Gender selectable fiber optic connector and associated fabrication method

A shroud for mounting upon a forward portion of a cylindrical ferrule, the shroud comprising:

• a shroud body defining a lengthwise extending passageway;
• and
• at least one guide pin partially embedded within said shroud body and extending lengthwise through the passageway defined by said shroud body, said at least one guide pin also extending beyond at least one end of said shroud body,
• wherein the passageway defined by said shroud body has a substantially circular shape in lateral cross-section, and wherein at least a portion of an exterior surface of said shroud body has a rectangular shape in lateral cross-section such that the shroud can adapt the ferrule of a first type of fiber optic connector for use with a second type of fiber optic connector.

A method for fabricating a gender selectable fiber optic connector comprising the steps of:

• providing a multi-fiber ferrule having an exterior surface which defines at least one lengthwise extending alignment groove;
• mounting the ferrule upon a plurality of optical fibers such that end portions of the optical fibers are exposed at a forward end of the ferrule;
• polishing the forward end of the ferrule and the exposed end portions of the optical fibers;
• selecting a shroud defining a lengthwise extending passageway for mounting upon the ferrule following said polishing step, said selecting step comprising selecting the shroud from the group consisting of shrouds having a male configuration and shrouds having a female configuration, wherein the male shroud configuration includes at least one guide pin extending lengthwise through the passageway for engaging the respective alignment groove defined by the ferrule, and wherein the female shroud configuration is free of guide pins;
• and
• mounting the selected shroud upon the ferrule such that the ferrule extends through the passageway defined by the shroud in order to produce a male fiber optic connector if a male shroud configuration is selected and a female fiber optic connector if a female shroud configuration is selected.