Valve-timing control apparatus for internal combustion engine

A valve-timing control apparatus for an internal combustion engine, wherein an operating characteristic of an engine valve is varied by varying a relative rotational position between a first member and a second member, the valve-timing control apparatus comprising:

• an electric motor configured to rotate the second member relative to the first member by rotating an output shaft of the electric motor;
• a speed-reduction mechanism configured to reduce a rotational speed of the output shaft of the electric motor and to transmit a reduced rotation of the output shaft to the second member such that the second member is rotated relative to the first member;
• a slip ring provided on a surface of a tip portion of the electric motor;
• a cover member provided to cover at least a part of the surface of the tip portion of the electric motor;
• a power-feeding brush disposed in the cover member such that the power-feeding brush is in contact with the slip ring;
• and
• an angle sensing mechanism configured to sense a rotational angle of the output shaft of the electric motor,
• wherein the angle sensing mechanism includes
• a detected portion attached to the output shaft of the electric motor, and
• a detecting portion attached to the cover member and opposed to the detected portion through a predetermined axial clearance,
• wherein the power-feeding brush is located so as not to overlap with the detected portion in a vertically-upper direction from the detected portion.