Electromechanical lock and method

An electromechanical lock comprising:

• a movable permanent hard magnet configured to move between a first position and a second position;
• a stationary permanent semi-hard magnet;
• and
• an electrically powered magnetization coil positioned adjacent to the stationary permanent semi-hard magnet, the electrically powered magnetization coil being configured to switch a polarity of the stationary permanent semi-hard magnet between a first magnetization configuration and a second magnetization configuration, wherein the first magnetization configuration of the stationary permanent semi-hard magnet attracts the movable permanent magnet to the first position, and the second magnetization configuration of the stationary permanent semi-hard magnet repels the movable permanent magnet to the second position;
• wherein a magnetic axis of the movable permanent magnet is side by side with a magnetic axis of the stationary permanent semi-hard magnet,
• wherein the stationary permanent semi-hard magnet is formed and positioned to at least partly surround the movable permanent magnet in the first position and in the second position,
• wherein the movable permanent hard magnet has a first coercivity within a first coercivity range and the stationary permanent semi-hard magnet has a second coercivity within a second coercivity range, an upper value of the first coercivity range being greater than an upper value of the second coercivity range, and a lower value of the second coercivity range being less than a lower value of the first coercivity range, and
• wherein the stationary permanent semi-hard magnet is more easily demagnetizable than the movable permanent hard magnet.