A magnetic microactuator (100) including a coil (6; 61; 62) controlling the axial movement of a sliding block (30) including at least one permanent magnet (2) joined or aligned with a ferromagnetic or magnetised rear arbor (42) and guiding the field lines of the magnetic field of revolution in the axial direction (D) through the coil (6; 61; 62) wherein circulates the sliding block (30), up to a rear end (43) of said rear arbor (42) that tends to cooperate by magnetic attraction with at least one first ferromagnetic restoration element (8), located in the vicinity of a rear face (25) of the structure (20) of the microactuator (100), in order to bring said sliding block (30) back into a rear end-of-travel position when no coil (6; 61; 62) is powered.

A portable electronic device includes one or more bumpers that are operable to transition between a stowed position and a deployed position. In the deployed position, the bumpers may be proud of one or more surfaces of the portable electronic device that the bumpers are not proud of in the stowed position. The bumpers may protect the surfaces from impact when proud of those surfaces if the portable electronic device contacts a surface, such as when the portable electronic device is dropped. The bumpers may form portions of side corners or other portions of the portable electronic device in the stowed position. In transitioning from the stowed position to the deployed position, the bumpers may rotate and/or translate.

A linear actuator includes a magnet housing having first and second planar sides, a front plate and a rear plate, and a base plate covering a channel defined by the magnet housing. A first plurality of magnets is secured to the first planar side and a second plurality of magnets is secured to the second planar side. A linear guide slidably secured to an inner surface of the base plate. A piston assembly has a piston element attached to the linear guide. The piston assembly includes a shaft and a printed circuit board attached to the piston element. The printed circuit board defines a controller and a printed coil assembly. A flex cable is electrically connected to the printed circuit board. The piston assembly is disposed to move linearly during operation of the linear actuator.

A bi-stable solenoid includes a housing, a wire coil, a permanent magnet, an armature, a pin, and a spring. The wire coil is arranged within the housing. The armature is slidably arranged within the housing and is moveable between a first armature position and a second armature position. The pin at least partially extends out of the housing and is slidably engaged by the armature. The spring is biased between the armature and the pin. When the pin encounters an intermediate position between a retracted position and an extended position due to the pin engaging an obstruction, the spring is configured to maintain a biasing force on the pin until the obstruction is removed.

A bi-stable solenoid includes a housing, a wire coil, a permanent magnet, an armature, a pin, and a spring. The wire coil is arranged within the housing. The armature is slidably arranged within the housing and is moveable between a first armature position and a second armature position. The pin at least partially extends out of the housing and is slidably engaged by the armature. The spring is biased between the armature and the pin. When the pin encounters an intermediate position between a retracted position and an extended position due to the pin engaging an obstruction, the spring is configured to maintain a biasing force on the pin until the obstruction is removed.

An actuator has a first stator with four first poles, a second stator with four second poles aligned with the four first poles, at least one permanent magnet between the first stator and the second stator, four armatures positioned at terminal ends of the aligned four first poles and four second poles and coils wrapped around the first stator and the second stator. A controller selectively applies current to the coils to cause flux created by the at least one permanent magnet to traverse through selective poles of the first stator and the second stator to selectively alter air gap sizes associated with the four armatures.

An actuator has a first stator with four first poles, a second stator with four second poles aligned with the four first poles, at least one permanent magnet between the first stator and the second stator, four armatures positioned at terminal ends of the aligned four first poles and four second poles and coils wrapped around the first stator and the second stator. A controller selectively applies current to the coils to cause flux created by the at least one permanent magnet to traverse through selective poles of the first stator and the second stator to selectively alter air gap sizes associated with the four armatures.

An electromagnetic actuator comprises a dual stage action, wherein the actuator comprises an electromagnetic element between two ferromagnetic elements. An electric current driven through the electromagnetic element causes a magnetic field of the electromagnetic element to interact with the magnetic fields of the two ferromagnetic elements.

The present disclosure discloses a method for controlling opening and closing of at least one water outlet of an electromagnetic distributor, the method comprising: detecting, by at least one sensor, a current position, relative to the at least one water outlet, of at least one solenoid valve core; determining, by a controller, a current state of the at least water outlet according to the detected current position of the at least one solenoid valve core; generating, by an electromagnetic coil, a magnetic field force on the at least one solenoid valve core; adjusting, by the controller, a direction and an amount of the magnetic field force on the at least one solenoid valve core according to the determined current state of the at least one water outlet; and controlling, by the controller, a movement, relative to the at least one water outlet, of the at least one solenoid valve core.

A magnetic force control device includes a first pole piece having an interaction surface, made of a ferromagnetic material, and configured to be in contact with an N pole of a permanent magnet, a second pole piece having an interaction surface, made of a ferromagnetic material, and configured to be in contact with an S pole of the permanent magnet or another permanent magnet different from the permanent magnet, rotary permanent magnet configured to be rotatable to define a first arrangement state in which an N pole thereof is magnetically connected to the second pole piece and an S pole thereof is magnetically connected to the first pole piece and a second arrangement state in which the N pole is magnetically connected to the first pole piece and the S pole is magnetically connected to the second pole piece.