Patent ID: 7591360

Claim:
A clutch assembly, comprising: a clutch; a clutch cover comprising first screw threads on a side thereof; and a clutch housing containing the clutch and attached to the clutch cover, wherein said clutch housing comprises second screw threads corresponding to the first screw threads on a side of the clutch housing facing said side of said clutch cover; wherein the clutch cover is attached to the clutch housing by threading the first screw threads with the second screw threads; wherein the side of the clutch cover comprises a first protrusion, at least approximately perpendicular to a surface of said clutch cover, and a second protrusion extending at least approximately perpendicularly from the first protrusion, such that the clutch cover has a generally stepped cross-section, wherein the first screw threads are disposed on the second protrusion; wherein the side of the clutch housing comprises a step including a vertical surface, the first protrusion comprises an extended portion that is at least approximately parallel to the vertical surface and extends beyond the second protrusion, and an O-ring is disposed between the vertical surface and the extended portion; wherein a snap ring groove is disposed on the side of the clutch housing, a snap ring is installed in the snap ring groove so as to contact the extended portion; and wherein at least one of the first and second screw threads comprises an elastic portion.