Position control apparatus for steering column

Abstract

A position control apparatus for an adjustable steering column including a first toothed rack, a cam block shiftable in linear translation toward and away from the first toothed rack, a rack shoe having a second toothed rack thereon mounted on the cam block for linear translation therewith and for pivotal movement relative thereto, and a spring biasing the rack shoe to a tilted position on the cam block. An end tooth of the second toothed rack engages a mating tooth of the first toothed rack when the cam block is advanced toward the first toothed rack. The force reaction of the mating tooth on the end tooth pivots the rack shoe relative to the cam block to a position parallel to the first toothed rack in which the first and the second toothed racks mesh. If a peak of the end tooth meets a peak of the mating tooth, pivotal movement of the rack shoe displaces the peak of the end tooth to a flank of the mating tooth thereby to prevent alignment of the peaks of the teeth on the first and second toothed racks and corresponding interference with smooth mesh between the first and the second toothed racks.