US 12,434,604 B2
Locking assembly for recliner
Jeff Carroll, West Bloomfield, MI (US); Sanjay Vakil, Troy, MI (US); Mohammad Fazli, Farmington Hills, MI (US); Yang Cao, Troy, MI (US); and Harish Bijwe, Novi, MI (US)
Assigned to CAMACO, LLC., Farmington Hills, MI (US)
Filed by Camaco, LLC, Farmington Hills, MI (US)
Filed on Apr. 9, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/630,649.
Application 18/630,649 is a continuation of application No. 18/345,881, filed on Jun. 30, 2023, granted, now 11,975,638.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/357,817, filed on Jul. 1, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/357,813, filed on Jul. 1, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/357,821, filed on Jul. 1, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/357,856, filed on Jul. 1, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2024/0253538 A1, Aug. 1, 2024
Int. Cl. B60N 2/235 (2006.01); B60N 2/02 (2006.01); B60N 2/12 (2006.01)
CPC B60N 2/2356 (2013.01) [B60N 2/02246 (2023.08); B60N 2/12 (2013.01); B60N 2/236 (2015.04); B60N 2/2362 (2015.04)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A locking mechanism for a recliner assembly, the locking mechanism comprising:
a plate including a peripheral lip having an interior face that defines a plurality of teeth; and
a pawl defining a central axis and including a plurality of pawl teeth, the plurality of pawl teeth including:
a first middle tooth positioned on a first side of the central axis, the first middle tooth having a first flat face facing the central axis and a first curved face facing away from the central axis, wherein the first flat face is separated from the first curved face by a first top land; and
a second middle tooth positioned on an opposing second side of the central axis, the second middle tooth having a second flat face facing the central axis and a second curved face facing away from the central axis, wherein the second flat face is separated from the second curved face by a second top land;
wherein the pawl is positionable between (i) a first position where the pawl does not engage with the plate and (ii) a second position where the pawl engages with the plate; and
wherein, under first loading conditions and while the pawl is in the second position, the first flat face of the first middle tooth and the second flat face of the second middle tooth do not contact corresponding surfaces of the plurality of teeth of the plate.