Claims:We Claim:
1. A seat sliding assembly (100) for sliding and adjusting a seat of a vehicle, the seat sliding assembly (100) comprising;
an upper track (10) and a lower track (20), the upper track (10) is slidably mounted on the lower track (20) and is slidable in a forward direction (10a) and a backward direction (10b), the seat is secured to the upper track (10);
the lower track (20) is having two or more locking slots (22) configured thereon;
an engaging arrangement (40) comprises a locking member (42), a first member (50) and a second member (60), the locking member (42) is engageable with one of the locking slots (22) of the lower track (20) for locking the upper track (10) with the lower track (20);
wherein the engaging arrangement (40) is movable in a first rotating direction (A) and a second rotating direction (B) to unlock the upper track (10) from the lower track (20) such that upon actuation of the engaging arrangement (40) in the first rotating direction (A) the locking member (42) disengages from the two or more locking slots (22) and the first member (50) engages with the two or more locking slots (22) allowing the upper track (10) to move only in the forward direction (10a) and upon actuation of the engaging arrangement (40) in the second rotating direction (B) the locking member (42) disengages from the two or more locking slots (22) and the second member (60) engages with the two or more locking slots (22) allowing the upper track (10) to move only in the backward direction (10b).
2. The seat sliding assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first member (50) is extending angularly away from the locking member (42) and the second member (60) is also extending angularly away from the locking member (42) opposite to the first member (50).

3. The seat sliding assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first rotating direction (A) is an anti-clockwise direction, and the second rotating direction (B) is a clockwise direction.

4. The seat sliding assembly (100) as claimed in claims 1 and 3, wherein the first member (50) comprises a first tip (52) hinged only in a first hinge direction (52a) and the second member (60) comprises a second tip (62) hinged only in a second hinge direction (62a) such that upon rotating the engaging arrangement (40) in the first direction (A), the locking member (42) disengages and the first tip (52) of the first member (50) engages with the two or more locking slots (22), thereby allowing the upper track (10) to move only in the forward direction (10a) and upon rotating the engaging arrangement (40) in the second rotating direction (B), the locking member (42) disengages and the second tip (62) of the second member (60) engages with the two or more locking slots (22), thereby allowing the upper track (10) to move only in the backward direction (10b).

5. The seat sliding assembly as claimed in claims 1 and 4, wherein when the first tip (52) of the first member (50) engages with the two or more locking slots (22) and upon sliding the upper track (10) in the forward direction (10a), the first tip (52) hinged to move only in the first hinge direction (52a) and moves out from a locking slot (22) of the two or more locking slots (22) enabling the upper track (10) to move only in the forward direction (10a) and when the second tip (62) of the second member (50) engages with the two or more locking slots (22) and upon sliding the upper track (10), the second tip (62) hinged to move only in the second hinge direction (62a) and moves out from a locking slot (22) of the two or more locking slots (22) enabling the upper track (20) to move only in the backward direction (10b).

6. The seat sliding assembly (100) as claimed in claims 4 & 5, wherein a first biasing member (54) is provided to bias the first tip (52) in a same plane of the first member (50) and a second biasing member (64) is provided on the second member (60) to bias the second tip (62) in a same plane of the first member (60).

7. The seat sliding assembly (100) as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first and the second biasing members (54 and 64) is a torsion spring.

8. The seat sliding assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein a lever (80) is connected to the engaging arrangement (40) for operating thereof, an upward movement of the lever (80) moves the engaging arrangement (40) in the first rotating direction (A), and a downward movement of the lever (80) moves the engaging arrangement in the second rotating direction (B).

9. The seat sliding assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein two or more locking slots (22) are “L” shaped and are configured equidistantly on the lower track (20).

10. The seat sliding assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lower track (20) is secured on a carrier surface of the vehicle such as a floor of the vehicle.
, Description:Field of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a seat sliding assembly. More particularly, the present invention relates to a seat sliding assembly for sliding and adjusting a seat of a vehicle.

Background of the Invention

[0002] Generally, in the existing vehicles, a seat sliding assembly consists of an upper and lower track. The seat is secured to the upper track and slides along with the upper track. The lower track is secured on a floor of the vehicle, and the upper track is slidably mounted on the lower track. When an operating lever is operated, the seat can be slid and adjusted over the lower track as per the convenience of an occupant.

