Patent ID: 7517021
Filing Date: 2009-04-14
Classification: B60N

Abstract:
1. A reclining mechanism for a vehicle seat comprising: a guide plate adapted to be secured to one of a seat bottom or a seat back; a pivotal plate adapted to be secured to the other of the seat bottom or seat back pivotally connected to the guide plate about a pivotal axis, the pivotal plate has two internal gear segments; a shaft; a bushing assembled to the shaft, the bushing having a shoulder on a first side of the reclining mechanism that engages one of the guide plates and the pivotal plate; a retaining clip is assembled to outer ends of the shaft and that engage the other one of the guide plates and the pivotal plate, wherein the bushing and the clip are inboard of the guide plate or the pivotal plate on a second side of the reclining mechanism; a cam having at least two cam pawls is pivotally disposed between the guide plate and the pivotal plate, the cam being assembled to the bushing; two lock elements cooperate with the guide plate and the cam for translation relative to the guide plate, the lock elements each have an external gear segment that cooperates with one of the internal gear segments, the lock elements each have an engagement element that cooperates with the cam pawl, wherein rotation of the cam causes each of the cam pawls to engage one of the engagement elements to urge inward radial movement of the lock elements which unlocks each of the external gear segments from one of the internal gear segments; and two springs attached to the guide plate bias the cam pivotally to drive the external gear segments into engagement with the internal gear segments; wherein the cam engages each lock element at two contact points to drive the external gear segments into the internal gear segments when the reclining mechanism is in a locked position.