Patent ID: 6631924
Filing Date: 2003-10-14
Classification: B62D

Abstract:
A shock absorbing type steering column apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:a collision sensor which detects a collision of the vehicle; a detecting system which detects information relating to an amount of secondary collision energy; an electric controller which issues a signal based on the information from said detecting system when said collision sensor detects the collision of the vehicle; an energy absorbing mechanism which takes one of an operative state in which, upon a secondary collision, the energy absorbing mechanism allows a relative movement between a steering wheel and a vehicle body structural member while resisting said relative movement so as to absorb energy of the secondary collision, and a non-operative state in which the energy absorbing mechanism is not operative; and an actuator device which changes over said energy absorbing mechanism from said one state to the other state upon receipt of said signal from said electric controller.