[0003] But the existing seat sliding assembly allow sliding in both direction, and there is no restriction thereof. Therefore, the occupant face difficulty in sliding the seat of the vehicle on an inclined plane. While sliding the seat of the vehicle, the seat of the vehicle slides away from the desired position on the inclined plane. The adjusting the seat of the vehicle while moving uphill will slide the seat backwards and the adjusting the seat of the vehicle while moving downhill will slide the seat forward due to gravity, thereby creating discomfort for the occupant while travelling on the inclined plane.
[0004] As on date, there is no such seat sliding assembly for the seat of the vehicle, which allows the sliding movement of the seat in one direction as desired, thereby preventing unnecessary sliding.

[0005] Therefore, there is a need for such a seat sliding assembly which can overcome few or all the drawbacks of the existing prior art.

Objects of the Invention

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a seat sliding assembly for sliding and adjusting a seat of a vehicle.

[0007] Another object of the present invention is to provide a seat sliding assembly for sliding and adjusting a seat of a vehicle, which provide unidirectional movement of the seat.

[0008] Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a sliding assembly for sliding and adjusting a seat of a vehicle, which prevents uncontrolled sliding of the seat while moving uphill, downhill, during acceleration or deceleration.

[0009] One more object of the present invention is to provide a sliding assembly for sliding and adjusting a seat of a vehicle, which is robust and economical.

Summary of the invention

[0010] According to the present invention, there is provided with a seat sliding assembly for sliding and adjusting a seat of a vehicle as desired. The seat sliding assembly includes an upper track and a lower track. The lower track may be secured on a carrier surface of the vehicle such as a floor of the vehicle. Also, the lower track may have two or more locking slots configured thereon. The upper track may be slidably mounted on the lower track and is slidable in a forward direction and a backward direction. The seat may be secured to the upper track. Each of the two or more locking slots may be of “L” shaped slot configured on the lower track. Also, the two or more locking slots are configured equidistantly on the lower track. It may be evident to a person skilled in the art to configure the two or more locking slots in any other shape suitable. Further, an engaging arrangement has a locking member, a first member and a second member. The locking member may be engageable with one of the two or more locking slots of the lower track for locking the upper track with the lower track. The engaging arrangement is movable in a first rotating direction and a second rotating direction to unlock the upper track from the lower track such that upon actuation of the engaging arrangement in the first rotating direction the locking member disengages from the two or more locking slots and the first member engages with the two or more locking slots allowing the upper track to move only in the forward direction and upon actuation of the engaging arrangement in the second rotating direction the locking member disengages from the two or more locking slots and the second member engages with the two or more locking slots allowing the upper track to move only in the backward direction (10b).

[0011] Further, the engaging arrangement having the first member configured angularly away from the locking member and the second member configured on the engaging arrangement opposite to the first member. The first member may have a first tip which bends/hinged only in a first hinge direction and the second member may have a second tip which bends/hinged only in a second hinge direction.

[0012] Furthermore, a first biasing member may be provided on the first member to bias the first tip in a plane of the first member and a second biasing member may be provided on the second member to bias the second tip in a plane of the second member. In the present embodiment, the first and the second biasing member is a torsion spring.

[0013] Moreover, a lever may be connected to the engaging arrangement for operating thereof. An upward movement of the lever rotates the engaging arrangement in a first rotating direction “A”, and a downward movement of the lever rotates the engaging arrangement in a second rotating direction "B". In some embodiment, first rotating direction “A” is an anti-clockwise direction, and the second rotating direction “B” is a clockwise direction. Specifically, upon rotating the engaging arrangement in the first rotating direction “A”, the locking member disengages, and the first tip of the first member engages with the locking slot, thereby allowing the upper track to slide only in a forward direction. Also, upon rotating the engaging arrangement in the second rotating direction “B”, the locking member disengages, and the second tip of the second member engages with the locking slot, thereby allowing the upper track to slide only in the backward direction.

[0014] More particularly, when the first tip of the first member engages with the two or more locking slots and upon sliding the upper track in the forward direction, the first tip hinged/bends to move in only the first hinge direction and moves out from a locking slot of the two or more locking slots enabling the upper track to move only in the forward direction and when the second tip of the second member engages with the two or more locking slots and upon sliding the upper track, the second tip hinged/bends to move only in the second hinge direction and moves out from a locking slot of the two or more locking slots enabling the upper track to move only in the backward direction.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0015] The advantages and features of the present invention will be understood better with reference to the following detailed description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like elements are identified with like symbols, and in which:

[0016] Figure 1 illustrates a schematic representation of a seat sliding assembly for sliding and adjusting a seat of a vehicle in accordance with the present invention;

[0017] Figure 2 illustrates a perspective view of an engaging arrangement on an upper track and two or more locking slots on a lower track;

[0018] Figure 3 illustrates another perspective view of figure 2;

[0019] Figure 4 illustrates the schematic representation of the engaging arrangement;

[0020] Figure 5 illustrates the locking slots and a first member sliding in a forward direction; and

[0021] Figure 6 illustrates the locking slots and a second member sliding in a backward direction.

