Patent ID: 7617677

Claim:
A stator unit for a torque converter including an impeller and a turbine, said stator unit comprising a stator disposed between the impeller and the turbine of the torque converter, a one-way clutch disposed between said stator and a stator shaft, and thrust bearings each disposed between said stator and one of the impeller and the turbine, said one-way clutch comprising an outer ring comprising a peripheral wall extending over the entire circumference, first and second side walls each extending radially inwardly from one of two axial side edges of said peripheral wall, and first and second flanges extending axially inwardly from radially inner edges of said first and second side walls, respectively, said outer ring being fixed to a radially inner portion of said stator, an inner ring which can be fixed to the stator shaft and having an outer surface that is in sliding contact with said first and second flanges, and sprags disposed in said outer ring between an inner surface of said peripheral wall and an outer surface of said inner ring so as to be selectively engageable with said inner surface of said peripheral wall and said outer surface of said inner ring.