Patent ID: 7784830

Claim:
A telescoping jacket assembly for use in a telescoping steering column, the telescoping jacket assembly comprising: an outer jacket defining a generally-cylindrical inner surface; an inner jacket telescopically received within the outer jacket, the inner jacket defining a generally-cylindrical outer surface in opposition with the inner surface of the outer jacket; and a flexible sleeve including a generally-cylindrical wall disposed between the inner surface of the outer jacket and the outer surface of the inner jacket, wherein the sleeve includes a plurality of internal ribs protruding from the wall to define internal contact surfaces on the sleeve in engagement with the outer surface of the inner jacket and which do not extend through the outer surface of the inner jacket to thereby radially space the wall from the outer surface of the inner jacket and allow telescoping movement of the inner jacket relative to the sleeve and in contact with the at least two internal ribs of the sleeve, wherein the sleeve includes a plurality of first and second external ribs protruding from the wall to define external contact surfaces on the sleeve in engagement with the inner surface of the outer jacket to thereby space the wall from the outer jacket, and each of the first plurality of external ribs being circumferentially aligned with a respective internal rib, each of the second plurality of external ribs being circumferentially offset completely from each immediately proximate internal rib.