FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
[39 OF 1970]
&
THE PATENTS RULES, 2003
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
[See section 10; rule 13]
TITLE: “SEAT ASSEMBLY FOR A VEHCILE”
Name and Address of the Applicant:
TATA MOTORS LIMITED; an Indian company having a registered address at Bombay
House, 24 Homi Mody Street, Hutatma Chowk, Mumbai 400 001 Maharashtra, India.
Nationality: Indian
The following specification describes the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed.

PRIORITY DETAILS
[001] The present disclosure claims priority from an Indian Provisional patent titled “SEAT ASSEMBLY FOR A VEHCILE” filed on 01st December 2021.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[002] Present disclosure, in general, relates to the field of automobiles. Particularly, but not exclusively, the present disclosure relates to seating arrangements or seating systems of a vehicle. Further, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a seating assembly configured to increase space available for passenger ingress and egress in vehicles. Further, embodiments of the present disclosure also relate to a seating assembly configured to improve access to cabin of the vehicle.
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE
[003] Passenger vehicles in general and cars in particular are commonly classified into eight type of categories including A-segment (such as mini hatchbacks), B-segment (such as small hatchbacks), C-segment (such as small sedans and family cars), D-segment (such as sedans and mid-sized family cars), E-segment (such as executive luxury cars), Multi-purpose vehicles (MPVs), Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) and Crossovers. A, B and C segment cars generally include two rows of seats for accommodation of passengers. However, cars under D segment, E segment, SUVs, MPVs and crossovers may include a third row of seats, in addition to a first and a second row of seats. The first row of seats include a driver’s seat and co-driver’s seat configured to accommodate one or more passengers. Further, the second row of seats are positioned behind the first row of seats and are usually referred to as middle row of seats by virtue of being positioned in the middle of the cabin of the vehicle. Further, the third row of seats are positioned behind the second row of seats and are usually referred to as rear row of seats by virtue of being positioned at a rear portion of the cabin.
[004] Ingress and egress of passengers to the first row of seats are provided by front doors of the vehicle. Further, ingress and egress of passengers to the second row of seats and the third row of seats are generally provided by rear doors of the vehicle. In case the third row of seats are backward facing or are orthogonally positioned (relative to second row of seats), then access to the third row of seats may be provided by a backdoor of the vehicle. Vehicles in which access to the third row of seats is provided by rear doors of the vehicle, the middle row of seats may be configured to provide ingress and egress access to third row of seats of the vehicle.

[005] The middle row of seats in such vehicles are usually configured as bucket seats (or tumble seats) and are generally two in number. The term ‘bucket seat’ as used herein refers to a seat contoured to hold one person, and such bucket seat is distinct from a bench seat configured to fit multiple people. To provide access to the third row of seats, one or more bucket seats in the middle row may be configured to be selectively removable from floor of the vehicle. Such selectively removable configuration of the one or more bucket seats mandates requirement of additional tools and skilled manpower for removing and re-installing the one or more bucket seats.
[006] Alternatively, the one or more bucket seats in the middle row may be configured to be selectively slidable, to provide access to the third row of seats. The one or more bucket seats may be slidable in a forward direction towards the first row of seats of the vehicle. Such sliding of the one or more bucket seats provides access to the third row of seats by creating space for ingress and egress of passengers. To enable such selective sliding, the one or more bucket seats may be integrated with a sliding mechanism coupled to the floor of the vehicle. However, such sliding mechanisms are generally bulky, consumes additional cabin space, and may require skilled person for operation.
[007] In a further alternative configuration, a backrest portion of the one or more bucket seat may be configured to be selectively tumbled over a base portion of the one or more bucket seat. By selectively sliding the base portion of the bucket seat in the forward direction and by tumbling the backrest portion over the base portion, access to the third row of seats may be provided. However, such selective tumbling configuration requires inclusion of a tumbling mechanism in the one or more bucket seat, where such tumbling mechanism includes a plurality of brackets, attachments, resilient members, and fasteners. Addition of such tumbling mechanism to the one or more bucket seats may consume further cabin space, makes the seats bulky and heavy, while also negatively affecting mileage of the vehicle.
[008] The above-described configurations of the middle row seats, configured to provide access to the third row of seats, are expensive to install and maintain, cumbersome to operate and requires considerable amount of effort by the passenger/user. Further, heavy and bulky nature of the above-described configurations of the middle row seats, affect mileage of the vehicle and may reduce mileage due to additional weight. In some cases, more than one person may be required to accomplish actions of selective removal, sliding and/or tumbling in the

