Patent ID: 8235011

Claim:
An actuating device for a valve drive changeover unit of an internal combustion engine comprising an actuation unit ( 10 ), with at least two movable actuation elements ( 12 , 14 ) which are each provided at one end thereof with an active permanent magnetic element ( 20 , 21 ) however of opposite polarity and with at least one coil unit ( 16 ) which can be energized selectively by currents in opposite flow directions providing for at least two different electrical or electromagnetic states of the actuation unit ( 10 ) for performing activation sequences of the actuation unit ( 10 ) dependent on different current flow directions, the at least one coil unit ( 16 ) being arranged next to the active permanent magnetic elements ( 20 , 21 ) in such a way that, by means of magnetic forces generated by the coil unit ( 16 ) acting on the active magnetic elements ( 20 , 21 ), when energized in one direction of current flow through the coil unit ( 16 ) one of the movable actuation elements ( 12 , 14 ) is accelerated relative to the coil unit ( 16 ) and, when energized in the opposite direction of current flow through the coil unit ( 16 ), as a result of the opposite polarity of the active permanent magnetic actuation elements ( 20 , 21 ), the other of the movable actuation elements ( 12 , 14 ) is accelerated.