Patent ID: 8075198

Claim:
A connector assembly for reversibly terminating an optical fiber, the assembly comprising an elongate housing comprising a front end, a rear end and a cavity extending therebetween along a longitudinal axis, the assembly comprising: an elongate member mounted within the cavity and comprising a first end, a second end and an alignment groove extending along a first surface thereof between said first end and said second end, wherein an end portion of the optical fiber is positioned within said groove and extending from said second end, wherein an optical fiber splicing face of the optical fiber is positioned between said first end and said second end; an optical fiber stub positioned within said groove and extending from said first end, wherein a stub splicing face of said optical fiber stub is positioned opposite said optical fiber splicing face; a splice anvil slidably mounted about said elongate member adjacent said first surface for movement between a released position and a clamped position, an inner surface of said anvil comprising a clamping surface overlapping said stub splicing face and said optical fiber splicing face; and a clamping mechanism comprising a plurality of step surfaces arranged along said first surface of said elongate member adjacent said alignment groove, wherein when in said released position said inner surface of said anvil cooperates with said plurality of step surfaces and wherein when said anvil is moved towards said first end from said released position to said clamped position, said movement gives rise to a corresponding movement of said inner surface of said anvil along said plurality of step surfaces in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and towards said first surface, said clamping surface of said anvil bringing a corresponding clamping force to bear on said optical fiber stub and the optical fiber.