Patent ID: 7178832

Claim:
A telescoping steering column assembly comprising: an upper jacket having a body and leading and trailing ends and an opening of a generally circular configuration as viewed in cross section, wherein said opening extends longitudinally from said leading to said trailing ends of said upper jacket and a cavity defined within said body at said leading end; said upper jacket including at least one integral projection extending from said upper jacket to said opening; said upper jacket including two walls integral with and extending downwardly from said body and each of said walls including a hole of a generally circular configuration aligned with respect to one the other; said walls defining a gap therebetween; a plate of a generally rectangular configuration including front, rear and terminal ends; said plate including an elongated slot at each of said terminal ends and a recess of a generally rectangular configuration extending between said slots at said front of said plate; a plurality of fasteners extending through said slots, respectively, to connect said plate to said upper jacket; a lower jacket disposed in telescoping relationship within said opening of said upper jacket; a brake disposed between said walls and extending through said cavity defined within said body of said upper jacket, said brake including top and side walls; said top of said brake including a recess complementary to said lower jacket and a cavity of a generally rectangular configuration defined therewithin; said bottom of said brake being further defined by a U-shaped opening extending horizontally between side walls to divide said brake into two sections separated by said U-shaped opening to further define an inner surface of one of said sections and an inner surface of another section interconnected by an inclined surface sloping inwardly to said jackets; a cam device including a bar having terminal ends of a generally circular configuration, as viewed in cross section, and a middle portion of a generally elliptical configuration, as viewed in cross section, disposed between said terminal ends to abut with said inclined surface of said brake; bushings disposed annularly about each of said terminal ends of said bar, respectively, said bushings disposed within said holes of said walls integral with said upper jacket; and a lever attached to said bar at said terminal end for rotating said bar within said walls and said U-shaped opening of said brake to move said brake upwardly and downwardly in different modes of operation of said assembly.