Sterring column for motor vehicle

摘要

A steering column (22) for a motor vehicle having a gear box (24) of an electric power assist apparatus (20) in front of the steering column. The steering column includes a rigid mast jacket (40) consisting of a short tubular sleeve and a bracket (44) attached to the tubular sleeve having a pair of laterally separated guides (48A,48B) straddling the gear box. A pair of lugs (52A,52B) on the gear box cooperate with a pair of elongated slots (54A,54B) in the guides in connecting the mast jacket to the gear box for vertical pivotal movement and for linear translation. A longitudinally collapsible steering shaft (86) is rotatably supported on the tubular sleeve with a steering hand wheel (96) at one end and a flexible coupling (94) at the other end connecting the steering shaft to an input shaft (26) on the gear box. The tubular sleeve (42) is connected to the vehicle body by a clamp (58) which releases the tubular sleeve for a collapse stroke of the mast jacket. The mast jacket protects the steering shaft against beam bending during the collapse stroke. The unobstructed span in front of the tubular sleeve between the guides (48A,48B) yields a collapse stroke of the mast jacket consistent with acceptable performance of an energy absorber. <IMAGE>