Patent ID: 6889532

Claim:
An electrically-operated steering shaft lock device comprising: a lock bolt structure including (i) a first lock bolt pivotally supported on one radial side and in the vicinity of a steering shaft, and having a protruding piece to be engaged on an inner peripheral side thereof with an engagement surface of a receiving portion of the steering shaft, and (ii) a second lock bolt pivotally supported on another radial side and in the vicinity of the steering shaft, and having a protruding piece to be engaged on an inner peripheral side thereof with another engagement surface of the receiving portion of the steering shaft; and an actuating device for actuating only said first lock bolt so as to pivot said first lock bolt from a protruding position, at which said protruding piece of said first lock bolt is positioned within the receiving portion of the steering shaft, to a retreat position, at which said protruding piece of said first lock bolt is not positioned within the receiving portion of the steering shaft, wherein said first lock bolt and said second lock bolt are constructed and arranged such that (i) said second lock bolt is pivoted, along with said first lock bolt being pivoted to the protruding position, to a corresponding protruding position, at which said protruding piece of said second lock bolt is positioned within the receiving portion of the steering shaft, whereby the steering shaft becomes locked via said inner peripheral side surface of said first lock bolt engaging the engagement surface of the receiving portion and via said inner peripheral side surface of said second lock bolt engaging the another engagement surface of the receiving portion, and (ii) said second bolt is pivoted, along with said first lock bolt being pivoted via said actuating device to the retreat position, to a corresponding retreat position, at which said protruding piece of said second lock bolt is not positioned within the receiving portion of the steering shaft, whereby the steering shaft becomes unlocked via said inner peripheral side surface of said first lock bolt moving away from the engagement surface of the receiving portion and via said inner peripheral side surface of said second lock bolt moving away from the another engagement surface of the receiving portion, and wherein said second lock bolt is not actuated by an actuating device.