Patent ID: 6874946

Claim:
A fiber optic connector for mounting to a cable having a plurality of optical fibers and optically connecting the optical fibers to mating optical fibers, wherein the optical fibers and the mating optical fibers have termini mounted to respective ends thereof, the fiber optic connector comprising: a housing defining an exterior of the fiber optic connector and having a forward portion and a rear portion to which the cable is secured and through which the plurality of optical fibers enter the connector; a support member having a shank which is disposed within the housing extending between the rear portion of the housing and the forward portion of the housing with a gap disposed between the housing and the shank through which the optical fibers extend; a recess which is disposed in the forward portion of the housing and has an interiorly disposed periphery which defines a recess profile, the recess profile having inner portions which receive the termini of the optical fibers; a retainer ring disposed on the shank of the support member in the forward portion of the housing such that the retainer ring is positioned within the recess; the retainer ring further including an edge periphery which defines a retainer profile having outward portions and inward portions, the inward portions being defined for receiving the termini of the optical fibers; and wherein the recess profile and the retainer profile are formed such that the retainer profile fits within the recess profile in a keyed arrangement, thereby angularly aligning the retainer ring with the recess.