JP2011258624A - Substrate housing container - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a substrate housing container capable of effectively substituting gas inside a container body in a short time.SOLUTION: A substrate housing container comprises: a container body 1 capable of accommodating a plurality pieces of semiconductor wafers W in alignment; a door body 30 for opening/closing an open front face 2 of the container body 1; locking means 40 which is arranged in front of both side walls 9 of the container body 1 and locks the door body 30 fitted on the front face 2 of the container body 1; and gas substitution means 60 which substitutes gas in the container body 1 with external inert gas. The gas substitution means 60 includes: a supply purge valve 61 which supplies the inert gas from outside the container body 1 having a door body 30 fitted on the front face 2 to the inside of the container body 1; and an exhaust purge valve 65 which exhausts the gas from inside the container body 1 having the door body 30 fitted on the front face 2 to the outside of the container body 1. The supply purge valve 61 is integrated with the door body 30, and the exhaust purge valve 65 is mounted in the rear of a bottom plate 4 of the container body 1.

Description

  The present invention relates to a substrate storage container used when a substrate made of a semiconductor wafer or the like is stored, stored, transported, transported, or the like.

  Although not shown, a conventional substrate storage container is a front open box type container body that aligns and stores a plurality of semiconductor wafers in an internal space, a hollow door body that opens and closes the front of the container body, and the door. Locking means for locking the door body built in the body and fitted to the front surface of the container body, and gas inside the container body fitted with the door body on the front surface and external gas are replaced to contaminate the semiconductor wafer. It comprises gas replacement means for preventing (see Patent Document 1).

  The container body is provided with a pair of left and right support pieces for supporting the semiconductor wafer substantially horizontally on both inner sides thereof, that is, the inner surfaces of both side walls, and the pair of left and right support pieces are arranged at a predetermined pitch in the vertical direction. Has been. Accordingly, a plurality of semiconductor wafers are stored side by side in the vertical direction inside the container body, thereby dividing the wide internal space of the container body into a plurality of sections and partitioning a narrow space between adjacent semiconductor wafers. Will be.

  The gas replacement means includes a plurality of air supply purge valves for supplying an inert gas such as nitrogen gas from the outside of the container body with the door body fitted to the front surface, and a container body with the door body fitted to the front surface. And a plurality of exhaust purge valves for exhausting gas such as air from the inside to the outside. The plurality of air supply purge valves and exhaust purge valves are respectively mounted on the bottom plate of the container body because the locking means built in the door body cannot secure a space for mounting on the door body (Patent Document 2). reference).

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-368074 JP 2004-146676 A

  In the conventional substrate storage container, the wide internal space of the container body is divided into a plurality of pieces by a plurality of semiconductor wafers as described above, and the gas flowability is poor, and the air supply purge valve of the gas replacement means is provided on the bottom plate of the container body. And the exhaust purge valve are simply mounted, gas or the like may not stay in the narrow space between the semiconductor wafers away from the air supply purge valve and the exhaust purge valve, and may stay. In this case, there is a problem that the gas in the container cannot be efficiently replaced with the inert gas in a short time, and the replacement work is delayed.

  In order to solve such a problem, the supply air purge valve of the gas replacement means is attached to the door body, and the inert gas may be supplied from the supply air purge valve in the front-rear direction of the space between the adjacent semiconductor wafers. Since a locking means is built into the door, it becomes an obstacle, so it is difficult to secure a mounting space for the air supply purge valve in the door body.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object of the present invention is to provide a substrate storage container that can efficiently replace the gas in the container body in a short time.

In the present invention, in order to solve the above problems, a container body that can store a plurality of substrates, a door body that opens and closes the front surface of the container body, and a front vicinity of the peripheral wall of the container body or a peripheral wall of the door body. Provided with locking means for locking the door body fitted to the front surface of the container body, and gas replacement means for replacing the gas in the container body with the external gas,
The gas replacement means includes an air supply valve that supplies gas from the outside of the container body fitted with the door body to the front, and an exhaust valve that exhausts gas from the inside of the container body fitted with the door body to the front. The air supply valve is attached to the door body, and the exhaust valve is attached to at least one of the container body and the door body.

  The locking means slides in the locking direction intersecting the door body opening / closing direction when the door body is locked, and slides in the unlocking direction opposite to the locking direction intersecting the door body opening / closing direction when the door body is unlocked. When the operated member slides in the locking direction of the operated member, it contacts the door body or the front inner periphery of the container body fitted in front of the container body, and when the operated member slides in the unlocking direction, the container body A locking member that is separated (separated) from the front inner periphery of the door body or the container body that is fitted to the front surface of the container body, and a driving force transmission mechanism that transmits a driving force accompanying sliding of the operated member to the locking plate. it can.

  The locking means is supported by the front side of the side wall of the container body, slides downward when the door body is locked, and slides upward when the door body is unlocked, and the front side wall of the container body. It is interposed between the operated member and contacts the side wall of the door body fitted to the front surface of the container body when sliding the operated member downward, and the front surface of the container body when sliding upward. A locking member that is separated from the side wall of the door body fitted to the door, and a cam mechanism that is provided on the operated member and the locking member, and that operates by transmitting the driving force accompanying the slide of the operated member to the locking member. Can do.

  In addition, a notch is formed in the front portion of the side wall of the container body, and a storage block for locking means for covering the notch is attached, and a guide piece for guiding an operated member of the locking means is attached to the storage block. It is also possible to provide the guide piece with a position restricting portion for the operated member.

