Punch apparatus

A punch apparatus, comprising:

• a solenoid having a plunger and a pole piece, and being controllably energized for accelerating said plunger toward said pole piece from a first position to a second position for developing momentum of a desired magnitude;
• drive means having elastic properties and being impacted by said plunger for absorbing momentum developed by said plunger, such that the momentum causes said drive means to compress;
• and
• a punch communicating with said drive means having a punch tip for punching material, said punch having a mass which is substantially equal to the mass of said plunger so that efficiency of energy usage is effectively maximized by allowing momentum absorbed by said drive means from said plunger to be substantially completely transferred to said punch so that said punch is driven from a reset position to a punch position so that the punch tip punches the material, said solenoid being de-energized subsequent to impact between said plunger and said drive means and prior to contact between said plunger and said pole piece, said plunger decelerating to near-zero velocity upon impact with said drive means so that impact force between said plunger and said pole piece is minimized.