Provided is a structure of a steering device capable of securing a foot space of the driver's seat widely in the vertical direction. The steering column 3b has a cylindrical front-side column 9a and a cylindrical rear-side column 10a having a front-end portion that is connected to a rear-end portion of the front-side column 9a. The steering shaft 2b has a front-side shaft 11a rotatably supported inside the front-side column 9a, a rear-side shaft 12a rotatably supported inside the rear-side column 10a and has a rear-end portion to which the steering wheel 1 is supported and fastened, and a universal joint 13a that connect the rear-end portion of the front-side shaft 11a and the front-end portion of the rear-side shaft 12a. The front-end portion of the front-side column 9a is always arranged above a portion of the extension line of the center axis of the rear-side column 10a which exists at the same location in the front-rear direction as the front-end portion.

A column jacket includes a hollow outer jacket having a pair of clamped portions disposed to sandwich a slit between the clamped portions and a tubular inner jacket having, in an area where the inner jacket is fitted in the outer jacket, an elongated hole extending in an axial direction. A clamping mechanism clamps the pair of clamped portions with a pair of side plates of a fixed bracket. The elongated hole is disposed on any one of a first side and a second side, in the lateral direction, of a vertical plane passing through a central axis of the inner jacket, at a position other than on a straight line that extends in a vertical direction through the central axis.

An upper bracket of a steering column apparatus includes a vehicle body-side bracket including side plates, a tube-side bracket including side plates, and a support shaft. The vehicle body-side bracket has first coupling holes in the side plates. The tube-side bracket has second coupling holes in the side plates. The first coupling holes and the second coupling holes are configured such that the vehicle body-side bracket and the tube-side bracket are coupled together by inserting the support shaft through the first coupling holes and the second coupling holes. Each of the second coupling holes is open rearward and is configured such that, when an axial load equal to or greater than a predetermined load is applied to an upper tube, fitting between the second coupling hole and the support shaft is terminated and the tube-side bracket moves forward.

A steering column assembly includes a steering column housing, a tilt housing pivotally attached to the steering column, and a steering wheel shaft supported by the tilt housing. The tilt housing is moveable between a range of angular positions relative to the steering column housing. A tilt lever assembly, including a tilt lever that is moveable between a locked position and an unlocked position, mechanically actuates a tilt lock mechanism between an engaged condition and a disengaged condition. The tilt lever assembly has a tilt lever assembly center of mass that is positioned such that an inertial force acting in a forward direction on the tilt lever assembly center of mass urges the tilt lever towards the locked position.

A steering column assembly includes a steering column housing, a tilt housing pivotally attached to the steering column, and a steering wheel shaft supported by the tilt housing. The tilt housing is moveable between a range of angular positions relative to the steering column housing. A tilt lever assembly, including a tilt lever that is moveable between a locked position and an unlocked position, mechanically actuates a tilt lock mechanism between an engaged condition and a disengaged condition. The tilt lever assembly has a tilt lever assembly center of mass that is positioned such that an inertial force acting in a forward direction on the tilt lever assembly center of mass urges the tilt lever towards the locked position.

A method for releasing a tilt mechanism for a steering element of a vehicle, wherein the steering element is mounted pivotably around a tilt axis between a steering position and at least one non-steering position, wherein the steering element has at least one releasable locking arrangement, which fixes the steering element in the steering position and the at least one non-steering position. The locking arrangement can adopt at least one locking state in which the release of the locking arrangement is prevented and can adopt at least one release state in which the release of the locking arrangement is enabled. A corresponding steering arrangement and a corresponding vehicle are provided.

A method for releasing a tilt mechanism for a steering element of a vehicle, wherein the steering element is mounted pivotably around a tilt axis between a steering position and at least one non-steering position, wherein the steering element has at least one releasable locking arrangement, which fixes the steering element in the steering position and the at least one non-steering position. The locking arrangement can adopt at least one locking state in which the release of the locking arrangement is prevented and can adopt at least one release state in which the release of the locking arrangement is enabled. A corresponding steering arrangement and a corresponding vehicle are provided.

In an electrically adjustable steering of the present embodiment, a first telescopic actuator is disposed between a top bracket or a mount bracket on a vehicle body side and a steering jacket. The steering jacket includes a plurality of jacket members that overlap each other so as to be able to expand and contract in an axial direction. A motor of the first telescopic actuator is fixed to the top bracket or the mount bracket on the vehicle body side.

In an electrically adjustable steering of the present embodiment, a first telescopic actuator is disposed between a top bracket or a mount bracket on a vehicle body side and a steering jacket. The steering jacket includes a plurality of jacket members that overlap each other so as to be able to expand and contract in an axial direction. A motor of the first telescopic actuator is fixed to the top bracket or the mount bracket on the vehicle body side.

A steer-by-wire steering system for a motor vehicle is proposed, having a steering means which is attached to a steering column, the length and/or inclination of which can be adjusted, and having a steering means actuator which is configured to load the steering means with a torque. The steering means actuator is arranged non-displaceably and fixedly on the vehicle. The steering means actuator is assigned a first shaft, and the steering column is assigned a second shaft, the first and the second shaft having a variable axial offset and/or a variable angular offset at least over a part range of a length and/or inclination adjustment of the steering column. The first and second shafts are connected in a torque-transmitting manner via a compensation device which can compensate for a change in the axial offset and/or the angular offset.