Patent ID: 7445415

Claim:
A load port for providing access to an article stored in a container having a container door removably coupled to a container shell, comprising: a plate having an opening for allowing passage of the article stored in the container and the plate being oriented in a vertical orientation, the plate extending between a top portion and a bottom portion; a container support plate being adapted to receive the container; a connector coupled with said container support plate; a drive assembly, coupled with said connector, for moving said container support plate substantially vertically along the vertical orientation of the plate; a shroud affixed to said plate, the shroud extends and defines an enclosure in the vertical orientation when affixed to the plate, the enclosure having an open top and an open bottom, whereby the enclosure has a dimension that enables the container having the container door and the container shell to pass through the enclosure that is defined by the shroud and the plate, the shroud being in a region of the opening of the plate and not extending to the bottom portion of the plate; a mechanism extending into the enclosure, the mechanism being coupled to the shroud and the plate, the mechanism defined to retain the container shell at a controllable height; and wherein the container shell retained by said mechanism, that is subsequently uncoupled from the container door within the enclosure, remains located at said controllable height after said container door is moved away from said container shell.