Locking system for adjustable position steering column

A locking system for an adjustable steering column having adjustment components which are relatively movable to permit adjustment in the position of the column, said locking system comprising:

• at least a pair of racks with each rack having a set of rack teeth associated with the adjustment components of the column;
• at least one associated locking device having teeth supported during normal operation of the column out of locking engagement with said teeth of said rack to permit normal adjustments of the column, and supported for movement into said locking engagement with said rack in response to application of an impact force on the column in a collision event in a direction of collapse of the column to positively lock the adjustment components of the column against relative adjustment movement during application of the impact force to enable controlled collapse of the column without relative movement of the adjustment components;
• and
• said teeth of the racks are arranged adjacent one another and said locking device includes at least one locking element having teeth engageable with said teeth of both of said racks.

A locking system for an adjustable steering column having adjustment components which are relatively movable to permit adjustment in the position of the column, said locking system comprising:

• at least one rack having a set of rack teeth associated with the adjustment components of the column;
• at least one associated locking device having teeth supported during normal operation of the column out of locking engagement with said teeth of said rack to permit normal adjustments of the column, and supported for movement into said locking engagement with said rack in response to application of an impact force on the column in a collision event in a direction of collapse of the column to positively lock the adjustment components of the column against relative adjustment movement during application of the impact force to enable controlled collapse of the column without relative movement of the adjustment components;
• a retainer releasably supporting said locking device out of said engagement with said telescope tooth rack during normal operation of the column wherein said retainer is operative to release said locking device in response to application of said impact force to permit said locking device to move into said locking engagement;
• and
• a spring acting on said locking device in opposition to said retainer to constantly urge said locking device toward said locking engagement with said rack, and operative in response to said release of said locking device by said retainer to positively move said locking device into said locking engagement under the force of said spring.

A method of selectively locking an adjustable position steering column against adjustment, said method comprising:

• fitting the column with a telescope tooth rack associated with relatively movable telescoping components of the column and a rake tooth rack associated with relatively movable rake components of the column;
• fitting the column with a locking device having rake teeth and telescope teeth fixed relative to one another;
• and
• supporting the locking device such that during normal operation of the column the rake teeth of the locking mechanism are out of engagement with the rake tooth rack to permit adjustment in the rake position of the steering column, while the telescope teeth are movable into and out of engagement with the telescope tooth rack to permit normal telescope adjustments of the column, while causing the locking device to move into locking engagement with the rake tooth rack in response to application of an impact force on the column in the direction of collapse during a collision event to positively lock the adjustable components of the column against relative movement to enable controlled collapse of the column without relative movement of the adjustment components.