Patent ID: 8547192

Claim:
An electromagnetic actuator comprising: an electromagnetic drive section which forms a flux path between a movable member and a fixed member, each member being made of magnetic material, and which drives the movable member in a predetermined movement direction through electromagnetic force; an operation section which has an operation member movable between a connection position where the operation member is connected with a mating part and a release position where the operation member is apart from the mating part in a direction parallel to the predetermined movement direction, and which restrains movement of the mating part in an operation direction which is different from the predetermined movement direction when the operation member is at the connection position; and a connection device which is interposed between the movable member and the operation member such that relative movement of the operation member to the movable member in the operation direction is permitted and that relative movement of the operation member to the movable member in the predetermined movement direction different from the operation direction is restricted, wherein each of the movable member, the fixed member, and the operation member is configured in an annular form and disposed on a common axis, the movable member and the fixed member are arranged in an axial direction with the predetermined movement direction being configured as the axial direction, and the operation member is provided so as to be engaged with the mating part in a circumferential direction with respect to the axis with the operation direction being configured as the circumferential direction, wherein a portion of the operation member which contacts the connection device is arranged in an inner circumference side of the movable member.