Abstract:
There is disclosed a steering column apparatus comprising: a steering shaft to which a steering wheel is mounted at the rear end portion thereof; a cylindrical steering column for rotatably supporting the steering column therein; body-side bracket used to sandwich and fix the steering column; a distance unit formed to be expanded from the steering column by plastic working and to sandwiched by the body-side brackets; and position adjusting means for making the position of the steering column with respect to the body-side brackets adjustable within a predetermined adjustment range, wherein the position adjusting means comprises as its constituent element an adjusting bolt for passing through the body-side bracket and the distance unit so as to clamp the distance unit through the body-side bracket, and the adjusting bolt is positioned above the steering shaft.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to a steering column apparatus for constituting a steering device for a vehicle or the like, and more specifically, to a technology for securing an enough space around the knees of a driver even when a tilt adjusting mechanism or a power steering apparatus of a column assist type, or the like, is additionally provided in the steering column apparatus.  
       RELATED BACKGROUND ART  
       [0002]     Since a steering apparatus of a vehicle is to be used (for steering) by many and unspecific drivers, it is desirable that the position of a steering wheel is adjustable in compliance with the physique or the posture of each driver. In order to satisfy such desire, a tilt adjusting mechanism or a telescopic adjusting mechanism is widely employed not only for passenger cars, but also for freight cars.  
         [0003]     The tilt adjusting mechanism is a mechanism to adjust the position of a steering wheel in the up-and-down direction, and is constituted by a tilt pivot for rockably supporting a steering column, a tilt position fixing means for fixing the steering column at a desired position (rocking angle), and the others. On the other hand, the telescopic adjusting mechanism is a mechanism for adjusting the position of the steering wheel in the back-and-forth direction (the axial direction of the steering shaft), and is constituted by an expandable unit of a double tube type or the like to be used for expansion and/or contraction of the steering shaft, a telescopic fixing means for fixing the steering shaft at a desired position (with an amount of expansion/contraction), and the others.  
         [0004]     Hitherto, it is general that, as the tilt fixing means, a distance bracket formed of a steel plate is connected to a steering column formed of a steel pipe by welding, and this distance bracket is pressed to be fixed by a vehicle body-side bracket which is formed of a steel plate. However, with such an arrangement, the number of the constituent parts and that of the welding steps are increased, and moreover, variable inconveniences are inevitably caused by thermal distortion, etc., at the welding. As a result, it is proposed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-276852 or the like (hereinafter called the prior art) a structure in which a distance unit is formed to be expanded by plastic working.  
         [0005]      FIG. 8  is a side view of an essential portion of a steering column apparatus of the prior art, and  FIG. 9  is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line C-C in  FIG. 8 . The steering column  1  of the prior art is formed of a steel pipe, and a distance unit  21  is formed to be expanded in a lower part in  FIG. 8  and  FIG. 9 . A tilt bolt  23  is inserted through the distance unit  21 , and there is provided a tilt adjusting mechanism which is thread-engaged comprised of a nut  25  thread-engaged with the tilt bolt  23 , a tilt lever  31 , and the others, in addition to tilt brackets  3 ,  4 . In this steering column apparatus, the nut  25  advances to the tilt bolt  23  due to thread-engagement therewith upon rotation of the tilt lever  31  disposed on a side of the bracket  4  on the car body side, so as to sandwich to press the distance unit  21  (steering column  1 ) by and between the tilt brackets  3 ,  4  and/or to release this sandwiched state. According to the steering column apparatus of the prior art, it is possible to reduce the number of the constituent parts and that of the welding steps to reduce the manufacturing cost, and at the same time, to prevent inconveniences which may be caused by the thermal distortion or the like at the welding.  
         [0006]     On the other hand, for a steering system of a vehicle, there is widely employed a so-called power steering apparatus which uses an external power source to perform steering assist. Hitherto, as a power source for a power steering apparatus, an oil pressure pump of a vein scheme is generally used, and such an oil pressure pump is mostly driven by an engine. However, in a power steering apparatus of this type, a driving loss of an engine becomes great since the oil pressure pump is usually driven all the time (around several to ten horse powers at the time of the maximum load). As a result, it is difficult to employ such power steering apparatus in a mini vehicle or the like of small displacement, and a fuel efficiency is inevitably deteriorated significantly even in a vehicle of comparatively large displacement.  
