Optical fiber ribbon imaging guidewire and methods

An optical fiber assembly for receiving an optical fiber ribbon, the assembly comprising:

• a first connector configured to receive the ribbon and spread the fibers of the ribbon onto a wider pitch than a pitch of the optical fiber ribbon, the first connector including a ferrule having first and second housing portions providing opposing faces facing each other, wherein the first housing portion defines a plurality of grooves, wherein each groove provides an optical fiber passage for a corresponding individual optical fiber;
• an insert, including a ribbon channel, sized, shaped, or otherwise configured to receive the ribbon;
• and
• a plurality of individual fiber channels, branching off from the ribbon channel, the individual fiber channels sized, shaped, or otherwise configured to receive and spread individual fibers of the ribbon,
• wherein the insert is configured such that outer-most optical fibers in the optical fiber ribbon are individually picked off first and guided into corresponding individual optical fiber channels, and successively closer optical fibers to an axial center of the optical fiber ribbon are sequentially picked off and guided into corresponding individual optical fiber channels.

An optical fiber assembly for receiving an optical fiber ribbon, the assembly comprising:

• a first connector configured to receive the ribbon and spread the fibers of the ribbon onto a wider pitch than a pitch of the optical fiber ribbon, the first connector including a ferrule having first and second housing portions providing opposing faces facing each other, wherein the first housing portion defines a plurality of grooves, wherein each groove provides an optical fiber passage for a corresponding individual optical fiber;
• an insert, including a ribbon channel, sized, shaped, or otherwise configured to receive the ribbon;
• and
• a plurality of individual fiber channels, branching off from the ribbon channel, the individual fiber channels sized, shaped, or otherwise configured to receive and spread individual fibers of the ribbon,
• wherein the insert is configured such that center-most optical fibers in the optical fiber ribbon are individually picked off first and guided into corresponding individual optical fiber channels, and successively farther optical fibers from an axial center of the optical fiber ribbon are sequentially picked off and guided into corresponding individual optical fiber channels.