Patent ID: 7626288

Claim:
An electromagnetic linear drive, comprising: a stator having a surface; and an armature having a surface and being moved relative to said stator, said stator and said armature defining an air gap there-between at least during any relative movement between said surface of said armature and said surface of said stator, said air gap being disposed at least partially obliquely with respect to a direction of the relative movement; said surface of said armature and said surface of said stator being stepped surfaces having steps, said steps being bounded by interpolated envelope surfaces that are disposed obliquely with respect to the direction of the relative movement; said steps having first sections on which said surfaces of said stator and said armature touch one another when said stator and said armature are in a given position with respect to one another; said steps having second sections, on which an intermediate space is formed between said surfaces of said stator and said armature when said stator and said armature are in the given position with respect to one another; and said first sections being surfaces that are disposed substantially at right angles to the direction of the relative movement.