Patent ID: 9575263
Date: 2017-02-21
CPC Classifications: G02B

Claim:
1. An optical fiber alignment device comprising: an alignment housing including first and second ends, the alignment housing defining a fiber insertion axis that extends through the alignment housing between the first and second ends, the alignment housing including a fiber alignment region at an intermediate location between the first and second ends; first and second fiber alignment rods positioned within the alignment housing, the first and second fiber alignment rods cooperating to define a fiber alignment groove that extends along the fiber insertion axis, the first and second fiber alignment rods each having rounded ends positioned at the first and second ends of the alignment housing; first and second fiber contact members positioned within the alignment housing; and a biasing arrangement for urging the first and second fiber contact members generally toward the fiber alignment groove, wherein the first and second ends of the alignment housing define partial funnels that cooperate with the rounded ends of the first and second fiber alignment rods to form fiber guides for guiding optical fibers toward the fiber insertion axis.