Patent ID: 8403364

Claim:
An adjustable steering column for motor vehicles comprising: a support assembly to be fixed on a chassis of a vehicle, a tubular body, having a longitudinal axis, slidably mounted in the support assembly, adjustment and locking means capable of switching from a state of adjusting the position of the tubular body in the support assembly to a state of immobilizing the tubular body in a desired adjusted position in the support assembly, a plastically deformable energy-absorbing element cooperating with a deformation member secured to the tubular body so that the plastically deformable energy-absorbing element undergoes plastic deformation as the tubular body retracts inside the support assembly following an impact imparted to the tubular body when the adjustment and locking means are in an immobilization state, and a ratchet mechanism to secure the plastically deformable element to the support assembly during the plastic deformation of the plastically deformable element.