Fiber optic connection method

A method for attaching a connector to an optical fiber having a plastic-covered optical core, said connector having an inside diameter which is slightly smaller than the diameter of the covered core of the fiber and slightly greater than the diameter of the core alone, said method comprising the steps of:

• forming a section of fiber containing only the fiber core;
• forming an adjoining section of fiber containing the core and its covering;
• threading the core of the fiber through said connector until the fiber is stopped at the covered section;
• placing the fiber and connector in an attachment means so that the fiber is retained centrally of the connector and in a substantially straight position;
• heating the connector so that the covering is softened;
• extruding the softened covered fiber through the connector so that the softened covering extends at least to the far end of the connector opposite to that at which it was stopped and fills the space between the core and the connector wall;
• allowing the covering to cool off;
• cutting off the fiber flush with the far end of the connector.