Patent ID: 8281627

Claim:
A device for actuating a locking member of a functionally essential component, particularly a steering column of a motor vehicle, comprising: a gear box, being operatively connected to the locking member, wherein the locking member can be moved into a locked position and into a released position, and vice versa, wherein the locking member engages into the functionally essential component in the locked position, the locking member is released from the functionally essential component in the released position, an actuation device is provided that can be accessed by a user, said actuation device being signal-connected to the gear box during normal operation, by means of which an electronic actuation of the gear box can be effected via an intentional actuation of the actuation device, said gear box moving the locking member into the locked or released position, wherein the actuation device is mechanically uncoupled from the gear box during normal operation, and that the actuation device can be mechanically coupled to the gear box during emergency operation, such that a movement of the locking member into the locked or released position thereof, is carried out via manual actuation of the actuation device.