above-described configurations. Furthermore, the above-described configurations of the middle row seats may not be user-friendly and may not be usable by elder citizens, adolescents, and children. In addition to the above, access space created by the above-described configurations of the middle ow seats for accessing third row of seats may be insufficient and inconvenient for ingress and egress of passengers.
[009] The present disclosure is directed to overcome one or more limitations stated above or any other limitations associated with the above-described configurations of the middle row seats, configured to provide access to the third row of seats in vehicles.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0010] One or more shortcomings of the conventional seating assemblies and arrangements are overcome by a seat assembly (also referred to as ‘assembly’ hereinafter) configured to improve access to a third row of seats of the vehicle, as claimed and additional advantages are provided through the assembly as claimed in the present disclosure. Additional features and advantages are realized through the techniques of the present disclosure. Other embodiments and aspects of the disclosure are described in detail herein and are considered a part of the claimed disclosure.
[0011] In one non-limiting embodiment of the present disclosure, a seat assembly (also referred to as ‘assembly’ hereinafter) configured to improve access to a third row of seats of the vehicle is disclosed. The assembly includes a bench seat. The bench seat includes a seating portion adapted for seating the passenger and a rear portion for supporting back/torso of the passenger. The bench seat may also include one or more headrest for resting and limiting rearward movement of passenger’s head. The bench seat may be partitioned into a fixed segment and a movable segment. The movable segment may include a backrest and a base. The backrest and the base may be selectively rotatable relative to the fixed segment of the bench seat. The backrest may be hingedly (pivotally) connected to the rear portion of the fixed segment. Hinged connection between the backrest of the movable segment and the rear portion of the fixed segment enables rotation of the backrest relative to the rear portion. Furthermore, the base of the movable segment may be hingedly connected to the floor of the vehicle. Hinged connection between the base of the movable segment and the floor of the vehicle enables rotation of the base relative to the floor of the vehicle. Rotation (pivotally displacing) of the backrest and the base relative to the rear portion and the floor of the vehicle, respectively, creates sufficient

space for accessing third row of seats of the vehicle. Such space created by the seat assembly is considerably higher and larger in volume, in comparison with the existing configuration of middle row of seats. The seat assembly eliminates requirement of sliding mechanism and tumbling mechanism, whereby addressing drawbacks associated with slidable configuration of middle row of seats. The seat assembly is easy to install and maintain and is inexpensive in comparison with existing configurations of the middle row seats. The seat assembly does not require considerable amount of effort for operation by the passenger/user and is convenient to operate. The seat assembly may be easily operated by elder citizens, adolescents, and children.
[0012] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the backrest is hingedly connected to the rear portion of the fixed segment. The backrest may be connected to the rear portion of the fixed segment by at least one first hinge.
[0013] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the backrest is configured to be rotated in a range of 155 degrees, relative to the rear portion of the fixed segment. The backrest is also configured to be rotated in a range of 90 degrees to 170 degrees, and in a range of 120 degrees to 150 degrees.
[0014] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the base is hingedly connected to the floor of the vehicle by at least one second hinge. The base is configured to be rotated in a range of 90 degrees, relative to the floor of the vehicle. The base is also configured to be rotated in a range of 60 degrees to 120 degrees, and in a range of 45 degrees to 135 degrees and the like.
[0015] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the backrest and the base of the movable segment are configured to be pivotally displaced independent of each other.
[0016] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the assembly is configured such that the base is rotatable, only in a rotated (or pivotally displaced) condition of the backrest.
[0017] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the hinged connection between the backrest and the rear portion and the hinged connection between the base and the floor of the vehicle is by one or more of connecting elements such as, but not limited to, flap fittings, slider channels, linkages, brackets, chains, fasteners, and the like.
[0018] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the movable segment including the backrest and the base is configured to be arrested or locked against any rotation or displacement, during

