WO2017040707A1

WO2017040707A1 - Front opening substrate container with compression latches

Info

Publication number: WO2017040707A1
Application number: PCT/US2016/049760
Authority: WO
Inventors: Christian Andersen
Original assignee: Entegris, Inc.
Priority date: 2015-08-31
Filing date: 2016-08-31
Publication date: 2017-03-09
Also published as: TWI715623B; TW201719798A

Abstract

A substrate container includes at least one container component having a latch member which is used to secure the container component to the container body. The latch member is able to maintain a secure connection between the container component and the container body during a shock event, preventing the container component from disconnecting from the container body. The latch member includes an arm configured to contact and apply a load to one or more corresponding features provided on the container portion providing a robust connection between the container component and the container body.

Description

FRONT OPENING SUBSTRATE CONTAINER WITH

COMPRESSION LATCHES

RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/212,215, filed August 31, 2015, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The disclosure relates generally to substrate containers for confining wafers, flat panels, other substrates and the like for transport, storage, and processing. More particularly, the disclosure relates to a front opening substrate container having one or more compression latch members for securing one or more container components to the container shell, and that are capable of withstanding an impact shock.

BACKGROUND Wafer carriers or pods are utilized for holding, transporting, and storing substrates before, during and after processing. Such substrates are used in the fabrication of semiconductors such as integrated circuits and liquid crystal display panels. In their transformation into the end product, these delicate and highly valuable substrates are subjected to repeated processing, storage, and transportation. Such substrates must be protected from damage from particular contaminants, static discharges, physical damage from breakage, or contamination from vapors or gasses such as those outgassing from materials used in processing.

Such substrate containers are termed FOUPs, an acronym for front opening unified pods and FOSBs, an acronym for front opening shipping box. Industry standards specify that such substrate containers utilize kinematic couplings comprising three radially oriented grooves on the bottom of the container that interface with three rounded projections arranged in a triangle on the processing equipment. These kinematic couplings provide for the precise orientation of the wafer containers, thereby allowing for precise manipulation of the container and contents, for example robotic removal and insertion of the wafers. Additionally shelves must be precisely positioned to facilitate the robotic handling. Such containers typically will have means for allowing robotic transfer of the containers with contents. Such means may include a robotic flange on the top of the wafer container as well as suitable rails or other features on the bottom of the container to allow the container to be suitably conveyed on conveyors with rollers or suitable carriages. It is apparent that sudden starts and stops, that are jarring of the wafer container with loaded wafers, can cause damage to the wafers. Thus, it is appropriate to provide suitable cushioning for the wafers during transport, including conveyance within a facility. The wafer restraints and exterior packaging conventionally provide such cushioning during transport from facility to facility. It is also desirable to have additional dampening and cushioning for the wafers when the containers are transported by way of conveyors that engage the bottom plate of the FOUP and/or FOSB's within a facility. All of the above described components should be precisely positioned, robustly attached, and have minimal entrapment regions for cleaning solutions so that drying after cleanng is facilitated.

SUMMARY The present disclosure relates generally to a front opening substrate container having one or more compression latch members for securing one or more container components to the container shell, and that are capable of withstanding an impact shock. The compression latch member includes an arm configured to contact and apply a load to one or more corresponding features provided on the container portion securing the container component to the container body.

In one embodiment a substrate container includes: a door and a container portion, the container portion comprising pair of generally opposed side walls; a rear wall; a top wall; a bottom; and a pair of generally opposed wafer supports removably attached each of said side walls. Each of the wafer supports has a plurality of shelves for accommodating a plurality of substrates. Additionally, at least one of the wafer supports includes a compression latch member having an arm extending away from the at least one shelf bridging support at a downward angle toward the container portion, wherein the arm is configured to contact and apply a load to one or more corresponding features provided on the container portion. The substrate container may be any one of a front opening shipping box, a front opening unified pod, or a multi-application carrier. In another embodiment a substrate container includes a door and a container portion, the container portion comprising a pair of generally opposed side walls; a rear wall; a top wall; and a bottom. At least one container component is engaged with the container portion. The at least one container component includes a compression latch member having a flexible arm configured to contact and apply a load to a corresponding feature on the container portion.

In yet another embodiment, a method of securing a container component to a container body of a substrate carrier includes engaging an arm of a compression latch member of a container component with a corresponding feature provided on a portion of the container body, wherein the arm is configured to contact and apply a load to the corresponding features provided on the container body.

