Collapsible Steering Column Assembly

A collapsible steering column assembly, comprising:

• a column mounting bracket configured for mounting to a vehicle, the bracket having a front portion and a back portion, the front portion comprising a pair of spaced arms, each arm having an inner surface that opposes the inner surface of the other and an opposed outer surface;
• a steering column having a longitudinal axis and comprising an inner jacket that is slidably disposed within an inner surface of an outer jacket, an outer surface of the outer jacket located adjacent the inner surface of the spaced arms;
• a locking device that passes through and is coupled to the spaced arms and the outer jacket, the locking device movable to lock or unlock the slidable disposition of the inner jacket within the outer jacket by respective application or release of a predetermined clamping force to the outer surfaces of the arm, outer jacket and inner jacket;
• the locking device, inner surfaces of the arms and the outer surfaces of the outer jacket axially movable a predetermined axial distance while locked upon application of a predetermined release force to an exposed end of the inner jacket to provide axial separation of the outer surface of the outer bracket from the inner surfaces of the arms and release the application of the predetermined clamping force between the outer jacket and inner jacket, thereby allowing the inner jacket to collapse into the outer jacket a upon application of the predetermined release force.