Patent ID: 7468647

Claim:
A solenoid comprising: a stator core that has a fixed axial end, a free axial end, and an inner surface, the free axial end having an outer surface, the stator core being formed of a magnetic material; a plunger that is slidable along the inner surface of the stator core, the plunger being formed of a magnetic material; a ring core that is disposed around the outer surface of the free axial end of the stator core, the ring core being formed of a magnetic material; and a magnetic circuit component that is adjacent to the stator core, the magnetic circuit component conducting magnetic flux with the stator core, wherein the ring core radially conducts radial magnetic flux with the stator core, the ring core axially conducts axial magnetic flux with the magnetic circuit component, the outer surface of the ring core and the magnetic circuit component form a radial clearance therebetween with respect to a radial direction of the ring core, and the ring core is movable with respect to the radial direction of the ring core in accordance with radial displacement of the free axial end of the stator core.