Patent ID: 9238452
Filing Date: 2016-01-19
CPC Classification: B60T,F16H

Claim Text:
1. A lock assembly for selectively locking the rotational position of a shaft, comprising: an actuator having an impeller movable between two rest positions by energising the actuator, wherein the impeller is retained in each of the two rest positions by passive magnetic forces generated by the actuator; a locking arrangement switchable between a first configuration in which rotation of said shaft is unimpeded by the locking arrangement and a second configuration in which rotation of said shaft is blocked by the locking arrangement; and a linkage between the impeller and the locking arrangement, wherein the assembly is arranged such that in one of the impeller rest positions, the locking arrangement is in its first configuration and said shaft is freely rotatable, and in the other of the impeller rest positions, the locking arrangement is urged towards and into its second configuration, and wherein the linkage is arranged such that when the impeller moves into the other rest position, the linkage resiliently urges the locking arrangement towards its second configuration.