assembly with the receptacle in a predetermined aligned manner, one or more optical fibers of the fiber optic cable on which the fiber optic cable assembly is mounted can be optically interconnected with respective optical fibers held by the receptacle which extend through the receptacle and into the enclosure.