Patent ID: 8016356
Filing Date: 2011-09-13
Classification: B60N,F16H,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A coupling apparatus, comprising: a reclining apparatus coupling a seat back and a seat cushion of a vehicle seat; the reclining apparatus includes: a backrest angle of the seat back is varied by a circulating movement of the outer gear on an inner tooth face of the inner gear in a state where the outer gear meshes with the inner gear, wherein: the inner gear and the outer gear constitute a gear train and mesh with each other for enabling transmission of a power; the inner gear and the outer gear have tooth shapes formed such that a meshing line defined by meshing of the inner gear and the outer gear is configured as a spiral meshing line, the spiral meshing line extending circumferentially from a first point on a first curve positioned on a radially inner side of the inner gear and intersecting a second point on a second curve positioned on a radially outer side of the outer gear, the spiral meshing line extending in a direction in which a distance between the first curve and the second curve becomes larger, and the first curve and the second curve defining a meshing region; the inner gear projects in a circular cylinder shape towards the outer gear, and the outer gear projects in a circular cylinder shape towards the inner gear; the inner tooth member includes a cylinder portion in a circular cylinder shape projecting from a center portion of the inner gear, the outer tooth member includes a through hole in a circular shape at a center portion of the outer gear for receiving therein and surrounding the cylinder portion of the inner tooth member, and the cylinder portion and the through hole have a positional relationship in which their center portions are offset from each other; and within a gap between the cylinder portion of the inner tooth member and the through hole of the outer tooth member surrounding the cylinder portion, a pair of eccentric members each having a shape that fills a portion of the gap are disposed, the pair of eccentric members being urged to wedge into narrowed portions of the gap and are maintained in a state where the outer gear is pressed against the inner tooth face of the inner gear, at least one of the eccentric members is configured to be pushed in a circumferential direction by a rotational operation of a shaft pin provided in a cylinder of the cylinder portion, and the at least one of the eccentric members is further configured to be released from a wedging state and to press against an inner peripheral face of the through hole of the outer tooth member to cause circulating movement of the outer gear.