FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT 1970
(39 of 1970)
&
THE PATENTS RULES, 2003
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(See Section 10; rule 13)
TITLE OF THE INVENTION An auto seat actuator with a collapsible mechanism for vehicles
APPLICANTS
TATA MOTORS LIMITED, an Indian company
having its registered office at Bombay House,
24 Homi Mody Street, Hutatma Chowk,
Mumbai 400 001 Maharashtra, India
INVENTOR
Mrs. Charu Saxena & Mr. Amol Majgaonkar
An Indian national
of TATA MOTORS LIMITED an Indian company
having its registered office at Bombay House,
24 Homi Mody Street, Hutatma Chowk,
Mumbai 400 001 Maharashtra, India
PREAMBLE TO THE DESCRIPTION
The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner
in which it is to be performed.

FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to a seat for vehicles and more particularly to an auto seat actuator with a collapsible mechanism for vehicles to reduce the impact and injury to the passengers during frontal impact of vehicles.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Basically frontal impacts and side impacts are the two major impacts which results in the crashing of vehicles. The frontal impacts are the one which occurs frequently due to the restriction of motion. When impact is on front cross member and bumper area, the engine compartment parts and side members also called long members are under compressive load and finally it impacts on firewall and pushes the inside components towards driver and co-driver persons. This can happen due to excess speed of vehicle, failures of brakes, and unconsciousness of driving person.
To minimize the effect of crashing on passengers the number of special features have been added in to the vehicles like left hand (LH) and right hand (RH) crash members, energy absorption (EA) type steering column, seat belt, drivers airbag, passengers Airbag. At present the reinforcement members are provided in the vehicles to absorb the impact energy produced by crashing of the vehicle and resolve the forces, and to minimize the injuries to passengers,
Whenever there is a frontal crash of vehicle the driver and co-driver will move opposite to the direction of the acceleration resulting in major injuries to the driver and co-driver person. The frontal impact energy dissipation compartment is preferably filled with an energy absorption material, to absorb and dissipate the frontal impact energy. In this manner, by eliminating the engine compartment from the forward end of the vehicle, a substantial portion of the front end of the vehicle may be dedicated as a frontal impact energy dissipation zone to enhance safety. Even

though the major part of the impact energy is absorbed by the energy dissipation compartment, the part of the impact energy is absorbed by the steering column and other members in the vehicle resulting in danger to the driver as the steering column movement stops creating a resistance to the driver. Hence the driver and co-driver seat is to be displaced away from these additional forces acting on them.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
The primary object of the present invention is to provide an auto seat actuator with a collapsible mechanism for vehicles to reduce the impact and injury to the passengers during accidents.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The embodiments herein provide an auto seat actuator with a collapsible mechanism for vehicles to reduce the impact and injury to the passengers during accidents. The seat for vehicles comprises a sensing device for sensing impact energy during frontal impact of vehicle. A resilient mechanism is provided for auto actuation of said seat during frontal impact of vehicle. A locking-unlocking mechanism provided to engage or disengage said resilient mechanism, said locking-unlocking mechanism provided to actuate said seat when said impact energy is sensed. A collapsible mechanism is provided to restrict the force of actuation of said seat during accidents.
According to present invention, the sensing device is provided on the vehicle frontal area and connected to signal receiver said signal receiver is further connected to electric motor. A shaft of the electric motor is connected to engagement fork for engaging or disengaging said electric motor with a push rod assembly. During frontal impact of vehicles said sensing device passes signal to electric motor and the electric motor rotates partly to disengage engagement fork from push rod assembly main frame. Once the engagement fork is disengaged the compressed spring will expand

