Patent ID: 8134438

Claim:
An electromagnetic actuator comprising: a stator comprising a magnetic flux conducting center post and a magnetic flux conducting sidewall extending alongside the center post and spaced from the center post defining a gap therebetween; a drive coil disposed in the gap between the center post and sidewall that produces a magnetic field when electrical current is applied; a driven element disposed in the gap between the center post and sidewall alongside a longitudinal extent of the drive coil, the driven element movable relative to the drive coil in a direction generally parallel to the drive coil; a source of a steady state magnetic field alongside the driven element extending into the driven element focusing eddy currents induced in the driven element by the drive coil; a power supply electrically connected to the drive coil; and wherein application of electrical current by the power supply to the drive coil inductively couples the driven element with the drive coil inducing eddy current flow in the driven element causing the driven element to move relative to the drive coil.