         [0007]     Accordingly, in order to solve these problems, an electric power steering apparatus (hereinafter called the EPS) employing an electric motor as its power source recently attracts attention. The EPS has such characteristics as that no direct driving loss of an engine is generated since a built-in battery is used as the power source for the electric motor, that deterioration of the fuel efficiency (a driving loss of the engine related to an alternator) can be avoided since the electric motor is actuated only for steering assist, that an electronic control can be effected very easily, etc. Note that EPSs are classified into a column-assist type and a rack-assist type, depending on a position of attachment of the electric motor or a decelerating mechanism (hereinafter called the EPS mechanism). Currently, a column-assist type EPS which is advantageous in terms of the manufacturing cost and a space of installation is dominantly used. In a column-assist type EPS, the EPS mechanism is secured to the tip end of the steering column to be integral therewith, and, in a steering column apparatus provided with a tilt adjusting mechanism, the EPS mechanism is rocked together with the steering column around the tilt pivot at a tilt adjustment.  
         [0008]     However, the above-described steering column apparatus of the prior art has the following drawbacks. That is, in the steering column of the prior art, the tilt bolt  23  is positioned below the steering shaft  13  so that an amount of protrusion thereof is small, compared with that in a steering column to which a distance bracket is connected by welding. However, it is inevitable that the lower ends of the tilt brackets  3 ,  4  are greatly protruded from the lower surface of the steering column  1  in a state that the steering column  1  is most elevated. For this reason, when the driver moves forward due to inertia at the time of collision of a vehicle, there is a possibility that a knee or the like of the driver gets in contact with the lower end edges of the tilt brackets  3 ,  4  formed of steel plates.  
         [0009]     On the other hand, in the steering apparatus provided with a column-assist type EPS, a comparatively large EPS mechanism is secured to the tip end of a steering column to be integral therewith, so that an indoor space is significantly cramped. Particularly, in a small-sized car or the like in which a column-assist type EPS is usually employed, the arrangement of the tilt adjusting mechanism below the steering column becomes an obstacle to securing a sufficient space around the knees of the driver or a survival space at the time of collision.  
       DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010]     The present invention has been contrived taking the above circumstances into consideration, and an object thereof is to provide a steering column apparatus which can secure an enough space around the knees of a driver even when a steering position adjusting mechanism or a column-assist type electric power steering apparatus is additionally provided.  
         [0011]     According to the present invention, there is provided a steering column apparatus comprising: a steering shaft to which a steering wheel is mounted at the rear end portion thereof; a cylindrical steering column for rotatably supporting the steering column therein; body-side brackets used to sandwich and fix the steering column; a distance unit formed to be expanded from the steering column by plastic working to be sandwiched by the body-side brackets; and position adjusting means for making the position of the steering column with respect to the body-side brackets adjustable within a predetermined adjustment range, wherein the position adjusting means comprises as its constituent element an adjusting bolt for passing through the body-side bracket and the distance unit so as to clamp the distance unit through the body-side bracket, and the adjusting bolt is positioned above the steering shaft.  
         [0012]     Also, in the steering column apparatus according to the present invention, it is preferable that the steering column is adjustable in a tilting direction with respect to the body-side bracket, and that the lower end of the body-side bracket is positioned higher than the lower surface of the steering column.  
         [0013]     Also, in the steering column apparatus according to the present invention, it is preferable that an electric assist mechanism for assisting a steering power of the steering wheel is secured to the tip end of the steering column.  
         [0014]     Also, in the steering column apparatus according to the present invention, it is preferable that the plastic working is performed by hydroforming.  
         [0015]     According to a steering column apparatus of the present invention, it is rendered possible to reduce an expanded amount of the distance unit from the steering column to the minimum by, for example, disposing an adjusting bolt immediately above the steering shaft, so as to make a layout of the steering column apparatus easy. In case of the steering column apparatus having a tilt adjusting mechanism, a range of movement of the adjusting bolt is positioned comparatively high with respect to the steering column, so that the lower end of the body-side bracket is difficult to be protruded from the lower surface of the steering column. As a result, there is a less fear that a knee of the driver gets in contact with the body-side bracket at the time of collision or the like of the car. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]      FIG. 1  is a lateral view of a steering column apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0017]      FIGS. 2A and 2B  are respectively an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in  FIG. 1  and an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0018]      FIG. 3  is a lateral view of the steering column apparatus according to the first embodiment;  
         [0019]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along B-B line in  FIG. 3 ,  
         [0020]      FIG. 5  is a lateral view of a steering column apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0021]      FIG. 6  is a lateral view of a steering column apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0022]      FIGS. 7A and 7B  are respectively an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along A-A line in  FIG. 6  and an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in  FIG. 6 ;  
         [0023]      FIG. 8  is a lateral view of the essential portion of a steering column apparatus according to the prior art; and  
         [0024]      FIG. 9  is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along C-C line in  FIG. 8 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0025]     Description will be made below on an embodiment of a steering column apparatus according to the present invention.  
