Patent ID: 8651796

Claim:
A substrate transport apparatus comprising: a drive section with a drive motor, the drive motor having a common drive shaft; two articulated arms, each being operably connected to the common drive shaft of the drive motor for extension and retraction of each arm, and each arm having an end effector adapted for holding and transporting a substrate; and a coupling system having a lost motion system operably coupling both articulated arms to the common drive shaft of the drive motor, the lost motion system including a rotating member coupled to the common drive shaft to rotate about an axis of rotation of the common drive shaft and coupling members movably joined to the rotating member and coupled to a respective one of the two articulated arms through pivotally released joints, the lost motion system being arranged so that the lost motion system operates, when the common drive shaft of the drive motor imparts a torque to the coupling system, to effect extension and retraction of one of the two articulated arms substantially independent of movement of another of the two articulated arms along a substantially common linear path with no more than the common drive shaft effecting extension and retraction of one of the two articulated arms.