Patent ID: 7134693

Claim:
A support apparatus for a steering column, comprising: an upper bracket through which a lower housing of the steering column is installed to a vehicle body; a lower bracket through which the lower housing is installed to the vehicle body, the lower bracket being spaced from the upper bracket; a first releasing mechanism provided to the upper bracket to allow the lower housing to slide forward at collision of a vehicle having the steering column; and a second releasing mechanism provided between the lower bracket and the lower housing to allow the lower housing to slide forward relative to and release from the lower bracket at the collision of the vehicle, the second releasing mechanism including means defining a through-hole in the lower bracket, the front end section of the lower housing being projectable forward through the through-hole, an engaging and releasing device through which the lower housing is engageable with the lower bracket and releasable from the lower bracket when a forward load is applied to the steering column, and a guide member disposed forward of the through-hole to slidingly guide the bottom surface of the lower housing forward generally along an axial direction of the steering column at a normal state when the front end section of the lower housing gets out of the through-hole.