Collapsible steering column assembly

Abstract

A collapsible steering column assembly includes: a mounting bracket having a pair of arms and is configured to be fixed to a vehicle body; a supporting housing which is disposed between the pair of arms to be tiltable about the mounting bracket; a steering column which passes through the supporting housing so as to be able to undergo a tilt motion together with the supporting housing; and a locking device which is configured to be in a locking state or an unlocking state to selectively allow a telescopic motion and a tilt motion of the steering column by selectively applying clamping force to the pair of arms. The steering column comprises an outer jacket and an inner jacket which is slidably inserted into the outer jacket. The inner jacket is configured to slide in the supporting housing together with the outer jacket during a telescopic motion of the steering column in the unlocking state of the locking device, and the inner jacket is configured to be able to be collapsed into the outer jacket when impact is applied to the steering column in the locking state of the locking device. The locking device is configured to selectively allow movement of the outer jacket in a direction of the telescopic motion through teeth coupling which is selectively engaged or disengaged depending on the locking state and the unlocking state. It is configured that clearance exists between two teeth of the teeth coupling such that the outer jacket is able to move by a predetermined length in a direction of the telescopic motion in the locking state.