Electromagnetic clutch
US6161671A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 30, 1999 |
| Grant date | Dec 19, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 30, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF16D2500/70418
- WIPO fieldMechanical elements
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
An electromagnetic clutch has an armature, a rotor housing accommodating a stator housing and an exciting coil having negative and positive terminals. A passage is formed to extend from an outer peripheral surface of the stator housing to the negative terminal and the positive terminal. The passage is filled with a conductive metal member having a melting point lower than that of the stator housing between the outer surface of the stator housing and the negative terminal. When frictional heat generated between the armature and the rotor housing exceeds a preset value, the metal member melts and flows to the positive terminal, thereby short-circuiting the coil. As a result, a fuse between a power source and the clutch is fused, thereby turning off the clutch. Therefore, the clutch does not need to have a thermal fuse therein and is reduced in size without increasing power consumption.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.