Improved energy absorption module for vehicle steering column assembly

An energy absorption module subassembly for a steering column assembly comprising:

• a. an energy absorption device;
• b. a retainer assembled with the energy absorption device configured for:
• i. installation into at least a portion of a column housing of the steering column assembly at a first location;
• ii. supportively carrying the energy absorption device at least partially within the retainer;
• and
• iii. enabling the retainer to at least partially deform in response to a load occasioned during an impact collapse stroke of an inner column tube of the steering column assembly that forces the retainer to translate in a forward direction to a second location that is forward in a vehicle relative to the first location;
• wherein the retainer absorbs energy during the impact collapse stroke of the inner column tube by both plastic deformation of the retainer and the translation in the forward direction;
• and
• wherein the energy absorption device absorbs energy by plastic deformation during the impact collapse stroke of the inner column tube, and at least a portion of the energy absorption by the energy absorption device results from plastic deformation that occurs after the retainer has reached the second location.