  In addition, a convex portion is formed on one of the storage block and the operated member of the locking means, and the first and second concave portions are formed on the other, and when the operated member slides in the locking direction, When the convex portion and the first concave portion are fitted and fixed, and the operated member slides in the unlocking direction, the convex portion and the second concave portion can be fitted and fixed.

  In addition, a long hole for fixing is provided in the operated member of the locking means, and a cover member fixed to the storage block is attached to the long hole so as to regulate the falling of the operated member from the storage block. A convex portion is formed on one of the member and the cover member, and the first and second concave portions are formed on the other. When the operated member slides in the locking direction, the convex portion and the first concave portion are formed. Are fitted and fixed, and when the operated member slides in the unlocking direction, the convex portion and the second concave portion can be fitted and fixed.

  Also, a locking protrusion is formed on the side wall of the door body corresponding to the notch at the front side of the container body, and the locking member of the locking means penetrates the storage block and is positioned in the notch of the container body. A piece may be formed, and the locking piece of the locking member may be hooked on the locking protrusion of the door body when the operated member slides in the locking direction.

  In addition, an unlocking groove corresponding to a notch in the front portion of the side wall of the container body is formed on the side wall of the door body, and a locking projection piece is formed on the peripheral edge of the unlocking groove so that the operated member slides in the unlocking direction. The interference of the locking piece of the locking member with the locking protrusion of the door body may be released by the unlocking groove, and the unlocking groove may be covered by the locking member.

Further, the cam mechanism of the locking means can include a cam groove formed in the operated member and a cam projection formed in the locking member and fitted into the cam groove of the operated member.
In addition, a rotating roller having good slidability may be rotatably attached to at least one of the locking piece of the locking member and the cam protrusion fitted in the cam groove of the cam mechanism.

Further, the gas replacement means introduces the gas that has flowed into the air supply valve from the outside of the container body into the chamber chamber in the door body, and distributes and supplies the gas from the chamber chamber to the plurality of supply holes of the door body. A chamber for supplying gas between a plurality of substrates accommodated in a container body from a plurality of supply holes may be included.
Further, the gas replacement means causes the gas in the container body to flow into a plurality of exhaust holes at the bottom of the container body, introduces the gas into the chamber chamber from the plurality of exhaust holes, and merges the gas from the chamber chamber to the bottom of the container body. It is possible to include a chamber for exhausting gas in the exhaust valve.

Further, it is possible to attach the air supply valve of the gas replacement means to a region extending from the upper part of the door body to the substantially central part, and attach the exhaust valve of the gas replacement means to the rear of the bottom of the container body.
Furthermore, the air supply valve of the gas replacement means may be attached to a region extending from the upper part of the door body to the substantially central part, and the exhaust valve of the gas replacement means may be attached to the lower part of the door body.

  Here, the substrate in the claims includes at least a semiconductor wafer such as silicon having a diameter of 200 mm, 300 mm, and 450 mm, a glass wafer, mask glass, liquid crystal glass, and the like. The container body and door body may be transparent, opaque, or translucent. The bottom of the container body includes at least a bottom plate of the container body and a bottom plate that is selectively attached to the bottom plate. The gas includes at least various inert gases, air, and the like. If it is not inside a door body, a locking means can be provided in the front vicinity of the surrounding wall of a container body, and can also be provided in the surrounding wall of a door body.

  When the locking means is provided in the vicinity of the front of the peripheral wall of the container body, it is provided at the front of the bottom plate, the front of the top plate, or the front of the side wall that partitions the front of the container body, and the operated member is horizontally or vertically Can be slid by device or manually. The operated member or locking member of the locking means may be plate-shaped, block-shaped, bar-shaped, or the like. Examples of the driving force transmission mechanism of the locking means include a cam mechanism, a link mechanism, a slider mechanism, and a combination mechanism thereof. This driving force transmission mechanism may be one that directly transmits the driving force to the locking member, or may be one that indirectly transmits through various members such as a connecting member.

  According to the present invention, when the internal gas filling the container body fitted with the door body is replaced with the external gas, the gas is supplied from the outside to the air supply valve of the gas replacement means. Then, the supplied external gas flows between the plurality of substrates stored in the container body from the air supply valve and flows into the space between the substrates to prevent the substrate from being contaminated and to fill the container body. This gas is pushed in the direction of the exhaust valve, and the internal gas is exhausted from the exhaust valve to the outside of the container body.

  Since the locking means is provided not in the door body but in the vicinity of the front of the container body or on the peripheral wall of the door body, the locking means does not become an obstacle when the air supply valve is attached to the door body, and air is supplied to the door body. A valve can be attached.

  According to the present invention, there is an effect that the gas in the container can be efficiently replaced in a short time. In addition, since a locking means is provided in the vicinity of the front surface of the peripheral wall of the container body or the peripheral wall of the door body, it is possible to prevent contaminants from accumulating in the door body and entering the inside of the container body, thereby speeding up the work required for the door body. Can be achieved.

  In addition, if the locking means includes a cam mechanism that operates by transmitting the driving force accompanying the slide of the operated member to the locking member, the locking / unlocking reproduction accuracy can be improved, and the rigidity of the operated member or locking member can be improved. And reliability can be improved.

If the chamber is included in the gas replacement means, the gas from the air supply valve can be divided and flowed over a wide range, so that it is not necessary to use a large number of air supply valves and a reduction in the number of parts can be expected. Further, it is possible to adjust the pressure and atmosphere of the gas from the air supply valve, and to improve the gas filling efficiency.
Further, if the air supply valve of the gas replacement means is attached to a region extending from the upper part of the door body to the substantially central part, it is possible to circulate between the plurality of substrates while flowing the gas from the upper part to the lower part of the container body. Therefore, it is possible to easily prevent a situation in which no gas flows through a part between a plurality of substrates.

