Patent ID: 8011486

Claim:
An electromagnetically actuatable clutch for a water pump for an internal combustion engine, comprising: a drive wheel rotatably mounted relative to the water pump; an armature disk connected to the drive wheel such that the armature disk is rotationally fixed to the drive wheel while being axially displaceable relative to the drive wheel; an eddy current clutch comprising a. a first functional component rotatably fixed to the armature and axially displaceable together with the armature disk; b. a second functional component fixed to a shaft coupled to the water pump; and c. a friction mechanism provided between the first and second functional components; and a coil for moving the armature disk and the first functional component axially away from the second functional component, wherein the friction mechanism provides a frictional locking engagement between the first and second functional components when the coil is unenergized.