Patent ID: 8820502

Claim:
A one-way pulley system for an alternator assembly, comprising: an outer wheel having an axial hole extending longitudinally therethrough, the axial hole forming an inner surface of the outer wheel, the outer wheel comprising a rotor side and an axially-opposed rear side; a clutch assembly disposed within the axial hole of the outer wheel, the clutch assembly comprising a housing with an outer surface for contacting the inner surface of the outer wheel, and a plurality of rolling elements operable to extend into a pivot hole; a spindle disposed within the pivot hole, the spindle having an outer surface for contacting the plurality of rolling elements and a coupling portion for connecting to a rotor shaft; and two bearings coaxially centered along the longitudinal axis of the outer wheel and located on either side of the clutch assembly, wherein the outer surface of the clutch assembly housing is fixedly attached to the inner surface of the outer wheel, wherein the axial hole is sized to receive a first of the two bearings from the rotor-side of the outer wheel and a second of the two bearings from the rear side of the outer wheel, and wherein the outer wheel includes a stepped portion forming a recess within the axial hole for locating the housing therein, whereby the stepped portion provides a barrier to the housing along the longitudinal axis of the axial hole.