  Furthermore, if the exhaust valve of the gas replacement means is attached to the lower part of the door body, the air supply valve and the exhaust valve can be integrated into the door body, so a mounting hole for the gas replacement means is drilled in the bottom of the container body. Work can be saved.

It is a whole perspective explanatory view showing typically an embodiment of a substrate storage container concerning the present invention. It is a perspective explanatory view showing typically the door body in the embodiment of the substrate storage container concerning the present invention. It is sectional explanatory drawing which shows typically the substitution state of the gas by the gas substitution means in embodiment of the substrate storage container which concerns on this invention. It is a partial section perspective explanatory view showing typically a part of a container body, a door body, and locking means in an embodiment of a substrate storage container concerning the present invention. It is a fragmentary perspective explanatory view showing typically the side wall of the door body in the embodiment of the substrate storage container concerning the present invention. It is side explanatory drawing which shows typically the locking state of the locking means in embodiment of the board | substrate storage container which concerns on this invention. It is side surface explanatory drawing which shows typically the state in the unlocking of the locking means in embodiment of the substrate storage container which concerns on this invention. It is side explanatory drawing which shows typically the unlocking state of the door body opening / closing apparatus and locking means in embodiment of the substrate storage container which concerns on this invention. It is a whole perspective explanatory view showing typically a 2nd embodiment of a substrate storage container concerning the present invention. It is sectional explanatory drawing which shows typically the substitution state of the gas by the gas substitution means in 2nd Embodiment of the board | substrate storage container which concerns on this invention. It is a whole perspective explanatory view showing a 3rd embodiment of a substrate storage container concerning the present invention typically. It is sectional explanatory drawing which shows typically the substitution state of the gas by the gas substitution means in 3rd Embodiment of the board | substrate storage container which concerns on this invention.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 8, the substrate storage container in the present embodiment is a hollow housing for aligning and storing a plurality of semiconductor wafers W in an internal space. The container body 1, a hollow door body 30 that opens and closes the opened front surface 2 of the container body 1 via a seal gasket 35, and the front portions of both side walls 9 that define the front surface 2 of the container body 1, Locking means 40 for locking the door body 30 fitted to the front surface 2 of the container body 1 and gas replacement means 60 for replacing the gas in the container body 1 fitted with the door body 30 with the external inert gas. The container body is mounted on the door body opening / closing device 20 attached to the semiconductor processing apparatus, and the air purge valve 61 of the gas replacement means 60 is attached to the door body 30 and the plurality of exhaust purge valves 65 are disposed in the container body. It is to be worn in.

  The semiconductor wafer W is made of, for example, a φ300 mm silicon wafer having a thickness of 775 μm or a φ450 mm silicon wafer having a thickness of 925 μm, and a notch for alignment and identification is cut out in a plane V shape at the periphery. Twenty-five sheets are arranged and stored in the container body 1.

  The container body 1 and the door body 30 are each formed by combining a plurality of parts by injection molding a plurality of parts using a molding material containing a predetermined resin. Examples of the predetermined resin of the molding material include thermoplastic resins such as polycarbonate, cycloolefin polymer, polyetherimide, polyether ketone, polybutylene terephthalate, polyether ether ketone, and liquid crystal polymer, and alloys thereof.

  To these resins, conductive agents such as carbon black, carbon fibers, carbon nanotubes, metal fibers, metal oxides, and conductive polymers, and various antistatic agents such as anions, cations, and nonionics can be added. It is also possible to add benzotriazole-based, salicylate-based, cyanoacrylate-based, oxalic acid anilide-based, hindered amine-based UV absorbers, or glass fibers or carbon fibers that improve rigidity.

  As shown in FIGS. 1, 3, and 8, the container body 1 is formed in a front open box type in which the front surface 2 is opened horizontally, and the container body 1 is used in a semiconductor processing apparatus in a state in which the opened front surface 2 is directed horizontally. It is positioned and mounted on the attached door body opening / closing device 20 or is cleaned with a cleaning liquid in a cleaning tank. The container body 1 is provided with a pair of left and right support pieces 3 for supporting the semiconductor wafer W substantially horizontally on both inner sides, in other words, on the inner surfaces of both side walls 9. The support pieces 3 are formed in an elongated plate shape that supports the peripheral edge of the side of the semiconductor wafer W.

  On both sides of the rear portion of the bottom plate 4 of the container body 1, mounting holes for the gas replacement means 60 are respectively penetrated and the exhaust purge valves 65 of the gas replacement means 60 are detachably mounted in the mounting holes. In addition, a separate bottom plate 5 is screwed horizontally to the bottom plate 4 of the container body 1 via a screw tool, and the container body 1 is positioned between the front side and the rear center of the bottom plate 5. Positioning tools 6 are respectively disposed.

  Each positioning tool 6 is basically formed in a substantially V-shaped cross section having a substantially elliptical shape in a plane, and a concave portion having a pair of inclined surfaces thereof is directed downward, and the positioning pin 22 of the door body opening / closing device 20 is viewed from above. The container body 1 functions to be positioned with high accuracy by fitting and sliding the recess.

