Patent ID: 7673943

Claim:
A seat reclining apparatus for a vehicle, comprising: (a) a stationary bracket provided integrally with a seat cushion; (b) a movable bracket provided integrally with a seat back and equipped with a driving device; (c) a speed-reduction unit including: (1) an input shaft at which the speed-reduction unit is connected to the driving device, (2) a stationary member attached to the stationary bracket, and (3) a movable member rotatable relative to the stationary member, the movable member being adapted to output a rotation inputted from the input shaft upon reducing a speed of the rotation; (d) a forward-inclination mechanism including: (1) a lock plate rotatable relative to the movable bracket, the lock plate being attached integrally with the movable member, (2) an engaging-disengaging device provided to bring the lock plate and the movable bracket into one of an engagement state and a disengagement state, the engagement state allowing the movable bracket and the lock plate to so engage with each other as to rotate together with each other, the disengagement state allowing the movable bracket and the lock plate to so disengage from each other as to rotate relative to each other, and (3) a restrictive device provided for restricting a range of rotational movement of the movable bracket relative to the stationary bracket, the movable bracket being connected to the stationary bracket through the speed-reduction unit and the forward-inclination mechanism; and (e) a limit switch for powering off the driving device when the movable bracket and the lock plate are brought into the disengagement state.