Patent ID: 7597186

Claim:
A substrate transport device, comprising: a chamber comprising a bottom wall having a plurality of openings; a plurality of rotary wheels disposed outside the chamber and respectively beneath the openings in the bottom wall; a plurality of first magnets disposed along the circumference of the rotary wheels; a linear rail transversely disposed above the plurality of openings in the bottom wall; a carrier disposed in the chamber and on the linear rail, wherein the linear rail defines a direction of movement of the carrier; a plurality of second magnets disposed on the carrier, the second magnets disposed in line with the direction of movement of the carrier; and a plurality of partitions disposed in the openings in the bottom wall of the chamber and positioned over the rotary wheels, wherein the partitions are thinner than the bottom wall between the first magnets and the second magnets, wherein the openings in the bottom wall, the partitions and the rotary wheels are respectively spaced apart along the line of movement of the carrier.