Patent ID: 8226167

Claim:
A linear recliner assembly in use with a seat, the seat having a frame supporting a pivotal seat back relative to a seat bottom, the seat bottom including a rotating coupling exhibiting a threaded interior and which is mounted to a side location of the frame, the seat back including a lower most portion extending below a pivot about which the seat back rotates, said recliner assembly comprising: an elongate and three dimensional housing having a communicating interior between a first end and a second end of said housing; a drive rod supported in linearly displaceable fashion within said housing, said drive rod extending from said first end and being threadably displaceable through the interior of the rotating coupling; said second end of said housing pivotally engaged to the lower most portion of the seat back; said housing further comprising a central tubular portion, a first end cap secured to a first end of said central tubular portion, said first end cap exhibiting a central opening through which extends said drive rod, a second end cap secured to a second end of said central tubular portion, said second cap terminating in first and second spaced apart mounting portions and, upon aligning said mounting portions with the pivotally engaged location of the seat back, a pin being received in laterally inserting fashion for pivotally mounting said second end cap to the seat back; a rotatable gear located at a fixed lineal position within said housing and through which said drive rod is threadably inter-engaged; a trigger mechanism pivotally secured to an elevated exterior location of said housing and exhibiting a downwardly biased detent communicating through an opening in said housing to seat between succeeding teeth of said gear; said central tubular portion further comprising a linear recess extending from said first end, said trigger mechanism further comprising a secondary housing coaxially inserting within said central tubular portion from said first end, said secondary housing further comprising a trigger support projecting from said linear recess; and a spring supported within said housing interior in contact with said drive rod, upon release of said detent from said gear an external reclining force applied to the seatback resulting in displacement of said housing against said drive rod to bias said spring, said spring influencing the drive rod in a reverse direction such that, upon release of said detent from said gear when the seatback is in the reclined position, said spring influencing the seat back to reverse pivot to a returned upright position.