Patent ID: 7874228

Claim:
A steering column assembly for a vehicle, said assembly comprising: a rake bracket configured for attachment to the vehicle; a generally tubular-shaped column jacket coupled to said rake bracket and extending along a longitudinal axis and defining an interior and a first telescope slot extending through said column jacket parallel to said longitudinal axis, with a lip extending outwardly from said column bracket and encircling said first telescope slot; an output shaft disposed within said interior and concentric with said column jacket with said column jacket moveable along said longitudinal axis relative to said output shaft and said rake bracket; a first telescoping guide having a first planar portion and a first tubular portion extending from said first planar portion, said first tubular portion extending through said first telescope slot of said column jacket into said interior of said column jacket; a first fastener coupled to said rake bracket and extending through said first planar portion and said first tubular portion of said first telescoping guide, to define a tilt axis for pivotal movement of said column jacket relative to said rake bracket with said first telescope slot moveable about said first-fastener during said movement of said column jacket along said longitudinal axis; further comprising a bearing disposed within said interior of said column jacket and rotatably supporting said output shaft with said column jacket being moveable over said bearing and said bearing translationally fixed along said longitudinal axis relative to said rake bracket, wherein said bearing defines an annular recess with said first tubular portion of said first telescoping guide extending into said annular recess.