The preceding summary is provided to facilitate an understanding of some of the innovative features unique to the present disclosure and is not intended to be a full description. A full appreciation of the disclosure can be gained by taking the entire specification, claims, drawings, and abstract as a whole.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The disclosure may be more completely understood in consideration of the following description of various illustrative embodiments in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary wafer carrier.

Figure 2 is a top, plan view of the wafer carrier shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a bottom, plan view of the wafer carrier shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a side, cross-sectional view of the wafer carrier shown in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of an illustrative wafer support in accordance with various embodiments of the disclosure.

Figure 6 is a side view of an illustrative wafer support in accordance with various embodiments of the disclosure. Figures 7A-7C show different, close up views of an exemplary compression latch member 70 in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.

Figure 8 is a close-up view of an exemplary autoflange including one or more compression latch members in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. Figure 9 is a close up view of one or more rail structures provided on the container body in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.

Figure 1 OA is a top view showing a wafer carrier including an autoflange. Figure 10B is an enlarged top view showing the autoflange seen in Figure 10A. Figure 10B is somewhat schematic and shows the autoflange engaged with one or more rail structures provided on the container body of the wafer carrier. Figures 10A and 10B may be collectively referred to as Figure 10.

Figure 1 1 is a close up view of an exemplary compression latch member interacting with a corresponding rail structure provided on the container body in an unlatched configuration. Figure 12 shows the same compression latch member and rail structure of Figure

11 in the latched configuration.

Figure 13A is a perspective view of an exemplary wafer carrier. Figure 13B is close-up schematic views of a V-groove including a compression latch member in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. Figures 13A and 13B may be collectively referred to as Figure 13.

Figure 14A is a cross-sectional perspective view of an exemplary wafer carrier. Figure 14B is close-up schematic views of a V-groove including a compression latch member in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. Figures 14A and 14B may be collectively referred to as Figure 14. Figure 15A is a cross-sectional perspective view of an exemplary wafer carrier container portion. Figure 15B is an enlarged perspective view further illustrating a portion of the wafer carrier container portion shown in Figure 15A. Figure 15C is an enlarged perspective view further illustrating a portion of the wafer carrier container portion shown in Figure 15A. Figures 15A - 15C may be collectively referred to as Figure 15.

Figure 16 is an exploded perspective view showing an illustrative wafer support and an exemplary wafer carrier container portion. The exemplary wafer carrier container portion is cross-sectioned in Figure 16 for purposes of illustration.

Figure 17A is a cross-sectional perspective view of an exemplary wafer carrier. Figure 17B is an enlarged perspective view further illustrating a portion of the wafer carrier shown in Figure 17A. Figure 17C is an enlarged perspective view further illustrating a portion of the wafer carrier shown in Figure 17A. Figures 17A - 17C may be collectively referred to as Figure 17.

Figure 18 is an exploded view of an exemplary wafer carrier.

While the disclosure is amenable to various modifications and alternative forms, specifics thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the intention is not to limit aspects of the disclosure to the particular illustrative embodiments described. On the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the disclosure.

DESCRIPTION

As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" include plural referents unless the content clearly dictates otherwise. As used in this specification and the appended claims, the term "or" is generally employed in its sense including "and/or" unless the content clearly dictates otherwise.

Elongate may be defined as having an aspect ratio of length to width that is greater than about 4 in an object having a length, a width and a thickness. Where the width is less than the length and greater than the thickness.

The following detailed description should be read with reference to the drawings in which similar elements in different drawings are numbered the same. The detailed description and the drawings, which are not necessarily to scale, depict illustrative embodiments and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. The illustrative embodiments depicted are intended only as exemplary. Selected features of any illustrative embodiment may be incorporated into an additional embodiment unless clearly stated to the contrary. Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 show different views of an exemplary wafer carrier 10. The carrier 10 can be any one of a front opening shipping box (FOSB), a front opening unified pod (FOUP), or a multi-application carrier (MAC) configured to contain wafers having a diameter of 300mm or 450mm, and generally includes a container portion 20 with an open front, a door 24 to close the open front, and a bottom plate 26. The container portion generally has a top 30, a bottom 32, sides 34, back 36, bottom surface 37, and an open interior. Positioned in the interior, at the sides of the container portion, are wafer supports 40 for supporting wafers, as illustrated in Figure 4. Front opening wafer carriers know in the art have features such as illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,866,480; 7,316,325; and 6,267,245, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties for all purposes.

