Patent ID: 7040469

Claim:
A one-way clutch apparatus comprising an inner race element having an outer peripheral surface on which either one of a concave cam and a cylindrical surface is formed, an outer race element having an inner peripheral surface on which the other of the concave cam and the cylindrical surface is formed, torque transmission members interposed between said concave cams and said cylindrical surface for performing torque transmission between said inner race element and said outer race element, biasing means for biasing said torque transmission members, a plurality of bearing members adapted to maintain a space between said inner race element and said outer race element, and a retainer mounted on a cam side element having the concave cams, for retaining said torque transmission members, said biasing means and said bearing members, wherein said retainer is rotatable in a circumferential direction relative to said cam side element, wherein each of said plurality of bearing members is a block bearing member which is retained by said cam side element and has a sliding contact surface which is in sliding contact with said cylindrical surface, and wherein a circumferential retaining groove for retaining each said bearing member is formed on said cam side element, and a radially projecting latch convex portion of said bearing member is fitted in a corresponding retaining groove for circumferential movement therein and has a smaller circumferential width than that of said retaining groove.