# US 10,865,962 B2 · Protection mechanism for light source > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,865,962 B2 - Document ID: US10865962B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/432,577 - Filed: 2019-06-05 - Published: 2019-12-12 - Granted: 2020-12-15 - Earliest claimed: 2018-06-12 - Assignees: STMicroelectronics (Grenoble 2) SAS - Applicants: Stmicroelectronics (Grenoble 2) SAS - Inventors: Romain Coffy; Jean-Michel Riviere - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10865962B2 ## CPC - F21V 15/01: Housings, e.g. material or assembling of housing parts (F21V15/02 takes precedence {housings forming signs or letters G09F13/04}) - F21V 19/003: {Fastening of light source holders, e.g. of circuit boards or substrates holding light sources} - F21V 25/04: breaking the electric circuit - H01S 5/02257: using windows, e.g. specially adapted for back-reflecting light to a detector inside the housing - H01S 5/06825: {Protecting the laser, e.g. during switch-on/off, detection of malfunctioning or degradation} - F21Y 2101/00: Point-like light sources - H01S 5/02212: Can-type, e.g. TO-CAN housings with emission along or parallel to symmetry axis - H01S 5/183: having only vertical cavities, e.g. vertical cavity surface-emitting lasers [VCSEL] - F21V: FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - H01S: DEVICES USING THE PROCESS OF LIGHT AMPLIFICATION BY STIMULATED EMISSION OF RADIATION [LASER] TO AMPLIFY OR GENERATE LIGHT; DEVICES USING STIMULATED EMISSION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION IN WAVE RANGES OTHER THAN OPTICAL - F21Y: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES F21K, F21L, F21S and F21V, RELATING TO THE FORM OR THE KIND OF THE LIGHT SOURCES OR OF THE COLOUR OF THE LIGHT EMITTED ## Abstract The disclosure concerns a housing for a light source mounted on a substrate, the housing comprising: a barrel having first and second conducting columns; and a diffuser having one or more conductive paths arranged to electrically connect the first and second conducting columns when the diffuser is mounted on the barrel. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A housing for a light source mounted on a substrate, the housing comprising: a barrel having first and second conducting columns; and a diffuser having one or more conductive paths on a side surface of the diffuser, the diffuser mounted to the barrel and arranged to electrically couple the first and second conducting columns together by the one or more conductive paths. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The housing of claim 1, wherein the diffuser comprises a transparent element, and wherein the one or more conductive paths extend around a perimeter of the diffuser at the side surfaces of the diffuser. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The housing of claim 1, wherein the one or more conductive paths is a coating that extends around an entire perimeter of the diffuser. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The housing of claim 1, wherein the barrel includes a recess, wherein the diffuser is positioned in the recess. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The housing of claim 1, wherein the one or more conductive paths includes a wire that extends around an entire perimeter of the diffuser and is located between side surfaces of the diffuser and the first and second conducting columns. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The housing of claim 1, wherein the first and second conducting columns are arranged in first and second through openings, respectively, of the barrel. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The housing of claim 1, further comprising conductive glue electrically coupling the one or more conductive paths to the first and second conducting columns. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The housing of claim 1, wherein the barrel comprises, at one end, a first surface configured to be coupled to the substrate, the first and second conducting columns extending between the first surface of the barrel and an opposing second surface. ### Claim 9 An electronic device comprising: a substrate; a light source coupled to the substrate; and a housing coupled to the substrate, the housing comprising: a housing body having a central through opening and first and second through openings, the light source being located in the central through opening; first and second conducting columns in the first and second through openings, respectively, of the housing body; one or more conductive paths that electrically couple the first and second conductive columns together; and a diffuser coupled to the housing body in a mounting position, wherein the one or more conductive paths and the diffuser are located in a recess of the housing body. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the diffuser includes first and second frame portions and a transparent element, wherein the transparent element is held by the first and second frame portions. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the one or more conductive paths includes a first conductive path and a second conductive path, wherein the first conductive path is on the first frame portion and the second conductive path is on the second frame portion. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the first and second conducting columns extend along respective sides of the housing body. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The electronic device of claim 9, further comprising a circuit configured to supply a supply voltage to the light source by the first and second conducting columns. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The electronic device of claim 9, further comprising a circuit configured to supply a supply voltage to the light source by a switch controlled by an activation signal provided by the first and second conducting columns. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The electronic device of claim 9, further comprising a circuit configured to detect a detachment of the diffuser from the housing body based on a voltage drop across the first and second conducting columns and to deactivate the light source wherein the diffuser disengages from the mounting position. ### Claim 16 An electronic device comprising: a substrate; a light source coupled to the substrate; and a housing coupled to the substrate, the housing comprising: a housing body having a through opening, the light source being located in the through opening; first and second conducting columns coupled to the housing body; a diffuser coupled to the housing body in a mounting position, the diffuser having side surfaces and a conductive material on the side surfaces; and one or more conductive paths between conductive material on the side surfaces of the diffuser and the first and second conductive columns. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the conductive material on the side surfaces of the diffuser is a wire that extends around a perimeter of the diffuser. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the conductive material on the side surfaces of the diffuser is a coating that coats the entire perimeter of the side surfaces of the diffuser. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The electronic device of claim 18, wherein the coating is between first and second sides of the side surfaces of the diffuser and the first and second conductive columns, respectively.