Electromagnetic actuator and use thereof

An electromagnetic actuator comprising a housing (1), two ferromagnetic pole shoes (4, 5) which are arranged at a distance from one another and are rigidly connected to the housing, a mobile structure (3) which can be moved in the housing (1) along an axis between two end positions and is arranged between the pole shoes (4, 5) and comprises at least one magnet system, which structure is connected to a shaft (2) which is axially displaceable in the housing (1), wherein the magnet system comprises radially inner and radially outer pole bodies (6, 7) comprising a magnetic flux-conducting material, at least one arrangement of one or more permanent magnets (9, 10) which are polarized radially with respect to the axis, and an annular coil (8) which can be connected to a current source, and forms, together with the pole shoes (4, 5), an air gap system having axially variable air gaps (L1, L2), wherein the mobile structure (3) can be secured in each of the two end positions without excitation of the coil (8), and can be moved out of the end position, taken up in each case, and into the opposite end position, by excitation of the coil (8).