US Patent 7581466 Vehicle steering apparatus

A vehicle steering apparatus includes a jacket for rotatably supporting a steering shaft, and an electric motor. The electric motor includes an annular rotor arranged coaxially with the steering shaft and rotating together with the steering shaft. The jacket includes a tubular upper jacket and a tubular lower jacket that are fitted into each other and are moved axially relative to each other in the collision of a vehicle. An annular space surrounding the steering shaft is provided radially inside the rotor. A part of the upper jacket enters the annular space in the collision of the vehicle.