Proximity sensing for optical emitter safety

Abstract

An optical emitter arrangement comprises a housing, an electrical interconnection member, and an optical emitter device mounted on the electrical interconnection member, wherein the electrical interconnection member is attached to the housing such that the optical emitter device is located within the housing. The optical emitter arrangement further comprises an optical system including an optical element for transmitting light emitted by the optical emitter device, the optical system being attached to the housing so that the optical element can receive light emitted by the optical emitter device and transmit the received light out of the housing, and the optical system further including a sensed element. The optical emitter arrangement also comprises a proximity sensor mounted on the electrical interconnection member for sensing a proximity of the sensed element. The optical emitter arrangement may enable a method of operating the optical emitter arrangement wherein the emission of light from the optical emitter arrangement is prevented in the event of a mechanical malfunction or failure of the optical emitter arrangement. The optical emitter arrangement may be used, in particular though not exclusively, in flood illuminators or projectors.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.