An apparatus includes first and second components. A track supports one of the components for movement toward the other of the components. A first connector is mounted on the first component. The first connector retains an end portion of a first fiber optic cable, and has a first alignment portion. A second connector retains an end portion of a second fiber optic cable, and has a second alignment portion. The second alignment portion guides the second fiber optic cable radially into coaxial alignment with the first fiber optic cable upon movement of the first alignment portion against the second alignment portion. A floating mount device supports the second connector on the second component for guided movement radially relative to the second component upon movement of the first alignment portion against the second alignment portion.

Embodiments disclosed herein are a fiber optic connector construed using a front loadable unitary retainer and ferrule assembly inserted within a unitary connector housing at a proximal end of the connector housing. The unitary retainer and ferrule assembly has a pair of opposing protrusions at a proximal end configured to be accepted within the unitary connector housing and secured further therein with a bias member.

A fiber optic ferrule and a fiber optic connector housing make contact only along two sides of the fiber optic ferrule when in an unmated condition. One of the fiber optic ferrule and the fiber optic connector housing have been modified such that only two of the surfaces engage one another. The shoulders can be shortened, lengthened, or have a projection added to the current surfaces.

A ferrule holder assembly can support groupings of a transceiver ferrules in an optical connector interface of an optical transceiver. A first holder body holds a first grouping of transceiver ferrules and has a holder-to-holder interface. A second, typically identical, holder body holds a second grouping of transceiver ferrules. The holder-to-holder interface of the first holder body engages the holder-to-holder interface of the second holder body to operatively align the first holder body with the second holder body to position the first grouping of transceiver ferrules and the second grouping of transceiver ferrules in the optical connector interface for making optical connections to one or more optical connectors plugged into the optical connector interface. The ferrule holder assembly can be used in combination with pre-terminated fiber arrays to couple an optical interface to a circuit board in a transceiver.

An optical fiber connector sub-assembly optical fiber connector sub-assembly for an optical fiber connector includes a ferrule holder carrier portion and a sleeve portion disposed rearward of the ferrule holder carrier portion along an axis of the connector. The sleeve portion is configured to be connected to the ferrule holder portion to permit relative articulating movement between the sleeve portion and the ferrule holder carrier portion, and the sleeve portion and the ferrule holder carrier portion are configured to be rotatingly fixed to one another.

A method of manufacturing an optical fiber assembly into which optical fibers are integrated includes: preparing an alignment member having through holes with a pitch that is greater than a coating diameter of the optical fibers; inserting each of the optical fibers into one of the through holes; after the inserting of the optical fibers into the through holes, holding the optical fibers on both sides of the alignment member by a pair of grippers; after the inserting of the optical fibers into the through holes, connecting at least adjacent ones of the optical fibers by disposing an adhesive material on at least one side of the alignment member; and forming an optical fiber assembly by curing the adhesive material in a state in which the optical fibers held by the grippers are stretched along an optical axis.

A photonic connector comprises a first ferrule having a first plurality of optical fibers. A membrane cover is attached to the first ferrule and covers ends of the first plurality of optical fibers. Once the first ferrule is mated with a second ferrule having a second plurality of optical fibers, the membrane cover is pierced by the first plurality of optical fibers, the second plurality of optical fibers, or both.

Embodiments of the invention include a method of initiating an optical fiber of a tip assembly to form a finished tip assembly. In some embodiments, at least a portion of a distal portion of the optical fiber is coated with an energy absorbing initiating material. In some embodiments, the initiating material is an enamel material including a mixture of brass (copper and zinc) flakes or aluminum flakes in a solution of organic solvents. After the initiating material dries, a diode laser is fired through the optical fiber. The laser energy is at least partially absorbed in the initiating material and ignites the organic solvents. This combustion melts the material of the optical fiber, and impregnates the optical fiber with the metal flakes of the initiating material. The resulting initiated optical fiber is thus permanently modified so that the energy applied through the fiber is partially absorbed and converted to heat.

A fiber optic adapter is disclosed. The fiber optic adapter includes a main body configured to receive a first fiber optic connector through a first end and a second fiber optic connector through a second end for mating with the first fiber optic connector. The adapter includes a ferrule alignment structure located within an axial cavity of the main body, the ferrule alignment structure including a sleeve mount and a ferrule sleeve, the sleeve mount including an axial bore and at least one latching hook extending from a center portion of the sleeve mount toward the first end of the main body and at least one latching hook extending from the center portion toward the second end of the main body, the latching hooks configured to flex for releasably latching the first and second fiber optic connectors to the fiber optic adapter. The sleeve mount and the main body of the fiber optic adapter are unitarily molded as a single piece and the ferrule sleeve is separately placed within the axial bore of the sleeve mount.

Devices such as multiports comprising connection ports with associated securing features and methods for making the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, the device comprises a shell, at least one connection port, at least one securing feature passageway, and at least one securing feature. The at least one connection port is disposed on the multiport with the at least one connection port comprising an optical connector opening extending from an outer surface of the multiport to a cavity of the multiport and defining a connection port passageway. The at least one securing feature is associated with the connection port passageway, and the at least one securing feature is disposed within a portion of the at least one securing feature passageway.