Importance

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Abstract

The splice housing assembly provides a non-activated mechanical splice that provides temperature compensation such that the resulting splice is substantially unaffected by temperature fluctuations, thereby permitting the splice housing assembly to be formed of relatively inexpensive materials, such as plastic. The splice housing assembly includes a splice tube having a first end that is attached to an end portion of the first optical fiber. The splice housing assembly also includes a temperature compensator disposed at least partially within the splice tube. The temperature compensator defines an opening through which the end portion of the second optical fiber extends. The first end of the temperature compensator is attached to the second optical fiber and the second end of the temperature compensator is attached is the splice tube. Advantageously, the temperature compensator and the splice tube are formed of different materials that are selected such that differences between the expansion and contraction of the splice tube and the optical fibers that arise as a result of temperature variations are at least partially offset by changes in length of the temperature compensator.

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First Claim