Steering apparatus

A steering apparatus comprising:

• a fixed side plate which is fixed to a body;
• a column side plate which is fixed to a steering column which supports a steering shaft rotatably;
• a fastening shaft which is inserted through fastening shaft insertion slots which are respectively provided in the fixed side plate and the column side plate;
• an operation lever which is operated to rotate about a center axis of the fastening shaft;
• a first member which is supported by the fastening shaft and which rotates about the center axis together with the operation lever;
• a second member which is supported by the fastening shaft and which is restricted from rotating by the fastening shaft insertion slots;
• a third member which is supported by the fastening shaft and which is interposed between the first member and the second member;
• a friction reducing mechanism which is interposed between the second member and the third member and which thrust supports the third member so that the third member rotates relative to the second member;
• and
• a cam mechanism which attains locking by fastening the fixed side plate to the column side plate and which includes
• a pair of axially facing surfaces which are provided on the first member and the third member and which face each other in an axial direction of the fastening shaft,
• a cam surface which is formed on the axially facing surface of the first member,
• a plurality of rolling elements which roll between both the axially facing surfaces in association with a relative rotation of the first member and the third member, and
• a retainer which holds the rolling elements and which is restricted from rotating about the center axis by the second member,
• wherein the friction reducing mechanism functions to make a rotating resistance of the third member relative to the second member smaller than a reaction force which the third member receives as a result of a rolling resistance of the rolling elements.