Patent ID: 9447826
Filing Date: 2016-09-20
CPC Classification: F01P,F16D

Claim Text:
1. A driven vehicle accessory comprising: an input member adapted to receive rotary power from an endless power transmission element, the input member having a hub, an outer rim, and a radially extending web that couples the hub to the outer rim; a housing that defines a bore, a tubular segment and an annular channel, the tubular segment being disposed radially between the bore and the annular channel, the tubular segment and the annular channel being concentric with the bore; a first bearing received between the tubular segment and the hub of the input member, the first bearing supporting the input member for rotation relative to the housing; an electromagnetic coil received in the annular channel, the electromagnetic coil being disposed radially between the outer rim and the hub; a cover coupled to the input member for common rotation about the axis, the cover cooperating with the input member to define a clutch cavity; an armature received in the clutch cavity, the armature being disposed on a side of the web opposite the electromagnetic coil, the armature being moveable along the axis between a first armature position and a second armature position; a friction plate received in the clutch cavity and capable of rotation about the axis relative to the armature, the friction plate being movable between a first friction plate position and a second friction plate position; a plurality of coil springs biasing the armature relative to the friction plate in a first direction along the axis; a return spring received between the cover and the friction plate, the return spring biasing the friction plate toward the second friction plate position; wherein the electromagnetic coil is selectively operable to generate a magnetic field to move the armature in a second direction along the axis, the second direction being opposite the first direction.