In some cases, as shown in Figures 1-4, the carrier 10 may include one or more container components attached to the container portion 20. Exemplary container components that can be attached to the container portion and that form a part of the carrier 10 include, but are not limited to wafer supports 40, an auto flange 44, and one or more kinematic coupling components 47 with V-grooves 48 for interfacing with the kinematic coupling (KC) pins provided on the automation equipment within a wafer processing facility.

The carrier 10, as shown in Figures 1-4, can include a pair of generally opposed wafer supports 40 secured to the inner surface of the container side walls. More particularly, a first wafer support 40 is secured to a first side wall opposite a second wafer support 40 secured to a second side wall, opposite the first side wall such that the wafer support shelves 52 of each of the wafer supports 40 face one another.

Figure 5 is a perspective view and Figure 6 is a plan view of an illustrative wafer support 40 that can secured to an inner surface of one of the container side walls in accordance with the various embodiments of the disclosure. As shown in Figure 5, the wafer support 40 includes a plurality of arcuate wafer support shelves 52 extending between a first shelf bridging support 54 and a second shelf bridging support 55, each shelf 52 defining a wafer receiving region 56 and a wafer engagement portion 60. Each wafer support 40 can also include one or more bracket or attachment means 64 extending away from the first shelf bridging support 54 for securing a first side 66 of the wafer support 40 to the inner surface of the container side wall. In addition, each wafer support 40 can include one or more compression latch members 70 for further securing the wafer support 40 to the container side wall via compression forces. As shown in Figures 5 and 6, each wafer support 40 includes two latch members 70 spaced apart from another along a side of the wafer support 40. However, it is contemplated that the wafer support 40 may include fewer or more latch members 70 as necessary or desired. The wafer supports 40, including the compression latch members 70, can be injection molded from polycarbonate or another thermoplastic polymer material. The compression latch members 70 are integrally formed with the rest of the wafer supports such that the wafer supports 40 have a single, unitary body and are not made up of separate individual parts. Figures 7A-7C show different, close up views of an exemplary compression latch member 70. Figure 7A shows the latch member 70 in an unlatched configuration and Figure 7B shows the latch member 70 in a latched configuration. Figure 7C is a side view of the latch member 70 in the latched configuration shown in Figure 7B. As best viewed in Figures 7A-7C, each compression latch member 70 has an arm 74 that extends away from the second shelf bridging support 55. In many cases, the arm 74 extends away from the shelf bridging support 55 at a downward angle into the inner surface 78 of the container portion 20 of the wafer carrier 10. Positioning the arm 74 at a downward angle relative to the inner surface 78 of the container portion 20 drives the compression load from the latch member 74 into the container portion, providing a strong latching force when the latch member 70 is in the latched configuration as shown in Figure 7B. Each arm has a modulus of elasticity that it is stiff enough to handle the compressive load applied to the container portion 20, but yet sufficiently flexible such that the arm can be snapped into place by hand. In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 7A-7B, each arm includes one or more fingers or prongs 82 that are configured to contact and apply a compressive load to one or more corresponding block features 86 that are formed on the inner surface 78 of the container portion. In addition, in some embodiments, as shown in Figure 7C, each of the fingers or prongs 82 may have a triangular cross section 88. The triangular cross section 88 of the fingers or prongs 82 provides an additional mechanism for further supporting the latch member 70 at the point where the load is applied to the container portion 20. Additionally, supporting the latch member 74 at two or more contact points may prevent the compression latch member 70 from buckling and rotating back on itself, and also may provide another point of support which may contribute to the strength of the latching between the latching arms 70 and the container portion. 70. Such a latching arrangement may prevent the wafer supports 40 from becoming unsecured from the container portion 20 in a shock event. During a shock event, the downward angle of the latch arm 74 causes the latch arm 74 to drive towards the container portion 20 which may further reinforce the connection between the compression latch members 70 and the container portion 20, and which may prevent the wafer support 40 from detaching from the container portion.

Referring to Figures 2 and 8-11, the autoflange 44 may also include one or more compression latch members 92 which may cooperate with a corresponding structure on the container portion 20 to secure the autoflange 44 to the container portion 20. Like the wafer supports 40, discussed herein, the autoflange 44, including the compression latch members 92, can be injection molded from polycarbonate or another suitable thermoplastic material. In some embodiments, the compression latch members 92 are integrally formed with the rest of the autoflange 44 such that the autoflange 44 has a single, unitary body and is not made up of separate individual parts. However, this is not required. Each arm has a modulus of elasticity that it is stiff enough to handle the compressive load applied to it, but yet sufficiently flexible such that the arm permits the autoflange 44 to be snapped into place by hand.

