Patent ID: 7802924

Claim:
A ferrule, comprising: a body having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface a first channel provided in the body and extending from the first surface to the second surface, the first channel being configured to accommodate a first plurality of optical fibers, the first plurality of optical fibers being arranged in a first linear array, first and second outermost ones of the first plurality of optical fibers are arranged such that remaining ones of the first plurality of optical fibers are provided between the first and second outermost ones of the first plurality of optical fibers, each of the first plurality of optical fibers having a corresponding one of a first plurality of longitudinal axes, each of the first plurality of longitudinal axes being separated from one another by a substantially uniform spacing and extending in a first direction, each of the first plurality of longitudinal axes being laterally spaced from one another in a second direction; a second channel provided in the body and extending from the first surface to the second surface, the second channel being configured to accommodate a second plurality of optical fibers, the second plurality of optical fibers being arranged in a second linear array, first and second outermost ones of the plurality of optical fibers are arranged such that remaining ones of the first plurality of optical fibers are provided between the first and second outermost ones of the second plurality of optical fibers, each of the second plurality of optical fibers having a corresponding one of a second plurality of longitudinal axes, each of the second plurality of longitudinal axes being separated from one another by the spacing and extending in the first direction, each of the second plurality of longitudinal axes being laterally spaced from one another in the second direction, wherein the first channel defines a first opening in the first surface and the second channel defines a second opening in the first surface, the first opening being separated from the second opening such that an outermost one of the first plurality of longitudinal axes associated with the first outermost one of the first plurality of optical fibers is laterally spaced in the second direction from an outermost one of the second plurality of longitudinal axes associated with the first outermost one of the second plurality of optical fibers by the spacing.