Patent ID: 7294081

Claim:
A drive unit of an adjuster for a vehicle seat, the drive unit comprising: an electronically commutated, brushless motor for rotating an output component of the motor; and a switchable gear stage including a first component, a second component, and at least one locking device cooperatively associated with at least the first and second components for at least (a) providing first and second modes of operation of the switchable gear stage, and (b) enabling selection between the first and second modes of operation, wherein the motor and the switchable gear stage are cooperatively associated with one another at least so that (a) an output component of the switchable gear stage rotates in a first direction about an axis in response to rotation of the output component of the motor in a single direction during the first mode of operation, and (b) the output component of the switchable gear stage rotates in a second direction about the axis in response to rotation of the output component of the motor in said single direction during the second mode of operation, with the second direction being opposite from the first direction, and wherein the locking device includes a wound spring for providing frictional locking.