         [0026]      FIG. 1  is a side view of a steering column apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG. 2A  is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0027]     The steering column  1  is attached to a body-side strength member  7  through upper brackets  3 ,  4  which are formed of steel plates by press-forming to serve as vehicle body-side tilt brackets and a pivot bracket  5  which is formed of a steel plate by press-forming, so as to support an upper steering shaft (hereinafter simply called the steering shaft)  13  to be rotatable through bearings  9 ,  11 . The upper brackets  3 ,  4  and the pivot bracket  5  are preferably mounted on the vehicle body-side strength member  7  to be detachable at a secondary collision by a known mechanism.  
         [0028]     The upper brackets  3 ,  4  have the width in the length direction of the steering shaft, and are extended symmetrically in a direction perpendicular to an extending direction of the steering shaft, that is, the right-and-left direction in  FIG. 2A , and integrally comprise a pair of vehicle body mounting portions  3   a ,  4   a  secured to the vehicle body-side strength member by the use of fixing members (not shown) such as bolts.  
         [0029]     Front wall portions  3   b ,  4   b  which are bent substantially at right angles at the front ends of the body mounting portions  3   a ,  4   a  of the upper brackets  3 , 4  to be extended downward, respectively, the body mounting portions  3   a ,  4   a , and a pair of side plate portions  3   c ,  4   c  which are bent substantially at right angles inside the front wall portions  3   b ,  4   b , respectively, to be extended backward (to the right in  FIG. 1 ) and in the up-and-down direction are formed as a unitary structure.  
         [0030]     While a steering wheel is attached to a rear end of the steering shaft  13  (the right end in  FIG. 1 ), a lower steering shaft is coupled to a tip end of the steering shaft  13  (the left end in  FIG. 1 ) through a universal joint. The lower steering shaft is connected to a rack and pinion mechanism of a steering mechanism which interlocks with tires. In  FIG. 2A , reference numerals  15  and  17  denote tilt adjusting holes formed on the upper brackets  3 ,  4 .  
         [0031]     The steering column  1  is formed of a steel pipe by hydroforming to take a substantially cylindrical shape, and the steering column  1  is formed with a distance unit  21  expanded at upper positions, corresponding respectively to side plate portions  3   c ,  4   c  of the upper brackets  3 , 4 . The distance unit  21  integrally comprises flat side wall portions  21   a ,  21   b  which are pressed and sandwiched by and between the side plate portions  3   c ,  4   c  of the upper brackets  3 ,  4  and an apex portion  21   c  which connects these side wall portions  21   a ,  21   b  at the upper ends thereof.  
         [0032]     The side plate portions  3   c ,  4   c  of the upper bracket  3  are formed with elongated holes  15 ,  17  for tilt adjustment which will be described later, and circular holes are formed on the side wall portions  21   a ,  21   b  of the distance unit  21  to be corresponding thereto. The distance unit  21  is pressed and sandwiched between the side plate portions  3   c  and  4   c  of the upper bracket  3  with a predetermined clamping force by the bolt  23  inserted through the elongated holes  15 ,  17  for tilt adjustment of the side plate portions  3   c ,  4   c  and through the through holes of the side wall portions  21   a ,  21   b , and a nut  25 . Known cam elements  29 ,  27 , a tilt adjusting lever  31  and a thrust bearing  33  are interposed on the bolt  23  between the head portion  23   a  of the bolt  23  and the bracket side plate portion  3   c , from the side of the side plate portion  3   c . The cam element  29  is unable to rotate since a projection  27   a  extended rightward in  FIG. 2A  is engaged with the elongated hole  15  of the bracket side plate  3   c . The other cam element  27  is in an integral relationship with the tilt adjusting lever  31 . When the tilt adjusting lever  31  is manually rotated, the cam element  27  is rotated together. As a result, a relative position between the cam elements  27 ,  29  is changed in the axial direction of the bolt  23 , so that a distance between the cam element  27  and the nut  29  is changed to change a distance between the side plate portions  3   c  and  4   c , thereby clamping and fixing the side wall portions  21   a ,  21   b  of the distance unit  21  or releasing this clamped and fixed state.  
