Patent ID: 7533594

Claim:
A position control apparatus for a steering column of a vehicle, said position control apparatus comprising: an outer bracket having a mounting flange for securing said outer bracket to the vehicle; an inner bracket coupled to said outer bracket and moveable relative to said outer bracket along a longitudinal axis; a jacket mounted to said inner bracket for telescoping movement with said inner bracket relative to said outer bracket along said longitudinal axis and for tilting movement with said inner bracket relative to said outer bracket; a telescoping adjustment device disposed on said inner bracket facilitating telescoping movement of said jacket relative to said outer bracket along said longitudinal axis; a tilting adjustment device disposed on said outer bracket facilitating tilting movement of said jacket relative to said outer bracket; said telescoping adjustment device having a first locking surface and said tilting adjustment device having a second locking surface with at least one of said first locking surface and said second locking surface moving relative to the other between a disengaged position allowing telescoping movement and tilting movement of said jacket relative to said outer bracket and an engaged position locking said jacket against telescoping movement and tilting movement relative to said outer bracket; wherein said telescoping adjustment device includes a first rack disposed on said inner bracket and extending along said longitudinal axis and a first pinion engaging said first rack and rotatably moving along said first rack about a rotational axis during said telescoping movement of said jacket relative to said outer bracket along said longitudinal axis; wherein said tilting adjustment device includes a second rack disposed on said outer bracket and extending at an angle relative to said longitudinal axis and a second pinion engaging said second rack and rotatably moving along said second rack about said rotational axis during said tilting movement of said jacket relative to said outer bracket; and a spacer extending about said rotational axis between said inner bracket and said first pinion for maintaining said first pinion stationary along said rotational axis.