Patent ID: 7771151

Claim:
An apparatus for transferring a container between a container transfer system and a processing tool, comprising: a housing located below a processing tool shelf, the housing substantially enclosing a drive mechanism configured to move substantially vertically between top and bottom ends of the housing; an arm support outside the housing, the arm support having a base coupled with the drive mechanism and a distal end at an opposite end of the base, the distal end being higher than the top end of the housing when the drive mechanism is at the top end of the housing; an arm having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the arm being rotatably coupled with the distal end of the arm support; a gripper rotatably coupled with the distal end of the arm; an x-drive assembly for moving the housing substantially along an x-direction, wherein the container transfer system is configured to convey the container from a first position in the container transfer system in front of the housing to a second position above the housing and to the processing tool shelf, wherein the container configured to travel in the transfer system that is located in front of the processing tool is configured to travel in the x-direction, wherein the container transfer system comprises a conveyor, wherein the x-drive assembly is configured to move the housing along the x-direction and is configured so that the housing is located between the conveyor and the processing tool when the housing moves, and wherein the x-drive assembly supports the conveyor.