Patent ID: 7708310

Claim:
A steering column comprising: a column body; a column cover formed into a generally tubular contour and mounted around the column body, the column cover including an upper cover and a lower cover that are split along a parting plane extending along the axial direction of the column body, the upper cover having an inverse-U shaped section when taken perpendicularly to the axial direction of the column body, the lower cover having a U-shaped section when taken perpendicularly to the axial direction of the column body; an airbag apparatus for knee protection including an inflatable airbag that is folded up and stored at an inner side of a lower region of the column cover and is adapted to emerge from the column cover and deploy for protecting knees of a driver seated in a driver's seat when fed with inflation gas; and a combination switch unit disposed inside the column cover at the rear of the airbag apparatus on a same line extending along the axial direction of the column body, the switch unit including a plurality of switches disposed to project from the column cover for operation by a driver, wherein the lower cover of the column cover is split into a front section disposed proximate the airbag apparatus and a rear section disposed proximate the switch unit, the front section and the rear section are separable from the upper cover and the rear section is configured separable from the front section as is secured to the column body.