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.