Patent ID: 6481310
Filing Date: 2002-11-19
Classification: B62D

Abstract:
A fine increment tilt mechanism comprising:a vehicle steering column tilt assembly including a first housing and a second housing; a steering shaft bearing bore having an upper steering shaft axis in one of said first and second housings; a pivotal connection pivotally connecting said first housing to said second housing for pivotal movement about a tilt axis that is transverse to the upper steering shaft axis; a tilt lock shoe fixed to said second housing and having a plurality of fixed teeth on a tooth rack; a tilt lock pivoted shoe pivotally attached to said first housing for pivotal movement about a shoe pivot pin axis that is parallel to and spaced from the tilt axis and a plurality of pivoted shoe teeth on the tilt lock pivoted shoe that are engageable with a plurality of fixed teeth carried by said second housing; and a shoe release lever pivotally attached to said first housing for pivotal movement between a shoe locked position and a shoe unlocked position and having an integral wedge with a first wedge surface that slides on an arm of said first housing and a second wedge surface that engages a cam lobe on the tilt lock pivoted shoe and cams the plurality of pivoted shoe teeth into engagement with the plurality of fixed teeth when in the shoe locked position and that frees the plurality of pivoted shoe teeth to move out of engagement with the plurality of fixed teeth when in the shoe unlocked position.