Detailed Description of the Invention
[0022] An embodiment of this invention, illustrating its features, will now be described in detail. The words "comprising, "having, "containing," and "including," and other forms thereof, are intended to be equivalent in meaning and be open-ended in that an item or items following any one of these words is not meant to be an exhaustive listing of such item or items or meant to be limited to only the listed item or items.

[0023] The terms “first,” “second,” and the like, herein do not denote any order, quantity, or importance, but rather are used to distinguish one element from another, and the terms “an” and “a” herein do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced item.

[0024] The disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms.

[0025] The present invention describes a seat sliding assembly for sliding and adjusting the position of the seat of inside the vehicle. An occupant may slide and locks the seat of the vehicle as per the convenience and comfort. The seat sliding assembly used for sliding and adjusting the seat of the vehicle is arranged at a particular position as preferred by the occupant seating on the seat.

[0026] Referring now to figures 1 to 6, a seat sliding assembly (100) for sliding and adjusting a seat (not shown) of a vehicle in accordance with the present invention is illustrated. The seat sliding assembly (100) includes an upper track (10) and a lower track (20). The lower track (20) is secured on a carrier surface of the vehicle, such as a floor of the vehicle. The upper track (10) is slidably mounted on the lower track (20). The upper track (10) is slidable in a forward direction (10a) and a backward direction (10b) over the lower track (20). The lower track (20) is having two or more locking slots (22) configured thereon.

[0027] The seat is secured on the upper track (10), the seat along with the upper track (10) slides in the forward and the backward direction (10a and 10b) along the "X" axis in a vehicle interior (not shown) which is usually the longitudinal axis of the vehicle interior. Specially, the forward and the backward direction (10a, 10b) is along the length of the tracks (10, 20). Also, an engaging arrangement (40) is configured on the upper track (10). In the present embodiment, the engaging arrangement (40) is cylindrical and mounted rotatably on the upper track (10) in the vehicle interior (as shown in figure 4). It may be obvious to a person skilled in the art to configure the engaging arrangement (40) with any other geometric dimension (shape and size).

[0028] Referring in detail to figure 4, the engaging arrangement (40) is having a locking member (42) configured thereon. The locking member (42) engages with one of the two or more locking slots (22) to lock the upper track (10) along with the seat of the vehicle on the lower track (20). In the present embodiment, the locking member (42) is an elongated rigid member extending substantially perpendicular from the engaging arrangement (40). The locking member (42) engages and dis-engages with one of the slots of the locking slots (22). In the preferred embodiment, each of the two or more locking slots (22) is an “L” shaped slot configured on the lower track (20). All the two or more locking slots (22) are configured equidistantly on the lower track (20). When the locking member (42) engages with one of the slot of the two or more locking slots (22), it restricts sliding movement of the upper track (10) over the lower track (20), and when the locking member (42) disengages from a locking slot (22) of the two or more locking slots (22), the upper track (10) slides freely on the lower track (20), thereby allowing a person seating on the seat to adjust the seat along "X" axis in the vehicle interior or to adjust the seat along the length of the tracks (10, 20) and lock it at the desired position by engaging the locking member (42) with a locking slot (22) of the two or more locking slots (22).

[0029] Further, the engaging arrangement (40) is having a first member (50) and a second member (60) (as shown in figures 1,2,3 and 4) configured thereon. The first member (50) is an elongated rigid member extending substantially perpendicularly on the engaging arrangement (40) and configured angularly away from the locking member (42) and the second member (60) is also an elongated rigid member extending perpendicularly on the engaging arrangement (40), angularly away from the locking member (42) and at an opposite side of the first member (50) as shown in figure 1. In the present embodiment, the first member (50) and the second member (60) are configured obliquely with respect to the locking member (42) of the engaging arrangement (40). Specifically, the first member (50) is arranged angularly upward from the locking member (42) and the second member (60) is arranged angularly downwards from the locking member (42).

