An electromagnetic actuator, comprising: - at least one yoke, the form of which defines at least one edge portion and at least one center portion, between which there is a gap portion for at least one coil, the edge portion and the center portion of the yoke extending further from the back of the yoke than the gap portion; - at least one coil at said gap portion around said center portion; - at least one movable, elastically loaded armature, configured to magnetically operate with said yoke, the armature having a surface, of which a part forms a contact portion which at least partly matches with said at least one edge portion and/or of the center portion; - said yoke, at least one coil and armature being so configured that: i) when an electric current is present in the at least one coil, the armature is magnetically pulled towards the yoke, causing compression of at least one elastic member and pulling the armature towards the yoke, and ii) when an electric current is not present in the at least one coil, the armature is pushed away from the yoke by decompression of the at least elastic member; and - at least one resilient damping element for reducing the drive force between the yoke and armature, so located that when the armature is being pulled towards the yoke, the resilient element acts at the gap portion, the resilient element arranged in such a manner that it leaves said at least one edge portion and/or said at least one center portion free, characterised in that said resilient element is at least partly arranged in a groove or recess of the armature, which groove or recess is optionally made wider than the resilient element in order to improve accommodation of the resilient element under compression. - at least one yoke, the form of which defines at least one edge portion and at least one center portion, between which there is a gap portion for at least one coil, the edge portion and the center portion of the yoke extending further from the back of the yoke than the gap portion; - at least one coil at said gap portion around said center portion; - at least one movable, elastically loaded armature, configured to magnetically operate with said yoke, the armature having a surface, of which a part forms a contact portion which at least partly matches with said at least one edge portion and/or of the center portion; - said yoke, at least one coil and armature being so configured that: i) when an electric current is present in the at least one coil, the armature is magnetically pulled towards the yoke, causing compression of at least one elastic member and pulling the armature towards the yoke, and ii) when an electric current is not present in the at least one coil, the armature is pushed away from the yoke by decompression of the at least elastic member; and i) when an electric current is present in the at least one coil, the armature is magnetically pulled towards the yoke, causing compression of at least one elastic member and pulling the armature towards the yoke, and ii) when an electric current is not present in the at least one coil, the armature is pushed away from the yoke by decompression of the at least elastic member; and - at least one resilient damping element for reducing the drive force between the yoke and armature, so located that when the armature is being pulled towards the yoke, the resilient element acts at the gap portion, the resilient element arranged in such a manner that it leaves said at least one edge portion and/or said at least one center portion free, characterised in that said resilient element is at least partly arranged in a groove or recess of the armature, which groove or recess is optionally made wider than the resilient element in order to improve accommodation of the resilient element under compression.