Patent ID: 8557582

Claim:
An apparatus for applying mechanical forces of varying magnitudes to a material characterized in that the apparatus comprises: (a) an array defining a surface and including a plurality of actuation devices disposed thereon, each actuation device including a cavity having an opening to the surface, the cavity having a structural configuration, at least one of the actuation devices in the array including a variation in the structural configuration; (b) a flexible membrane fixed to the surface and covering said openings of the plurality of actuation devices in the array, each opening being covered by an area of the flexible membrane unsupported by the surface of the at least one array, said membrane having an upper surface that permits attachment of the material thereto, and (c) a network of channels connecting each cavity in the array to a single source of pressure or vacuum said channels being arranged to deliver a relatively equal amount of pressure or vacuum to the cavities, the unsupported areas of the flexible membrane covering the openings capable of being displaced upwardly relative to the surface upon delivery of pressure or downwardly relative to the surface upon the delivery of vacuum to the plurality of actuation devices, said displacement of the unsupported area of the flexible membrane being commensurate with the structural configuration of each of the plurality of actuation devices in the array and for applying mechanical force to the flexible membrane, whereby a single input of pressure or vacuum is translated into a range of mechanical forces of varying magnitudes being generated simultaneously across the plurality of actuation devices in the array.