Patent ID: 9305815
Filing Date: 2016-04-05
CPC Classification: H01L

Claim Text:
1. An automated material handling system (AMHS) for a semiconductor fabrication facility (FAB) comprising: a rail transport system including a network of rails, a trolley, and a wheeled vehicle suspended from a stationary rail in the network of rails via the trolley and movable on the rails via rolling movement, the vehicle configured for holding a wafer carrier that stores a plurality of wafers; a vehicle lifter positioned near the network of rails, the lifter extending between a first elevation and a second elevation each associated with the network of rails, the lifter being configured and operable to receive the vehicle from rails at the first elevation and vertically transport the vehicle to rails at the second elevation, the vehicle lifter comprising a movable vehicle cradle, and a movable rail attached to the movable cradle; and a rail coupling system comprising a pivotable section of rail configured to rotate around a hinged pivot attached to the stationary rail, wherein the movable rail is configured to move to align with the stationary rail so that the movable rail is in close proximity or coupled to the stationary rail through the pivotable section of the rail and the vehicle directly moves from tire stationary rail to the movable rail.