Patent ID: 7572064

Claim:
An optical fiber mechanical splice connector for coupling with a field fiber, comprising: a connector body having a fiber alignment mechanism and having a cavity, the fiber alignment mechanism including an upper actuating surface with an indentation feature and a lower actuating surface with another indentation feature, and wherein the connector body defines a protrusion feature that protrudes into the cavity; a ferrule coupled to the connector body; a stub fiber having a portion captured within the ferrule, wherein the stub fiber extends from the ferrule through the cavity of the connector body and in contact with the protrusion feature to place an initial bend in a portion of the stub fiber to facilitate buckling of the stub fiber, and wherein an end of the stub fiber is positioned within the fiber alignment mechanism between the upper actuating surface and the lower actuating surface; and wherein the stub fiber is configured to buckle within the cavity when the field fiber is introduced into the connector body and contacts the end of the stub fiber.