Ball retaining ball and ramp assembly

A ball and ramp assembly, comprising:

• a first plate having one or more first plate grooves, a first side, a second side, an inner surface and an outer surface;
• wherein said one or more first plate grooves have a first end portion and a second end portion;
• wherein said one or more first plate grooves are non-circular in shape and are in a first plane defined by said first plate;
• wherein a shoulder portion circumferentially extends from at least a portion of said first side of said first plate;
• wherein an increased diameter portion circumferentially extends along at least a portion of said outer surface of said first plate;
• wherein said first plate has a first plate gear portion having a plurality of gear teeth;
• wherein at least a portion of said first plate gear portion is integrally connected to or integrally formed as part of at least a portion of at least one of said outer surface and said increased diameter portion of said first plate;
• wherein at least a portion of a thrust bearing is in direct contact with at least a portion of said shoulder portion of said first plate;
• a second plate having one or more second plate grooves;
• wherein the one or more second plate grooves have a first end portion and a second end portion;
• wherein said one or more second plate grooves of said second plate are a reverse mirror image of said one or more first plate grooves of said first plate;
• one or more rolling elements;
• wherein at least a portion of said one or more rolling elements are disposed within said one or more first plate grooves of said first plate and said one or more second plate grooves of said second plate;
• and
• wherein said one or more rolling elements are retained within said one or more first and second plate grooves by an angle θ1 between said one or more first and second plate grooves, wherein said angle θ1 between said one or more first plate grooves and said one or more second plate grooves is determined in a second plane oriented in parallel to said first plate and said second plate and wherein said angle θ1 is a result of said non-circular shape of said one or more first and second plate grooves in combination with said reverse mirror image orientation of said one or more first plate grooves relative to said one or more second plate grooves.