Patent ID: 8366149

Claim:
A steering column for a motor vehicle, said steering column being adjustable at least in its longitudinal direction and comprising: a support unit to be connected with a chassis of the motor vehicle; a setting unit rotatably supporting a steering spindle; and a clamping mechanism configurable in an opened state, wherein the setting unit is at least displaceable in a longitudinal direction of the steering column with respect to the support unit, and configurable in a closed state, wherein a set position of the setting unit in normal operation is secured with respect to the support unit, the clamping mechanism including an arresting part configured such that, in the closed state of the clamping mechanism, the arresting part is tightened together with an engagement element and such that, in the opened state of the clamping mechanism, the arresting part is spaced apart from the engagement element; wherein the setting unit is connected with the engagement element so that the setting unit is held non-displaceably in normal operation in the longitudinal direction of the steering column with respect to the engagement element and, in the event of a crash, is dislocatable with respect to the engagement element in the longitudinal direction of the steering column with the absorption of energy; wherein the engagement element cooperates with at least one bending wire or strip having at least one section entrained by the setting unit during the dislocation of the setting unit with respect to the engagement element; wherein the bending wire or strip becomes deformed during the dislocation of the setting unit with respect to the engagement element; and wherein the bending wire or strip comprises two shanks connected via a recurvature, a first one of the two shanks being fixed on the engagement element.