(19)
(11) EP 1 464 560 A8

(12) CORRECTED EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(48) Corrigendum issued on:
02.02.2005 Bulletin 2005/05

(43) Date of publication:
06.10.2004 Bulletin 2004/41

(21) Application number: 04007485.8

(22) Date of filing: 27.03.2004
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)7: B62D 1/19
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IT LI LU MC NL PL PT RO SE SI SK TR
Designated Extension States:
AL LT LV MK

(30) Priority: 31.03.2003 JP 2003095357

(71) Applicant: Fujikiko Co., Ltd.
Kosai-shi, Shizuoka 431-0431 (JP)

(72) Inventors:
  • Hosomi, Norio, c/o Koyo Seiko Co., Ltd.
    Osaka-shi Osaka 542-0081 (JP)
  • Aota, Kenichi, c/o Koyo Seiko Co., Ltd.
    Osaka-shi Osaka 542-0081 (JP)
  • Kinoshita, Satoshi, c/o Fujikiko Co., Ltd.
    Kosai-shi Shizuoka 431-0431 (JP)

(74) Representative: Steil, Christian, Dipl.-Ing. et al
Witte, Weller & Partner, Postfach 10 54 62
70047 Stuttgart
70047 Stuttgart (DE)

   


(54) Collapsible steering apparatus for vehicle


(57) A collapsible steering apparatus for a vehicle (1) comprises a movable tube (10) which is displaceable in a longitudinal direction (S) of a steering column (4) in order to adjust the position of a steering wheel (2). There is provided a locking mechanism (29) capable of locking the movable tube (10) to a desired position in the longitudinal direction (S). The locking mechanism (29) comprises a locking teeth forming element (36) which has locking teeth (36a) formed therein and whose movement is regulated at the time of collision of a vehicle, and a groove (42) which holds the locking teeth forming element (36) by a predetermined holding force at the normal time and moves together with the movable tube (10) at the time of collision of the vehicle. At the time of collision of the vehicle, a pair of edges (46a) of the groove (42) is deformed as the locking teeth forming element (36) and the groove (42) relatively move so that shock energy is absorbed.