Planar ratchet one way clutch

A one way planar clutch assembly defining a longitudinal axis comprising in combination:

• a planar drive member having a drive face positioned for rotation normal to the axis;
• a driven member positioned normal to the axis for rotation about the axis, the driven member including a planar driven face which is positioned in close proximity with and parallel to the drive face;
• a retainer member having opposed generally planar faces positioned normal to the axis for maintaining the drive member and the driven member in axial alignment;
• a coupling structure composed of a first series of pockets spaced uniformly circumferentially about the planar drive face and a plurality of notches spaced uniformly circumferentially around the planar driven face, the plurality of notches being greater in number than the plurality of pockets, each of the pockets retaining a pawl and resilient member for pressing the pawl outwardly from the planar drive face to engage one of the notches on the planar driven face, such that at least two of the plurality of pawls are engaged respectively with the two of notches at any point of engagement between the drive face and the driven face;
• and
• each of the pawls have opposed compressive load bearing surfaces which engage a shoulder on a driven notch and a shoulder on a drive pocket when engaged between the drive plate and the driven plate, such that the drive plate rotates the driven plate in the same direction about the axis when the drive member is rotated in a specified first direction, and wherein the drive member rotates freely about the axis in a specified opposed direction without rotating the driven member as the pawls do not engage the notches in the driven member during rotation in such opposed direction and each of said pawls having a cross-section thicker in the region midway between the two compressive opposed load bearing surfaces.