System, apparatus and method for applying mechanical force to a material

An apparatus for applying mechanical forces of varying magnitudes to a material comprising:

• (a) an array defining a surface and including a plurality of actuation devices disposed thereon, each actuation device including:
• (i) a base including a base cavity having a first opening and a structural configuration, at least one of the actuation devices including a variation in the structural configuration, (ii) a flexible actuation membrane fixed to the base and covering said first opening, each first opening being covered by an area of the actuation membrane unsupported by the base, said actuation membrane having an upper surface;
• (iii) an upper structure resting on said base, the upper structure including an upper cavity having a second opening that opens on the surface of the array, and (iv) a moving member extending from the upper surface of the unsupported areas of the actuation membrane into the upper cavity of the upper structure towards the second opening;
• (b) a substrate membrane fixed to the surface of the array and covering said second openings, each second opening being covered by an area of the substrate membrane unsupported by the surface, said substrate membrane having an upper surface that permits attachment of the material thereto;
• and
• (c) a network of channels connecting each base 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 base cavities, the unsupported areas of the flexible actuation membrane covering the first openings capable of being displaced upwardly relative to the base upon delivery of pressure or downwardly relative to the base upon the delivery of vacuum to the plurality of actuation devices, said displacement of the flexible actuation membrane being commensurate with the variation in the structural configuration of each of the plurality of actuation devices in the at least one array, and said moving member capable of being moved upwardly towards the substrate membrane upon the upward displacement of the actuation membrane thereby displacing the substrate membrane upon delivery of pressure to the actuation devices, and to move downwardly away from the substrate membrane upon delivery of vacuum to the actuation devices, said displacement of the substrate membrane being commensurate with the structural configuration of each of the actuation devices and for applying mechanical force to the substrate membrane, whereby a single input of pressure or vacuum is translated into a range of mechanical forces of varying magnitudes being applied simultaneously across the plurality of actuation devices;
• and
• (d) a lubrication network of channels connecting each said upper cavities to a source of lubricant, said lubrication network operable to flush lubricant between the moving member and the substrate membrane.

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 actuation device including a variation in the structural configuration;
• (b) a flexible membrane fixed to the surface of the array and covering said openings of the plurality of actuation devices, 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;
• (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 and of being displaced downwardly relative to the surface upon delivery of vacuum to the plurality of actuation devices, said displacement of the unsupported flexible membrane being commensurate with the structural configuration of each of the plurality of actuation devices;
• (d) a moving member extending from the upper surface of each of the unsupported areas of the membrane, each moving member in the array having a top that permits attachment of the material thereto;
• and
• (e) a holding structure placed above the top of the moving member, said moving member capable of being moved upwardly towards the holding structure upon the upward displacement of the unsupported areas of the flexible membrane thereby compressing the material attached to the top against the holding structure, and capable of being moved downwardly away from the holding structure upon the downward displacement of the unsupported areas of the flexible membrane, said compression being commensurate with the structural configuration of the each of the actuation devices and for applying mechanical forces to the material, whereby a single input of pressure or vacuum is translated into a range of mechanical forces of varying magnitudes being applied simultaneously to the material.