  A top flange for transporting gripped by a factory ceiling transport mechanism is detachably attached to the central portion of the top plate 7 of the container body 1, and a rim projecting outward from the front peripheral edge of the container body 1. A flange 8 is formed to bulge through a holding rib, and a detachable door body 30 is press-fitted and fitted into the rim flange 8 by a door body opening / closing device 20. Further, in addition to reinforcement and deformation prevention, grip portions that function for gripping are detachably attached to the central portions of both side walls 9 of the container body 1.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of locking means 40 are provided on the front portion of each side wall 9 that partitions the front surface 2 of the container body 1, in other words, on each side portion of the rim flange 8 that faces the peripheral wall of the door body 30. The cutouts 10 are cut out side by side at intervals, and a vertically long storage block 11 covering the plurality of cutouts 10 is mounted. Locking means 40 is efficiently gathered on the storage block 11. Stored.

  Each storage block 11 is basically formed in a substantially U-shape having a length (height) longer than the side wall 9 of the container body 1, and is provided in a substantially central portion for fixing to prevent the locking means 40 from being displaced. The protrusions 12 are formed so as to protrude, and the upper and lower portions are respectively provided with vertically extending through grooves 13 for the locking means 40 corresponding to the notches 10 of the container body 1. Are respectively provided with guide pieces 14 for guiding and preventing rattling of the locking means 40.

  Each guide piece 14 contains polyacetal, polyethylene, polybutylene terephthalate, polyether ether ketone, polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene naphthalate, polypropylene, polyphenylene sulfide, and a thermoplastic resin to which a sliding agent is added, which is excellent in slidability. It is bent and formed into a substantially L shape by a molding material. Position restricting portions 15 for restricting the locking means 40 in the width direction are formed on both side portions of the standing piece so as to protrude.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the door body opening / closing device 20 includes a stage 21 on which the container body 1 is mounted. On the stage 21, positioning pins 22 that are respectively inserted into the plurality of positioning tools 6 of the container body 1 are predetermined. It is erected at intervals. The door body opening / closing device 20 is provided with a plurality of drive pins 23 that can be moved up and down on each storage block 11 of the container body 1, and the plurality of drive pins 23 are selectively raised and lowered to the locking means 40. By accessing, the locking means 40 operates to lock or unlock the door body 30.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the door body opening / closing device 20 includes a gas supply nozzle 24 that is connected to an air supply purge valve 61 of the gas replacement unit 60 and supplies an inert gas, and a plurality of exhaust purge valves 65 of the gas replacement unit 60. A gas exhaust nozzle 25 that exhausts gas by being connected to is disposed so as to be able to contact and separate.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, the door body 30 includes a hollow door body 31 that is press-fitted into the rim flange 8 of the container body 1, and a surface that covers the open front surface of the door body 31. The plate 34 is provided with a sealing gasket 35 for sealing and sealing interposed between the rim flange 8 of the container body 1 and the door body 31. The door body 31 is basically formed in a substantially dish-shaped section with a shallow bottom, and is provided with a plurality of reinforcing and mounting ribs inside, and on the back surface, which is the facing surface facing the semiconductor wafer W, A front retainer that elastically holds the front peripheral edge of the semiconductor wafer W with an elastic piece is mounted.

  A frame-shaped fitting groove is formed in the rear peripheral edge of the door main body 31, and a seal gasket 35 that presses against the inner peripheral surface of the rim flange 8 is tightly fitted in the fitting groove. In addition, a plurality of unlocking grooves 32 for the locking means 40 corresponding to the notches 10 of the container body 1 are integrally formed on the outer surface of both side walls which are peripheral walls of the door body 31 so as to be vertically arranged at intervals. A locking protrusion 33 for the locking means 40 is integrally formed on the periphery of the locking groove 32. Each unlocking groove 32 is formed in a vertically elongated substantially rectangular shape, and the lower peripheral edge is partitioned into a substantially L-shaped locking projection piece 33.

  The surface plate 34 is formed in a horizontally long front rectangle, and a plurality of reinforcing and mounting ribs, screw holes, and the like are provided. The surface plate 34 is provided or omitted so as to cover a part of the door body 31 as necessary. Further, the seal gasket 35 is a frame that can be elastically deformed using, for example, fluoro rubber, silicone rubber, various thermoplastic elastomers (for example, olefin-based, polyester-based, polystyrene-based, etc.) excellent in heat resistance, weather resistance, etc. as a molding material. Molded into a shape.

  As shown in FIGS. 1, 4, 6 to 8, the locking means 40 is accommodated and supported by the storage block 11 of the container body 1 and slides up and down when the door body 30 is locked / unlocked. 41, a door body 30 interposed between the storage block 11 of the container body 1 and the operated plate 41 and fitted to the front surface 2 of the container body 1 according to the sliding of the operated plate 41 in the vertical direction. A plurality of slidable locking plates 46 that come in contact with and away from the side walls, and the operated plate 41 and the plurality of locking plates 46, and a movement characteristic that transmits the driving force accompanying the sliding of the operated plate 41 to the locking plate 46. Is configured with a good cam mechanism 48.

  The operated plate 41 is basically formed into an elongated plate piece having substantially the same length (height) as the side wall 9 of the container body 1 using a predetermined material, and the plurality of guide pieces 14 of the storage block 11 are formed. The guide pieces 14 are supported so as to be slidable and are held between the position restricting portions 15 of the guide pieces 14 to prevent rattling and dropping. Examples of the material of the operated plate 41 include polycarbonate and polyether ether ketone having excellent rigidity, synthetic resin reinforced with carbon fiber and glass fiber, and metal such as SUS and aluminum.

  The operation plate 41 is provided with a fixing long hole 42 in a substantially central portion in a vertically long shape, and a cover plate 43 fixed to the storage block 11 is overlapped in the long hole 42 so as to be loosely fitted. Dropping off from is effectively prevented. The upper and lower end portions of the operated plate 41 are bent to have a flat surface, and the drive pins 23 of the door body opening / closing device 20 are accessed from above and below.

