IMPROVED STEERING COLUMN FOR A VEHICLE

摘要

A vehicle steering column (20) has a rake adjustment mechanism (43) which includes a rake bracket (40) having a rake slot (50) provided with rake slot teeth (52). A tooth lock (100) is supported in the rake slot (50) with teeth (102) opposing the rake slot teeth (52). A rake bolt (62) is rotatable to a first rotative position to move the tooth lock (100) to a retracted position with the teeth (102) of the tooth lock (100) out of engagement with the rake slot teeth (52). The bolt (62) is axially rotatable to a second rotative position permitting the tooth lock (100) to be moved to a locking position by a spring (118) in which the teeth (102) of the tooth lock (100) engage the rake slot teeth (52). The bolt (62), when in the second rotative position, is movable, in response to an application of an impact force on the steering column (20) to collapse the steering column(20), into bearing engagement with the tooth lock (100) to positively retain the tooth lock (100) in the locking position. The steering column (20) is also provided with a release mechanism having shear pins (142, 1449 and an energy absorption mechanism (120).