Patent ID: 7568875

Claim:
An apparatus for transporting flat articles, the apparatus comprising: transport pods, each having: an internal cavity, structured to withstand an external atmospheric pressure in a presence of a vacuum, a leakproof peripheral wall including an inlet/outlet opening, a pod door to close the inlet/outlet opening, pod door locking means for selectively locking and unlocking the pod door in a closed position in which the inlet/outlet opening is closed, and pod door front sealing means, associated with the pod door, held in place by the pod door locking means when the pod door is in a locked closed position, the pod door front sealing means being elastically compressible and arranged to be held elastically compressed by the pod door, an interface, comprising: an article-passing opening, an interface door to close the article-passing opening, and interface door front sealing means, associated with the interface door; peripheral sealing means for isolating from an external atmosphere a coupling zone between the transport pod and the equipment interface around the article-passing opening and the inlet/outlet opening; door actuator means comprising: first actuator means disposed in the interface for displacing the pod and interface doors between the closed position and an open position which is offset toward an interior of the interface; and second actuator means, disposed in the interface and distinct from the first actuator means, for applying an axial thrust of sufficient strength against the pod door toward an interior of the transport pod to compress the pod door front sealing means beyond compression provided by the pod door locking means.