FIBER OPTIC FERRULE

Consistent with the present disclosure, a ferrule is provided that includes first and second channels, for example. Multiple fibers of a ribbon cable, for example, are divided into groups and fed into corresponding channels of the ferrule. Since multiple channels are provided, however, each channel can be made relatively narrow. As noted above, thermal stress in a channel increases with increasing channel widths. Thus, by providing smaller channel widths, the fibers in those channels experience less thermal stress. Moreover, the channels are spaced from one another so that the lateral spacing between adjacent fibers in the ribbon cable is maintained in the ferrule. As a result, the fibers are not bent laterally, and thus may experience little bending stress.