Patent ID: 6715835
Filing Date: 2004-04-06
Classification: B60N

Abstract:
A seat reclining apparatus comprising:a lower arm adapted to be secured to a seat-cushion; an upper arm adapted to be fixed to a seat-back and pivotally connected to the lower arm; an inner gear portion formed at the upper arm; a pawl slidably mounted on the lower arm and having an outer gear portion, the pawl being movable between a meshed position at which the inner gear portion is in meshing engagement with the outer gear portion and a mesh-released position at which the inner gear portion is out of meshing engagement with the outer gear portion; a mesh regulation portion formed at the upper arm to hold the pawl in the mesh-released position when the mesh regulation portion is engaged with the pawl; an urging member rotatably supported by the lower arm to hold the pawl in the meshed position when the urging member is engaged with the pawl; a first engaging portion formed at the pawl and adapted to engage the mesh regulation portion; a second engaging portion formed at the pawl and adapted to engage the urging member; an associating portion formed at the pawl to transmit rotation of the urging member to cause the pawl to slide when engaged with the urging member; and the outer gear portion, the first engaging portion, the second engaging portion, and the associating portion being arranged in such order along a radially inward direction of the pawl.