Patent ID: 6854765
Filing Date: 2005-02-15
Classification: B62D,F16C,F16D,F16F

Abstract:
1. A steering shaft assembly comprising: a tubular main body having a wall with an inner surface and an outer surface and having an upper end and a lower end with an intermediate portion between said upper and lower ends; a shaft disposed at least partially in said upper end of said tubular main body; a spring disposed at least partially in said upper end of said tubular main body; and a sleeve disposed at least partially in said upper end of said tubular main body between said spring and said inner surface of said tubular main body, said sping being fixed axially to at least one of said tubular main body and said sleeve, said sleeve acting to urge said spring into frictional contact with said shaft and imparting an axial resistance force supporting said shaft against axial displacement within said tubular main body in response to application of an axial force on said shaft less than said axial resistance force, and enabling axial displacement of said shaft relative to said tubular main body and said spring in response to application of an axial collapsing force exceeding said axial resistance force.