FIELD TERMINABLE LC FORMAT OPTICAL CONNECTOR WITH SPLICE ELEMENT

An LC format optical connector (300) for terminating an optical fiber includes a housing (310) configured to mate with an LC receptacle, the housing (310) including a shell (312), a first resilient latch (315) disposed on a surface of the shell (312), and a backbone (316). The LC format connector (300) also includes a collar body (320) disposed in the housing (310) and retained between the outer shell (312) and the backbone (316), wherein the collar body (320) includes a fiber stub (334) disposed in a first portion of the collar body (320). The collar body (320) further includes a mechanical splice (340) disposed in a second portion of the collar body (320), the mechanical splice (340) configured to splice the second end of the fiber stub (334) to a second optical fiber. The resilient latch (315) of the LC format connector (300) further is a single piece latch including a trigger (336) formed thereon.