Housing for light source

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10738985-B2
Application number	US-201916439308-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 12, 2019
Priority date	Jun 12, 2018
Publication date	Aug 11, 2020
Grant date	Aug 11, 2020

Abstract

The disclosure concerns a housing for a light source mounted on a substrate, the housing comprising: a molded body having an opening permitting the passage of a light beam generated by the light source; one or more surfaces for receiving a diffuser; and first and second conducting pins traversing the molded body.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A housing for a light source mounted on a substrate, the housing comprising:
a molded body having an opening configured to permit passage of a light beam generated by the light source;
a recessed portion of the molded body configured to receive a diffuser; and
first and second conducting pins extending through the molded body, surfaces of the first and second conducting pins exposed at the recessed portion.

2. The housing of claim 1 , wherein at least one pin chosen among the first and second conducting pins has a uniform cross-section along its length.

3. The housing of claim 1 , wherein the molded body is formed of at least one material chose among plastic and resin, and wherein the first and second conducting pins are formed of a metal.

4. The housing of claim 1 , further comprising the diffuser fixed to the one or more surfaces of the molded body, wherein the diffuser comprises a partially transparent zone permitting transmission of a light beam and a conductive coating comprising one or more conductive tracks electrically connecting the first and second conductive pins.

5. The housing of claim 4 , wherein the conductive coating comprises at least one material chose among copper, tungsten, and gold.

6. The housing of claim 4 , wherein the conducting coating comprises ITO (Indium Tin Oxide).

7. An electronic device, comprising:
a substrate having a first surface;
a light source coupled to the first surface, the light source configured to generate a light beam;
a diffuser; and
a housing coupled to the first surface and covering the light source, the housing including:
a through opening configured to permit passage of the light beam;
a receiving surface, the diffuser coupled to the receiving surface; and
first and second conductive pins extending through the housing, wherein the diffuser is coupled to the first and second conductive pins.

8. The electronic device of claim 7 , further comprising first and second contacts coupled to ends of first and second conductive pins, respectively, wherein the first and second contacts couple the first and second conductive pins to the diffuser.

9. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein the housing includes a recess, wherein the receiving surface is formed at a bottom surface of the recess.

10. The electronic device of claim 7 , further comprising a circuit coupled to the first and second conductive pins.

11. The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the circuit is located in the substrate.

12. The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the circuit is configured to supply a supply voltage to the light source through the first and second conducting pins.

13. The electronic device of claim 7 , further comprising a circuit configured to supply a supply voltage to the light source through a switch that is controlled by an activation signal provided by the first and second conducting pins.

14. The electronic device of claim 7 , further comprising a circuit configured to detect a detachment of the diffuser from the housing based on a voltage drop across the first and second conducting pins and to deactivate the light source when detachment of the diffuser is detected.

15. A method, comprising:
coupling first and second conductive pins to first and second contacts, respectively, on a surface of a substrate, the substrate including a diffuser verification circuit, wherein the first and second pins are electrically coupled to the diffuser verification circuit; and
molding a housing around the first and second conductive pins.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
coupling a light source to the surface of the substrate; and
coupling a diffuser to a surface of the housing and to the first and second conductive pins, the diffuser covering a through opening in the housing and the light source.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
prior to coupling the diffuser, forming conductive coating layers on surfaces of the first and second conductive pins,
wherein coupling the diffuser comprises coupling the diffuser to the conductive coating layers.

18. A method, comprising:
molding a housing on a surface of a substrate, the housing including first and second through holes that exposes first and second contacts on the surface of the housing, the substrate including a diffuser verification circuit that is coupled to the first and second contacts; and
inserting first and second conductive pins into the first and second through holes, respectively, such that the first and second pins are electrically coupled to the first and second contacts, respectively.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
coupling a light source to the surface of the substrate; and
coupling a diffuser to a surface of the housing and to the first and second conductive pins, the diffuser covering a through opening in the housing and the light source.

20. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
prior to coupling the diffuser, forming conductive coating layers on surfaces of the first and second conductive pins,
wherein coupling the diffuser comprises coupling the diffuser to the contacts.

Assignees

• Stmicroelectronics (Research & Development) Ltd
• Stmicroelectronics (Grenoble 2) Sas

Inventors

• Hannan Joseph
• Robertson Stuart
• Coffy Romain
• Riviere Jean-Michel

Classifications

• H10W72/30

  Die-attach connectors · CPC title

• H10W76/60

  Seals · CPC title

• H10H20/84

  Coatings, e.g. passivation layers or antireflective coatings · CPC title

• H10H20/857

  Interconnections, e.g. lead-frames, bond wires or solder balls · CPC title

• H10H20/855

  Optical field-shaping means, e.g. lenses · CPC title