AUTOMOTIVE AIR CONDITIONING CLUTCH

AUTOMOTIVE AIR CONDITIONING CLUTCH SYSTEM

An electromagnetic clutch for automotive air conditioning use consists of a field core coil assembly, a rotor assembly, and an armature assembly. The field core coil assembly and the rotor assembly are mounted to the compressor head, while the armature assembly is mounted to the compressor shaft. Connected to the engine's crank pulley by a V belt, the rotor assembly constantly rotates.
As shown on the diagram below, when direct current is applied to the field core coil assembly, magnetic flux is created and transferred in the direction as illustrated by the arrows. When this happens, the armature will engage the rotor and drive the compressor shaft, which activates the air conditioning system. When the current is no longer supplied to the field, the armature will release the rotor, which causes the air conditioning system to shut down.