A steering column for a motor vehicle, comprising a casing unit, in which a steering spindle is mounted rotatably about a longitudinal axis and which has at least two casing tubes which are guided adjustably relative to one another by an adjustment distance in the direction of the longitudinal axis. In order to permit easier adjustment, the casing tubes can be brought along the adjustment distance relative to one another into at least one comfort region and at least one transition region, wherein a transition adjustment force for the relative adjustment of the casing tubes in the transition region is smaller than a comfort adjustment force for the relative adjustment of the casing tubes in the comfort region.

A steering column for a motor vehicle, comprising a casing unit, in which a steering spindle is mounted rotatably about a longitudinal axis and which has at least two casing tubes which are guided adjustably relative to one another by an adjustment distance in the direction of the longitudinal axis. In order to permit easier adjustment, the casing tubes can be brought along the adjustment distance relative to one another into at least one comfort region and at least one transition region, wherein a transition adjustment force for the relative adjustment of the casing tubes in the transition region is smaller than a comfort adjustment force for the relative adjustment of the casing tubes in the comfort region.

A length-adjustable steering shaft may include a metallic hollow shaft with an opening in which a metallic inner shaft is accommodated rotatably-fixedly and in an axially movable manner. The steering shaft may also include a pull-out retention means with an outer stop that protrudes into an opening of the hollow shaft and an inner stop that protrudes outward from the inner shaft. The inner and outer stops may be formed from the metallic material of the hollow shaft or the inner shaft and may comprise stop surfaces that are directed toward each other in an axial direction. A layer of non-metallic material may be applied to at least one of the inner stop or the outer stop at least partially in a region of the stop surface.

A steering device includes an inner column, an outer column, a hanger bracket, and a fixing member. The hanger bracket has a guide hole which extends in the front-rear direction and through which the shaft portion of the fixing member passes. An edge portion of the guide hole is provided with a first region with which the seat portion of the fixing member comes into contact to fix the hanger bracket to the inner column and a second region which is disposed in front of the first region and faces the seat portion when the seat portion is displaced forward together with the inner column by a secondary collision load being input. A frictional restraining force between the seat portion and the edge portion of the guide hole in a state where the seat portion is displaced to a position opposite the second region is set to be smaller than a frictional restraining force between the seat portion and the edge portion of the guide hole at a position where the seat portion faces the first region.

A steering device includes an inner column, an outer column, a hanger bracket, and a fixing member. The hanger bracket has a guide hole which extends in the front-rear direction and through which the shaft portion of the fixing member passes. An edge portion of the guide hole is provided with a first region with which the seat portion of the fixing member comes into contact to fix the hanger bracket to the inner column and a second region which is disposed in front of the first region and faces the seat portion when the seat portion is displaced forward together with the inner column by a secondary collision load being input. A frictional restraining force between the seat portion and the edge portion of the guide hole in a state where the seat portion is displaced to a position opposite the second region is set to be smaller than a frictional restraining force between the seat portion and the edge portion of the guide hole at a position where the seat portion faces the first region.

A steering column may include a casing tube in which a steering spindle is rotatably mounted, a guide unit that receives the casing unit so as to be telescopically adjustable in a direction of a longitudinal axis, and an electromotor adjustment drive that is arranged between the casing tube and the guide unit. An inner bearing face of the guide unit surrounds an outer casing surface of the casing tube and includes a slot extending longitudinally with a slot width between mutually opposing slot edges. A preload device engages the slot edges and is configured to apply a tightening force to reduce the slot width to preload the bearing face together with the casing surface. A clamping body cooperates with the slot edges via a deflection device that converts a reduction of slot width into a radial clamping movement of the clamping body for radial preloading the outer casing surface.

A steering column may include a casing tube in which a steering spindle is rotatably mounted, a guide unit that receives the casing unit so as to be telescopically adjustable in a direction of a longitudinal axis, and an electromotor adjustment drive that is arranged between the casing tube and the guide unit. An inner bearing face of the guide unit surrounds an outer casing surface of the casing tube and includes a slot extending longitudinally with a slot width between mutually opposing slot edges. A preload device engages the slot edges and is configured to apply a tightening force to reduce the slot width to preload the bearing face together with the casing surface. A clamping body cooperates with the slot edges via a deflection device that converts a reduction of slot width into a radial clamping movement of the clamping body for radial preloading the outer casing surface.

A steering column assembly comprises: a housing having outer, intermediate and inner elongate, telescopically mounted housing portions movable relative to one another along an adjustment axis; a steering column rotatably mounted in the inner elongate housing portion and being configured at one end for attachment of a steering member (e.g. a steering wheel); a leadscrew rotatably mounted on one of the inner and outer housing portions and having first and second threaded portions which overlap each other for at least part of the length of the leadscrew; a motor for rotating the leadscrew; a first displacement member screw-threadedly mounted to the first threaded portion of the leadscrew and connected to the outer or inner elongate housing portion on which the leadscrew is not rotatably mounted; and a second displacement member screw-threadedly mounted to the second threaded portion of the leadscrew and connected to the intermediate housing portion. Rotation of the leadscrew causes displacement of the first and second displacement members along the adjustment axis.

A steering column assembly comprises: a housing having outer, intermediate and inner elongate, telescopically mounted housing portions movable relative to one another along an adjustment axis; a steering column rotatably mounted in the inner elongate housing portion and being configured at one end for attachment of a steering member (e.g. a steering wheel); a leadscrew rotatably mounted on one of the inner and outer housing portions and having first and second threaded portions which overlap each other for at least part of the length of the leadscrew; a motor for rotating the leadscrew; a first displacement member screw-threadedly mounted to the first threaded portion of the leadscrew and connected to the outer or inner elongate housing portion on which the leadscrew is not rotatably mounted; and a second displacement member screw-threadedly mounted to the second threaded portion of the leadscrew and connected to the intermediate housing portion. Rotation of the leadscrew causes displacement of the first and second displacement members along the adjustment axis.

A plain bearing for a steering spindle of a steering column for a motor vehicle. The bearing includes an inner ring with an axially continuous bearing opening for slidably receiving the steering spindle. A prestressing element is configured to exert a prestressing force on the inner ring to clamp the inner ring on the steering spindle and thereby to assign a defined, uniform braking torque.