Patent ID: 8718504

Claim:
A converter comprising: a field-effect transistor (FET) configured to switch continually an input voltage; a drive unit configured to drive the switching element, the drive unit including a transistor; a pulse signal generating unit configured to supply a pulse signal to the drive unit, wherein the transistor is connected to the switching element, and the transistor is turned on and off according to the pulse signal so that the switching element continually switches the input voltage in a case where the input voltage is a first voltage, said pulse signal generating unit including a transistor; and a bypass unit configured to connect the switching element and the pulse signal generating unit without the transistor of the drive unit, said bypass unit including a resistor, wherein the resistor connects a base terminal of the FET and the transistor, and wherein the bypass unit stops an operation of the transistor and constantly maintains the switching element in an ON state in a case where the input voltage is switched to a second voltage lower than the first voltage.