Patent ID: 7048306

Claim:
A steering column assembly, comprising: a hand wheel rotatable about an axis; at least one guide member having a longitudinal axis spaced generally laterally from said axis of said hand wheel; at least one guide bracket; said at least one guide member and said at least one guide bracket having surfaces supporting and guiding said at least one guide member and said at least one guide bracket for relative sliding movement along said longitudinal axis of said at least one guide member between a first uncollapsed position and a second collapsed position; and including at least one shear member acting between said at least one guide member and said at least one guide bracket fixing said at least one guide member to said at least one guide bracket when in said first position and shearable under a predetermined applied collapsing force permitting said at least one guide member and said at least one guide bracket to move to said second collapsed position under said collapsing force, and at least one dampener associated with said at least one guide member to absorb energy while said at least one guide member and said at least one guide bracket to move to said second collapsed position under said collapsing force.