Patent ID: 8425125

Claim:
A method of terminating a fiber in a connector having a front and rear orientation, a housing, a clamping mechanism in said housing, and a ferrule assembly forward of said clamping mechanism and comprising a holder and a ferrule extending from said holder, said method comprising: selecting a cap from a family of caps for different types of field-installable connectors, each different type of field-installable connector having a different unactuated length and a different front-end geometry, each different cap corresponding to one of said different types of field-installable connector, and comprising at least a front end having an outer surface defining at least part of said certain geometry, a cavity for receiving said ferrule, and a back end defining an opening to said cavity through which said ferrule is received, and wherein the distance from said front end to back end for each different cap is different, but said certain geometry of each different cap is essentially the same, wherein said different connectors with their corresponding cap have a common unactuated length; covering said ferrule with said cap; inserting a fiber into said clamping mechanism from the rear of the connector; and while said cap is on said ferrule, actuating said clamping mechanism to secure said fiber to said connector by urging said cap rearward relative to said clamping mechanism, said actuating being performed with a crimp tool having a first die on one opposing arm to receive said cap and a second die on the other opposing arm to interengage a plunger, said first die being configured with a receptacle of said certain geometry.