A steering column includes: a cylindrical member that holds a steering shaft in such a manner as to allow extension and contraction of the steering shaft; a holding member that holds the cylindrical member; a fixture member that is fixed to a vehicle body; a coupling member that couples the fixture member and the holding member; and an energy absorbing member that is partially fixed to the holding member. The coupling member uncouples the fixture member and the holding member when the holding member moves forward for a specified distance in an axial direction. The fixture member has an engaging section arranged at a position where the engaging section is engaged with an engaged section of the energy absorbing member when the holding member moves forward for the specified distance or longer in the axial direction.

A clamping device for a longitudinally adjustable and/or vertically adjustable steering column of a vehicle, has an actuating lever, an actuating component, a tie bolt and a mating component, wherein the actuating component is assigned to the actuating lever, and the mating component is assigned to the tie bolt, and wherein the actuating component is movable relative to the mating component between a release position and a fixing position. A solid damping element is provided for damping a relative movement between the actuating component and the mating component. An adjusting device is furthermore shown.

A steering system includes a rod member, a housing, and a clamping member. The housing has a clamping slit and includes a first clamp-receiving portion and a second clamp-receiving portion that project so as to sandwich the clamping slit therebetween. The clamping member includes a fixed cam, a clamping shaft, a rotary cam, and a clamping lever. The fixed cam is fitted in the first clamp-receiving portion from an outer side of the first clamp-receiving portion. The fixed cam has a third through hole extending through the fixed cam coaxially with a first axis. The third through hole has a small diameter portion at a first portion close to the rotary cam and a large diameter portion having a diameter larger than a diameter of the small diameter portion at a second portion away from the rotary cam.

A steering column apparatus configured for vehicles may include a housing assembly, and a support assembly configured to be coupled to one side of the housing assembly to serve to absorb a tilt and an impact.

A steering column assembly including a steering column housing, a tilt housing pivotally attached to the steering column, and a steering wheel shaft supported by said 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.

Steering column having an adjustment limit stop comprising a body (1) receiving a deformable bearing (11), where the sleeve (4) supports the steering wheel and a mechanism (5) for tightening a shaft (52) with a lever (51) supporting a tightening device (53) compressing the deformable bearing (11).

The steering column comprises a stop device (6) with a stop edge (612) supported by the sleeve (4) and with which a bolt (62) cooperates, limiting the adjustment travel of the sleeve (4), whilst being retracted after the adjustments of the column have been tightened, enabling, in the event of an impact on the steering wheel, travel of the sleeve to be available to absorb the energy.

A steering column assembly comprises a shroud having an upper shroud part and a lower shroud part movable telescopically relative to one another, and a steering shaft. The upper shroud part carries an energy absorbing device which in normal use moves together with the upper shroud part. A blocking device is fixed to the lower shroud part or to a part of the vehicle that is fixed relative to the lower shroud part; and a connecting rod is connected at a first end to the blocking device and at a second end to a spring which is in turn connected to the lower shroud part or to the fixed part of the vehicle. An initiator module engages with a part of the connecting rod or spring when the blocking mechanism is in the unlocked position thereby to isolate the blocking device from the force of the spring.

A steering column may include an outer casing unit in which an inner casing tube that rotatably mounts a steering shaft is received such that the inner casing tube is displaceable and fixable in an axial direction. An energy absorption device operatively disposed between the casing tube and the casing unit may absorb at least some energy in a crash event where the casing tube is telescopically displaced relative to the casing unit. The energy absorption device may include a deformation strip fastened to but spaced apart from the casing tube, fixed in a radial direction by a spacer on the casing tube, to which deformation strip a deformation slide that is connected to the casing unit is disposed. The deformation slide may encompass and jam outer narrow sides of the deformation strip such that the deformation slide deforms the deformation strip in a crash event.

A steering column assembly includes a shroud; a steering shaft, which is supported by the shroud; a support bracket, a clamp, and a clamp mechanism. The support bracket is configured to be secured to a fixed part of the vehicle and includes two arms that depend from a base portion to embrace the shroud. The clamp pin extends through an opening in each of the arms of the support bracket and in a slot in the shroud. The clamp mechanism is movable between an unclamped position in which the shroud can move relative to the support bracket and a clamped position in which the shroud is fixed relative to the support bracket.

An adjustable steering column includes an actuating unit for rotatably mounting a steering shaft, a carrying unit in which the actuating unit is mounted so as to be axially displaceable via a motorized longitudinal adjustment drive, a transmission device coupled to the actuating unit and to the longitudinal adjustment drive, an energy absorption apparatus for absorbing energy when the actuating unit moves relative to the transmission device, and a coupling device connected to the actuating unit and to the transmission device. The coupling device may be disconnected from the actuating unit and/or the transmission device in a crash event, allowing movement between the actuating unit and the transmission device. The coupling device may have a pin-shaped holding element that protrudes into a slot. A blocking element may block movement of the holding element in the slot, and in a crash event permit movement of the holding element in the slot.