Patent ID: 7461981

Claim:
A ribbon fanout kit for separating an optical fiber ribbon comprising a plurality of optical fibers into individual optical fibers and protecting the individual optical fibers, the ribbon fanout kit comprising: a lower furcation body having a lead-in area adjacent a first end and a funnel area disposed medially between the lead-in area and a second end, the optical fiber ribbon positioned within the lead-in area and the individual optical fibers positioned within the funnel area; a heat shrink having a rearward face and a passageway therethrough for receiving the optical fiber ribbon, the heat shrink disposed about the optical fiber ribbon and positioned within the lead-in area of the lower furcation body; an insert block having a forward face and a plurality of passageways therethrough for receiving the individual optical fibers, the insert block positioned within the lower furcation body between the funnel area and the second end, wherein the lower furcation body comprises a pair of upwardly projecting guide walls that are angled outwardly in the direction of the second end and wherein the funnel area is defined by the rearward face of the heat shrink, the forward face of the insert block and the guide walls; and an upper furcation body made of a generally transparent material and configured to be secured to the lower furcation body such that the individual optical fibers within the funnel area are visible through the upper furcation body.