Patent ID: 7044503

Claim:
A collapsible telescopic steering apparatus comprising: a steering column including an outer tube and an inner tube engaged with each other in a manner to be switched between a press-fit state and a loose-fit state; a telescopic adjustment mechanism for adjusting the position of a steering wheel by way of relative sliding movement of the outer tube and the inner tube along an axial direction thereof when the outer and inner tubes are switched to the loose-fit state; a shock absorbing projection disposed on at least one of an inner periphery of the outer tube and an outer periphery of the inner tube and opposing the periphery of a counterpart tube; wherein the shock absorbing projection is normally spaced away from the counterpart tube but is deformed as pressed against the counterpart tube in association with the relative sliding movement of the tubes in the press-fitted state during collision, thereby absorbing the shock of the collision; and a pressing projection disposed on at least one of the inner periphery of the outer tube and the outer periphery of the inner tube and capable of pressing against the counterpart tube for establishing the press-fit state of the tubes under normal conditions; wherein the outer tube includes an open end and a slit axially extended from the open end, thus designed to be radially expanded or contracted; and wherein the outer tube is radially contracted, thereby establishing the press-fit state of the tubes, or is radially expanded, thereby establishing the loose-fit state of the tubes; whereby the pressing projection is slid on the counterpart tube in association with the relative sliding movement of the tubes during collision, thereby absorbing the shock of the collision.