Patent ID: 7505654

Claim:
A connector for mechanically connecting and optically coupling two optical fiber ends, the connector comprising: a longitudinal body made of a shape memory alloy; and a fiber conduit in said body for holding said two fiber ends and confining said fibers to be in end to end alignment in said conduit with sufficient direct inward radial pressure exerted from said conduit on each one of said fiber ends to ensure centering within said fiber conduit and provide said optical coupling without risking damage to a silica core of said fiber ends, the fiber conduit at least partially radially extending to a circumference of the longitudinal body; wherein said fiber conduit is enlarged within elastic limit of the longitudinal body under mechanical deformation of the conduit from the circumference of the longitudinal body to allow for insertion of said fibers in said conduit, and upon release of said mechanical deformation, said connector is adapted to mechanically controllably directly release said pressure on said fibers to hold said fiber ends in said optical coupling.