Patent ID: 6951425

Claim:
An optical connector for optically coupling a fiber to an optical pathway of a mating component when in a mated state, said connector comprising: a housing having a front end portion and a back end portion, said housing having at least one passageway extending from said back end portion to said front end portion to accommodate at least one fiber, said housing defining a cavity along a first portion of said passageway such that a fiber in said passageway is deflected into said cavity when said connector is in said mated state; a barrier along a second portion of said passageway, said barrier preventing a fiber from being deflected into said second portion when said connector is in said mated state; a fiber retainer at said back end portion, said fiber retainer adapted to restrict a fiber's backward movement with respect to said housing when in said mated state; and said front end portion being configured to mate with an alignment member such that a fiber in said passageway is received within a passage of the alignment member, said front end having a first end face having an opening through which said passageway extends such that a fiber in said passageway is supported at the back end portion by said fiber retainer and at said front end portion by said end face and is deflected between said front and back end portions during mating.