Patent ID: 6907971

Claim:
A one way clutch assembly comprising: a) a clutch casing including a first plate having a central hub and a radial flange extending outwardly therefrom, a second plate, having a radial wall extending about said hub and terminating at a peripheral wall extending axially beyond said radial flange, the first and second plates having a common central axis and said radial wall and radial flange being spaced apart along the common axis to define an interior; b) a ratchet plate disposed in said interior between the first and second plates, the ratchet plate having the same common axis and displaceable along the axis within the interior; c) a first torque transfer mechanism acting between circumferental edges of said radial flange and said ratchet plate for rotationally coupling the ratchet plate to the first plate whilst permitting axial sliding motion therebetween; d) a second torque transfer mechanism for releasably coupling the ratchet plate to the second plate, the second transfer mechanism including a set of teeth formed on a radial extending ratchet plate surface opposite the radial wall of said second plate and a complimentary set of teeth formed on a second plate surface of said radial wall opposite the ratchet surface each set of teeth including an axially extending face and an inclined surface; and e) a biasing mechanism permitting relative axial displacement between the ratchet plate with respect to the second plate, the biasing mechanism providing an axial force for engaging the ratchet surface with the second plate surface; such that the engagement of the complimentary teeth effects the one-way torque transfer between the ratchet plate and the second plate.