Patent ID: 8384501

Claim:
An electromagnetic actuator ( 1 ) comprising: an armature ( 3 ) mounted by a bearing arrangement ( 6 A, 6 B) so as to be one of rotationally and translationally movable relative to the bearing arrangement ( 6 A, 6 B); and an electric coil ( 4 ) for moving the armature ( 3 ); wherein a magnetostrictive element ( 8 ) is provided for generating, when the magnetostrictive element ( 8 ) is energized, relative movement between the armature ( 3 ) and at least part of the bearing arrangement ( 6 A, 6 B), and only a single electric coil ( 4 ) is provided, and the single electric coil ( 4 ) facilitates both movement of the armature ( 3 ) and deformation of the magnetostrictive element ( 8 ), and the deformation of the magnetostrictive element ( 8 ) is smaller than the movement of the armature ( 3 ).