Patent ID: 6843353

Claim:
An electromagnetic clutch assembly comprising: a housing, a shaft rotatably supported by the housing and having at least one end extending out of the housing, a clutch plate mounted on said shaft for rotation therewith, an armature plate mounted in said housing, a gear rotatable and slidably mounted on said shaft, said gear slides between an engaged and disengaged position, said gear in coupled engagement with said clutch plate when in said engaged position, a spring assembly extending between said clutch plate and said gear, said spring assembly biasing said gear to said disengaged position, out of engagement with said clutch plate, and a coil assembly, characterized by said armature plate having an inner flange and an outer flange, and said coil assembly being mounted on said shaft for sliding movement therealong towards and away from said armature plate between said flanges, said coil assembly engaging said gear, whereby energizing said coil assembly, said coil assembly moves into engagement with said armature plate and responsively effects movement of said gear into said engaged position, coupling said gear and said clutch plate, and de-energizing said coil assembly responsively enables said spring assembly to effect movement of said gear to said disengaged position, de-coupling said gear from said clutch plate.