Universal insert support for holding and positioning parts of complex shapes

A universal support insert for supporting a part (1) of random and/or complex shape that with a surface that can match the shapes of the said part (1), the apparatus comprising:

• a rigid base (11);
• a deformable enclosure (3), containing incompressible particles (4) and comprising a hole which is connected or is connectable to a vacuum source ;
• the enclosure (3):
• is in contact with the rigid base (11),
• is totally filled with said particles (4),
• has a part contacting surface positioned to contact a part (1) to be held,
• is deformable at constant volume,
• has a rest position which the enclosure adopts when the enclosure is not evacuated and no part is in place for support,
• maintains a constant volume when the enclosure is evacuated and when the enclosure is not evacuated,
• becomes immobilised without shrinking in a shape and in a work position determined by a said part (1) contacting the flexible surface when vacuum is applied to the enclosure, and
• has on the outside at least one concave shape (6) which crushes when the enclosure and the part are placed in the work position so as to permit large deformations when there is no vacuum in the enclosure (3), and the said concave shape (6) is open to
• the outside to permit the discharge or intake of air in the concave zone during crushing or
• a return to the rest position of the enclosure, and
• at least one said concave shape (6) is open to the outside of the enclosure and is totally or partially filled by a deformable elastic body (7) so as to give elasticity to the insert when vacuum is not applied in order to bring the enclosure (3) back to the rest position.