Patent ID: 7780196

Claim:
A collapsible steering column assembly for a vehicle, said assembly comprising: a steering column having a jacket, said jacket having telescoping movement and collapsing movement along a longitudinal axis, said jacket having tilting movement about a pivot axis between an upper limit and a lower limit; a support bracket coupled to said jacket, said jacket supported by said support bracket during said movements, said support bracket moved with said jacket during said collapsing movement; a friction member mounted to said support bracket, said friction member moved with said support bracket along said longitudinal axis during said collapsing movement; a biasing device coupled to said jacket, said jacket urged by said biasing device toward said upper limit; and said friction member engaged with a portion of said biasing device, said friction member having sliding movement along said biasing device during said collapsing movement, energy transferred through said sliding movement from said jacket and said support bracket to said biasing device, said friction member including an inner surface defining a passageway with said inner surface engaging said portion of said biasing device.