Patent ID: 6012563
Filing Date: 2000-01-11
Classification: F16D

Abstract:
An electromagnetic clutch comprising:a stationary boss;a drive shaft located within said stationary boss;a rotating member that is rotated by the rotational force and that is rotationally supported on an outer circumferential surface of said boss;an electromagnetic coil that is mounted on the rotating member and that is electrically insulated from the rotating member for generating an electromagnetic attractive force when a current is supplied thereto;an armature that is coupled to the rotating member in response to the electromagnetic attractive force generated by the electromagnetic coil, whereby the rotational force is transmitted from the rotating member to the drive shaft via the armature; anda sliding current supply mechanism having a slip ring and a brush, one of which is supported by the rotating member and the other of which is supported by the boss and which are slidable to selectively contact each other to supply the current to the electromagnetic coil, said sliding current supply mechanism being located in a space between the boss and the drive shaft; whereinsaid slip ring defines one of a convex and a concave surface and said brush defines the other of said convex and said concave surface, said concave and convex surface contacting each other to provide a substantially full surface contact to cause the slip ring and the brush to maintain a constant contact area.