Steering column assembly with improved attachment to a vehicle structure

A steering column assembly for a vehicle comprising:

• an upper column jacket, through which a steering control shaft is supported for rotation about a longitudinal column axis;
• a collar assembly disposed about the upper column jacket, the collar assembly having a guide end and a cam end, the guide end including a guide shaft that extends outwardly from the guide end along a lock axis, the cam end including a cam shaft that extends outwardly from the cam end along the lock axis;
• a position lock bracket attached to the vehicle and disposed about the collar assembly, the position lock bracket having a first lock wall and a second lock wall, the guide shaft extending through an adjustment channel defined in the first lock wall, the cam shaft extending through an adjustment channel defined in the second lock wall;
• a guide clamp disposed along the guide shaft between the upper column jacket and the first lock wall and a guide retainer fixed to the guide shaft such that, when the steering column assembly is in a locked mode, the guide clamp is placed in compression between the upper column jacket and the first lock wall and the first lock wall is placed in compression between the guide clamp and the guide retainer;
• wherein the collar assembly comprises a clamp ring that is configured to extend around the upper column jacket, the cam end defining a cam shaft passage that extends through the cam end, the cam shaft provided by a cam shaft insert configured for assembly with the cam end;
• wherein the cam end defines a cam shaft keyway that extends along a second inside surface of the cam end, transversely to the lock axis;
• and
• wherein the cam shaft insert includes a cam shaft base that is configured to seat into the cam shaft keyway so as to position the cam shaft insert relatively to the cam end of the clamp ring and to prevent the cam shaft insert from rotating about the lock axis.

A steering column assembly for a vehicle comprising:

• an upper column jacket, through which a steering control shaft is supported for rotation about a longitudinal column axis;
• a collar assembly disposed about the upper column jacket, the collar assembly having a guide end and a cam end, the guide end including a guide shaft that extends outwardly from the guide end along a lock axis, the cam end including a cam shaft that extends outwardly from the cam end along the lock axis;
• a position lock bracket attached to the vehicle and disposed about the collar assembly, the position lock bracket having a first lock wall and a second lock wall, the guide shaft extending through an adjustment channel defined in the first lock wall, the cam shaft extending through an adjustment channel defined in the second lock wall;
• a guide clamp disposed along the guide shaft between the upper column jacket and the first lock wall and a guide retainer fixed to the guide shaft such that, when the steering column assembly is in a locked mode, the guide clamp is placed in compression between the upper column jacket and the first lock wall and the first lock wall is placed in compression between the guide clamp and the guide retainer;
• wherein the collar assembly comprises a clamp ring that is configured to extend around the upper column jacket, the guide end defining a guide shaft passage that extends through the guide end, and the cam end defining a cam shaft passage that extends through the cam end;
• wherein the guide end of the clamp ring defines a guide shaft keyway that is formed in and extends along a first inside surface of the clamp ring guide end;
• and
• wherein the cam end of the clamp ring defines a cam shaft keyway that is formed in and extends along a second inside surface of the clamp ring cam end.