movement of vehicle. The movable segment including the backrest and the base is configured to be arrested or locked against any rotation or displacement, to prevent unintended rotation and/or displacement, relative to the fixed segment.
[0019] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the movable segment including the backrest and the base is configured to be arrested or locked against any rotation or displacement by a locking unit. The locking unit is a locking mechanism such as, but not limited to, a latch lock mechanism, a sliding lock mechanism, a snap-fit mechanism, and the like.
[0020] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the bench seat including the fixed segment and the movable segment has a partition ratio of 60:40. That is, the fixed segment is configured to constitute 60 percent of length of bench seat, while the movable segment constitutes 40 percent of length of bench seat.
[0021] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the bench seat including the fixed segment and the movable segment may have a partition ratio of 50:50. Further, the bench seat including the fixed segment and the movable segment has a partition ratio of 70:30, 80:20 and the like.
[0022] The foregoing summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. In addition to the illustrative aspects, embodiments, and features described above, further aspects, embodiments, and features will become apparent by reference to the drawings and the following detailed description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS
[0023] The novel features and characteristics of the disclosure are set forth in the appended claims. The disclosure itself, however, as well as a preferred mode of use, further objectives, and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying figures. One or more embodiments are now described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying figures wherein like reference numerals represent like elements and in which:
[0024] Figure 1 illustrates perspective view of a seat assembly, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0025] Figure 2 illustrates another view of the seat assembly of Figure 1, depicting hinged connections of the seat assembly.
[0026] Figure 3 illustrates yet another view of the seat assembly of Figure 1, depicting rotational direction of a movable segment of the seat assembly.
[0027] Figure 4 illustrates a front view of the seat assembly of Figure 1, depicting movable segment of the seat assembly in a pivotally displaced position.
[0028] Figure 5 illustrates a rear view of the seat assembly of Figure 1, depicting movable segment of the seat assembly in the pivotally displaced position.
[0029] Figure 6 illustrates steps involved in operation of the seat assembly of Figure 1.
[0030] The figures depict embodiments of the disclosure for purposes of illustration only. One skilled in the art will readily recognize from the following description that alternative embodiments of the system and the method illustrated herein may be employed without departing from the principles of the disclosure described herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0031] While the embodiments in the disclosure are subject to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by the way of example in the figures and will be described below. It should be understood, however that it is not intended to limit the disclosure to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the disclosure is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the disclosure.
[0032] The terms “comprises”, “comprising”, or any other variations thereof used in the disclosure, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions, such that a device, assembly, mechanism, system, method that comprises a list of components does not include only those components but may include other components not expressly listed or inherent to such system, or assembly, or device. In other words, one or more elements in a system/assembly proceeded by “comprises… a” does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of other elements or additional elements in the system or method.
[0033] Embodiments of the present disclosure disclose a seat assembly configured to increase space available for ingress and egress of a user from a vehicle. Particularly, embodiments of

