In this paper, we proposed an adaptive fuzzy sliding mode control for nonlinear systems without parameter projection method. By modifying the controller structure, the parameters of the estimated input gain function are guaranteed not being identically zero and it is shown that the control scheme will not cause any implementation problem even if the estimated value of input gain function is zero at any moment during on-line operations. Except for the input gain function which an approximate estimate for its lower bound is needed, the proposed control scheme does not assume a priori the exact values of the bounding parameters. Based on Lyapunov synthesis methods, the overall control system guarantees that the tracking error asymptotically converges to zero and that all signals involved in controller are uniformly bounded. This can be illustrated by the simulation results for an inverted pendulum system.