Patent ID: 7416255

Claim:
A seat reclining apparatus for a vehicle, comprising: a first plate held at one of a seat cushion frame and a seatback frame; a second plate held at the other one of the seat cushion frame and the seatback frame, the second plate having an internal tooth and rotatably supported by the first plate; a pole having an external tooth facing the internal tooth in a radial direction and arranged at the first plate, the pole operated to move in the radial direction so as to restrict a rotation of the second plate relative to the first plate with the internal tooth and the external tooth engaged or to allow the rotation of the second plate relative to the first plate with the internal tooth and the external tooth disengaged; a first protrusion provided at the pole; a restricting portion provided at the second plate so as to face the first protrusion at a radially outward side, the restricting portion coming in contact with the first protrusion so that the internal tooth and the external tooth are prohibited from being engaged; a second protrusion provided at the pole; and a stopper portion provided at the second plate so as to face the second protrusion in a circumferential direction for keeping a rotational angle of the second plate relative to the first plate at a predetermined angle upon a contact with the second protrusion.