the present disclosure disclose a seating assembly configured to improve access to cabin of the vehicle and to improve access to a third row of seats of the vehicle. The term ‘vehicle’ as used herein refers to any vehicle having a passenger cabin or passenger accommodation space, and which is equipped with one or more seats for passenger accommodation. Such vehicles are well-known in the art and include vehicles such as cars, vans, minivans, school/college buses, public transport vehicles, traveler buses, trucks, SUVs, and passenger minibuses, that are extensively used in passenger transport. The seats may be one or more of a bench seat, a bucket seat, and a tumble seat. Although the present disclosure is described in the context of a bench seat configured to accommodate multiple people, such description may not be viewed as a limitation of the present disclosure and may be suitably adapted to work with bucket seat and tumble seat configuration. The term ‘bucket seat’ as used herein refers to a seat contoured to hold one person. The term ‘bench seat’ as used herein is refers to a bench seat configured to accommodate more than one person and is distinct from the bucket seat. The term ‘ingress’ and ‘egress’ of a user/passenger, as used herein refers to the action of going in or entering the vehicle and the action of going out or exiting the vehicle, respectively.
[0034] The term ‘first row of seats’ (or simply ‘first row’) refers to a frontmost seat row of the vehicle. The first row of seats may include a driver’s seat and co-driver’s seat configured to accommodate one or more passengers. Ingress and egress of passenger’s including driver is provided by front doors of the vehicle. Further, the term ‘second row of seats’ (or simply ‘second row’) refers to a seat row that is positioned behind the first row of seats and is usually referred to as middle row of seats (or simply ‘middle row’). The second row of seats are referred to as middle row of seats by virtue of being positioned in the middle of the cabin of the vehicle and by virtue of being positioned in between the first row of seats and third row of seats of the vehicle. Furthermore, the term ‘third row of seats’ (or simply ‘third row’) refers to a seat row that is positioned behind the second row of seats. The third row of seats may be the rearmost seat row of the vehicle and is commonly referred to as ‘rear row of seats’ (or simply ‘rear row’) by virtue of being positioned at a rear portion of the cabin of the vehicle. Although the present disclosure in described in the context of middle row of seats and rear row of seats of the vehicle, such description may not be viewed as a limitation of the present disclosure and may be suitably adapted to work with any other row of seats of the vehicle.
[0035] Ingress and egress of passengers to the first row of seats are provided by front doors of the vehicle, and the vehicle may include a pair of front doors. Further, ingress and egress of

passengers to the second row of seats and the third row of seats are generally provided by rear doors of the vehicle. The vehicle may include a pair of rear doors. The present disclosure relates to such vehicles in which access to the third row is provided by the rear doors of the vehicle, via the middle row. The present disclosure relates to configuration of the middle row of seats that are adapted to provide access to third row of seats of the vehicle. The configuration of the middle row of seats, as disclosed by the present disclosure, providing sufficient space, convenient and user-friendly access to passengers for ingress and egress from third row of seats of the vehicle.
[0036] Embodiments of the present disclosure disclose a seat assembly configured to increase space available for ingress and egress of a user from a vehicle. Particularly, embodiments of the present disclosure disclose a seating assembly configured to improve access to cabin of the vehicle and to improve access to a third row of seats of the vehicle. The term ‘access’ as used herein refers to both ‘ingress’ and ‘egress’ of a user/passenger and includes action of going in or entering the vehicle and the action of going out or exiting the vehicle.
[0037] Embodiments of the present disclose a seat assembly (also referred to as ‘assembly’ hereinafter) configured to improve access to a third row of seats of the vehicle. The assembly includes a bench seat. The bench seat includes a seating portion adapted for seating the passenger and a rear portion for supporting back/torso of the passenger. The bench seat may also include one or more headrest for resting and limiting rearward movement of passenger’s head. The bench seat may be partitioned into a fixed segment and a movable segment. The movable segment may include a backrest and a base. The backrest and the base may be selectively rotatable relative to the fixed segment of the bench seat. The backrest may be hingedly (pivotally) connected to the rear portion of the fixed segment. Hinged connection between the backrest of the movable segment and the rear portion of the fixed segment enables rotation of the backrest relative to the rear portion. Furthermore, the base of the movable segment may be hingedly connected to the floor of the vehicle. Hinged connection between the base of the movable segment and the floor of the vehicle enables rotation of the base relative to the floor of the vehicle. Rotation (pivotally displacing) of the backrest and the base relative to the rear portion and the floor of the vehicle, respectively, creates sufficient space for accessing third row of seats of the vehicle. Such space created by the seat assembly is considerably higher and larger in volume, in comparison with the existing configuration of middle row of seats. The seat assembly eliminates requirement of sliding mechanism and

