Patent ID: 8485581

Claim:
A holding fixture adapted for securing differing pluralities of objects having differing geometric shapes, sizes, and/or dimensions, said fixture comprising: a base; a holding mechanism fixedly coupled to the base, defining an engagement surface, and including an active material element operable to undergo a reversible change in fundamental property when exposed to or occluded from an activation signal, so as to be activated or deactivated, respectively; said active material element being drivenly coupled to the surface and configured, when activated or deactivated, to further enable or cause the surface to reconfigure, said surface and element being cooperatively configured to secure an engaged at least one of the objects, as a result of enabling or causing the surface to reconfigure, and return to a ready state when said engaged at least one of the objects is removed, wherein the mechanism includes a plurality of reconfigurable projections formed at least in part by or drivenly coupled to the element and cooperatively defining the surface, and the object is secured through engagement with at least two of said plurality of projections, wherein each projection defines a sidewall, and presents a flexible rigidity in a lateral direction, the change increases the rigidity, and the surface is defined by the sidewall.