         [0033]     As an adjusting mechanism for tilt adjustment, a known screw mechanism may be employed, instead of the above-described cam mechanism.  
         [0034]     In the present embodiment, the above-described distance unit  21  is formed to be expanded in an upper part than the axial line of the steering shaft  13  on the steering column  1 , to be extended along a predetermined length of a column intermediate portion.  
         [0035]     In case of the present embodiment, the tilt bolt  23  is inserted through immediately above the steering shaft  13  with a predetermined space t (e.g.  1  mm) therebetween inside the distance unit  21  (steering column  1 ).  
         [0036]     On the other hand, in a front part of the vehicle seen from the upper brackets  3 ,  4 , the horizontally extended body mounting portion  5   a  of the pivot bracket  5  serving as the lower bracket on the body side is secured to the vehicle body-side strength member  7  by a bolt, or the like. The pivot bracket  5  is provided with a pair of vertical plate portions  5   b ,  5   c  which are parallel to each other and are extended downward from the body mounting portion  5   a.    
         [0037]     A column-side lower bracket  41  which is secured to the steering column  1  in a front part of the vehicle integrally comprises flat plate portions  41   b ,  41   c  which are extended in the up-and-down direction to be corresponding to the vertical plate portions  5   b ,  5   c  of the pivot bracket  5  to be respectively brought into pressure contact. Circular holes are respectively formed on the flat plate portions  41   b ,  41   c  of the column-side lower bracket, and these circular holes are inserted by the bolt  43  to be clamped by the nut  45 .  
         [0038]     In the present embodiment, the column-side lower bracket  41  is formed separately from the steering column  1 , and is fixed to the steering column  1  by welding. However, the column-side lower bracket  41  may be formed by expanding the steering column  1  by hydroforming, or the like, in the same manner as the distance unit  21  described above. A cut-away portion  47  in a substantially U shape is formed on the pivot bracket  5  to be open toward a front part of the vehicle, and the pivot bolt  43  is inserted into the rear end side of this cut-away portion  47 . Note that the steering column  1  is arranged to be rockable around the pivot bolt  43 , and the driver can adjust a vertical position of the steering wheel within a predetermined range by operating the tilt lever  31 .  
         [0039]     A mode of an operation of the present embodiment will be described in the following.  
         [0040]     When the position of the steering wheel becomes inappropriate because of change of drivers, or the like, in case of the steering column apparatus of the first embodiment, first the driver rotates the tilt lever  31  clockwise to release the cam engagement between the tilt cams  27 ,  29 . Then, the clamping force which has worked on the distance unit  21  of the steering column  1  through the upper brackets  3 ,  4  is extinguished so that the steering column  1  is allowed to rock in a predetermined amount around a pivot pin  31 . With this arrangement, the driver can tilt the steering column  1  so as to adjust the steering wheel to a desired vertical position.  
         [0041]     Upon completion of the positional adjustment of the steering wheel, the driver rotates the tilt lever  31  counter-clockwise to bring the tilt cams  27 ,  29  into engagement. Then, the upper bracket  3  is sandwiched with pressure by and between the tilt cam  29  and the nut  25 , and the inner surfaces of the upper brackets  3 ,  4  are brought into pressure contact with side surfaces of the distance unit  21 . As a result, the steering column  1  (that is, the steering wheel) is fixed at a desired position with respect to the upper brackets  3 ,  4 .  
         [0042]     On this occasion, since the upper bolt  23  is positioned above the steering shaft  13  in the present embodiment, a range of movement of the upper bolt  23  is positioned comparatively high, with respect to the steering column  1 , and the vertical dimension of the upper brackets  3 ,  4  is conspicuously small, compared with that of the prior art. As a result, even when the steering column  1  is disposed at the highest position, as shown in  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4  (an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in  FIG. 3 ), the lower ends of the upper brackets  3 ,  4  are not protruded from the lower surface of the steering column  1  and there is no fear that a knee or the like of the driver gets in contact with the upper brackets  3 ,  4  even at the time of collision of the car or the like.  
         [0043]     On the other hand, in the present embodiment, since the distance unit  21  is formed by hydroforming and a space t between the tilt bolt  23  and the steering shaft  13  is small, the vertical dimension of the steering column  1  in the distance unit  21  can be reduced. With this arrangement and with the small vertical dimension of the upper brackets  3 ,  4 , the tilt adjusting unit can be made compact, so that a layout of the steering column apparatus becomes very easy.  
