Expanded beam connector concepts

A fiber optic cable apparatus comprising:

• a ferrule having a bore passing from a first end to a second end;
• an optical fiber passing through said bore;
• a lens attached to said second end of said ferrule and attached to said optical fiber;
• and
• an inspection slot formed in said ferrule proximate said second end which affords a view of the attachment between said lens and said optical fiber.

A fiber optic cable apparatus comprising:

• a ferrule having a bore passing from a first end to a second end;
• an optical fiber passing through said bore;
• a lens attached to said second end of said ferrule and attached to said optical fiber, wherein said second end includes a recessed seat, and wherein said lens resides in said recessed seat, and wherein said lens has a size which is less than a depth of said recessed seat, such that said lens does not protrude past a plane of said second end of said ferrule;
• and
• an inspection slot formed in said ferrule proximate said second end which affords a view of the attachment between said lens and said optical fiber.

A fiber optic cable apparatus comprising:

• a ferrule having a bore passing from a first end to a second end;
• an optical fiber passing through said bore;
• a lens attached to said second end of said ferrule and attached to said optical fiber, wherein said second end includes a recessed seat, and wherein said lens resides in said recessed seat, and wherein said lens has a size which is less than a depth of said recessed seat, such that said lens does not protrude past a plane of said second end of said ferrule;
• and
• a connector envelope having MT-connection features supporting said ferrule.

A physical contact (PC) fiber optic connector comprising:

• a connector envelope having mounting features sized and shaped to affix the connector envelope to a complimentary structure;
• a holder attached to said connector envelope;
• a ferrule attached to said holder, said ferrule having a second end sized and shaped to bear against a light receiving and/or light transmitting element of the complimentary structure and said ferrule having a bore passing from a first end to said second end;
• an optical fiber passing through said bore;
• and
• a lens attached to said second end of said ferrule and attached to said optical fiber, wherein said second end includes a recessed seat, said lens resides in said recessed seat, and said lens has a size which is less than a depth of said recessed seat, such that said lens does not protrude past a plane of said second end of said ferrule, wherein said lens is distanced from an end of said optical fiber and the attachment between said lens and said optical fiber is made by an epoxy having optical characteristics.

A method of forming a terminus for a fiber optic cable comprising:

• removing an outer layer of a fiber optic cable to expose a section of optical fiber;
• inserting the optical fiber into a bore at a first end of a ferrule;
• passing the optical fiber to a point proximate a second end of the ferrule;
• applying an epoxy to the end of the optical fiber proximate the second end of the ferrule;
• attaching a lens to the end of the optical fiber proximate the second end of the ferrule;
• and
• inspecting the status of the epoxy at the lens and optical fiber junction through a slot formed in the ferrule.