Patent ID: 7758256

Claim:
A field-installable optical connector for terminating tight-jacketed optical cable, said connector comprising: a tight-jacketed optical cable comprising at least one fiber, a buffer around said fiber, strength members around said buffer, and a jacket tightly containing said fiber, buffer and strength members such that said buffer cannot move within said jacket; a connector housing having a front and back orientation; a rear body attached to the back of said connector housing; a ferrule assembly disposed in said connector housing, said ferrule assembly comprising at least a ferrule containing said fiber, and a clamping mechanism to the rear of said ferrule for securing said fiber; an actuator operatively connected to said clamping mechanism to actuate said clamping mechanism, said actuator having an exposed portion extending rearward from said rear body, said exposed portion adapted to be inserted within a jacket of said cable to secure said jacket to said exposed portion, wherein said actuator and said ferrule assembly move as one unit once said clamping mechanism is actuated by said actuator to secure said fiber therein; a crimp crimping at least one of said strength members or said jacket to said exposed portion; and a resilient member disposed between said ferrule and said rear body to urge said ferrule assembly forward.