Patent ID: 7434453

Claim:
A vacuum-assisted fixture for holding a part, comprising: (a) a base; (b) a manifold mounted on the base, the manifold defining an inlet opening and an outlet opening for communicating with a negative pressure source for producing a vacuum within the manifold; (c) a part collet for being positioned in the inlet opening and held in place by a vacuum exerted on a downstream side of the collet, the collet including a part holder opening therein communicating with the manifold for exerting a vacuum on a downstream side of a part positioned in the part holder opening for inspection; and (d) registration means for maintaining a predetermined orientation of the collet in relation to the manifold and the part; whereby the part collet may be quickly and accurately installed in and removed from the manifold by breaking the vacuum hold on the downstream side of the collet, and the part may be quickly and accurately installed in and removed from the part collet by breaking the vacuum hold on the downstream side of the part.