Vacuum holder with extensible skirt gasket

A method for holding an article using a vacuum holder, said method comprising:

• a. providing an article, said article having a surface, wherein a portion of said article surface is to be held by a vacuum holder;
• b. providing a vacuum holder, said vacuum holder having a retaining surface for holding an article against said retaining surface by vacuum, said vacuum holder comprising:
• a main body having an outer surface, said main body having at least one air passageway associated therewith leading to a vacuum port at said retaining surface;
• and
• an elastically extensible gasket overlying the outer surface of said main body, wherein when said gasket is stretched and relaxed, said hole is sized and configured for fitting around the portion of the surface of the article to be held against the retaining surface of the vacuum holder,
• wherein said vacuum holder has:
• an activated configuration wherein said void space has at least partial vacuum therein, and
• an unactivated configuration when the vacuum is released
• c. stretching said elastically extensible gasket so that said opening is larger than said portion of said article surface to be held by vacuum;
• d. placing said article onto the outer surface of said vacuum holder so that said portion of the surface of said article to be held by vacuum is positioned over said vacuum port of said vacuum holder and said portion of the surface of said article is inside the opening in said gasket;
• e. releasing the forces extending said gasket so that portions of said gasket adjacent said opening contact said article and fit snugly against said article;
• and
• f. drawing a vacuum on the article.