Patent ID: 8070367

Claim:
An LC format optical connector for terminating an optical fiber, comprising: a housing configured to mate with an LC receptacle, the housing including a shell having an LC format and a front face, a first resilient latch disposed on a surface of the shell and configured to engage the LC receptacle, the first resilient latch extending away from the front face, and a backbone configured to engage an outer surface of the shell on a first portion thereof and having a mounting structure disposed on a second portion thereof; a collar body disposed in the housing and retained between the outer shell and the backbone, wherein the collar body includes a fiber stub disposed in a first portion of the collar body, the fiber stub including a first optical fiber mounted in a ferrule and having a first end proximate to an end face of the ferrule and a second end, wherein the collar body further includes a mechanical splice disposed in a second portion of the collar body, the mechanical splice configured to splice the second end of the fiber stub to a second optical fiber; and a trigger coupled to an outer surface of the backbone, the trigger including a second latch that extends toward the front face, wherein a portion of the second latch overlaps a portion of the first latch, wherein the second latch engages the first latch when acted upon by a pressing force, wherein the trigger further comprises an integral coupling mechanism to couple the LC format optical connector to a second LC format optical connector, wherein the coupling mechanism comprises a dovetail protrusion formed on a first side surface of the trigger and a corresponding slot formed on an opposite side surface of the trigger, wherein the slot is configured to slidingly and snugly engage a dovetail portion of the trigger of the second LC format optical connector.