A lifting apparatus includes a lifting part that can be moved in linear direction between a rest position and a working position. At least one drive device is disposed for moving the lifting part. Each drive device includes a toggle lever mechanism, having a first toggle supported pivotally on the lifting part and a second toggle supported on a base part. A positioning device prespecifies the position of the lifting part in lifting direction and in a direction transverse to lifting direction in working position. To do so, said toggle preferably has a stop surface against which the lifting part is pushed into working position by the at least one drive device. In this working position, the toggle joint angle of the toggle lever mechanism is smaller than 180 so that the two toggles and are outside the extended position.

The object of the present invention is a device (1) for moving a load and for the control thereof, particularly for regulating the positioning and/or orientation of a first plane, for example that is integral with an automatic machine, with respect to a reference plane or a direction, for example that of the force of gravity. More specifically, the present invention consists of a device that makes it possible to move at least a number of points of the lower portion of an automatic machine and/or of the surface of an object along at least one axis (C), so as to regulate the orientation and/or inclination of the machine and/or object with respect to a reference direction.

A lifting device for lowering a substrate onto and for lifting it off from a substrate carrier in a process chamber. The lifting device had a lifting rod and a linear drive, for moving the lifting rod along a linear lifting movement path, and a plurality of adjustment screws for adjusting the position of the lifting movement path. The lifting device has a drive housing for the linear drive, and a drive housing flange and a passage opening surrounded by this flange. The lifting rod is guided through the passage opening, and the adjustment screws are each screwed through an adjustment screw receiving opening in the drive housing flange. The adjustment screw receiving openings are spaced apart in the drive housing flange, and a protrusion of the respective adjustment screw over the drive housing flange is adjustable by screwing that adjustment screw through the respective receiving opening at differing depths.

A management system includes: a plurality of machine tools each including a base plate; a plurality of storage plates; an object holder enabling an object to be placed thereon; a conveying unit including a fetching unit that is configured to secure or release said object holder, and a bridge crane that is configured to move the fetching unit among the base plates and the storage plates; and a control unit controlling the bridge crane to move the fetching unit to where the object holder is located, and controlling the fetching unit to secure the object holder, and controlling the bridge crane to move the fetching unit along with the object holder to another location to release the object holder.

A method for transporting a workpiece from an initial work cell to a subsequent work cell in a manufacturing environment having a plurality of work cells, the workpiece is supported by a support beam. The method includes monitoring the initial work cell for presence of a ready-to-move condition and monitoring the subsequent work cell for presence of a ready-to-receive condition. When both the ready-to-move condition and the ready-to-receive condition are present, the method includes interfacing the support beam with a gantry and, after the interfacing, moving the support beam with the gantry from the initial work cell to the subsequent work cell.

A pallet lifting device configured to lift a pallet mounted on and conveyed by a moving belt while the pallet is being conveyed, the pallet lifting device including: lifting and lowering actuators provided on both sides of the belt such that the belt is provided between the lifting and lowering actuators; a mounting member provided so as to be movable up and down by the lifting and lowering actuators, the mounting member being configured so as to be able to mount the pallet at a lowered position; and a fixing unit configured to clamp the pallet with the mounting member in a state in which the mounting member mounting the pallet is moved upward.

A transfer apparatus for transferring a target object includes a transfer stage including a lift stage that is vertically movable and a jig which is disposed on the lift stage and forms a base on which a target object is disposed, and a mask replaceably disposed on the lift stage.