Patent ID: 8038218

Claim:
A reclining mechanism for a vehicle seat that is connected to a second reclining mechanism by a shaft, the reclining mechanism comprising: a guide plate adapted to be secured to one of a seat bottom or a seat back, the guide plate having a central opening and a plurality of guide sections; a gear plate adapted to be secured to the other of the seat bottom or the seat back, the gear plate having a frustoconical inner diameter, and the gear plate having a plurality of internal gear teeth; a hub is received in the central opening of the guide plate; a clip is assembled between the inner diameter of the gear plate and the hub, the clip provides a bearing surface that engages the inner diameter of the gear plate for rotation of the gear plate relative to the guide plate; a cam is pivotally disposed between the guide plate and the gear plate; at least one locking element is disposed between the guide plate and the gear plate, the locking element is moved by rotation of the cam and is guided by the guide features for translation relative to the guide plate, the locking element has external gear teeth that engages the internal gear teeth of the gear plate, the locking element has a cam engagement surface that cooperates with the cam, wherein rotation of the cam causes the cam to engage one of the cam engagement surfaces to draw the locking elements inwardly to disengage the external gear teeth from the internal gear teeth; and at least one spring is attached to the guide plate to bias the external gear teeth of the locking element into engagement with the internal gear teeth of the gear plate; wherein the gear plate pivots on the bearing surface of the clip when the cam is rotated to disengage the external teeth of the locking element from the internal teeth of the gear plate.