Patent ID: 7513573

Claim:
A tilt adjustment apparatus for a vehicle seat, comprising: a drive shaft that provides torque to adjust the tilt adjustment apparatus; an inner gear plate having a first plurality of internal teeth disposed in a circular array on one side of the inner gear plate and having a first axis of rotation; an outer gear plate having a second plurality of external teeth disposed in a circular array on one side of the outer gear plate and having a second center of rotation that is offset from the first axis of rotation, wherein the inner and outer gear are engaged at one point on each gear so that rotation of one gear causes one gear to orbit relative the other gear, and wherein the outer gear plate defines a bearing ring; an expandable cam assembly disposed within the bearing ring, the cam assembly having a cam that includes a driving protrusion extending radially outwardly from an outer diameter of the cam, and the cam having a locking peripheral section extending radially outwardly from an outer diameter of the cam, wherein the locking peripheral section is spaced from the driving protrusion, a pair of locking elements selectively engage the bearing ring and the locking peripheral section of the cam, and a spring engages the locking elements and biases the locking element into engagement with the bearing ring and the locking peripheral section of the cam to selectively lock the cam to the bearing ring; a driver is assembled to the cam assembly and the drive shaft, the driver having first and second driver segments, wherein the driver segments are integral parts of the driver and extend from one side of the driver and are disposed on opposite sides of the driving protrusion of the cam, the first and second driver segments are each disposed between the driving protrusion and one of the locking elements; and wherein the driver segments transfer torque from the drive shaft to the driving protrusion and by contacting one of the locking elements depending upon the direction of rotation of the drive shaft causes one of the driver segments to engage the protrusion of the driver ring, the driver continues to rotate until the other driver segment contacts the locking element which releases the wedge from the bearing ring wherein continued rotation causes the outer gear plate to rotate relative to the inner gear plate, and wherein rotation of the drive shaft releases the biasing force applied by the spring to the other locking element.