Robot linear drive heat transfer

1. An apparatus comprising:

a movable arm;

a robot drive connected to the movable arm, where the robot drive comprises a first drive configured to extend and retract the movable arm and a second drive configured to move the movable arm and the first drive along a linear path, where the first drive comprises a rotary drive which comprises a rotational axis, where the second drive comprises a linear drive which comprises a base movably mounted on a slide, where the first drive is mounted on the base, and where the linear drive is configured to move the base on the slide in a direction perpendicular to the rotational axis of the rotary drive; and

a heat transfer system comprising a first heat transfer member on the base and a second heat transfer member, where the heat transfer system is configured to transfer heat from the first drive to the first heat transfer member and then from the first heat transfer member to the second heat transfer member, where the first heat transfer member travels with the base, and where the first heat transfer member moves relative to the second heat transfer member as the base moves relative to the slide.

2. An apparatus as in claim 1 where the linear path is a straight path provided by at least two parallel, elongate straight slide components of the slide.

3. An apparatus as in claim 2 where opposite sides of the base are slidably located on the at least two parallel, elongate straight slide components of the slide.

4. An apparatus as in claim 1 where the second drive comprises a linear drive comprising a stationary platen and a forcer configured to magnetically move the forcer relative to the stationary platen.

5. An apparatus as in claim 1 where the first and second heat transfer member comprise heat transfer fins which are intermingled.

6. An apparatus as in claim 5 where the heat transfer fins of the first heat transfer member are configured to move in grooves formed between the heat transfer fins of the second heat transfer member as the base moves relative to the slide.

7. An apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising an inductive coupling configured to provide an electrical power connection and/or a communication connection to the robot drive, where the inductive coupling comprises a first inductive coupling component on the base and a second inductive coupling component, where the first inductive coupling component moves relative to the second inductive coupling component as the base moves relative to the slide.

8. An apparatus as in claim 1 where the heat transfer system further comprises at least one enclosure at least partially surrounding at least one heat generating component of the robot drive, where the at least one enclosure is configured to transfer heat from the at least one heat generating component to the first heat transfer member.

9. An apparatus as in claim 8 where the at least one enclosure comprises a potted or at least partially encapsulated material.

10. An apparatus comprising:

a movable arm;

a robot drive connected to the movable arm, where the robot drive comprises a first drive configured to extend and retract the movable arm and a second drive configured to move the movable arm and the first drive along a linear path, where the first drive comprises a rotary drive which comprises a rotational axis, where the second drive comprises a linear drive which comprises a base movably mounted on a slide, where the first drive is connected to the base, and where the linear drive is configured to move the base in a direction orthogonal to the rotational axis of the rotary drive; and

a heat transfer system comprising a first heat transfer member on the base and a second heat transfer member, where the heat transfer system is configured to transfer heat from the first drive to the first heat transfer member and then from the first heat transfer member to the second heat transfer member, where the first heat transfer member moves relative to the second heat transfer member as the base moves relative to the slide; and

an inductive coupling configured to provide an electrical power connection to the robot drive and/or a communication connection configured to transmit and/or receive data signals with the robot drive and/or the movable arm, where the data signals comprise data from and/or to one or more components of the robot drive and/or the movable arm, where the inductive coupling comprises a first inductive coupling component on the base and a second inductive coupling component, where the first inductive coupling component moves relative to the second inductive coupling component as the base moves relative to the slide.

11. An apparatus as in claim 10 where the second inductive coupling is stationarily connected to a vacuum chamber.

12. An apparatus as in claim 10 where the linear path is a straight path provided by at least two parallel, elongate straight slide components of the slide.

13. An apparatus as in claim 12 where opposite sides of the base are slidable located on the at least two parallel, elongate straight slide components of the slide.

14. An apparatus as in claim 10 where the second drive comprises a linear drive comprising a stationary platen and a forcer configured to magnetically move the forcer relative to the stationary platen.

15. An apparatus as in claim 10 where the first and second heat transfer member comprise heat transfer fins which are intermingled.

16. An apparatus as in claim 15 where the heat transfer fins of the first heat transfer member are configured to move in grooves formed between the heat transfer fins of the second heat transfer member as the base moves relative to the slide.

17. An apparatus as in claim 10 where the heat transfer system further comprises at least one enclosure at least partially surrounding at least one heat generating component of the robot drive, where the at least one enclosure is configured to transfer heat from the at least one heat generating component to the first heat transfer member.

18. An apparatus as in claim 17 where the at least one enclosure comprises a potted or at least partially encapsulated material.

19. An apparatus comprising:

a movable arm;

a robot drive connected to the movable arm, where the robot drive comprises a first drive configured to extend and retract the movable arm and a second drive configured to move the movable arm and the first drive along a linear path, where the first drive comprises a rotary drive which comprises a rotational axis, where the second drive comprises a linear drive which comprises a base movable located on a slide, where the first drive is connected to the base, and where the linear drive is configured to move the base in a direction orthogonal to the rotational axis of the rotary drive; and

a heat transfer system comprising a first heat transfer member on the base and a second heat transfer member, where the heat transfer system is configured to transfer heat from the first drive to the first heat transfer member and then from the first heat transfer member to the second heat transfer member, where the first heat transfer member travels with the base, where the first heat transfer member moves relative to the second heat transfer member as the base moves relative to the slide, where the heat transfer system further comprises at least one enclosure at least partially surrounding at least one heat generating component of the robot drive, where the at least one enclosure is configured to transfer heat from the at least one heat generating component to the first heat transfer member.

20. An apparatus as in claim 19 where the linear path is a straight path provided by at least two parallel, elongate straight slide components of the slide, where opposite sides of the base are slidable located on the at least two parallel, elongate straight slide components of the slide, where the second drive comprises a linear drive comprising a stationary platen and a forcer configured to magnetically move the forcer relative to the stationary platen, where the first and second heat transfer member comprise heat transfer fins which are intermingled, and where the heat transfer fins of the first heat transfer member are configured to move in grooves formed between the heat transfer fins of the second heat transfer member as the base moves relative to the slide.