MAGNETIC ACTUATOR, MAGNETIC ACTUATOR OPERATION METHOD, AND ENCAPSULATED ENDOSCOPE USING THE SAME

摘要

An object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic actuator with ensured flexibility in design and high energy efficiency, magnetic-actuator operating method, and capsule endoscope using the same. The magnetic actuator according to the present invention includes a housing (2), a rotationally-moving magnet (6) and a fixed magnet (7) placed in the housing (2), coils (3, 4) disposed outside of the housing (2), and a guiding area (2a) provided in the housing (2). The rotationally-moving magnet (6) and the fixed magnet (7) are relatively rotatable in a plane including a magnetization direction. The coils (3, 4) generate a magnetic field that causes the rotationally-moving magnet (6) to relatively rotate in a direction such that the rotationally-moving magnet (6) and the fixed magnet (7) generate a repulsive force to each other. For the rotationally-moving magnet (6), a direction of relatively moving by the generated repulsive force is regulated by the guiding area (2a).