Patent attributes
A steering column tilt adjusting system for releasably locking a steering column assembly. The pawl is pivotally coupled to the rack and may be pivotally and slidably moved between fully compressed and fully extended positions. The system includes a pawl, a rack, and a pair of side slide plates. Each of the pawl and the rack support a set of rack teeth. The pawl and rack, which are slidable relative to one another, permit adjustment of the system to a fully compressed locked position (teeth of the pawl engaging the teeth of the rack), a fully compressed unlocked position (the teeth of the pawl and those of the rack are not engaged), a fully extended unlocked position (the teeth are not engaged) or a fully extended locked position (the teeth of the pawl engaging the teeth of the rack). In operation, the length of the adjustment system is unlocked, adjusted and relocked to cause the steering column steering wheel to be repositioned as the driver wants.
