Patent ID: 8920049

Claim:
An optical fiber connector assembly comprising: a connector member having a housing and a fiber retainer member housed within at least a portion of the housing, the fiber retainer member defining: (i) at least a portion of a splice chamber, and (ii) at least a portion of at least first and second lumens that extend proximal to the splice chamber; a ferrule at least partially disposed within the housing, the ferrule having a fiber stub that extends from a first end to a second end, at least a portion of the fiber stub positioned within the second lumen with the second end of the fiber stub proximal to the splice chamber; an optical fiber including a bare fiber portion that terminates at an end portion, at least a portion of the bare fiber portion positioned within the first lumen with the end portion of the optical fiber proximal to: (i) the splice chamber and, (ii) the second end of the fiber stub; an anvil member housed within at least a portion of the housing, the anvil member defining at least a portion of the splice chamber, the anvil member including first and second compression members, the first and second compression members configured to allow: (i) the first compression member to engage and position at least a portion of the bare fiber portion of the optical fiber within the first lumen, and (ii) the second compression member to engage and position at least a portion of the fiber stub within the second lumen; wherein when first and second electrodes are positioned proximal to the splice chamber and electrical energy is applied across the first and second electrodes, the end portion of the optical fiber and the second end of the fiber stub heat and fuse together.