Expanded beam fiber optic system

An expanded beam fiber optic connector for establishing an aligned connection of an end of an optical fiber with a ball lens, said connector comprising:

• a ferrule at the end of the optical fiber supporting the optical fiber, the optical fiber being coaxially centered within said ferrule, and said ferrule having a ferrule outside diameter;
• a housing including a bore having a bore inside diameter larger than the ferrule outside diameter, said housing being made of a compressible material for secure press fit of components within said bore;
• a ball lens press fit within said bore;
• a longitudinally-extending single-piece fiber stub with stepped outside diameters defining a press-fit end and a secondary connection end of lesser diameter the same as the ferrule diameter, a section of optical fiber being coaxially centered within and supported by said fiber stub, and said press-fit end press fit within said bore so that one end of said section of optical fiber is either in contact with or immediately adjacent said ball lens;
• a butt joint between the other end of said section of optical fiber and the end of the optical fiber being connected, said secondary connection end of said fiber stub contacting said ferrule;
• and
• an alignment sleeve around said secondary connection end of said fiber stub and a first portion of said ferrule, wherein a second portion of said ferrule is not surrounded by said alignment sleeve.