Optical ferrule for multi-fiber cable and hardened multi-fiber optic connector therefore

A multi-fiber connector assembly comprising:

• an optical plug connector including a plug connector body extending between opposite first and second ends and an optical ferrule body carried by the plug connector body at the first end of the plug connector body, the optical ferrule body extending along a length between an end face and an opposite end, the end face being accessible from an exterior of the optical plug connector from the first end of the optical plug connector, the optical ferrule body defining a plurality of alignment openings at the end face, the optical ferrule body also defining a plurality of expanded alignment channels, each expanded alignment channel being coaxial with one of the alignment openings, each expanded alignment channel having a cross-dimension that is larger than a cross-dimension of the respective alignment opening;
• first and second alignment elements disposed at opposite sides of the end face of the optical ferrule body so that the alignment openings are disposed between the first and second alignment elements;
• a resilient, flowable material disposed within each of the expanded alignment channels;
• an environmental seal carried by the plug connector body at an exterior of the plug connector body;
• a twist-to-lock fastener that activate the environmental seal carried by the plug connector body;
• and
• a cable including a plurality of optical fibers, the cable being secured to the opposite end of the optical ferrule body using a material that is more rigid than the resilient, flowable material disposed within each of the expanded alignment channels, each of the optical fibers extending through the resilient, flowable material within a respective one of the expanded alignment channels and into the respective alignment opening.