Fiber optic connector having a main connector body and a plurality of removable sub-connectors

A method of connecting a fiber optic connector to a fiber optic receptacle comprising:

• removably inserting a plurality of sub-connectors into a main connector body, wherein:
• the main connector body comprises a plurality of sub-connector latch mechanisms extending from a side of the main connector body, each sub-connector latch mechanism comprising a protrusion;
• the main connector body further comprises a recess on a side of the main connector body that is opposite from the side of the main connector body comprising the plurality of latch mechanism;
• and
• each of the plurality of sub-connectors comprises a sub-connector body comprising a recess for receiving at least a portion of the protrusion of an individual sub-connector latch mechanism when the sub-connector body is inserted into the main connector body, and a ferrule retaining at least one optical fiber pair therein;
• and
• removably inserting the main connector body into a fiber optic receptacle comprising a receptacle latch mechanism comprising a protrusion such that the protrusion of the receptacle latch mechanism is disposed within the recess of the main connector body, thereby optically connecting the at least one optical fiber pairs of the plurality of sub-connectors to the fiber optic receptacle.

An optical connection comprising:

• a fiber optic connector comprising:
• a main connector body comprising a recess disposed within a side of the main connector body;
• and
• a plurality of sub-connectors each comprising:
• a sub-connector body configured to be removably inserted and retained in the main connector body;
• and
• a ferrule configured to receive and retain two or more optical fibers;
• a fiber optic receptacle comprising a receptacle latch mechanism configured as a resilient tab comprising a protrusion, wherein inserting the fiber optic connector into the fiber optic receptacle causes the protrusion of the resilient tab to be disposed within the recess of the main connector body, and optically connects each of the two or more optical fibers retained in each ferrule of the plurality of sub-connectors to the fiber optic receptacle.

An optical connection comprising:

• a fiber optic connector comprising:
• a main connector body comprising:
• a plurality of sub-connector latch mechanisms extending from a side of the main connector body, each sub-connector latch mechanism comprising a protrusion;
• and
• a recess on a side of the main connector body that is opposite from the side of the main connector body comprising the plurality of latch mechanism;
• and
• a plurality of sub-connectors each comprising:
• a sub-connector body configured to be removably inserted and retained in the main connector body, the sub-connector body comprising a recess for receiving at least a portion of the protrusion of an individual sub-connector latch mechanism when the sub-connector body is inserted into the main connector body;
• and
• a ferrule configured to receive and retain at least one optical fiber pair;
• and
• a fiber optic receptacle comprising a receptacle latch mechanism configured as a resilient tab comprising a protrusion, wherein inserting the fiber optic connector into the fiber optic receptacle causes the protrusion of the resilient tab to be disposed within the recess of the main connector body such that the receptacle latch mechanism and the plurality of sub-connector latch mechanisms are on opposite sides of the main connector body, and each of the two or more optical fibers retained in each ferrule of the plurality of sub-connectors are optically coupled tothe fiber optic receptacle.