Patent ID: 8212640

Claim:
A magnetically driven tool, comprising: a shaft having a bottom application end including a contacting surface; at least one support around a portion of said shaft for supporting components positioned outside said shaft and floating with respect to said shaft; a first magnet within said support affixed to said shaft; an electromagnet positioned outside said shaft and floating with respect to said shaft above said first magnet; at least one bearing contacting said shaft for sliding said shaft in an axial direction; wherein a direction of current through said electromagnet is applied so that like poles relative to said first magnet face one another during pushing operations and unlike poles face one another during pulling operations, and wherein a magnitude of said current sets a force applied by said contacting surface to a workpiece, and a force sensor outside said shaft on either side of said electromagnet without a fixed attachment to said shaft, wherein a force resulting from a magnetic field generated by said first magnet sensed by said force sensor provides a force measurement of said force applied by said contacting surface to said workpiece.