tumbling mechanism, whereby addressing drawbacks associated with slidable configuration of middle row of seats. The seat assembly is easy to install and maintain and is inexpensive in comparison with existing configurations of the middle row seats. The seat assembly does not require considerable amount of effort for operation by the passenger/user and is convenient to operate. The seat assembly may be easily operated by elder citizens, adolescents, and children.
[0038] The disclosure is described in the following paragraphs with reference to Figures 1 to 6. In the figures, the same element or elements which have same functions are indicated by the same reference signs. It is to be noted that, the vehicle including the engine and the entire seating arrangement in a cabin of the vehicle is not illustrated in the figures for the purpose of simplicity. One skilled in the art would appreciate that the seat assembly as disclosed in the present disclosure may be used in any vehicle, where such vehicle may include, but not be limited to, light duty vehicles, passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, and the like. Also, such seat assembly may be employed in any other seating arrangements and furniture’s that are used in domestic setups, commercial setups and the like.
[0039] Figure 1 is an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure which illustrates a seat assembly (10) (also referred to as ‘assembly’ hereinafter) configured to improve access to a third row of seats of the vehicle. The assembly (10) includes a bench seat (1) as shown in figure 1. The bench seat (1) may be configured to seat/accommodate more than one passenger. In the embodiment depicted in Figure 1, the bench seat (1) is configured to accommodate two passengers. The bench seat (1) may include a seating portion (2) adapted for seating the passenger and a rear portion (3) for supporting back/torso of the passenger. The bench seat (1) may also include one or more headrest (4) for resting and limiting rearward movement of passenger’s head.
[0040] Further, the bench seat (1) may be partitioned into a fixed segment (5) (best illustrated in Figure 5) and a movable segment (6) (roughly outlined by a dashed line rectangle in Figure 1). The movable segment (6) may include a backrest (7) and a base (8). The backrest (7) may be configured to support back/torso of the passenger seated on the movable segment (6). The base (8) may be configured to seat the passenger on the movable segment (6). The backrest (7) and the base (8) may be selectively rotatable relative to the fixed segment (5) of the bench seat (1).

[0041] Referring to Figure 2, the backrest (7) may be hingedly connected to the rear portion (3) of the fixed segment (5). The backrest (7) may be connected to the rear portion (3) of the fixed segment (5) by at least one first hinge (9). In an embodiment, the backrest (7) may be connected to the rear portion (3) of the fixed segment (5) by a pair of first hinges (9) (as depicted in Figure 2). However, the backrest (7) may be connected to the rear portion (3) of the fixed segment (5) by two or more first hinges (9). Hinged connection between the backrest (7) of the movable segment (6) and the rear portion (3) of the fixed segment (5) enables rotation of the backrest (7) relative to the rear portion (3). Figure 3 illustrates a first pointer (11) depicting direction of rotation of the backrest (7) relative to the rear portion (3). The backrest (7) may be configured to be rotated in a range of 155 degrees, relative to the rear portion (3) of the fixed segment (5). However, the backrest (7) may also be configured to be rotated in a range of 90 degrees to 170 degrees, and in a range of 120 degrees to 150 degrees and the like.
[0042] Referring to Figure 2 again, the base (8) of the movable segment (6) may be hingedly (pivotally) connected to the floor of the vehicle. However, the base (8) of the movable segment (6) may also be hingedly connected to a support plate that is mounted on the floor of the vehicle. Further, the base (8) may be hingedly connected to the floor of the vehicle by at least one second hinge (12). In an embodiment, the base (8) may be connected to the floor of the vehicle by a pair of second hinges (12) (as depicted in Figures 2 and 3). However, the base (8) may be connected to the floor of the vehicle by more two or more second hinges (12). Hinged connection between the base (8) of the movable segment (6) and the floor of the vehicle enables rotation of the base (8) relative to the floor of the vehicle. A second pointer (13) illustrating direction of rotation of the base (8) relative to the floor of the vehicle is depicted in Figure 2. The base (8) may be configured to be rotated in a range of 90 degrees, relative to the floor of the vehicle. However, the base (8) may also be configured to be rotated in a range of 60 degrees to 120 degrees, and in a range of 45 degrees to 135 degrees and the like.
[0043] In an embodiment, the first hinges (9) and the second hinges (12) may be one of a self-locking hinges, locking lever hinges, multi angle locking hinges, and adjustable backrest hinges. The locking of the first hinges (9) and the second hinges (12) ensure the stability of the backrest (7) and the base (8) at predefined angles.
[0044] Figure 4 illustrates a front view of the assembly (10), when the backrest (7) and the base (8) of the movable segment (6) are pivotally displaced relative to the rear portion (3) of

