1 Features

1• Output Voltage Range Adjustable

from 1.25-V to 37-V

• Output Current Greater Than 500-mA

• Internal Short-Circuit Current Limiting

• Thermal-Overload Protection

• Output Safe-Area Compensation

• Q Devices Meet Automotive Performance

Requirements

• Customer-Specific Configuration Control Can Be

Supported for Q Devices Along With

Major-Change Approval

2 Applications

• Electronic Point-of-Sales

• Medical/Health/Fitness Applications

• Printers

• Appliances/White Goods

• TV/Set-Top Box

3 Description

The LM317M is an adjustable 3-terminal positive

voltage regulator capable of supplying more than

500-mA over an output-voltage range of 1.25-V to

37-V. The LM317M is exceptionally easy to use and

requires only two external resistors to set the output.

Furthermore, both line and load regulation are better

than standard fixed regulators.

In addition to having higher performance than fixed

regulators, the LM317M includes on-chip current

limiting, thermal-overload protection, and safe-

operating-area protection. All overload protection

remains fully functional if the ADJUST terminal is

disconnected.

The LM317 is a floating regulator meaning there is no device ground terminal. Quiescent current flows to

the load instead of being wasted flowing to ground.

Regulated output voltage of hundreds of volts is

possible if the maximum input to output differential does not exceed 40-V at any time. Device can be

used as a floating current source controlled by a

single resistor.

Normally, no capacitors are needed unless the device

is more than six inches from the input filter

capacitors, in which case an input bypass capacitor

of any type is needed. An optional electrolytic or

tantalum output capacitor can be added to improve

transient response. Ceramic output capacitors can be

used but output ringing may be present on transients.

The ADJUST terminal can be bypassed with any type

of capacitor to achieve high ripple-rejection ratios,

which are difficult to achieve with standard threeterminal

regulators.