suddenly to push seat assembly rearwards. Before vehicle front impact the electric motor will be in off condition.
According to present invention, the resilient mechanism includes a resilient member such as compression spring, one end of said resilient member is connected solid block and other end is connected to push rod. The steering wheel position is on top side so and the seat actuator mechanism is provided at bottom side of chair as a result there is no relation between the steering wheel position and the solid block. The collapsible mechanism includes a plurality of collapsible capsule injection moulded between said seat assembly and main frame. The collapsible capsules collapses or shears out to absorb impact energy when said seat is displaced back during frontal impact of vehicles.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows a schematic top view of an auto seat actuator mechanism for pushing seat rearwards during frontal impact of vehicles, according to present invention.
FIG. 2 shows a side view of a seat assembly with a collapsible mechanism, according to present invention.
FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of an auto seat actuator mechanism when the engagement fork of electric motor is in engaged position with push rod assembly, according to present invention.
FIG. 4 schematic view of an auto seat actuator mechanism when the engagement fork of electric motor is in disengaged position with push rod assembly, according to present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring now to the drawings wherein the showings are for the purpose of illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention only and not for the purpose of limiting the same,
The embodiments herein provide an auto seat actuator with a collapsible mechanism for vehicles to reduce the impact and injury to the passengers during accidents. The seat for vehicles comprises a sensing device for sensing impact energy during frontal impact of vehicle. A resilient mechanism is provided for auto actuation of said seat during frontal impact of vehicle. A locking-unlocking mechanism provided to engage or disengage said resilient mechanism, said locking-unlocking mechanism provided to actuate said seat when said impact energy is sensed. A collapsible mechanism is provided to restrict the force of actuation of said seat during accidents.
According to present invention, the resilient mechanism includes a resilient member 7 such as compression spring, one end of said resilient member 7 is connected solid block 5 and other end is connected to push rod. The steering wheel position is on top side so and the seat actuator mechanism is provided at bottom side of chair as a result there is no relation between the steering wheel position and the solid block. The collapsible mechanism includes a plurality of collapsible capsule injection moulded between said seat assembly and main frame. The collapsible capsules collapses or shears out to absorb impact energy when said seat is displaced back during frontal impact of vehicles.
The sensing device is provided on the vehicle frontal area and connected to signal receiver said signal receiver is further connected to electric motor. A shaft 17 of the electric motor 8 is connected to one end of engagement fork 16 for engaging or

disengaging said electric motor 8 with a push rod assembly 9. The other end of said engagement fork 16 having a projection for locking with the cut profile 18 provided on said push rod assembly. During frontal impact of vehicles said sensor 4 will pass signal to electric motor and the electric motor rotates partly to disengage engagement fork from push rod assembly 9 main frame and once it is disengaged the compressed spring will expand suddenly to push seat assembly rearwards. Before vehicle front impact the electric motor will be in off condition.
Referring to FIG 1 and FIG. 2 shows the construction of auto seat actuator mechanism with the seat collapsible mechanism, according to present invention. The seat assembly is bolted on floor 11 and contains two fixed toothed channels which are fixed one each on main frame, and the second on which the seat is assembled. The seat assembly contains the spring loaded lever along with the toothed channel and seating bulk with foam and structure of seat. The spring loaded lever engages and disengages the seat assembly from main frame according to driver comfort. The seat adjustable knob 12 is provided for adjusting seat for comfort position and is held in bracket 13, the complete seat assembly 10 is mounted on floor 11 with the help of seat stands 15. The seat assembly 10 and main frame is isolated by plurality of collapsible capsules 14 having injection molded collapsible material. The Electric motor 8 is connected to push rod assembly 9 (show in fig. 1). Before impact, electric motor is in off condition. The sensors 4 are provided on vehicle frontal area i.e. on long members 1, and cross members 2. The output of sensors 4 is connected to signal receiver 6, the signal receiver 6 is then connected to electric motor 8. The electric motor is engaged with push rod assembly 9. One end of resilient member 7 say compression spring is located in solid block 5 and another end is connected to push rod assembly 9.