the fixed segment (5) and the floor of the vehicle, respectively. Further, Figure 5 illustrates a rear view of the assembly (10), when the backrest (7) and the base (8) of the movable segment (6) are pivotally displaced relative to the rear portion (3) of the fixed segment (5) and the floor of the vehicle, respectively.
[0045] In an embodiment, the backrest (7) and the base (8) of the movable segment (6) may be configured to be pivotally displaced independent of each other. In an embodiment, the base (8) of the movable segment (6) may be configured to be rotated relative to floor of vehicle, only after rotation of the backrest (7). That is, the assembly (10) may be configured such that the base (8) can only be rotated, only in a rotated (or pivotally displaced) condition of the backrest (7).
[0046] In an embodiment, hinged connection between the backrest (7) and the rear portion (3), the hinged connection between the base (8) and the floor of the vehicle may be realized by one or more of connecting elements such as, but not limited to, flap fittings, slider channels, linkages, brackets, chains, fasteners and any other arrangements that serves the purpose.
[0047] In an embodiment, the movable segment (6) including the backrest (7) and the base (8) may be configured to be arrested or locked against any rotation or displacement, during movement of vehicle. The movable segment (6) including the backrest (7) and the base (8) may be configured to be arrested or locked against any rotation or displacement, to prevent unintended rotation and/or displacement, relative to the fixed segment (5). The movable segment (6) including the backrest (7) and the base (8) may be configured to be arrested or locked against any rotation or displacement by a locking unit. The locking unit may be a locking mechanism such as, but not limited to, a latch lock mechanism, a sliding lock mechanism, a snap-fit mechanism, and the like.
[0048] In an embodiment, the bench seat (1) including the fixed segment (5) and the movable segment (6) may have a partition ratio of 60:40. That is, the fixed segment (5) may be configured to constitute 60 percent of length of bench seat (1), while the movable segment (6) constitutes 40 percent of length of bench seat (1). In an embodiment, the bench seat (1) including the fixed segment (5) and the movable segment (6) may have a partition ratio of 50:50. Further, the bench seat (1) including the fixed segment (5) and the movable segment (6) may also have a partition ratio of 70:30, 80:20 and the like.

[0049] Figure 6 illustrates steps involved in operation of the assembly (10). Operation of the assembly (10) includes four major steps as illustrated in the Figure 6. In a first step, the backrest (7) of the movable segment (6) is pivotally displaced (rotated) relative to the rear portion (3) of the fixed segment (5). Configuration of the assembly (10) resulting from such rotation is shown in portion ‘A’ of Figure 6. In a second step, the base (8) of the movable segment (6) is pivotally displaced (rotated) relative to the floor of the vehicle, as shown in portion ‘B’ of Figure 6. A front view and a rear view of the assembly (10) resulting from such rotations is shown in portion ‘C’ and portion ‘D’ of Figure 6. To revert the assembly (10) to its original configuration, the backrest (7) and the base (8) of the movable segment (6) are pivotally displaced (rotated) in an opposite direction, relative to rotation directions depicted in portions ‘A’ and ‘B’ of Figure 6. Operation of the assembly (10) as described above, provides access to third row of seats of the vehicle, for ingress and egress of passengers.
[0050] In an embodiment, rotation of the backrest (7) relative to the rear portion (3), and rotation of the base (8) relative to the floor of the vehicle may be automated and may be regulated by a driver/passenger in the vehicle. The Operation of the assembly (10) may be regulated by an Electronic Control Unit (ECU) (14) of the vehicle. In an embodiment, the ECU (14) may be a centralized control unit, or a dedicated control unit associated with the seat assembly (10). The ECU (14) may be implemented by any computing systems that is utilized to implement the features of the present disclosure. The ECU (14) may be comprised of a processing unit. The rotation of the backrest (7) relative to the rear portion (3) can be automated by a first actuating means (15), and the rotation of the base (8) relative to the floor and the can be automated by a first actuating means (16). The first actuating means (15) and the second actuating means (16) may be selected from any one of an electrically driven motors, direct current (DC) motors, synchronous and asynchronous motors, alternating current (AC) motors, stepper motors, and servomotors. The processing unit may comprise at least one data processor for executing program components for executing user- or system-generated requests. The processing unit may be a specialized processing unit such as integrated system (bus) controllers, memory management control units, floating point units, graphics processing units, digital signal processing units, etc. The processing unit may include a microprocessor, such as AMD Athlon, Duron or Opteron, ARM’s application, embedded or secure processors, IBM PowerPC, Intel’s Core, Itanium, Xeon, Celeron, or other line of processors, etc. The processing unit may be implemented using a mainframe, distributed processor, multi-core, parallel, grid, or other architectures. Some embodiments may utilize embedded technologies like application-

specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), and the like.
[0051] Further, in some embodiments, the processing unit may be disposed in communication with one or more memory devices (e.g., RAM, ROM etc.) via a storage interface. The storage interface may connect to memory devices including, without limitation, memory drives, removable disc drives, etc., employing connection protocols such as serial advanced technology attachment (SATA), integrated drive electronics (IDE), IEEE-1394, universal serial bus (USB), fiber channel, small computing system interface (SCSI), etc. The memory drives may further include a drum, magnetic disc drive, magneto-optical drive, optical drive, redundant array of independent discs (RAID), solid-state memory devices, solid-state drives, and the like.
[0052] As can be seen from Figures 4 and 5, upon rotation (pivotally displacing) of the backrest (7) and the base (8) relative to the rear portion (3) and the floor of the vehicle, respectively, creates sufficient freeway space for accessing third row of seats of the vehicle. Such space created by the seat assembly (10) is considerably higher and larger in volume, in comparison with the existing configuration of middle row of seats. The seat assembly (10) eliminates requirement of configuring the middle row of seats to be selectively removable, for creating a freeway to provide access to the third row of seats. By eliminating such selectively removable requirement of middle row of seats, requirement of additional tools and skilled manpower for removing and re-installing the one or more bucket seats is prevented. Further, the seat assembly (10) addresses drawbacks associated with the slidable configuration of middle row of seats. By eliminating requirement of sliding mechanism, associated drawbacks such as expensive installation and maintenance, consumption of additional cabin space, requirement of skilled person for operation is avoided. The seat assembly (10) is easy to install and maintain and is inexpensive in comparison with existing configurations of the middle row seats. The seat assembly (10) does not require considerable amount of effort for operation by the passenger/user and is convenient to operate. The seat assembly (10) may be easily operated by elder citizens, adolescents, and children.
EQUIVALENTS
[0053] With respect to the use of substantially any plural and/or singular terms herein, those having skill in the art can translate from the plural to the singular and/or from the singular to

the plural as is appropriate to the context and/or application. The various singular/plural permutations may be expressly set forth herein for sake of clarity.
[0054] It will be understood by those within the art that, in general, terms used herein, and especially in the appended claims (e.g., bodies of the appended claims) are generally intended as “open” terms (e.g., the term “including” should be interpreted as “including but not limited to,” the term “having” should be interpreted as “having at least,” the term “includes” should be interpreted as “includes but is not limited to,” etc.). It will be further understood by those within the art that if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is intended, such an intent will be explicitly recited in the claim, and in the absence of such recitation no such intent is present. For example, as an aid to understanding, the following appended claims may contain usage of the introductory phrases “at least one” and “one or more” to introduce claim recitations. However, the use of such phrases should not be construed to imply that the introduction of a claim recitation by the indefinite articles “a” or “an” limits any particular claim containing such introduced claim recitation to inventions containing only one such recitation, even when the same claim includes the introductory phrases “one or more” or “at least one” and indefinite articles such as “a” or “an” (e.g., “a” and/or “an” should typically be interpreted to mean “at least one” or “one or more”); the same holds true for the use of definite articles used to introduce claim recitations. In addition, even if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is explicitly recited, those skilled in the art will recognize that such recitation should typically be interpreted to mean at least the recited number (e.g., the bare recitation of “two recitations,” without other modifiers, typically means at least two recitations, or two or more recitations). Furthermore, in those instances where a convention analogous to “at least one of A, B, and C, etc.” is used, in general such a construction is intended in the sense one having skill in the art would understand the convention (e.g., “a system (100) having at least one of A, B, and C” would include but not be limited to systems that have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and/or A, B, and C together, etc.). In those instances where a convention analogous to “at least one of A, B, or C, etc.” is used, in general such a construction is intended in the sense one having skill in the art would understand the convention (e.g., “a system (100) having at least one of A, B, or C” would include but not be limited to systems that have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and/or A, B, and C together, etc.). It will be further understood by those within the art that virtually any disjunctive word and/or phrase presenting two or more alternative terms, whether in the description, claims, or drawings, should be

