Solenoid actuator and solenoid valve

A solenoid actuator, comprising:

• a coil having a cylindrical shape;
• a stator fixed to an inner peripheral surface of the coil;
• and
• a movable element, which is contactable with the stator and is movable on an inner peripheral surface of the stator toward one side in an axial direction in accordance with a current applied to the coil,
• wherein a gap in a radial direction defined between the stator and the movable element includes:
• at least one small gap being small in size;
• and at least one large gap being larger in size than the small gap, which are arranged in the axial direction,
• wherein the movable element has a flange portion on a portion in the axial direction, the flange portion projecting in a radial direction with respect to a remaining portion, and the flange portion defines the small gap at a position at which the flange portion is opposed to the stator, and
• wherein the remaining portion defines the large gap at a position at which the remaining portion is opposed to the stator.

An electromagnetic valve having a valve mechanism, the electromagnetic valve comprising:

• a solenoid actuator including:
• a coil having a cylindrical shape;
• a stator fixed to an inner peripheral surface of the coil;
• a movable element, which is movable toward one side in an axial direction with a first gap with respect to an inner peripheral surface of the stator in accordance with a current applied to the coil;
• and
• a driven member being non-integrated with the movable element, the driven member being configured to actuate the valve mechanism when being brought into abutment against the movable element in the axial direction to be driven in the axial direction;
• and
• a bearing member configured to guide the driven member in the axial direction with a second gap being smaller than the first gap with respect to an outer peripheral surface of the driven member;
• and
• an elastic member configured to bias the driven member toward another side in the axial direction.