Patent ID: 7554782

Claim:
A safety PLC having duplex power supply circuits, comprising: a first output-stage transistor; a first DC power supply that supplies power to the first output-stage transistor; a second output-stage transistor; a second DC power supply that supplies power to the second output-stage transistor; a signal transfer path that includes a resistor and connects the first output-stage transistor to the second output-stage transistor; and a pair of overvoltage protection units, each of which is disposed between a pair of output terminals of the corresponding one of the first and second DC power supplies and restricts the maximum value of an output potential difference between the pair of output terminals, wherein the resistance value of the resistor is less than a resistance value required to protect the second output-stage transistor from an overcurrent in case of a short circuit in the first DC power supply in the absence of the overvoltage protection units, wherein each of the overvoltage protection units includes: an NPN transistor that has a collector terminal connected to a high-potential-side terminal of the pair of output terminals and an emitter terminal connected to a low-potential-side terminal of the pair of output terminals; a zener diode that has a cathode terminal connected to the high-potential-side terminal and an anode terminal connected to a base terminal of the NPN transistor; and a resistor that connects the base terminal to the low-potential-side terminal, whereby when a voltage difference between the high-potential-side terminal of the pair of output terminals and the low-potential-side terminal of the pair of output terminals reaches the breakdown voltage of the zener diode, current flows through the NPN transistor from the high-potential-side terminal to the low-potential-side terminal to restrict the maximum value of the output potential difference between the pair of output terminals.