The invention relates to a telescopic mechanism, especially for steering columns of motor vehicles, with an internal element, which has a flattening on at least one side, and an external element, which is complementary to the internal element and in which the internal element is guided with roll barrels, which roll at the flattening.
For motor vehicles with a positively adjustable steering wheel and/or a safety steering column, the steering column must have a telescopic mechanism, which enables the length of the steering column to be adjusted, so that the position of the steering wheel can be adapted to the respective seated position of the driver and/or so that the steering column can shorten itself in the event of a collision. The internal element and the external element are guided telescopically within one another and together form the steering column. For example, the external element is connected at one end with the steering mechanism, while the internal element carries the steering wheel at the opposite end. The telescopic mechanism is intended to make a smooth axial adjustment of the internal element relative to the external element possible. On the other hand, however, it is to ensure a clearance-free and symmetrical transfer of the steering torque from the internal element to the external element. In this connection, symmetrical means that the twisting of the internal element relative to the external element, which is caused by the torque exerted on the steering wheel, is independent of the direction of action of this torque, so that the same steering sensation is impacted to the driver, no matter which direction the steering wheel is turned.