Steering assembly supporting device of a motor vehicle

Claim 1

A steering assembly supporting device of a motor vehicle comprising a steering assembly, a floor, front door opening flanges, first and second cowl side panels each extending forward from the front end of a corresponding front door opening flange, front pillars each forming a portion of the corresponding front door opening flange and having a root portion connected to a corresponding cowl side portion, and a cowl inner panel spaced from the floor and transversely extending substantially parallel to the floor at a position above the floor, wherein the steering assembly supporting device comprises: a steering assembly supporting body spaced from the cowl inner panel and transversely extending substantially parallel to the cowl inner panel, said steering assembly supporting body comprising a hollow tubular portion having an inner end and an outer end, a hollow expanded portion supporting the steering assembly having an inner end and an outer end, a L-shaped bracket having a first and second leg, the inner end of said hollow tubular portion being secured to the inner end of said hollow expanded portion, the outer end of said hollow expanded portion being secured to said second cowl side panel, the outer end of said hollow tubular portion being flattened and fixedly secured to the first leg of said L-shaped bracket, said first leg of said L-shaped bracket being fixedly secured to said first cowl side panel and the second leg of said L-shaped bracket being fixedly secured to said cowl inner panel, said hollow expanded portion having a cross-sectional area which is larger than that of said hollow tubular portion over the entire length of said hollow expanded portion.