Patent ID: 8561442

Claim:
A method comprising: providing a steering shaft lock actuator comprising: a housing; a motor disposed in said housing and having an output shaft; a drive train disposed in said housing and coupled to said output shaft; a locking member coupled to said drive train and having portions defining a first opening and a second opening therein, said locking member being movable between a locked position wherein said locking member prevents rotation of a steering shaft and an unlocked position wherein said locking member does not prevent rotation of the steering shaft; and a first compression spring having a first end positioned against said housing and a second end positioned against an edge of said first opening of said locking member, wherein said drive train comprises a worm wheel having an eccentric cam disposed in said second opening of said locking member, and wherein a locking lever is coupled to said eccentric cam, said lock lever comprising a longitudinal extension and a locking arm and a projection extending from opposing ends of said longitudinal extension, said locking lever being movable between a first position wherein said locking lever prevents movement of said locking member to said locked position and a second position wherein said locking lever does not prevent movement of said locking member to said locked position; energizing said motor and linearly driving said locking member through said drive train, said eccentric cam of said drive train contacting said second opening of said locking member and urging said locking member in a linear direction to said unlocked position; storing energy in said first compression spring when said locking member is urged to said unlocked position; and utilizing said stored energy in said first compression spring to drive said locking member from said unlocked position toward a locked position with said steering shaft.