Patent ID: 6923090

Claim:
A temporarily locking device for temporarily locking a rotor of the magnetically suspended inertia wheel, said inertia wheel comprising a stator secured to a structure and said rotor rotatable about an axis of rotation, said temporary locking device comprising a Geneva movement mechanism coupled to an actuator activated by a power source and suitable for driving said mechanism selectively in first and second directions of rotation, wherein: said Geneva movement mechanism includes an inlet member of the cam type coupled to said actuator, a Maltese cross outlet member having an axis of symmetry coinciding with said axis of rotation and turning about said axis; an annular piece carried by said Maltese cross, said Maltese cross being coupled to a screw member coaxial with said axis of rotation and adapted to transform said rotary motion into compound motion including a linear component so as to drive said annular piece in translation along said axis of rotation; whereby, while said Maltese cross is turning in first direction, said annular piece moves toward said rotor until mechanical contact is established therewith and drives said annular piece in translation so as to lock the rotor against a fixed wall so as to obtain a self-blocking locked position for the rotor; and while said Maltese cross is turning in an opposite direction, said annular piece releases said rotor so as to obtain unlocking thereof.