Patent ID: 7225909

Claim:
Apparatus including: a clutch assembly arrangement, comprising: a rotatable cylindrical friction plate, a rotatable support member including a passage, wherein the passage includes a longitudinal axis, wherein at least a portion of the passage is bounded by an axially extending tapered interior surface, wherein the tapered interior surface is configured for mating engagement with a corresponding axially extending tapered outer shaft surface of a rotatable shaft, wherein in the mating engagement the tapered interior surface is radially supported by the tapered outer shaft surface, wherein in the mating engagement the tapered outer shaft surface extends through the friction plate, a piston assembly, wherein the piston assembly is supported by the support member, wherein the piston is operative to be activated to move in an axial direction relative to the support member, wherein in the mating engagement, activation of the piston assembly is operative to cause rotation of the shaft, wherein both the friction plate and the support member are rotatable relative to the piston assembly, at least one friction disc, wherein the at least one friction disc is rotatable, wherein the at least one friction disc is arranged between the piston assembly and the friction plate, wherein activation of the piston assembly is operative to cause engagement of the at least one friction disc and the friction plate to impart rotation to the shaft, at least one biasing member, wherein at least a portion of the at least one biasing member is axially arranged between the piston assembly and the friction plate, wherein the at least one biasing member is operative to provide a force in an axial direction acting against the engagement.