Torque transfer unit with sealed one way clutch for an engine starting system

A starting system for a hybrid vehicle including an internal combustion engine having a crankshaft rotatably supported within an engine block, the starting system comprising:

• a starter motor;
• a pinion gear selectively driven by the starter motor;
• a drive plate having a set of teeth in constant meshed engagement with the pinion gear;
• and
• a one-way clutch assembly adapted to selectively drivingly interconnect the drive plate and the crankshaft, the clutch assembly including an inner race adapted to be fixed for rotation with the crankshaft, an outer race fixed for rotation with the drive plate and having circumferentially spaced apart cam surfaces, and a plurality of roller elements positioned radially therebetween, the clutch assembly also including a cage for positioning the rollers in circumferentially spaced apart alignment with the cam surfaces, the clutch including a pair of seal plates coupled to one of the inner race and the outer race as well as being spaced apart from one another with the roller elements therebetween, each seal plate being positioned proximate to and spaced apart from the other of the inner race and the outer race.