Patent ID: 6857841

Claim:
A vehicle for transporting a semiconductor device carrier to a semiconductor processing tool, the semiconductor processing tool having a loadport for the semiconductor device carrier attached to the semiconductor processing tool, the loadport having a side length, a aide depth and a height, the semiconductor processing too providing a free apace above a top surface of the loadport, the loadport configured for receiving the semiconductor device carrier on the top surface of the loadport and the semiconductor device carrier having an interface for assisting in lifting the semiconductor device carrier, the vehicle comprising: a U-shaped chassis as viewed from a bottom perspective, said U-shaped chassis containing a skeleton of support element surrounding and defining an inner space, said inner space being free of any of said support elements of said skeleton, and said U-shaped chasis having an open front side configured for receiving the loadport into said inner space, said inner space having a length larger than the side length of the loadport, and said inner space having a depth greater than the side depth of the loadport; a set of wheels mounted to said U-shaped chassis for moving the vehicle; a lifting device mounted to said U-shaped chassis within a vertical height range of a free apace designated for the loadport, said lifting device provided for placing or picking up the semiconductor device carrier onto the loadport when the loadport is received within said inner space; vertically disposable lift connector devices mounted to the lifting device for connecting to the interface for assisting in lifting the device carrier; and a crank mechanism mounted on said U-shaped chassis for operating said lifting device.