Patent ID: 8256592

Claim:
A wet clutch, comprising: a piston; a reaction plate; an output component; at least one first support element connected to the output component so as to rotate with the output component and including an outer circumferential edge, and at least one first resilient tongue forming at least a portion of the outer circumferential edge of the at least one first support element, the at least one first tongue including a portion separate from a remaining portion of the at least one first support element in a radial direction by a circumferentially extending opening passing through the at least one first support element, the circumferentially extending opening in communication with the outer circumferential edge by a radial slot, passing through the at least one first support element, extending into said first support component from the outer circumferential edge; at least one second support element connected to the output component so as to rotate with the output component and including at least one second resilient tongue located radially inward of the at least one first tongue, the at least one second tongue including a portion separate from the at least one second support element in the radial direction; at least one first friction liner fixed to the at least one first support element on a side of the at least one first support element facing in a first axial direction; and, at least one second friction liner fixed to the at least one second support element on a side of the at least one second support element facing in a second axial direction, opposite the first axial direction, wherein: the at least one first and second tongues are misaligned in the first and second axial directions; and, to close the wet clutch, the piston plate is arranged to axially displace the at least one first and second support elements such that the at least one first friction liner engages one of the piston plate or the reaction plate and the at least one second friction liner engages the other of the piston plate or the reaction plate.