  The operated plate 41 is formed with first and second concave portions 44 and 45 which are engaged with the convex portion 12 of the storage block 11 at intervals in the vertical direction, and the first and second concave portions 44 and 45 are formed. By selectively meshing with the convex portion 12 of the storage block 11, unnecessary slide and displacement of the operated plate 41 when the door body 30 is locked / unlocked are restricted.

  Specifically, when the door body 30 is locked, the convex portion 12 of the storage block 11 and the first concave portion 44 above the operated plate 41 are engaged to position and fix the operated plate 41. At the time of unlocking, the convex portion 12 of the storage block 11 and the second concave portion 45 below the operated plate 41 are engaged to position and fix the operated plate 41. Such an operated plate 41 slides downward when the door body 30 is locked while being guided by the guide piece 14 when the drive pin 23 of the door body opening / closing device 20 accesses the bent upper and lower ends. When the body 30 is unlocked, it slides upward.

  Each locking plate 46 is formed in a plate shape shorter than the operated plate 41 using a predetermined material, and faces at least the unlocking groove 32 and the locking protrusion 33 on the side wall of the door body 30 via the storage block 11. And is slidably supported by the storage block 11. A claw-shaped locking piece 47 is formed in the locking plate 46 so as to protrude through the through-groove 13 of the storage block 11 and is located in the notch 10 of the container body 1. The locking piece 47 is formed as a door body. It enters into the 30 unlocking grooves 32 and interference locks on the locking projections 33.

  Examples of the material of the locking plate 46 include, for example, polyether ether ketone, polyethylene, polybutylene terephthalate, polybutylene naphthalate, polyacetal, polyetherimide, polycarbonate, and other synthetic resins having excellent slidability, fluorine resin such as PTFE, and silicone resin. The material which added the slidability modifier which consists of, and various thermoplastic elastomers correspond.

  Such a locking plate 46 presses and locks the locking piece 47 to the locking protrusion 33 of the door body 30 fitted to the open front surface 2 of the container body 1 when sliding down the operated plate 41. When the operated plate 41 is slid upward, it functions to separate the locking piece 47 in the direction of the unlocking groove 32 from the locking protrusion 33 of the door body 30 fitted to the front surface 2 of the container body 1.

  The cam mechanism 48 has a plurality of cam grooves 49 formed at intervals in the vertical direction of the operated plate 41, and is formed to protrude from each locking plate 46 so as to be slidable in the cam grooves 49 of the operated plate 41. It has a cylindrical cam projection 52 to be fitted, and functions to transmit the driving force accompanying the slide of the operated plate 41 to the locking plate 46 so as to slide stably in a vertical direction at a high speed. Each cam groove 49 has an inclined groove 50 that extends while being slightly inclined in the vertical direction of the operated plate 41, and a bent groove that continuously extends while bending in the width direction of the operated plate 41 from the lower end portion of the inclined groove 50. 51 is integrally formed.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the gas replacement means 60 supplies the inert gas (see the arrow in FIG. 3) from the outside to the inside of the container body 1 in which the door body 30 is fitted to the front surface 2. The door body 30 is fitted to the front face 2, the purge valve 61, the chamber 62 that divides the inert gas that has flowed into the supply air purge valve 61 and supplies it between the plurality of semiconductor wafers W aligned and stored in the container body 1. A plurality of exhaust purge valves 65 for exhausting a gas such as air (see arrows in FIG. 3) from the inside to the outside of the combined container body 1 are configured.

  The air supply purge valve 61 includes a cylindrical case that is mounted between the central portion of the door body 31 of the door body 30 and the surface plate 34, and a valve seat is formed in the case. A valve element that comes in contact with and separates from the valve seat is inserted through a spring so as to be able to reciprocate. The case has a built-in filter for removing dust, and both open end portions communicate with the central portion of the surface plate 34 and the chamber 62 so as to be able to vent, respectively, and the end portion exposed to the outside from the central portion of the surface plate 34 The gas supply nozzle 24 of the door body opening / closing device 20 is connected to the above.

  The chamber 62 includes a hollow vertically long chamber chamber 63 formed near the center of the door main body 31 and communicating with the air supply purge valve 61, and a plurality of supply holes 64 drilled in the door main body 31 and communicating with the chamber chamber 63. The inert gas that has flowed into the supply air purge valve 61 from the gas supply nozzle 24 is introduced into the chamber chamber 63, and the inert gas is divided and supplied from the chamber chamber 63 to the plurality of supply holes 64. It functions to inject and circulate an inert gas between the plurality of semiconductor wafers W aligned and stored in the container body 1 from the supply hole 64. The plurality of supply holes 64 are arranged in a line in the vertical direction, and each supply hole 64 is located in a space between the adjacent semiconductor wafers W.

  The exhaust purge valve 65 includes a cylindrical case that is mounted to the mounting hole of the container body 1 via an O-ring. A valve seat is formed in the case, and the valve seat is in contact with and separated from the valve seat. A valve body is inserted through a spring so as to be able to reciprocate, and the supply of gas is controlled by the contact and separation of the valve body with respect to the valve seat. The case has a built-in filter for removing dust, and the gas exhaust nozzle 25 of the door body opening / closing device 20 is connected to the end exposed to the outside from the bottom plate 4 of the container body 1.

  In the above configuration, the case where the door body 30 of the substrate storage container is locked will be described. As shown in FIG. 6, the locking means 40 in this case is such that each operated plate 41 slides downward, and the storage block 11 and the first concave portion 44 of the operated plate 41 are engaged with each other to position and fix the operated plate 41 at the locking position, and the cam groove 49 and the cam projection 52 of each cam mechanism 48 interfere with each other. Specifically, the upper end portion of the inclined groove 50 of the cam groove 49 interferes with the cam protrusion 52 of the locking plate 46.