The collapsible capsules 14 are assembled between stationary member of seat stand and stationary member of channel on which the seat assembly 10 slides. Seat adjuster knob 12 is provided to adjust the legroom same as in existing cars. Due to frontal crash the vehicle movement gets restricted and impact force (F) will come towards occupant. At same time the inertia force (resistance force) (R) of occupant will go towards front and these two opposite forces causes the heavy injury of occupants.
FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 shows the details of engaged and disengaged position of electric motor with push rod assembly 9. The electric motor assembly includes electric motor shaft 17 which is connected to the engagement fork 16 and further it is connected to push rod assembly 9. The resilient member 7 is connected to push rod assembly 9. When there is a frontal impact of vehicles the sensor 4 will pass signals which is received by the signal receiver and electric motor 8 will rotate partly to disengage the seat from main frame and once it disengage compressed spring 7 will expand suddenly and it will push the seat assembly 10 rearwards. When electric motor 8 rotates partly then it will disengage the engagement fork 16 from push rod assembly 9 which unlock the seat assembly from main frame and resilient member 7 will push the seat assembly towards rear side.
The rest of the energy is absorbed by collapsible capsules which shears out due to impact. When accident occurs the driver and co-driver person will move in opposite direction of the acceleration and steering column and other energy absorbing members will absorb the shocks, but still some energy is there so when steering column movement stops then it will create resistance to driver and co-driver and at that time due to impact towards rear side the collapsible material will get collapse and energy get absorbed. By keeping the shearing force of capsule less the

collapsible member will collapse before braking of seat belt and accident impact can be minimized.
ADVANTAGES
• The present invention provides an auto seat actuator with a collapsible mechanism for vehicles to reduce the impact and injury to the passengers and more importantly to driver and co-driver persons during front impact of vehicles.
• The seat actuator mechanism according to present invention is provided to ensure effective and accurate timing for actuation of seat during frontal impact of vehicles.
The foregoing description is a specific embodiment of the present invention. It should be appreciated that this embodiment is described for purpose of illustration only, and that numerous alterations and modifications may be practiced by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is intended that all such modifications and alterations be included insofar as they come within the scope of the invention as claimed or the equivalents thereof.

We claim:
1. A seat for vehicles, comprising;
a sensing device for sensing impact energy during frontal impact of vehicle;
a resilient mechanism for auto actuation of said seat during frontal impact of vehicle;
a locking-unlocking mechanism to lock or unlock said resilient mechanism,
said locking-unlocking mechanism provided to actuate said seat when said impact
energy is sensed;
a collapsible mechanism to restrict force of actuation of said seat.
2. The seat according to claim 1, wherein said sensing device is provided on vehicle frontal area and connected to a signal receiver 6 said signal receiver is further connected to an electric motor 8.
3. The seat according to claim 2, wherein a shaft 17 of said electric motor 8 is connected to one end of an engagement fork 16 for engaging and disengaging said electric motor with a push rod assembly 9.
4. The seat according to claim 2, wherein other end of said engagement fork 16 having a projection for locking with the cut profile 18 provided on said push rod assembly.
5. The seat according to claim 1, wherein said resilient mechanism having a resilient member 7 such as compression spring.
6. The seat according to claim 5, wherein one end of said resilient member 7 is connected solid block 5 and other end is connected to push rod assembly 9.

7. The seat according to claim 6, wherein said solid block is mounted away from steering wheel 3 to avoid interruption during actuation of seat during frontal impact of vehicle.
8. The seat according to claim 1, wherein said collapsible mechanism having a plurality of collapsible capsules injection moulded between said seat assembly and main frame to absorb impact energy during frontal impact of vehicles.
9. The seat according to claim 1, wherein during frontal impact of vehicles said sensing device 4 will pass signal and electric motor 8 which rotates partly to disengage engagement fork 16 from push rod assembly 9 main frame and once it is disengaged said compressed spring 7 will expand suddenly to push seat assembly 10 rearwards.