Patent ID: 7360838

Claim:
A rotary recliner mechanism for pivotally interconnecting a seat back member and a seat cushion member of a vehicle seat assembly, with said rotary recliner mechanism comprising: a) first and second plate members adapted to be securely mounted one each on the seat cushion member and the seat back member, with said second plate member rotatably supported by said first plate member so as to define a substantially horizontal seat pivot axis, with a ring gear formed on said second plate member, and with a first pair of elongate guide members formed on said first plate member, with said pair defining a guide channel therebetween that is oriented along a substantially radial axis; b) an elongate first locking pawl having a longitudinal pawl axis and being disposed within said guide channel for sliding movement therealong, with said pawl having: i) inner and outer end portions, with said outer end portion located radially outward of said inner end portion, and with said outer end portion having a gear segment formed thereon that is engageable with said ring gear in locked relation; ii) a pair of opposite side edges slidably engagable with said pair of elongate guide members, with each of said opposite side edges extending between said inner and outer end portions; and iii) a driven lobe arranged on said inner end portion in substantially off-set relation from said longitudinal pawl axis, with said driven lobe including a cam-follower surface; c) a cam member mounted for rotation about said pivot axis between a locked position and an unlocked position relative to said first and second plate members, with said cam member having a first foot portion that is provided with an active lobe arranged thereon, with said active lobe including a camming surface that is arranged eccentrically of said pivot axis and is engagable with said cam-follower surface; wherein, in said locked position, said camming surface engages said cam-follower surface, with said pawl being engaged by said cam member solely at said cam-follower surface, and with said longitudinal pawl axis being substantially askew relative to said radial axis, such that said gear segment securely engages said ring gear in said locked relation, and such that rotation of said second plate member about said pivot axis is substantially restrained relative to said first plate member; wherein, in said unlocked position, said gear segment is removed from said ring gear, so as to enable rotation of said second plate member about said pivot axis relative to said first plate member; and wherein said rotation of said cam member selectively controls pivotal movement of the seat back member about said pivot axis relative to the seat cushion member.