Patent ID: 7066541

Claim:
A seat reclining mechanism for a vehicle seat, comprising: a plurality of slide pawls each having an outward toothed portion and a side surface, a ratchet having an inward circular toothed portion, a holder having a plurality of guide portions each of which is formed with a torque receiving portion, the guide portions slidably receiving the slide pawls so that the slide pawls can be moved toward and away from the inward toothed portion of the ratchet, the torque receiving portion having a torque receiving wall that is opposed to the side surface of the slide pawls, a cam member pushing the slide pawls toward the inward toothed portion of the ratchet, at least one contact projection formed in the torque receiving wall of the torque receiving portion and projecting toward the slide pawl side surface, wherein the ratchet and the holder are prevented from rotating relative to each other when the outward toothed portions of the pawls engage the inward toothed portion of the ratchet, wherein the ratchet and the holder can rotate relative to each other when the outward toothed portions of the pawls are disengaged from the inward toothed portion of the ratchet, and wherein the contact projection is arranged and constructed so as to be deformed to eliminate variations among clearances formed between the slide pawls and the torque receiving portions when a torque is exerted between the ratchet and the holder, so that the ratchet and the holder rotate relative to each other by an amount corresponding to the deformation of the contact projection.