Patent ID: 7368838

Claim:
A voice coil motor (VCM) comprising: a plurality of sets of magnets, the plurality of sets of the magnets each being arranged in an array configuration, the plurality of sets of magnets further being arranged to cooperate to form a magnetic field; and a coil, the coil being arranged to receive current and having a plurality of windings, the coil being arranged to define a first space within the coil, the plurality of sets of the magnets being arranged such that a first set of the plurality of sets of magnets is positioned within the first space and a second set of the plurality of sets of magnets is positioned external to the coil, wherein the coil is the only coil arranged to move within the magnetic field and wherein the first set of the plurality of sets of magnets includes a first magnet, a second magnet, and a third magnet, the first magnet being positioned between the second magnet and the third magnet along a first direction and having a first magnetic field direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction, the second magnet being wedge-shaped and having a second magnetic field direction that is parallel to the first direction and towards the first magnet, the third magnet being wedge-shaped and having a third magnetic field direction that is parallel to the first direction and opposite to the direction of the second magnetic field.