Apparatus for supporting steering column of vehicle and process of making

A supporting apparatus for supporting a steering column of a vehicle, the supporting apparatus comprising:

• a U-shaped bent plate section;
• a sliding plate section extending from one end of the bent plate section to a projecting end, and comprising a fastener hole;
• and
• an abutting plate section extending from the other end of the bent plate section to a projecting end along the sliding plate section, and confronting the sliding plate section to resiliently clamp a supporting bracket for supporting the steering column, the abutting plate section comprising;
• a center portion formed with a fastener hole for defining a single fastener passage with the fastener hole of the sliding plate section;
• first and second lateral portions extending, respectively, on first and second sides of the center portion, each of the first and second lateral portions comprising a pressing region bulging toward the sliding plate section;
• a first slit separating the center portion from the pressing region of the first lateral portion;
• a second slit separating the center portion from the pressing region of the second lateral portion;
• first and second through openings formed between the center portion and the first lateral portion, the first slit extending from the first through opening to the second through opening;
• and
• third and fourth through openings formed between the center portion and the second lateral portion, the second slit extending from the third through opening to the fourth through opening.

A supporting apparatus for supporting a steering column of a vehicle, the supporting apparatus comprising:

• a sliding plate for normally clamping a supporting bracket for supporting a steering column and allowing the supporting bracket to be detached from the sliding plate in case of a secondary collision of the vehicle, the sliding plate comprising;
• i) a center portion formed with a fastener hole for receiving a fastener to fasten the sliding plate to a vehicle body;
• ii) a first lateral portion comprising a pressing bulge for resiliently abutting on the supporting bracket;
• iii) a first slit separating the center portion from the pressing bulge of the first lateral portion;
• and
• iv) first and second through openings formed between the center portion and the first lateral portion, the first slit extending from the first through opening to the second through opening.