Patent ID: 8646515

Claim:
A ferrule array including comprising: a plurality of first ferrules, each of the first ferrules comprising a hexagonally shaped head portion having an upper surface including a flat portion circumscribing a central opening of the head portion, and a substantially cylindrical stem portion extending from a lower surface of the head portion and having a central opening therein, wherein the central openings of the head portion and the stem portion are coaxially aligned with respect to one another and a central axis of the first ferrules, to define a single continuous ferrule opening that passes through the first ferrule from an upper surface of the head portion to a lower surface of the stein portion thereof, wherein the plurality of first ferrules are arranged in a pattern to define an array; and a plurality of second ferrules, each of the second ferrules comprising a hexagonally shaped head portion, a substantially cylindrical stem portion extending from a lower surface of the head portion, a central opening that is coaxially aligned with respect to a central axis of the second ferrules and passing continuously therethrough from a central opening in an upper surface of the head portion to a central opening in a lower surface of the stem portion, and a joint shield portion provided at an upper surface of the head portion, the joint shield portion comprising a central opening, coaxially aligned with respect to the central openings of the head portion and the stem portion and with respect to the central axis of the second ferrule, and a plurality of extension members extending radially outward with respect to the central axis of the second ferrule and defining arcs connecting respectively adjacent extensions, wherein the plurality of second ferrules are arranged among the plurality of first ferrules in the array; wherein a number “n” of the plurality of second ferrules corresponds to a number “2n” of the plurality of first ferrules in the array; and wherein lower surfaces of the extension members of the joint shield section of the second ferrules contact the flat portions of the upper surfaces of the head portions of the first ferrules in the array so that the extension members overlap a portion of the upper surfaces of the respective head portions of the first ferrules, whereby the arc portions of the extension members each circumscribe a portion of the central openings of the adjacent head portions of the first ferrules, and any gaps present between outer peripheral edges of respectively adjacent head portions of the first ferrules in the array are overlapped by the extension members.