Patent ID: 6332649
Filing Date: 2001-12-25
Classification: B60N

Abstract:
A locking mechanism for a vehicle seat having a seat base and a seat back, the locking mechanism comprising:a bar that is capable of being rotated about a central axis;a lower member capable of being secured to the seat base;an upper member capable of being secured to the seat back, with the lower and upper members being mounted on said bar so as to be relatively rotatable about the central axis;a control element that is mounted so as to rotate with the bar;a locking element that is driven radially away from the bar by the control element in response to rotation of the control element, wherein the locking element engages both the lower member and the upper member so as to restrict rotation of the upper member relative to the lower member while the locking element is driven radially away from the bar by the control element; anda transmission element positioned between the control element and the bar,wherein the lower member comprises an outer side that faces away from the upper member, the upper member comprises an outer side that faces away from the lower member, and the transmission element comprises a first flange that engages the outer side of the upper member and a second flange that engages the outer side of the lower member.