Miniature housing enables rapid prototyping for IR reflective presence / proximity sensors

Vishay has announced the expansion of its optoelectronics portfolio with the introduction of a miniature plastic housing for the rapid prototyping of reflective presence and proximity sensors. The housing is uniquely designed to provide optical isolation between a 3mm (T1) infrared (IR) emitter and any of Vishay's TSSP-type presence or proximity sensors, says the company. For reflective sensor applications such as automatic hand dryers, automatic towel dispensers, toys, and vending machines, optical isolation between the emitter and sensor is an absolute necessity. With their extremely high sensitivity, Vishay Semiconductors TSSP sensors can be inadvertently activated by even very small light leakage. To prevent this, designers have traditionally had to spend valuable time constructing their own mechanical housings and light isolation. To speed up prototyping and enable small production runs, Vishay's TSSP-HA plastic housing provides designers with the optical isolation they require while aligning the emitter and sensor leads on standard breadboard grids. In addition, the cavity on each side of the holder is designed with a recessed top edge for cover pieces, simplifying the task of designing an aperture for the sensor or aiming tube for the emitter, if required. Capable of withstanding wave soldering temperatures on the opposite side of the PCB, the TSSP-HA is RoHS-compliant and halogen-free.