Patent ID: 6360862
Filing Date: 2002-03-26
Classification: F16D

Abstract:
A clutch assembly for a vehicle comprising:a clutch cover rotatable about an axis; a pressure plate rotatable about said axis, said pressure plate movable along said axis relative to said clutch cover between engaged and disengaged positions; a resilient clutch strap having first and second opposing ends secured to said clutch cover and pressure plate respectively at first and second connections respectively, said first connection defining a first plane perpendicular to said axis and said second connection defining a second plane perpendicular to said axis, wherein said resilient clutch strap includes a disengaged state in which said first and second planes are generally coplanar in said disengaged position, wherein said resilient clutch strap includes an engaged state in which said first plane is offset from said second plane in a first direction in said engaged position, and wherein said resilient clutch strap is biased from a pre-assembled state in which said first plane is offset from said second plane in a second direction opposite said first direction to said engaged state upon assembly of said clutch assembly.