Patent ID: 7914043

Claim:
An adjustable steering column assembly for a vehicle, said assembly comprising: a column jacket defining a longitudinal axis and moveable in at least one of a telescoping direction and a tilting direction; a first clamping member disposed along said longitudinal axis about said column jacket; a second clamping member disposed along said longitudinal axis adjacent said first clamping member about said column jacket; a lever coupled to at least one of said first and second clamping members and rotatable between a set position for preventing movement of said column jacket in at least one of said telescoping direction and said tilting direction and an adjustable position for allowing movement of said column jacket in at least one of said telescoping direction and said tilting direction; a locking device coupled to said lever and at least one of said first and second clamping members and moveable between a locked position and an unlocked position during rotation of said lever between said set and adjustable positions, respectively; said lever including a first arm and a second arm flanking said column jacket and coupled to at least one of said first and second clamping members with a portion of said locking device disposed about at least one of said first and second clamping members and engaging both of said first and second arms and at least one of said first and second clamping members such that rotation of said lever moves said portion of said locking device for minimizing rotation of said lever between said set and adjustable positions when said locking device moves between said locked and unlocked positions, wherein said lever rotates less than 35 degrees between said set and adjustable positions when moving said locking device between said locked and unlocked positions, wherein said first and second arms flank said first and second clamping members with said first and second arms mounted to said second clamping member and spaced from said first clamping member; and wherein said portion of said locking device is further defined as at least one first locking member mounted to said first and second arms and disposed about both of said first and second clamping members for selectively allowing and preventing movement of said column jacket in at least one of said telescoping direction and said tilting direction.