Power unit for automotive trunk lid

A power unit for pivoting an automotive trunk lid between open and closed positions with the aid of electric power, comprising:

• a base plate having mutually opposed first and second side surfaces;
• first group of parts arranged on said first side surface, said first group of parts including an electric motor which outputs rotation, a speed reduction unit which reduces a speed of the rotation outputted from said motor and an electromagnetic clutch, said speed reduction unit having a gear member which is projected to said second side surface from said first side surface through an opening formed in said base plate and driven by said motor when said electromagnetic clutch assumes ON condition;
• second group of parts arranged on said second side surface, said second group of parts including an intermediate gear which is rotatably connected to said base plate and meshed with said gear member, an output gear which is rotatably connected to said base plate through a shaft secured to said output gear and meshed with said intermediate gear and an output arm which has one end secured to said shaft thereby to rotate together with said output gear, said output arm having the other end which is adapted to be linked to said trunk lid, said second group of parts being arranged flatly on said second side surface in a manner to constitute a layered structure;
• and
• a temporarily holding arrangement for temporarily holding said output arm at a predetermined given angular position, said temporarily holding arrangement including an engaging opening formed in said output arm;
• and an engaging projection formed on said base plate, wherein when said output arm is turned to said given angular position, said engaging opening catches said engaging projection thereby to achieve a soft latched engagement therebetween.