Clutch assembly

A sealed clutch including a spline connector for connecting the sealed clutch by splined connection to a transmission shaft of an automotive transmission, the sealed clutch being free from frictional engagement with a surface of a flywheel attached to a crankshaft of an engine,

• the spline connector comprising a connector housing and a spline ring removably coupled to the connector housing,
• the spline ring including an opening having a spline configuration for cooperating with a splined portion of the transmission shaft,
• the connector housing being secured within the sealed clutch and including an opening having a spline configuration, the spline ring being insertable into the opening of the connector housing and having a splined outer surface for cooperation with the spline configuration of the connector housing opening, splined cooperation between the connector housing and the spline ring securing the spline ring within the connector housing opening against rotation relative to the connector housing and facilitating removable connection of the spline ring with the connector housing, the spline ring being secured in the connector housing against removal from the connector housing in one axial direction by a removable circlip and in the opposite axial direction by engagement with a ring, the removable circlip and the ring engaging opposite sides of the splines of the splined outer surface, the removal of the removable circlip allowing the removal of the spline ring from the connector housing,
• the sealed clutch including a clutch plate having a pair of drive plates that define an internal cavity between them and the spline connector being housed within the cavity, the drive plates each having a coaxially aligned opening through which the splined portion of the transmission shaft can extend and the opening of the spline ring being coaxial with the openings of the drive plates, the spline connector being rotatable relative to the drive plates and the spline ring being removable through the opening of one of the drive plates.