         [0044]      FIG. 5  is a side view of a steering column apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In the second embodiment, the present invention is applied to a steering column apparatus which is provided with a column-assist type EPS. However, the essential portion of the invention in the second embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment, so that the members having the same functions as those in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals and symbols and description thereof will be omitted.  
         [0045]     In the second embodiment, the front end of a comparatively short-sized steering column  1  is thrust to be secured to an EPS housing  51  which accommodates a decelerating mechanism, a controller, and the like, to be integral therewith, and an electric motor  53  is mounted on a side of the EPS housing  51 . When a rotational torque of the steering shaft  13  is detected by a sensor, the electric motor  53  is driven and controlled by the controller to be rotated, and then a rotating force thereof is transmitted to the steering shaft  13  through the decelerating mechanism to perform power assist.  
         [0046]     In the second embodiment, a tilt pivot which is defined by the pivot bracket  5  for tilt adjustment is disposed on the EPS housing in a front part of the vehicle, and at a position higher that the steering axial line. The tilt pivot may be provided in a rear part of the car, rather than the motor.  
         [0047]     In the second embodiment, the steering column  1  is provided with the comparatively large EPS housing  51  and electric motor  53 . However, since the tilt adjusting mechanism is compact, like in the first embodiment, the layout of the second embodiment is very easy, compared with that of a conventional apparatus. For example, though an unrepresented meter cluster, etc., are positioned in an upper part of the rear end of the steering column  1 , interference between the meter cluster, etc., and the tilt brackets  3 ,  4  hardly occur even if a space around the knees of the driver is sufficiently provided since the vertical dimension of the tilt brackets  3 ,  4  is small, which results in higher freedom in designing. Note that the mode of operation and the effect at the time of collision or the like of the car described in the first embodiment are entirely the same as those in the present embodiment, so that description thereof will be omitted.  
         [0048]      FIG. 6  is a side view of a steering column apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention,  FIG. 7A  is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in  FIG. 6 , and  FIG. 7B  is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in  FIG. 6 . A steering column  101  is mounted on a vehicle body-side strength member through upper brackets  103 ,  104  formed of steel plates by press-forming and a lower bracket formed of an alluminium alloy by die casting, so as to rotatably support an upper steering shaft (hereinafter simply called the steering shaft) through bearings  109 ,  111 . A steering wheel (not shown) is attached to an upper end (the right end in  FIG. 6 ) of the steering shaft  113 , while a lower end (the left end in  FIG. 6 ) of the steering shaft  113  is coupled to a rack and pinion mechanism of a steering mechanism through a universal joint, a lower steering shaft, and the like. Referring to  FIG. 6 , snap rings are provided on the right side of the bearing  109  and on the left side of the bearing  111 , respectively.  
         [0049]     The steering column  101  is formed of a steel pipe to be generally cylindrical by hydroforming, in which a distance unit  121  is integrally formed to be expanded at positions corresponding to the upper brackets  103 ,  104  which are to be mounted on the car body, and a lower expanded portion  141  is formed to be expanded at a position corresponding to a vehicle body mounting lower bracket  105  which is to be fixed to the car body.  
         [0050]     The upper brackets  103 ,  104  have the width along the length of the steering shaft, and are symmetrically extended in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the steering shaft, that is, the right-and-left direction in  FIG. 7A , and integrally comprise a pair of vehicle body mounting portions  103   a ,  104   a  which are secured to the vehicle body strength member by fixing members such as bolts (not shown).  
         [0051]     The body mounting portions  103   a ,  104   a  of the upper brackets  103 ,  104  are bent at right angles at inner sides respectively and extended backward (to the right in  FIG. 6 ) and in the up-and-down direction to integrally form a pair of side plate portions  103   c ,  104   c.    
         [0052]     The distance unit  121  of the steering column  101  is integrally formed to be expanded upward in a higher position than the axial line of the steering shaft  113 , and integrally comprises flat side walls  121   a ,  121   b  which are pressed and sandwiched by and between the side plate portions  103   c ,  104   c  of the upper brackets  103 ,  104  and an apex portion  121   c  which connects these side wall portions  121   a ,  121   b  at the upper end thereof.  