understood to contemplate the possibilities of including one of the terms, either of the terms, or both terms. For example, the phrase “A or B” will be understood to include the possibilities of “A” or “B” or “A and B.”
[0055] In addition, where features or aspects of the disclosure are described in terms of Markush groups, those skilled in the art will recognize that the disclosure is also thereby described in terms of any individual member or subgroup of members of the Markush group.
[0056] While various aspects and embodiments have been disclosed herein, other aspects and embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The various aspects and embodiments disclosed herein are for purposes of illustration and are not intended to be limiting, with the true scope and spirit being indicated by the following claims.
REFERRAL NUMERICALS

Particulars Numerical
Bench seat 1
Seating portion 2
Rear portion 3
Headrest 4
Fixed segment 5
Movable segment 6
Backrest 7
Base 8
First hinge 9
Seat assembly 10
First pointer 11

Second hinge 12
Second pointer 13
ECU 14
First actuating means 15
Second actuating means 16

We Claim:
1. A seat assembly (10) for a vehicle comprising:
a bench seat (1) configured by connection of a fixed segment (5) and a movable segment (6);
the fixed segment (5) comprising a seating portion (2) and a rear portion (3);
the movable segment (6) comprising a backrest (7) rotatably connected to the rear portion (3) of the fixed segment (5) and a base (8) rotatably connected to a floor of the vehicle;
wherein the space captured by the movable segment (6) is converted into a freeway by rotation of the backrest (7) relative to the seating portion (2) of the fixed segment (5) and the rotation of the base (8) relative to the floor.
2. The seat assembly (10) of claim 1, wherein the each of the fixed segment (5) and the movable segment (6) comprises a head rest (4).
3. The seat assembly (10) of claim 1, wherein the backrest of the movable segment (6) is connected to the rear portion (3) by one or more first hinges (9) which are configured to get locked at one or more pre-defined angles.
4. The seat assembly (10) of claim 1, wherein the base (8) of the movable segment (6) is connected to the floor by one or more second hinges (12) which are configured to get locked at one or more pre-defined angles.
5. The seat assembly (10) of claim 1, wherein the backrest (7) is rotated in a direction, which when rotated up to 170 degrees comes over the seating portion (2) and faces the rear portion (3).
6. The seat assembly (10) of claim 1, wherein the base (8) is rotated in a direction, which when rotated up to 70 degrees, the front portion of the base (8) comes near to the floor.
7. A method of operating a seat assembly (10) of a vehicle to create a freeway, the method comprising:

rotating a backrest (7) of a movable segment (6) relative to a rear portion (3) of a fixed segment (5) of a bench seat (1);
maintaining the rotated position of backrest (7) over a seating portion (2) of the fixed segment (5);
rotating a base (8) of the movable segment (6) relative to a floor of the vehicle; and
maintaining the rotated position of the base (6) over the floor of the vehicle.
8. A seat assembly (10) for a vehicle comprising:
an electronic control unit (14) comprising one or more modules;
a bench seat (1) configured by connection of a fixed segment (5) and a movable segment (6);
the fixed segment (5) comprising a seating portion (2) and a rear portion (3);
the movable segment (6) comprising a backrest (7) rotatably connected by one or more first actuating means to the rear portion (3) of the fixed segment (5) and a base (8) rotatably connected by one or more second actuating means to a floor of the vehicle;
wherein the electronic control unit (14), on receiving an input for creating a freeway at the space of movable segment (6), is enabled to actuate
the first actuating means to rotate the backrest (7) relative to the
seating portion (2) of the fixed segment (5); and
the second actuating means to rotate the base (8) relative to the floor.
9. A vehicle with seat assembly (10).