Patent ID: 7249579

Claim:
A valve actuator for an internal combustion engine, comprising: at least one electromagnet having a coil wound about a core, said core having a center pole, a first side pole and a second side pole; an armature fixed to an armature shaft extending axially through the core, and axially movable relative thereto; a first permanent magnet contained at least partially within a body of the first side pole, extending at least partially along the first side pole and said first permanent magnet exterior to said coil, wherein said first permanent magnet has a surface angled relative to axial movement of said shaft; and a second permanent magnet contained at least partially within a body of the second side pole, extending at least partially along the second side pole, and said second permanent magnet exterior said coil, wherein said second permanent magnet has a surface angled relative to axial movement of said shaft; wherein said first permanent magnet and said second permanent magnet are arranged symmetrically about an axis of said axial movement of said shaft.