Diodes Multi-channel load current drain drivers consume 12 times less power than industry standard devices

     Diodes Incorporated introduced two drives, the ULN2003V12 and ULN2003F12. The ULN2003V12 is a seven-channel relay and inductive load current drain driver that directly replaces industry standard devices and reduces power consumption by up to 12 times. The ULN2003F12 is a four-channel version that reduces the footprint when driving low-voltage stepper motors that require fewer output channels.

     The ULN2003V12 is a seven-channel relay and inductive load current drain driver that can directly replace other manufacturers' industry-standard ULN2003A products of the same type and save 12 times power consumption. The four-channel ULN2003F12 provides a smaller solution in situations that require fewer output channels, such as driving low-voltage stepper motors. The target markets for both devices include household appliances such as washing machines and dishwashers.

     The ULN2003V12 and ULN2003F12 support 3.3V to 5V CMOS logic inputs, making them compatible with a wide range of microcontrollers and logic devices. They also integrate the input RC buffer circuit and the internal input stage pull-down resistor, the former effectively improve the performance under noise operation, the latter simplifies the three-state input logic workflow. The new device also features a low output impedance driver that minimizes on-chip power consumption while supporting output pull-up voltages of up to 20V. Both devices offer supply currents as low as 25μA per channel and superior 4kV electrostatic discharge mannequin test performance for industrial applications.

     One of the main features of the ULN2003V12 and ULN2003F12 devices is that each output is connected to the COM pin via an internal current diode for a common cathode configuration. This function improves current extraction by connecting several adjacent channels in parallel. For example, when the seven channels of the ULN2003V12 are connected in parallel, the device can generally handle the load current of 1A. Both products come in a miniature package that helps reduce the need for board space.