Patent ID: 7380883
Filing Date: 2008-06-03
Classification: B60N

Abstract:
1. A reclining apparatus comprising: a base plate in approximately disc form secured to either a seat cushion or a backrest of a seat; a gear plate in approximately disc form having internal cogs which is combined with the base plate so as to be rotatable and face the base plate; a number of lock gears having external cogs which can engage with the internal cogs of said gear plate, which are placed within a guide portion made of at least a pair of protrusions provided in said base plate so as to be moveable in the direction of the radius in the base plate; a cam for controlling the movement of said lock gear in the direction of the radius so that the lock gear engages with the internal cogs of the gear plate; a spring for pressing said cam so that the cam rotates in such a direction that said lock gear engages with said internal cogs; a lever plate which rotates together with said cam and engages with a protrusion provided in said lock gear so as to control the movement of the lock gear inward in the direction of the radius; a center shaft which penetrates through approximately the center of said base plate and gear plate so as to be rotatable together with the cam; and an operation member which is connected to the center shaft so as to rotate and drive the center shaft against the force of said spring, characterized in that a memory plate in approximately disc form having said center shaft at the center and a spring member for pressing the memory plate in one direction so that the memory plate always rotates intervene between said base plate and gear plate, a guide portion, which is a long hole in approximately arc form for restricting the movement of the lock gear outwards in the direction of the radius through contact with the protrusion of said lock gear, is provided inside the disc of the memory plate, at least one notch is provided in the outer periphery of the memory plate so that an engaging portion provided in and protruding from said gear plate enters into the notch and the memory plate is rotatable relative to the gear plate within the range of the notch, when the backrest is in a range from the most forward reclined position to the highest raised position, the protrusion of said lock gear makes contact with said guide portion so as to form a lock free range where the external cogs of the lock gear are released from the engagement with the internal cogs of the gear plate, when the backrest is in a range from the highest raised position to the most backward reclined position, the protrusion of said lock gear is released from making contact with said guide portion so as to form a range of the adjustment where the external cogs of the lock gear engage with the internal cogs of the gear plate, said spring member presses the memory plate so that the memory plate rotates in such a direction that the protrusion of the lock gear disengages from the guide portion, and when the backrest is reclined backward in a state where the protrusion of said lock gear makes contact with the guide portion of said memory plate, the memory plate rotates together with the base plate against the force of said spring members so that the protrusion of said lock gear is released from making contact with said guide portion and the external cogs of the lock gear engage with the internal cogs of the gear plate.