[0030] Further, the first member (50) has a first tip (52), which bends or hinges only in a first hinge direction (52a) and the second member (60) has a second tip (62), which bends or hinges only in a second hinge direction (62a) as shown in figures 4, 5 and 6. A biasing member (54) is provided on the first member (50) to bias the first tip (52) in a plane of the first member (50). Similarly, a biasing member (64) is provided on the second member (60) to bias the second tip (62) in a plane of the second member (60). In the present embodiment, the biasing member (54 and 64) (as shown in figures 5 and 6) are torsion springs. It may be evident to a person skilled in the art to use any other spring as a biasing member to achieve the same function.

[0031] Referring again to figure 1, the seat sliding assembly (100) includes a lever (80). The lever (80) is connected to the engaging arrangement (40) for operating thereof. The lever (80) can be operated to rotate the engaging arrangement (40) for locking and unlocking the upper track (10) and thereby the seat from the lower track (20) (shown in figure 1). The lever (80) is” L” shaped, and when a tip of the lever (80) is moved, the engaging arrangement (40) rotates. Specifically, the engaging arrangement (40) is arranged on a left member of the upper track (10) and the locking slots (22) configured on a left member of the lower track (20) when observed towards “-X” Axis of the tracks (10, 20). For the person sitting on the seat, it will be his right side. It may be evident to a person skilled in the art to arrange the engaging arrangement (40) on a right member of the upper track (10) and the locking slots (22) on a right member of the lower track (20) by mirroring the entire construction.

[0032] In the present embodiment, an upward movement of the lever (80) rotates the engaging arrangement (40) in a first rotating direction (A), and a downward movement of the lever (80) rotates the engaging arrangement (40) in a second rotating direction (B). Specifically, in the present embodiment, the first rotating direction (A) of the engaging arrangement (40) is anticlockwise rotation, and the second rotating direction (B) of the engaging arrangement (40) is clockwise rotation when observed toward “-X” Axis with respect to the vehicle. In the absence of external force, the locking member (42) engages with one of the locking slots (22) for locking the seat on the lower track (20). The engaging arrangement (40) may also include a biasing member to restore the engaged position in absence of external force.

[0033] As shown in figure 5, upon pulling the lever (80) upwards, the engaging arrangement (40) rotates in the first rotating direction "A". i.e., in an anticlockwise direction, the locking member (42) disengages from one of the locking slots (22) and the first hinge tip (52) of the first member (50) engages with one of the locking slots (22), thereby allowing the upper track (10) to slide in the forward direction (10a) and restricting sliding of the upper track (10) in the backward direction (10b). Specifically, upon rotating the engaging arrangement (40) in first rotating direction “A”, the upper track (10) slides in the forward direction (10a), the locking member (42) moves out from a locking slot (22) of the two or more locking slots (22), and the first tip (52) of the first member (50) bends or hinges and moves to another locking slot (22) in the forward direction (10a) to allow sliding of the upper track (10) along the forward direction (10a), thereby restricting the sliding of the upper track (10) in the backward direction (10b).

[0034] Referring again to figure 6, upon pushing the lever (80) downwards, the engaging arrangement (40) rotates in the second rotating direction (B). i.e. clockwise the locking member (42) moves out from a locking slot (22) of the two or more locking slots (22) and the second hinge tip (62) of the second member (60) engages with one of the locking slot (22), allowing sliding of the upper track (10) in the backward direction (10b) and restricting sliding of the upper track (10) in the forward direction (10a). In the present embodiment, the forward direction (10a) is along “+X axis”, and the backward direction (10b) of the upper track (10) is along "-X-axis" with respect to the vehicle.

[0035] Further, upon rotating the engaging arrangement (40) in the second rotating direction “B”, the upper track (10) slides in the backward direction (10b), the locking member (42) disengages from the locking slot (22) and the second tip (62) of the second member (60) bends or hinges and moves out from a locking slot (22) of the two or more locking slots (22) and moves to other adjacent locking slots (22) of the locking slots (22) in the backward direction (10b) to allow sliding of the upper track (10) along the backward direction (10b) thereby restricting the sliding of the upper track (10) in the forward direction (10a).

[0036] Therefore, the present invention has the advantage of providing a seat sliding assembly (100), which provides a unidirectional movement of the seat while sliding and adjusting. Further, the seat sliding assembly (100) prevents uncontrolled sliding of the seat while moving uphill, downhill, upon acceleration and deceleration. Furthermore, the seat sliding assembly (100) is robust and economical.

[0037] The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously, many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described to best explain the principles of the present invention and its practical application, and to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the present invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is understood that various omissions and substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstances may suggest or render expedient, but such omissions and substitutions are intended to cover the application or implementation without departing from the scope of the claims of the present invention.