Patent ID: 8459743

Claim:
A disc recliner mechanism, comprising: a guide plate including at least one pair of guides; a tooth plate including an inner radial edge extending circumferentially therearound, said inner radial edge having a plurality of teeth thereon; at least one pawl mounted between said guide plate and said tooth plate, said pawl including a radially inner cam surface and a toothed outer edge, said pawl guided by said pair of guides between a retracted position with said toothed outer edge disengaged with said plurality of teeth to allow rotational movement of said tooth plate relative to said guide plate and an extended position with said toothed outer edge engaged with said plurality of teeth to prevent rotational movement of said tooth plate relative to said guide plate; a cam rotatably mounted between said guide plate and said tooth plate, said cam including a radially outer cam profile selectively engaging and cooperating with said cam surface wherein rotation of said cam in a first direction moves said pawl radially outward with respect to said guide plate to said extended position and applies a rotational moment to said pawl thereby wedging said pawl between said pair of guides; and a pawl release plate rotatably mounted adjacent said cam, said pawl release plate operatively coupled to said cam for rotation therewith, wherein rotation of said pawl release plate in a second direction in response to rotation of said cam in said second direction causes said pawl release plate to move said pawl radially inward with respect to said guide plate to said retracted position.