Patent ID: 8506179

Claim:
A splicer joint locking assembly for mechanically splicing together first and second optical fibers, each fiber having a coated portion and a stripped end with no coating terminating at a fiber tip, the assembly comprising: (i) a splicer joint made from a slightly deformable plastic material, the splicer joint comprising: a first end; a second end; and a cylindrical exterior surface between the first and second ends, the exterior surface having at least one raised ridge extending circumferentially around the exterior surface; and an axial bore extending from the first end to the second end, the axial bore having a middle portion, the axial bore in the middle portion having a diameter that is slightly less than the diameter of the stripped end of each fiber; the splicer joint for receiving the first fiber in the axial bore from the first end and the second fiber in the axial bore from the second end such that the stripped end of each fiber is frictionally received within the middle portion of the axial bore and the fiber tip of the first fiber is aligned with and abuts the fiber tip of the second fiber in the middle portion; and (ii) a locking case for receiving the splicer joint, the locking case comprising: a first section; a second section; and a locking mechanism for locking the first section to the second section; the first and second sections having etched portions, the etched portions forming, when the first section is locked to the second section, an internal surface that is complementary to the exterior surface of the splicer joint, with the exception that the internal surface at least in the area corresponding to the raised ridge has a dimension that is slightly less than the dimension of the raised ridge; wherein, when the splicer joint is placed in the locking case and the first section is locked to the second section, the internal surface exerts an inward radially symmetric force on at least the raised ridge on the exterior surface, which force locks the first and second fibers within the splicer joint.