Patent ID: 8581682

Claim:
A solenoid for an electrical switch, said solenoid comprising: a coil having a passageway extending therethrough along a central longitudinal axis; a movable core having a coil segment and a magnet segment, the coil segment being received within the passageway of the coil such that the coil extends around the coil segment, the magnet segment including a radially outer surface relative to the central longitudinal axis of the passageway of the coil, the movable core being movable relative to the coil along the central longitudinal axis such that the coil segment is movable within the passageway of the coil along the central longitudinal axis, the moveable core comprising a flange extending radially outward relative to the central longitudinal axis of the passageway of the coil, flange comprising a ledge; a spring in direct contact with the movable core to bias the movable core to one of an open position or a closed position; a permanent magnet extending around at least a portion of the radially outer surface of the magnet segment of the movable core, the movable core being movable along the central longitudinal axis relative to the permanent magnet, the permanent magnet comprising an end surface that faces the ledge of the flange of the moveable core, the end surface being spaced apart from the ledge by an air gap that extends from the end surface to the ledge; and a coil shell extending around the coil, the coil shell comprising a side wall that extends around the coil, the coil shell comprising a coil lid that extends from the side wall at a non-parallel angle relative to the side wall, the coil lid extending over an end of the coil, the coil lid comprising a recess therein, the permanent magnet being held at least partially within the recess, wherein the coil lid is integrally formed with the side wall.