Patent ID: 8051944

Claim:
A steering apparatus, comprising: a difference generating mechanism that generates a difference of a steering amount in a rotational direction between an input shaft connected to a steering wheel and an output shaft connected to a steering unit that steers a wheel; a differential lock mechanism including a lock holder in which a plurality of shallow groove portions are formed recessed from an outer periphery thereof and a plurality of deep groove portions are formed recessed from the outer periphery thereof, the deep groove portions being deeper than the shallow groove portions, a respective one of the deep groove portions being formed adjacent to a respective one of the shallow groove portions, each of the deep groove portions being on a same side in the circumferential direction of each of the shallow groove portions, the differential lock mechanism selectively allowing and prohibiting a generation of a difference of the steering amount between the input shaft and the output shaft by selectively engaging and disengaging an engaging member with respect to the shallow groove portions or the deep groove portions; a rotation sensor that outputs a detection signal indicative of a position in the rotational direction of the lock holder; and a lock position detecting portion that detects which deep groove portion, from among the plurality of deep groove portions, the engaging member is engaged with based on the detection signal output from the rotation sensor when the engaging member engages with one of the deep groove portions, wherein the plurality of deep groove portions have substantially a same length as each other in a circumferential direction of the lock holder and are formed in an outer periphery of the lock holder at equidistant intervals.