Stabilized DC power supply device

• US 20040100234A1
• Filed: 11/20/2003
• Published: 05/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ROHM Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: ROHM Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Takemura, Koh, Okubo, Takuya
• Granted Patent: US 6,917,187 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 323/276
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/569 for protection

Abstract

According to the conventional stabilized DC power supply device, there is a possibility that the output transistor breaks down by heat when the input voltage fluctuates. To cope with this, the stabilized DC power supply device embodying the invention is so configured as to comprise an output transistor for converting an input voltage to an output voltage and feeding out the output voltage, a control circuit for controlling the output transistor so as to maintain a value of the output voltage constant, a current detection circuit for detecting an output current of the output transistor, a voltage detection circuit for detecting a voltage appearing between an input side and an output side of the output transistor, a multiplying circuit for multiplying an output of the current detection circuit and an output of the voltage detection circuit together, and a protection circuit for restricting a wattage power of the output transistor according to an output of the multiplying circuit.

Claims

1. A stabilized DC power supply device comprising:

an output transistor for converting an input voltage to an output voltage and feeding out the output voltage;

a control circuit for controlling the output transistor so as to maintain a value of the output voltage constant;

a current detection circuit for detecting an output current of the output transistor;

a voltage detection circuit for detecting a voltage appearing between an input side and an output side of the output transistor;

a multiplying circuit for multiplying an output of the current detection circuit and an output of the voltage detection circuit together; and

a protection circuit for restricting a wattage power of the output transistor according to an output of the multiplying circuit.

2. A stabilized DC power supply device as claimed in claim 1,

wherein, at least the control circuit is incorporated into a semiconductor integrated circuit and the output transistor is connected externally with respect to the semiconductor integrated circuit.

3. A stabilized DC power supply device as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the current detection circuit comprises a current-sensing resistor through which the output current of the output transistor flows and an operational amplifier that detects a voltage across the current-sensing resistor;

and

at least the control circuit is incorporated into a semiconductor integrated circuit and the current-sensing resistor is connected externally with respect to the semiconductor integrated circuit.

4. A stabilized DC power supply device as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the protection circuit has a resistor and a restricted value of the wattage power of the output transistor is set by a resistance value of the resistor;

and

at least the control circuit is incorporated into a semiconductor integrated circuit and the resistor is connected externally with respect to the semiconductor integrated circuit.

5. A stabilized DC power supply device as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the current detection circuit comprises a current-sensing resistor through which the output current of the output transistor flows and an operational amplifier that detects a voltage across the current-sensing resistor;

the protection circuit has a resistor and a restricted value of the wattage power of the output transistor is set by a resistance value of the resistor; and

at least the control circuit is incorporated into a semiconductor integrated circuit, and the output transistor, the current-sensing resistor, and the resistor are connected externally with respect to the semiconductor integrated circuit.