Patent ID: 8727637

Claim:
A fiber optic interface device for connecting transmit and receive optical fibers having respective ends, comprising: a housing having a central axis, a front end, an exterior surface and an interior having a ferrule guide member disposed therein; a ferrule having a central axis, front and rear ends and configured to support the transmit and receive optical fibers and respective transmit and receive gradient-index (GRIN) lens elements having front and rear surfaces, with the transmit and receive optical fiber ends adjacent respective transmit and receive GRIN lens rear surfaces, with the transmit and receive GRIN lens front surfaces being at or adjacent the ferrule front end, the ferrule being moveably supported by the ferrule guide member with the ferrule axis being aligned with the housing central axis; and a resilient member disposed within the housing interior and configured to forward-bias the ferrule toward the housing front end when the fiber optic interface device is unmated; a receptacle being matingly engaged with the fiber optic interface device such that the ferrule is axially moved from the forward-bias position to a rear-bias position and comprising a distance D between the forward-bias position and the rear-bias position, wherein the distance D is in the range from 0.5 millimeters to 10 millimeters.