Patent ID: 7798525

Claim:
A steering column assembly for a vehicle, said assembly comprising: an upper jacket defining an interior and extending along a longitudinal axis; a lower jacket partially disposed within said interior and extending along said longitudinal axis with said upper jacket moveable along said longitudinal axis relative to said lower jacket; a bushing disposed between said upper jacket and said lower jacket with said bushing including a forward edge and a rearward edge spaced from said forward edge along said longitudinal axis; a first roller mechanism adjacent the forward edge of said bushing, said first roller mechanism rigidly coupled to said upper jacket and including a roller continuously engaging said lower jacket in rolling engagement adjacent said forward edge of said bushing for resisting a resultant force transmitted between said upper jacket and said lower jacket in response to a load applied to said upper jacket transverse to said longitudinal axis to minimize an increase in sliding friction between said bushing and said lower jacket in response to said resultant force; and a second roller mechanism adjacent the rearward edge of said bushing, said second roller mechanism rigidly coupled to said upper jacket and including a roller continuously engaging said lower jacket in rolling engagement adjacent said rearward edge of said bushing for resisting a resultant force transmitted between said upper jacket and said lower jacket in response to a load applied to said upper jacket transverse to said longitudinal axis to minimize an increase in sliding friction between said bushing and said lower jacket in response to said resultant force.