Patent ID: 7802667

Claim:
A rotatable clutch assembly having a centerline of rotation, and comprising: a housing at least partially defining a primary housing cavity and a secondary housing cavity, said primary housing cavity including a clutch-apply cavity and a balance cavity each being rotatable around the centerline to provide a clutch-apply force and a centrifugal balance force, respectively, wherein said balance cavity is in fluid communication with a pair of fluid channels including a dedicated air purge channel and a liquid fill channel positioned on opposite sides of a plane containing the centerline with respect to each other; wherein said air purge channel has a first portion extending radially with respect to the centerline for directing air from said balance cavity toward the centerline, and a second portion that intersects said first portion at an intersection point, said secondary housing cavity being in direct fluid communication with said second portion of said air purge channel, wherein said air purge channel is configured to sufficiently rapidly purge said air from said balance cavity to said secondary cavity so that fluid may more rapidly fill said balance cavity through said liquid fill channel.