  When the upper end of the inclined groove 50 and the cam projection 52 of the locking plate 46 move until they interfere with each other, the driving force is transmitted to the locking plate 46 through the cam groove 49 during the movement. Slides downward to cause the locking piece 47 to enter the unlocking groove 32 of the door body 30 and to move toward the rear wall side in the opposite direction to the front surface 2 of the container body 1. The locking protrusion piece 33 of the body 30 is interference-locked.

  At this time, since the locking piece 47 moves without rubbing against other members, the generation of particles can be remarkably reduced. Due to the interference locking between the locking protrusion 33 of the door body 30 and the locking piece 47 of the locking plate 46, the door body 30 fitted in a sealed state on the front surface 2 of the container body 1 is firmly locked.

  Next, when the substrate storage container is mounted on the door body opening / closing device 20 and the door body 30 is unlocked, the container body 1 is positioned and mounted on the stage 21 of the door body opening / closing device 20 and then the locking means 40. The drive pin 23 of the door body opening / closing device 20 accesses and pushes up each operated plate 41 sliding downward.

  Then, in the locking means 40, as shown in FIG. 7, each operated plate 41 slides upward, and the engagement between the convex portion 12 of the storage block 11 and the first concave portion 44 of the operated plate 41 is released. The cam projection 52 of the locking plate 46 moves away from the upper end of the inclined groove 50 and moves in the direction of the bent groove 51. Thus, when the cam projection 52 of the locking plate 46 moves away from the upper end portion of the inclined groove 50 and moves to the bending groove 51, the driving force is transmitted to the locking plate 46, so that the locking piece 47 of the locking plate 46 is attached to the door body 30. Slide in the direction of the unlocking groove 32 from the locking protrusion 33.

  Next, when the drive pin 23 of the door body opening / closing device 20 accesses the operated plates 41 of the locking means 40 from below and further pushes up, the locking means 40 is moved upward as shown in FIG. Further, the projection 12 of the storage block 11 and the second recess 45 of the operated plate 41 are engaged with each other, and the operated plate 41 is positioned and fixed at the unlocked position. And the cam projection 52, specifically, the lower end portion of the bent groove 51 of the cam groove 49 and the cam projection 52 of the locking plate 46 interfere with each other.

  When the lower end of the bending groove 51 and the cam projection 52 of the locking plate 46 move until they interfere with each other, the driving force is transmitted to the locking plate 46 through the cam groove 49 during the movement. Slides in the direction of the front surface 2 of the container body 1 and further slides upward to completely position the locking piece 47 in the unlocking groove 32 of the door body 30 and fit into the front surface 2 of the container body 1 in a sealed state. It will be in the state which the detached door body 30 was removable.

  At this time, since the unlocking groove 32 of the door body 30 is covered by the locking plate 46, particles do not enter the unlocking groove 32 of the door body 30 from the outside. Therefore, contamination of the substrate storage container, the semiconductor processing apparatus, and the door body opening / closing apparatus 20 can be prevented. Moreover, since the locking piece 47 moves without rubbing against other members, the generation of particles can be remarkably reduced.

  Next, when replacing the gas that fills the locked container body 1 with the door body 30 and the external inert gas, the gas supply nozzle 24 of the door body opening / closing device 20 is replaced with the gas replacement means 60. The inert gas is pumped by connecting to the air supply purge valve 61. Then, as shown by arrows in FIG. 3, the inert gas flows through the case while separating the valve body from the valve seat of the air supply purge valve 61, and passes through the filter from the case to the vertical direction of the chamber chamber 63. And is divided and supplied from the chamber chamber 63 to the plurality of supply holes 64.

  The inert gas supplied to the plurality of supply holes 64 is jetted between the plurality of semiconductor wafers W aligned and stored in the container body 1 from each supply hole 64 and stays in the front-rear direction of the space between the semiconductor wafers W. In this way, the contamination of the semiconductor wafer W is effectively prevented and the gas filling the container is caused to flow out toward the plurality of exhaust purge valves 65 and collected. Then, the gas flows in the case while separating the valve body from the valve seat of each exhaust purge valve 65, passes through the filter from this case, flows into the gas exhaust nozzle 25, and the container in which the door body 30 is fitted. Exhausted outside the body 1.

  By the above, the gas in the container body 1 with which the door body 30 was fitted and external inert gas can be substituted.

  According to the above configuration, since the locking means 40 is disposed not in the door body 30 but in the front portion of the side wall 9 of the container body 1, the locking means 40 may become an obstacle when the air supply purge valve 61 is attached. In addition, the air purge valve 61 can be built in the door body 30 having a hollow structure. Accordingly, since the inert gas can be smoothly circulated in the narrow space between the semiconductor wafers W, the gas in the container can be efficiently replaced with the inert gas in a short time, and the replacement operation can be speeded up. be able to.

  Further, since the inert gas from the air supply purge valve 61 is diverted by the chamber 62 and flows out over a wide range in the container body 1, it is not necessary to use a plurality of air supply purge valves 61, and the number of parts can be greatly reduced. . In addition, since the locking means 40 is disposed at the front portion of the side wall 9 of the container body 1, contaminants such as particles are not accumulated inside the door body 30 when the door body 30 is locked and unlocked. In addition, it is possible to effectively eliminate the possibility that contaminants remaining in the door body 30 enter the inside of the container body 1 and contaminate the entire semiconductor wafer W.

