Harmonic Drive Disc Recliner For Automotive Vehicle Seat

A disc recliner operatively coupling a seat back to a seat cushion to allow selective pivotal movement of the seat back relative to the seat cushion about a pivot axis extending in an axial direction, said disc recliner comprising:

• a first plate adapted to be fixedly secured to the seat cushion, said first plate including a first plurality of teeth disposed therearound;
• a second plate adapted to be fixedly secured to the seat back and rotatably coupled to said first plate, said second plate including a second plurality of teeth disposed therearound, wherein a tooth count of said first plurality of teeth does not equal a tooth count of said second plurality of teeth;
• a flex spline including a flexible wall having a third plurality of teeth disposed therearound, wherein a tooth count of said third plurality of teeth equals said tooth count of said first plurality of teeth;
• and
• a wave generator having an outer profile causing a portion of said third plurality of teeth to meshingly engage with said first plurality of teeth and said second plurality of teeth, wherein said second plate rotates relative to said first plate in response to rotation of said wave generator, thereby causing pivotal movement of the seat back relative to the seat cushion.