Patent ID: 7401814

Claim:
A structure for supporting a steering device relative to a vehicle body through an instrument-panel member extending a lateral direction of a vehicle, said steering device including a steering shaft adapted to transmit a steering force of a steering wheel to road wheels, said structure comprising: a first bracket fixed to said instrument-panel member; a steering column rotatably mounting said steering shaft; a second bracket fixed to said steering column; and coupling means for providing a coupling between said first and second brackets, said coupling means being designed to allow said second bracket an axial relative displacement with respect to said first bracket along an axial direction of said steering shaft while allowing an upward relative displacement of said second bracket with respect to said first bracket along with said axial relative displacement, during a vehicle collision, wherein said coupling means includes: a guide groove formed in either one of said first and second brackets to extend upward in a front region thereof on the basis of an axial direction of said steering shaft; and a coupling member slidably supported by said guide groove to couple said first and second brackets together, wherein said guide groove has a breakable protrusion disposed therein and adapted to inhibit said relative displacements in a normal state and to be broken by said coupling member during a vehicle collision so as to permit said relative displacements.