  Further, in the related art, it has been necessary to make a small through hole for the locking means 40 in the peripheral wall of the door body 30, but in the present embodiment, it is not necessary to make a through hole in the peripheral wall of the door body 30. Further, it is possible to prevent the cleaning water from remaining during the internal cleaning of the door body 30, and to facilitate, speed up, and facilitate the cleaning operation and the drying operation of the door body 30. Furthermore, when the locking means 40 is repaired or inspected, it is not necessary to remove the plurality of screws and disassemble the door body 30, so there is no need to replace the door body 30 with a new door body 30, which is economical. Improvements and cost reductions can be greatly expected.

  In the present embodiment, the chamber 62 and the plurality of supply holes 64 of the gas replacement means 60 are arranged in a row in the height direction (vertical direction) of the door body 30, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the chambers 62 and the plurality of supply holes 64 may be arranged in multiple rows, arranged in the horizontal direction, or may be combined and arranged in a cross shape, a substantially T shape, or the like. In particular, if the chamber 62 and the plurality of supply holes 64 are horizontally arranged on the upper peripheral wall of the door body 31 or arranged in a substantially T shape or the like, it is possible to allow the inert gas to flow from the upper side to the lower side without stagnation. Become.

  Next, FIGS. 9 and 10 show a second embodiment of the present invention. In this case, the supply air purge valves 61 of the gas replacement means 60 are mounted side by side on the upper side of the door body 30. In addition, a plurality of exhaust purge valves 65 are mounted on both sides of the rear portion of the bottom plate 4 of the container body 1 so that the chamber 62 is omitted.

  Each air supply purge valve 61 has a built-in filter for removing dust, and both open ends communicate with the door body 31 and the surface plate 34 so as to be able to vent. The gas supply nozzle 24 of the door body opening / closing device 20 is connected to the section.

  In the above configuration, when replacing the gas filling the locked container body 1 with the door body 30 and the external inert gas, the gas supply nozzle 24 of the door body opening / closing device 20 is provided with gas replacement means. The inert gas is pumped by connecting to the plurality of supply air purge valves 61 of 60 respectively. Then, as shown in FIG. 10, the inert gas flows through the case while separating the valve body from the valve seat of each air supply purge valve 61, passes through the filter from this case, and is stored in alignment in the container body 1. The semiconductor wafer W flows between the plurality of semiconductor wafers W and flows without staying in the front-rear direction of the space between the semiconductor wafers W to effectively prevent contamination of the semiconductor wafers W. The other parts are substantially the same as those in the above embodiment, and thus description thereof is omitted.

  In the present embodiment, it is possible to expect the same effect as the above embodiment, and it is obvious that the number of parts can be reduced by omitting the chamber 62.

  Next, FIG. 11 and FIG. 12 show a third embodiment of the present invention. In this case, the supply air purge valves 61 of the gas replacement means 60 are mounted side by side on top of the door body 30. In addition, a plurality of exhaust purge valves 65 are mounted in a row in the lower part of the door body 30 so that the chamber 62 is omitted. The other parts are substantially the same as those in the above embodiment, and thus description thereof is omitted.

  Also in this embodiment, the same effect as the above embodiment can be expected, and the exhaust purge valve 65 is attached to the lower part of the door body 30, so that the operation of drilling through the mounting hole in the bottom plate 4 of the container body 1 is performed. Can be omitted.

  In the above embodiment, the container body 1 and the door body 30 of the substrate storage container are each made of resin, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, you may form with the metal material which can be reduced in weight, such as a ceramic, duralumin, a titanium alloy.

  Further, a gas barrier film that does not transmit oxygen or moisture is adhered to the inner and outer surfaces of the substrate storage container, the sealing surface of the seal gasket 35, the operating portion of the locking means 40, etc., metal coating, diamond-like coating, PEEK Resin coating and fluororesin coating may be applied as appropriate. Moreover, you may coat photocatalyst materials, such as titanium dioxide, and can maintain electroconductivity by maintaining the transparency of the door body 30 by coating with a conductive paint.

  Further, the support pieces 3 may be detachably mounted by a screw tool, a friction engagement method, or the like, instead of integrally mounting the support pieces 3 on both sides of the container body 1. In addition, a rear retainer capable of holding the rear periphery of the semiconductor wafer W can be selectively formed on the inner surface of the back wall of the container body 1. Further, instead of mounting the separate storage block 11 on the front side of the side wall 9 of the container body 1, the storage block 11 can be integrally formed on the front side of the side wall 9 of the container body 1.

  Further, the first and second concave portions 44 and 45 can be formed in the storage block 11, and the convex portion 12 can be formed in the operated plate 41. Further, instead of forming the convex portion 12 on the storage block 11, it is possible to form the convex portion 12 on the cover plate 43. It is also possible to employ a biasing means that biases the operated plate 41 of the locking means 40 in a locking direction with a certain force, specifically various magnets, springs, and the like. In addition, a rotating roller that suppresses generation of contaminants due to wear caused by contact may be fitted into the locking piece 47 of the locking plate 46 and the cam protrusion 52 of the cam mechanism 48 so as to be freely rotatable.

  In this case, the rotating roller is made of a resin having good slidability such as polyacetal, polyetheretherketone, polybutylene terephthalate, polybutylene naphthalate, or a slidability such as a fluororesin made of PTFE or a silicone resin as a synthetic resin. It can be formed of a material provided with a modifier.

