Optical fiber loopback assembly

An optical fiber loopback assembly, comprising:

• a plurality of optical fibers;
• a fiber optic connector that includes a ferrule terminating the plurality of optical fibers, a connector body in which the ferrule is at least partially retained, and a boot coupled to a rear portion of the connector body;
• and
• a loopback shell having a first portion coupled to the boot of the fiber optic connector and a second portion behind the boot, the loopback shell further including an internal cavity defined at least in part within the second portion,
• wherein at least one optical fiber of the plurality of optical fibers is a loopback optical fiber that:
• has a first end terminated by the ferrule of the fiber optic connector,
• extends through the connector body and the boot to enter the internal cavity of the loopback shell before extending back into the boot and the connector body, and
• has a second end terminated by the ferrule of the fiber optic connector.

A method of forming an optical fiber loopback assembly that includes a fiber optic connector and a loopback shell, the method comprising:

• terminating at least one optical fiber with a ferrule, wherein the at least one optical fiber comprises at least one loopback optical fiber that has a first end terminated by the ferrule and a second end terminated by the ferrule;
• assembling the fiber optic connector, wherein the assembling includes at least partially disposing the ferrule in a connector body of the fiber optic connector and coupling a boot to a rear portion of the connector body;
• performing at least one termination processing step on the fiber optic connector after the assembling step, wherein the loopback shell is not installed on the fiber optic connector when the at least one termination processing step is performed;
• and
• installing the loopback shell onto the fiber optic connector after performing the at least one termination processing step, wherein the installing comprises:
• coupling a first portion of the loopback shell to the boot of the fiber optic connector;
• and
• storing excess length of the at least one optical fiber in an internal cavity defined at least in part in a second portion of the loopback shell that is behind the boot, and
• wherein the at least one loopback optical fiber extends through the connector body and the boot to enter the internal cavity of the loopback shell before extending back into the boot and the connector body.