One way wedge clutch with reduced freewheel friction

1. A one-way clutch, comprising:

an inner race including a first outer circumference with a first plurality of ramps;

at least one wedge plate including:

a first inner circumference with a second plurality of ramps;

a second outer circumference; and,

a first plurality of slots:

passing through material forming the at least one wedge plate in an axial direction;

including respective first ends open to the second outer circumference; and,

including respective second ends radially outward of the first inner circumference and enclosed by the at least one wedge plate; and,

an outer race including a second inner circumference, wherein:

the at least one wedge plate includes a radially disposed gap separating fifth and sixth ends of the at least one wedge plate such that the at least one wedge plate is wholly discontinuous in the first or second circumferential direction at the gap;

the outer race is able to rotate with respect to the inner race in a first circumferential direction;

rotation of the outer race in a second circumferential direction, opposite the first circumferential direction, causes the rotation of the outer race to lock to rotation of the inner race; and,

the at least one wedge plate includes a second plurality of slots:

passing through the material forming the at least one wedge plate in the axial direction;

including respective third ends open to the first inner circumference; and,

including respective fourth ends radially inward of the second outer circumference and enclosed by the at least one wedge plate.

2. The one-way clutch of claim 1 , wherein a magnitude of a radially outward force exerted on the second inner circumference by the at least one wedge plate varies according to a number of slots in the first plurality of slots.

3. The one-way clutch of claim 2 , wherein the magnitude of the radially outward force decreases as the number of slots increases.

4. The one-way clutch of claim 1 , wherein at least respective portions of the first and second pluralities of slots overlap in the first or second circumferential direction.

5. The one-way clutch of claim 1 , wherein respective slots in the first plurality of slots are separated, in the first or second circumferential directions, from slots in the second plurality of slots or from remaining slots in the first plurality of slots by the material forming the at least one wedge plate.

6. The one-way clutch of claim 1 , wherein respective slots in the second plurality of slots are separated, in the first or second circumferential directions, from slots in the first plurality of slots or from remaining slots in the second plurality of slots by the material forming the at least one wedge plate.

7. The one-way clutch of claim 1 , wherein:

a respective pair of slots includes a respective slot from the first plurality of slots and a respective slot from the second plurality of slots adjacent in the first circumferential direction without an intervening slot from the first or second plurality of slots; and,

a respective radial line extending from the inner race to the outer race and circumferentially disposed between the slots in the respective pair of slots passes through the material forming the at least one wedge plate without encountering an opening in the material or an interruption of the material.

8. The one-way clutch of claim 1 , wherein a respective radial line extending from the inner race to the outer race:

is circumferentially disposed between:

two slots from the first plurality of slots adjacent in the first circumferential direction; or,

two slots from the second plurality of slots adjacent in the first circumferential direction, and,

passes through the material forming the at least one wedge plate without encountering an opening in or interruption of the material.

9. The one-way clutch of claim 1 , wherein:

the second outer circumference of the at least one wedge plate includes a plurality of segments;

respective pairs of the segments, adjacent in the first circumferential direction, are separated in the first circumferential direction by a respective slot from the first plurality of slots.

10. The one-way clutch of claim 9 , wherein a magnitude of a radially outward force exerted on the second inner circumference by the at least one wedge plate varies according to a number of segments in the plurality of segments or a circumferential length of the plurality of segments.

11. The one-way clutch of claim 10 , wherein the magnitude of the radially outward force decreases as the number of segments in the plurality of segments increases or the circumferential length decreases.

12. A one-way clutch, comprising:

an inner race including a first outer circumference with a plurality of first ramps;

at least one wedge plate including:

a first inner circumference with a plurality of second ramps;

a second outer circumference;

a first plurality of slots:

passing through material forming the at least one wedge plate in an axial direction;

including respective first ends open to the second outer circumference; and,

including respective second ends radially outward of the first inner circumference and enclosed by the at least one wedge plate; and,

a second plurality of slots:

passing through the material forming the at least one wedge plate in an axial direction;

including respective third ends open to the first inner circumference; and,

including respective fourth ends radially inward of the second outer circumference and enclosed by the at least one wedge plate; and,

an outer race including a second inner circumference, wherein:

at least respective portions of the first and second pluralities of slots overlap in a first or second circumferential direction;

a radial line extending from the inner race to the outer race and circumferentially disposed between:

two slots from the first plurality of slots adjacent in the first or second circumferential directions;

two slots from the second plurality of slots adjacent in the first or second circumferential directions; or,

one slot, each from the first and second pluralities of slots adjacent in the first or second circumferential directions, which passes through the material forming the at least one wedge plate without encountering an opening in the material;

the outer race is able to rotate with respect to the inner race in the first circumferential direction; and,

rotation of the outer race in the second circumferential direction, opposite the first circumferential direction, causes the rotation of the outer race to lock to rotation of the inner race.

13. A one-way clutch, comprising:

an inner race including a first outer circumference with a first plurality of ramps;

at least one wedge plate including:

a first inner circumference with a second plurality of ramps;

a second outer circumference including a plurality of segments;

a first plurality of slots:

passing through material forming the at least one wedge plate in an axial direction;

including respective first ends open to the second outer circumference; and,

including respective second ends radially outward of the first inner circumference and enclosed by the at least one wedge plate;

a second plurality of slots:

passing through the material forming the at least one wedge plate in the axial direction;

including respective third ends open to the first inner circumference; and,

including respective fourth ends radially inward of the second outer circumference and enclosed by the at least one wedge plate; and,

an outer race including a second inner circumference, wherein:

at least respective portions of the first and second pluralities of slots overlap in the first or second circumferential direction;

respective pairs of segments from the plurality of segments, adjacent in the first circumferential direction, are separated in the first circumferential direction by a respective slot from the first plurality of slots;

the outer race is able to rotate with respect to the inner race in a first circumferential direction;

rotation of the outer race in a second circumferential direction, opposite the first circumferential direction, causes the rotation of the outer race to lock to rotation of the inner race; and,

a magnitude of a radially outward force exerted on the second inner circumference by the at least one wedge plate varies according to a number of slots in the first plurality of slots or a circumferential length of the plurality of segments.