Patent ID: 8573854

Claim:
A fiber optic connector assembly comprising: a front housing side loaded to an initial coupled position in which the front housing is configured to be coupled to a fixed connector housing; a rear housing movably coupled to the front housing, the rear housing being movable in an advancing direction from a retracted position to an advanced position, in the retracted position the rear housing is spaced apart from the front housing; wherein the front housing is side loaded in a direction generally perpendicular to the advancing direction; a drive mechanism coupled to the rear housing, the drive mechanism moving the rear housing from the retracted position to the advanced position; and a plurality of fiber optic connectors fixedly coupled to the rear housing, the fiber optic connectors having mating ends received by the front housing, the mating ends being driven with respect to the front housing in a mating direction for mating with corresponding connectors when the rear housing is moved from the retracted position to the advanced position.