Starter Motor Having Clutch with Grooved Roller Elements

A clutch, comprising:

• a shell defining a shell opening and including a plurality of pocket walls, each of the pocket walls defining a pocket in fluid communication with the shell opening;
• a clutch collar at least partially positioned within the shell opening and including a clutch surface;
• a plurality of roller members each defining a plurality of roller surfaces separated by at least one annular groove, each of the roller members positioned within one of the pockets;
• and
• a plurality of biasing members each (i) positioned within one of the pockets and (ii) configured to urge the roller surfaces of one of the roller members against the clutch surface and one of the pocket walls.

A starter motor for an engine, the starter motor comprising:

• an armature;
• a solenoid;
• a pinion rotatable by the armature and movable by the solenoid into engagement with a corresponding portion of the engine;
• and
• a clutch in operational communication with the pinion and the armature, the clutch including
• a shell defining a shell opening,
• a clutch collar at least partially positioned within the shell opening and including a clutch surface, and
• a plurality of rollers at least partially positioned within the shell opening between the clutch surface and the shell, each of the rollers defining a plurality of roller surfaces separated by at least one annular groove, and each of the rollers being displaceable within the shell opening to position at least a portion of the roller surfaces into engagement with the clutch surface to lock the clutch collar into synchronous movement with the shell in response to movement of the clutch collar in a rotational direction relative to the shell.

A clutch, comprising:

• a shell defining a shell opening and a plurality of pockets in fluid communication with the shell opening;
• a clutch collar at least partially positioned within the shell opening and including a clutch surface;
• a plurality of roller members each defining a roller surface and each positioned within one of the pockets;
• and
• a plurality of annular grooves formed on at least one of the clutch surface of the clutch collar and the roller surfaces of the roller members.