Patent ID: 7404544

Claim:
A torque limiting clutch for a spare tire carrier comprising, in combination: a drive shaft having a central rotational axis; a disk-shaped spring member secured to the drive shaft for rotation with the drive shaft about the central rotational axis; wherein the spring member has a plurality of axially extending detents formed at an outer edge of the spring member; a plate adjacent the spring member and having a plurality of grooves receiving the detents of the spring member; wherein the drive shaft has a groove receiving a retaining clip and an abutment spaced apart and facing the groove and the plate and the spring member are located between the retaining clip and the abutment with the spring member engaging the abutment and the plate engaging the retaining clip to retain the plate in a longitudinal position relative to the spring member to obtain a predetermined pretension of the spring member; and wherein engagement of the detents with the grooves causes rotation of the plate upon rotation of the drive shaft and the spring member when below a predetermined torque limit and deflection of the detents out of the grooves prevents rotation of the plate upon rotation of the drive shaft and the spring member when above the predetermine torque.