Patent ID: 7053742

Claim:
An electromagnetic actuator comprising: a housing defining a cavity; a shaft extending through the housing and having a longitudinal axis; a solenoid coil disposed in the cavity of the housing and having a center axis that is substantially coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the shaft; a clamp surface; an armature secured to the shaft and extending outward from the shaft to an outer peripheral surface, wherein said armature is movable between a first position disposed proximate to the damp surface and a second position disposed distal to the clamp surface, wherein when the armature is in the first position, the armature and the housing define a first gap therebetween, said first gap having a plurality of different widths that extend between the armature and the housing in directions perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shaft, wherein when the armature is in the second position, the armature and the clamp surface define a longitudinally-extending second gap therebetween, said second gap having a width in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the shaft, and wherein the widths of the first gap are all smaller than the width of the second gap.