Patent ID: 7887244

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 positioned adjacent said first surface, a clamping surface of said anvil overlapping said stub splicing face and said optical fiber splicing face; and a clamping mechanism comprising a plurality of spaced projections arranged along a second surface of said elongate member opposite said first surface and an actuator slideably mounted about said elongate member for movement between a released position and a clamping position, said actuator comprising an inner surface abutting said anvil and a plurality of spaced ribs, wherein when in said released position each of said ribs is positioned in a corresponding slot between a respective pair of said projections and wherein when said actuator is moved from said released position to said clamped position each of said ribs is moved out of said corresponding slot and positioned opposite a corresponding one of said projections, said movement giving rise to a corresponding movement of said inner surface, said inner surface displacing said anvil in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and towards said first surface, a clamping surface of said anvil bringing a corresponding clamping force to bear on said optical fiber stub and the optical fiber.