The holding device (60) has two clamping elements (32,33) between which the object is brought, where the former clamping element is moved towards the latter clamping element. One of the movable clamping elements is designed as an expandable elastic body (34,35). A fluid (38) is supplied to the expandable elastic body. A control system controls a supply of the fluid to the expandable elastic body. The control system controls an expansion and a collapsing of the body.
