Patent ID: 7467919

Claim:
A wafer carrier opener comprising: a wafer carrier door receiver adapted to receive a wafer carrier door; a horizontally stationary member; a cam follower, coupled to the horizontally stationary member so as to allow relative movement there between and fixedly coupled to the wafer carrier door receiver; a horizontal extension of the cam follower; a stationary cam positioned so as to limit vertical motion of the cam follower wherein the stationary cam is disposed between the horizontal extension and the wafer carrier door receiver; a counterbalancing mechanism coupled to the horizontally stationary member and to the wafer carrier door receiver and adapted to bias the wafer carrier door receiver upwardly; an upper link, having a first joint and a second joint, wherein the first joint is coupled to the horizontally stationary member and the second joint is coupled to the wafer carrier door receiver so as to push the wafer carrier door receiver toward the wafer carrier in response to vertical elevation of the horizontally stationary member; and a lower link, having a first joint and a second joint, wherein the first joint is coupled to the horizontally stationary member and the second joint is coupled both to the cam follower and to the wafer carrier door receiver so as to push the wafer carrier door receiver toward the wafer carrier in response to vertical elevation of the horizontally stationary member.