Patent ID: 6986531

Claim:
A manual type tilting assembly for a vehicle steering column comprising; a support housing to be supported by a vehicle, a tilt housing defining an upper steering shaft axis (A) for rotatably supporting an upper steering shaft for rotation about said axis, a pivotal connection pivotally connecting said tilt housing to said support housing for pivotal movement about a tilt axis extending transversely to said upper steering shaft axis (A), and a latch mechanism moveable between a latched position for preventing said pivotal movement of said tilt housing and an unlatched position for allowing said pivotal movement of said tilt housing relative to said support housing about said tilt axis, said latch mechanism including a release lever pivotally attached to said support housing for pivotal movement about a lever axis parallel to said tilt axis between said latched position and said unlatched position, a tilt shoe pivotally supported by said tilt housing for movement about a shoe pivot axis between said latched position engaging said support housing and said unlatched position out of engagement with said support housing, and a slide movably supported by said tilt housing relative to said release lever and having a blocking end for engaging said tilt shoe to prevent said tilt shoe from moving out of said latched position, and wherein said release lever extends from said lever axis to a distal end, and including a connection between said lever and said slide to cause movement of said slide in response to moving said release lever.