Patent ID: 7527436

Claim:
A ferrule comprising: a body having a front end face and an oppositely facing distal face; a plurality of optical fibers mounted in said body and disposed in a plane, said optical fibers terminating at said front end face; and a pair of passageways in said body, each extending from said front end face towards said distal face, each said passageway having a first forward region with first and second opposite ends, and a second rear region with first and second opposite ends, the first end of the first forward end being proximate to said front end face, the second end of the second rear region being proximate to said distal face, and the second end of said first forward region being proximate to the first end of said second rear region, wherein a cross-sectional dimension of said second region of said passageway tapers continuously radially between said first and second opposite ends of said second rear region; said passageways being configured to receive an alignment pin having a cross-sectional pin dimension selected to form a sliding fit with said first region and permit rocking movement of the alignment pin in said second region.