Patent ID: 8997600
Filing Date: 2015-04-07
Classification: B62D

Abstract:
1. A steering apparatus for an automobile comprising: a steering column that has a front-end section that is formed in a U shape that is open at the top and comprises a pair of left and right side plate sections that face each other and a bottom plate section that connects to the edges on the bottom ends of these side plate sections; a housing for an electric power steering apparatus that is supported by the vehicle body and that has a connection and fastening section on the rear that is provided with a pair of left and right slits that have openings on the bottom end surface and the rear end surface that receive the side plate sections on the front-end section of the steering column; a vehicle-side bracket that is supported by the vehicle body and that has a pair of holding plate sections that are located at positions on both the left and right sides of the middle section of the steering column, with the portion that exists between the bottom edges being of the holding plate sections being open; and an expansion and contraction mechanism that comprises a rod shaped member that is inserted in the left-right direction through a through hole that is formed in positions of the holding plate sections that are aligned with each other, and a pair of pressing sections that are provided on both end sections of the rod shaped member, and by moving these pressure sections away from each other or close to each other in the axial direction of the rod shape member, the space between the holding plate sections is changed, and when this space is contracted, the expansion and contraction mechanism fastens the steering column to these holding plate sections; with the side plate sections of the front-end section being inserted into the slits of the connection and fastening section, the front-end section and the connection and fastening section being connected and fastened together by a bolt.