Patent ID: 8254045

Claim:
A device for moving an optical element along an axis comprising: a housing having an inner space extending from a top face through to a bottom face; a magnet assembly mounted within the housing and having an axial bore therethrough communicating with the housing inner space; an electrically conductive coil assembly having an axial bore therethrough communicating and substantially concentric with the magnet assembly bore, the coil assembly mounted at least partially within the magnet assembly bore for limited axial movement within the housing, the coil assembly placeable in electrical communication with a power source, the coil assembly further having means for supporting an optical element for movement with the coil assembly; a sensor supported and adapted for sensing an axial position of the coil assembly and placeable in signal communication with means for effecting the delivery of current from the power source to the coil assembly based upon the sensed axial position; and a suspension system bridging the coil assembly and the housing, effective to maintain the coil assembly substantially centered within the magnet assembly bore, permitting the coil assembly to move axially but substantially preventing radial and rotational movement, the coil assembly biased by the suspension system to a substantially central resting position axially.