Abstract: A connector (10) comprising: a housing 11 having a front and rear orientation; a ferrule (12) disposed in the front of the housing and containing at least one fiber, a resilient member (13) disposed in the housing rearward of the ferrule (12); and a bendlimiter (14) disposed in the housing rearward of the resilient member, the bend limiter comprising a crimp portion (21) for interengaging the housing such that the bend limiter position with respect to the housing (11) is fixed, the crimp portion providing a backstop for compressing the resilient means (13) against the ferrule to urge the ferrule forward, the bend limiter also comprising an arcuate portion for dressing the fiber, the arcuate portion having a radius no less than the minimum bend radius of the fiber.

Abstract: An optical cross-connect system (30) for interconnecting optical pathways of a horizontal node with each vertical node, the system comprising a three dimensional array of optical pathways in which one end of each optical pathway is presented on a first face (31), and the other end of each optical pathway is presented on a second face (32) such that the first and second faces (31 and 32) present rows and columns of optical pathway groupings, and wherein the horizontal nodes are defined along the rows of the first face (31) and the vertical nodes are defined along the columns of the second face (32).

Abstract: A connector (10) comprising: a housing 11 having a front and rear orientation; a ferrule (12) disposed in the front of the housing and containing at least one fiber, a resilient member (13) disposed in the housing rearward of the ferrule (12); and a bendlimiter (14) disposed in the housing rearward of the resilient member, the bend limiter comprising a crimp portion (21) for interengaging the housing such that the bend limiter position with respect to the housing (11) is fixed, the crimp portion providing a backstop for compressing the resilient means (13) against the ferrule to urge the ferrule forward, the bend limiter also comprising an arcuate portion for dressing the fiber, the arcuate portion having a radius no less than the minimum bend radius of the fiber.

Abstract: An optical cross-connect system (30) for interconnecting optical pathways of a horizontal node with each vertical node, the system comprising a three dimensional array of optical pathways in which one end of each optical pathway is presented on a first face (31), and the other end of each optical pathway is presented on a second face (32) such that the first and second faces (31 and 32) present rows and columns of optical pahtway groupings, and wherein the horizontal nodes are defined along the rows of the first face (31) and the vertical nodes are defined along the columns of the second face (32).

Abstract: Disclosed are novel synthetic processes for the preparation of the trisaccharide .alpha.Gal(1.fwdarw.4).beta.Gal(1.fwdarw.4)Glc-OR compounds.