US Patent 7128516 Workpiece transport apparatus

While periphery or peripheries of workpiece(s) W lifted in floating fashion by simultaneous suction and expulsion of gas(es) between pair(s) of first and second, or upper and lower, transport stages 14, 15 is/are retained by plurality of elevator pins 16, respective transport stage(s) is/are inverted vertically and workpiece(s) is/are transferred from upper first transport stage(s) to lower second transport stage(s) such that workpiece(s) W is/are lifted in floating fashion thereabove by simultaneous suction and expulsion of gas(es) in accompaniment to lowering of respective elevator pin(s) at said first transport stage(s).