         [0053]     The side plate portions  103   c ,  104   c  of the upper brackets  103 ,  104  are formed with elongated holes  115 ,  117  for tilt adjustment which will be described later, and elongated holes  130  which are extended in a predetermined length in the axial direction for telescopic position adjustment of the steering column are formed on the side wall portions  121   a ,  121   b  of the distance unit  121 . The distance unit  121  is pressed and sandwiched between the side plate portions  103   c ,  104   c  of the upper bracket  103  with a predetermined clamping force by the use of a bolt  123  and a nut  125 , the bolt  123  passing through the elongated holes  115 ,  117  for tilt adjustment of the side plate portions  121   a ,  121   b  and the elongated holes  130  of the side wall portions  121   a ,  121   b . Between the head portion  123   a  of the bolt  123  and the side plate portion  103   c  on the bracket side, known cam elements  135 ,  137 , a lever  139  for tilting and/or telescopic position adjustment and a thrust bearing  133  are interposed on the bolt  123  from the side of the side plate portion  103   c.    
         [0054]     The cam element  135  is unable to rotate since a projection  135   a  which is extended rightward in  FIG. 7A  is engaged with the elongated hole  115  of the bracket side plate  103   c . The other cam element  137  is in an integral relationship with the lever  139  for tilting and/or telescopic position adjustment. When the lever  139  for tilting and/or telescopic position adjustment is manually rotated, the cam element  137  is rotated together. As a result, a relative position between the cam elements  135 ,  137  is changed in the axial direction of the bolt  123 , so that a distance between the cam element  135  and the nut  125  is changed to change a distance between the side plate portions  103   c  and  104   c , thereby clamping and fixing the side wall portions  121   a ,  121   b  of the distance unit  121  or releasing this clamped and fixed state.  
         [0055]     On the other hand, the body-side lower bracket  105  which is secured to the body-side strength member in a more front part of the vehicle than the upper brackets  103 ,  104  integrally comprises a lower body mounting member  105   a  which is fixed to the body-side strength member by bolts, or the like, and a column mounting member  105   d  which is provided with a pair of vertical plate portions  105   b ,  105   c  which are extended in parallel downward from the body mounting member  105   a.    
         [0056]     The lower expanded portion  141  formed in a lower part of the steering column  101  integrally comprises flat plate portions  141   b ,  141   c  which are extended in the up-and-down direction to be corresponding to the vertical plate portions  105   b ,  105   c  of the lower body mounting member  105   a  to be brought into pressure contact, respectively, and an apex portion  141   d  for connecting these portions to each other. The vertical plate portions  105   b ,  105   c  and the flat plate portions  141   b ,  141   c  of the column-side lower expanded portion  141  are respectively formed with elongated holes  140  extended in the axial direction, and a bolt  143  is inserted through these elongated holes to be clamped by the nut  145 .  
         [0057]     In the present embodiment, in order to adjust a tilting position and/or a telescopic position of the steering column, the position adjusting lever is rotated, and the clamped state of the distance unit  121  by the side plate portions  103   c ,  104   c  of the upper brackets  103 ,  104  is released, so as to move the steering column in the axial direction, and/or to change an inclination to clamp the distance unit  121  again.  
         [0058]     In the present embodiment, when an inclination of the steering column is adjusted to an upper limit position, it is preferable that the lower end of the body-side upper bracket is positioned higher than the lower end of the column.  
         [0059]     In the present embodiment, though the elongated holes are formed on the lower expanded portion  141 , there may be provided only circular holes of a size enough for passing through the bolt  143 , instead of the elongated holes  140 , so as to adjust a tilting position only.  
         [0060]     In addition, the shapes of the upper brackets  103 ,  104  are not limited to those described above, but may be any form so long as that it comprises the body mounting portion and the column mounting portion.  
         [0061]     The specific description of the embodiments of the present invention is as stated above. However, the present invention is not limited to the foregoing embodiments. For example, plastic working of the steering column may be performed by employing a method other than hydroforming, such as explosive bulging, rubber bulging, or press-forming. A specific structure of the steering column apparatus, and a material, a shape, etc., of each constituent member may be properly changed within a scope and spirit of the present invention.  
         [0062]     As described above, according to a steering column apparatus of the present invention, it is rendered possible to reduce an expanded amount of the distance unit from the steering column to the minimum by, for example, disposing an adjusting bolt immediately above the steering shaft, so as to make a layout of the steering column apparatus easy. In case of the steering column apparatus having a tilt adjusting mechanism, a range of movement of the adjusting bolt is positioned comparatively high with respect to the steering column, so that the lower end of the body-side bracket is difficult to be protruded from the lower surface of the steering column. As a result, there is a less fear that a knee of the driver gets in contact with the body-side bracket at the time of collision or the like of the vehicle.