Patent ID: 7794154

Claim:
An optical fiber cable assembly, including an optical fiber cable having an optical fiber core, a cladding adjacent to and fixed with the optical fiber core, and a protective sheathing over the cladding, adapted to constitute a transmission path for laser radiation or other radiation, comprising: at least one plug connector including a housing assembly including axially spaced first and second housing parts provided along a cable assembly length; first and second sleeves disposed respectively within said first and second housing parts in axially spaced relationship, said first sleeve fixedly connected with the first housing part and the second sleeve fixedly connected with the second housing part; said first sleeve fixedly engaging the cladding with the core of the cable assembly and the second sleeve fixedly engaging the sheathing of the cable assembly; a curved length of the optical fiber cable including at least the core, cladding and sheathing disposed in the housing assembly between the first and second sleeves; said curved length of the optical fiber cable between the first and second sleeves being unrestricted against variation of the curvature of the length within the housing; said sheathing being movable axially relative to the first sleeve including the core and cladding engaged with the first sleeve to accommodate variations in relative lengths of the core and cladding relative to the sheathing, such relative movement of the sheathing causing variation in the curvature of said length of the optical fiber assembly.