Patent ID: 6019391
Filing Date: 2000-02-01
Classification: B62D

Abstract:
A steering column for a motor vehicle having a gear box of an electric power assist apparatus mounted on a body of said motor vehicle in front of said steering column comprising:a mast jacket including a tubular sleeve and a bracket rigidly attached to said tubular sleeve having a pair of laterally separated guides straddling said gear box,a mounting means operative to connect said mast jacket to said gear box for up and down pivotal movement about a lateral centerline of said gear box and for linear translation in the direction of a longitudinal centerline of said mast jacket intersecting said lateral centerline of said gear box,a longitudinally collapsible steering shaft supported on said tubular sleeve for rotation about said longitudinal centerline of said mast jacket having a steering hand wheel thereon at a first end of said mast jacket,a flexible coupling between said laterally separated guides connected to said steering shaft and to an input shaft on said gear box, anda clamp means rigidly attached to said body of said motor vehicle around said tubular sleeve operative to define an upper limit position and a lower limit position of vertical pivotal movement of said mast jacket about said lateral centerline of the gear box and to capture by friction the position of said tilt housing between said upper limit position and said lower limit position thereof in response to pivotal movement of a control lever from an unlocked position thereof to a locked position thereof,an impact on said steering hand wheel being operative to overpower the friction couple between said clamp means and said tubular sleeve on said mast jacket to release said mast jacket for linear translation through a collapse stroke during which said mounting means controls the position of a second end of said mast jacket opposite to said first end of said mast jacket.