Patent ID: 7532098

Claim:
An actuator comprising: a magnetic field generator, wherein the magnetic field generator is a single permanent magnet that is pivotally mounted about a pivot, and a north pole of the single permanent magnet and a south pole of the single permanent magnet are on opposing sides of the pivot; and an electromagnetic coil arrangement moveable relative to the magnetic field generator to define a first position of the actuator and a second position of the actuator, wherein the electromagnetic coil arrangement includes a frame and a magnetic core, wherein, when the actuator is in the first position, a pulse of current through the electromagnetic coil arrangement produces a region of magnetic field that repels the magnetic field generator from the first position of the actuator and attracts the magnetic field generator towards the second position of the actuator to move the actuator to the second position, wherein the single permanent magnet has the first position wherein one of the north pole and the south pole is proximate the frame and remote from the magnetic core and the other of the north pole and the south pole is remote from both the frame and the magnetic core, and wherein the single permanent magnet has the second position wherein the one of the north pole and the south pole is proximate the magnetic core and remote from the frame and the other of the north pole and the south pole is remote from both the magnetic core and the frame.