Patent ID: 6450531
Filing Date: 2002-09-17
Classification: B62D

Abstract:
A vehicle steering column assembly comprising:a steering column that is adjustable between a range of different adjusted positions; a mounting bracket for said steering column; and means coupled to said mounting bracket and said steering column for releasably clamping said column in selected positions of adjustment; said releasable clamping means comprising a first friction disk means carried by said bracket, a second friction disk means carried by said steering column, a rotary actuating shaft extending transversely through said first and second friction disk mean, and cam means between said rotary shaft and said first friction disk means for releasably locking said first and second friction disk means together in response to manual rotation of said shaft; said cam means comprising a rotary cam carried by said shalt, a cam follower carried by said first friction disk means and anti-friction means interposed between said cam and said cam follower; said anti-friction means comprising individual anti-friction elements that rotate to relieve frictional drag between the cam and cam follower during shaft rotational movement.