Patent ID: 6937121

Claim:
A magnetic actuator comprising: a permanent magnet; a pivotally movable member located at an oblique magnetic field position offset in a direction parallel to a top surface of the permanent magnet by a predetermined horizontal distance from the center of said permanent magnet and spaced a predetermined vertical distance upwardly from the top surface of the permanent magnet within a magnetic field generated by said permanent magnet; torsion hinge means pivotally movably supporting said pivotally movable member at its one end portion adjacent the center of said permanent magnet; a movable member; and drive means for driving said movable member; wherein said movable member is driven from a direction orthogonal to a pivot axis defined by said torsion hinge means towards the torsion hinge means by said drive means to be brought in a space between said permanent magnet and said pivotally movable member; and said pivotally movable member and said movable member are ferromagnetic; whereby said pivotally movable member is caused to pivot by a repulsive force produced between the pivotally movable member and said movable member as the movable member is driven to move nearer to said pivotally movable member.