Fiber optic apparatus and method for cross-connecting optical fibers

Abstract

A fiber optic apparatus and method are provided for cross-connecting the individual optical fibers of a plurality of fiber optic ribbons. A plurality of individual optical fibers are routed on a flat substrate to form at least one first fiber optic ribbon leading onto the substrate and at least one second fiber optic ribbon leading away from the substrate to a terminating end of the ribbon. The individual optical fibers of at least the second fiber optic ribbon being routed in a predetermined sequence from one side of the ribbon to an opposite side thereof. The individual optical fibers at the terminating end of the second fiber optic ribbon are cut-off at different lengths in a predetermined pattern correlated to the predetermined sequence of fibers in order to visually identify any fiber which is out of the predetermined sequence.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.