Patent ID: 8528937

Claim:
A steering column support apparatus, comprising: a bracket on the vehicle side having a locking hole that extends in the axial direction of a steering column and that is located in the center section in the width direction thereof, this bracket on the vehicle side not displacing in the forward during a secondary collision; a bracket on the column side that is supported by the steering column; and a locking capsule that is fastened to the steering column, and in the fastened state, comprises a locked section with both end sections locked in the locking hole, and a top side section that is formed on the top side of the locked section, having a width dimension that is greater than the maximum width dimension of the locking hole, and having a flange section that is positioned on the top side of the bracket on the vehicle side on both sides of the locking hole; with the locked section of the locking capsule located on the inside of the locking hole, by connecting the locking capsule and the bracket on the vehicle side by way of connecting members that shear due to an impact load that is applied during a secondary collision, the bracket on the column side being supported by the bracket on the vehicle side so as to be able to break away in the forward direction due to the impact load that is applied during the secondary collision, the steering column support apparatus further comprising an energy absorbing member that is provided between the locking capsule and the bracket on the vehicle side, and absorbs impact energy that is applied to the locking capsule and allows forward displacement of the locking capsule by plastically deforming during the secondary collision; this energy absorbing member being formed by bending a wire that is capable of plastic deformation, and comprising a base section having a shape that is open in the rear, a pair of bent back sections that are formed by bending back the wire from the both end sections in the rear of the base section downward and toward the front to form a U shape, and a pair of left and right extending sections that extend forward from the tip ends of the bent back sections; the base section spanning from the front surface of the top section of the locking capsule along the surfaces on both the left and right sides; the edges on the front sides of the bent back sections facing the rear end edge of the bracket on the vehicle side at two locations, left and right; and the extending sections extending from the bent back sections toward the front and are located at two positions, left and right, underneath the bracket on the vehicle side.