  Further, the configuration of the locking means 40 is changed, and the locking means 40 is supported on the front side of the side wall of the container body 1 via the storage block 11 and slides upward when the door body 30 is locked. The operated plate 41 that slides downward when locked, and is slidably interposed between the front portion of the side wall of the container body 1 and the operated plate 41, and when the container plate 1 slides upward, A locking plate 46 that contacts the side wall of the door body 30 fitted to the front surface 2 and separates from the side wall of the door body 30 fitted to the front surface 2 of the container body 1 when sliding down the operated plate 41; A cam mechanism 48 that is provided on each of the operated plate 41 and the locking plate 46 and that operates by transmitting the driving force accompanying the slide of the operated plate 41 to the locking plate 46. It can also be configured.

  Further, the configuration of the locking means 40 is changed so that the locking means 40 is supported by the front part of the bottom plate 4 and the front part of the top plate 7 of the container body 1 via the storage block 11, and the protruding position when the door body 30 is locked. And the operated plate 41 that slides backward from the protruding position to the original reference position when the door body 30 is unlocked, the front portion of the bottom plate 4 of the container body 1 and the operated plate 41. Of the door body 30 that is slidably interposed between the front portion of the top plate 7 and the operated plate 41 and is fitted to the front surface 2 of the container body 1 when the operated plate 41 is slid to the protruding position. A locking plate 46 that contacts the peripheral wall and separates from the peripheral wall of the door body 30 fitted to the front surface 2 of the container body 1 when the operated plate 41 slides to the reference position, and the operated plate 41 and the locking plate. Respectively provided on and 6 may be composed of a cam mechanism 48. which is operated by transmitting the driving force caused by the sliding of the operation plate 41 in the locking plate 46.

  Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the supply purge valve 61 and the chamber 62 of the gas replacement means 60 are connected, but the chamber 62 and the exhaust purge valve 65 may be newly connected. In this case, the chamber 62 includes a hollow chamber chamber 63 formed in the bottom plate 4 of the container body 1 and communicated with the exhaust purge valve 65, and a plurality of exhaust gas drilled in the bottom plate 4 of the container body 1 and communicated with the chamber chamber 63. And the gas in the container body 1 flows into the plurality of exhaust holes, and the gas is introduced from the plurality of exhaust holes into the chamber chamber 63 to be merged, and the gas is supplied from the chamber chamber 63 to the exhaust purge valve 65. It will be exhausted.

1 Container body 2 Front 7 Rim flange 8 Side wall (peripheral wall)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 9 Notch 9A Notch 10 Storage block 11 Protruding part 13 Guide piece 14 Position control part 20 Door body opening / closing device 23 Drive pin 30 Door body 31 Door body 32 Unlocking groove 33 Locking protrusion 40 Locking means 41 Locked plate 41 (Operation member)
42 long hole 44 1st recessed part 45 2nd recessed part 46 Locking plate (locking member)
47 Locking piece 48 Cam mechanism (driving force transmission mechanism)
49 Cam groove 52 Cam projection 60 Gas replacement means 61 Air supply purge valve (air supply valve)
62 Chamber 63 Chamber chamber 64 Supply hole 65 Exhaust purge valve (exhaust valve)
W Semiconductor wafer (substrate)

Claims (6)

A container body that can store a plurality of substrates, a door body that opens and closes the front of the container body, and a front surface of the peripheral wall of the container body or a peripheral wall of the door body, and is fitted to the front surface of the container body A substrate storage container comprising locking means for locking the door body, and gas replacement means for replacing the gas in the container body with the external gas,
The gas replacement means includes an air supply valve that supplies gas from the outside of the container body fitted with the door body to the front, and an exhaust valve that exhausts gas from the inside of the container body fitted with the door body to the front. And a supply valve is attached to the door body, and an exhaust valve is attached to at least one of the container body and the door body.   The locking means slides in the locking direction that intersects the door opening and closing direction when the door body is locked, and slides in the unlocking direction opposite to the locking direction that intersects the door opening and closing direction when the door body is unlocked When the member and the operated member slide in the locking direction, they contact the door body or the front inner periphery of the container body fitted to the front of the container body, and when the operated member slides in the unlocking direction, the front of the container body 2. The substrate according to claim 1, further comprising: a locking member that is separated from a front inner periphery of the door body or container body that is fitted to the container body; and a driving force transmission mechanism that transmits a driving force accompanying sliding of the operated member to the locking plate. Storage container.   The locking means is supported by the front side of the side wall of the container body, slides downward when the door body is locked, and slides upward when the door body is unlocked, and the front side wall and the operated side of the container body It is interposed between the members and touches the side wall of the door body fitted to the front of the container body when sliding down the operated member, and fits in front of the container body when sliding up the operated member. A locking member that is separated from the side wall of the combined door body, and a cam mechanism that is provided on the operated member and the locking member, and that operates by transmitting a driving force associated with the slide of the operated member to the locking member. Item 3. A substrate storage container according to item 1 or 2.   The gas replacement means introduces the gas that has flowed into the air supply valve from the outside of the container body into the chamber chamber in the door body, and distributes and supplies the gas from the chamber chamber to the plurality of supply holes of the door body. 4. The substrate storage container according to claim 1, further comprising a chamber for supplying a gas between a plurality of substrates stored in the container body from the supply hole.   The substrate storage container according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein an air supply valve of the gas replacement means is attached to an area extending from an upper portion of the door body to a substantially central portion, and an exhaust valve of the gas replacement means is attached to the rear of the bottom of the container body. .   The substrate storage container according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein an air supply valve of the gas replacement means is attached to an area extending from an upper portion of the door body to a substantially central portion, and an exhaust valve of the gas replacement means is attached to a lower portion of the door body.

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