Cleave holder, an assembly, and methods for cleaving ends of optical fibers and securing them to a multi-optical fiber connector module

A method of securing cleaved ends of a plurality of optical fibers to a connector module comprising:

• providing a cleave holder comprising a unitary body and a cover, the unitary body having a plurality of grooves formed in an upper surface thereof and having a plurality of reference holes formed in a lower surface thereof;
• mounting the unitary body on a fixture such that the reference holes formed in the unitary body mate with respective pins disposed on the fixture;
• disposing optical fibers on the cleave holder such that a first portion of the optical fibers extends from a rear side of the cleave holder, length-wise second portions of respective optical fibers are disposed in the grooves, and third portions of the optical fibers extend from a front side of the cleave holder;
• securing the cover to the unitary body such that a backside of the cover is in contact with the unitary body and with the length-wise portions of the optical fibers disposed in the grooves, and wherein the cover serves to permanently affix the length-wise second portions of the optical fibers in fixed positions within the cleave holder;
• stripping and cleaving at least a part of the third portions of the optical fibers extending from the front side of the cleave holder to create unjacketed portions of the optical fibers with cleaved ends;
• providing a connector module positioned apart from the cleave holder;
• and
• securing the cleaved ends of the optical fibers to fixed, precise locations within the connector module, wherein the cleave holder is configured to operate as a strain relief device for the optical fibers secured within the connector module.

A method for holding a plurality of optical fibers to be stripped and cleaved comprising:

• providing a cleave holder comprising a unitary body and a cover comprising a piece of adhesive-backed tape, the unitary body having a plurality of grooves formed in an upper surface thereof and having a plurality of reference holes formed in a lower surface thereof;
• mounting the unitary body on a fixture such that the reference holes formed in the unitary body mate with respective pins disposed on the fixture;
• disposing optical fibers on the cleave holder such that a first portion of the optical fibers extends from a rear side of the cleave holder, length-wise second portions of respective optical fibers are disposed in the grooves, and third portions of the optical fibers extend from a front side of the cleave holder;
• securing the adhesive-backed tape cover to the unitary body such that a first adhesive material disposed on a backside of the piece of tape is in contact with the unitary body and with the length-wise second portions of the optical fibers disposed in the grooves, wherein the adhesive-backed tape cover permanently affixes the length-wise second portions of the optical fibers in fixed positions within the cleave holder;
• and
• stripping and cleaving at least a part of the third portions of the optical fibers extending from the front side of the cleave holder to create unjacketed portions of the optical fibers with cleaved ends, wherein the cleave holder is configured to operate as a strain relief device for the optical fibers after the stripping and cleaving.