Figure 8 is a close-up view of an exemplary autoflange 44 including two compression latch members 92. This is just one example. It is contemplated that some embodiments may include greater than two compression latch members 92. Each compression member 92 includes an arm 96 that extends from a central axis x of the autoflange 44 at an angle. In addition, each arm 96 includes a pivot point 98 that permits the arm 96 to pivot or flex from a first, relaxed configuration, where no load is applied to the arm 96, to a second configuration in which the arm 96 is pivoted or moved towards the central axis x in the direction of the arrows when a load is applied to the arm 96. Figure 8 shows the arms 96 in the first, relaxed configuration where no load is applied to the arms 96. Each of the arms 96 of the compression latch members 92 is configured to interact with a corresponding block or rail structure provided on the outer surface of the container portion 20. Figure 9 is a close-up view of two rail structures 102 provided on the outer surface 104 of the container portion 20 of an exemplar wafer carrier. Each of the rails 102 includes a first portion 106 extending along the outer surface 104 at an angle towards a central axis of the container body 20 and a second portion 108 that extends from the first portion in a direction toward a central axis>> of the container body 20. The rail structures 102 are static structures in that they do not move when a force is applied to them. Rather they serve as a block to which a compressive load or force from a corresponding compression latch member 92 can be applied. Because the rail structures 102 are angled towards the central axis y of the container body, in a direction opposite to that of the angle of the compression latch members 92, they serve as a stop or a block, and can receive any compression forces from the compression latch member 92. The compression forces between the compression latch members 92 and the rails structures 102 provide a strong connection between the autoflange 44 and the container portion 20 which is capable of withstanding a shock event, and which may prevent the autoflange 44 from becoming dislodged from the container portion 20 in such an event.

Figure 10 is a schematic view of an autoflange 44 engaged with the rail structures 102 provided on the container body. Figure 11 is a close up view of an exemplary compression latch member 92 interacting with a corresponding rail structure 102 in an unlatched configuration. Figure 12 shows the same compression latch member 92 and rail structure in the latched configuration. As shown in Figure 11, as the autoflange is 44 is moved forward along the rail structures 102 provided on the outer surface of the container portion, a rail structure 102 contacts and engages a corresponding compression latch member 92 causing the compression latch member to flex or pivot at the pivot point in a direction toward a central axis of the autoflange 44. Because the compression latch member 92 is being transitioned from a relaxed state in which no load is applied to a second state, the compression latch member 92 applies a compressive force or load to the static rail member 102. This interaction between the compression latch member 92 and the rail structure 102 continues until the compression latch member 92 is moved beyond the second portion 108 of the rail structure 102, after which the compression latch member 92 transitions, at least partially, towards the first, relaxed configuration as shown in Figure 12. In this partially relaxed configuration, the compression latch member 92 continues to apply a compressive force or load to the angled rail structure 102, providing a strong latching mechanism between the compression latch member 92 and the rail structure 102, securing the autoflange 44 to the container portion.

In some embodiments of the wafer carrier, the V-grooves may also include a compression latch member for securing the V-groove to the container body. The V- grooves interface with the kinematic coupling (KC) pins provided on the automated equipment within a wafer fabrication facility.

Figures 13 and 14 are two schematic views of a Kinematic coupling component 123 with V-groove 120 secured to the bottom surface 1 12 of the container body 20. It is generally understood by those skilled in the art that more than one Kinematic coupling component 123 with V-groove 120 can be secured to the bottom of an exemplary wafer carrier. For example, a front opening shipping box may include three V-grooves secured to the container body. Each Kinematic coupling component 123 with V-groove 120 includes a compression latch member 122. In addition to the compression latch member 122, each Kinematic coupling component 123 with V-groove 120 includes a t-slot 124 which interacts with a corresponding rail structure 125 provided on the bottom surface 112 of the container body 20 and which provides a first retention mechanism for retaining and securing the Kinematic coupling component 123 with V-groove 120 to the container body 20. The compression latch member 122 includes an arm 126 that extends in a downward direction from an upper surface of the V-groove 120, and is configured to interact with a corresponding block structure 128 provided on or integrally formed with the bottom surface 112 of the container body 20. Additionally, in some cases as can be viewed in Figure 14, the arm 126 has a triangular shape which aids in the retention of the V-groove when the V-groove is 120 secured to the container body 20. Other shapes are also contemplated. The arm 126 is integrally formed with the rest of the V-groove 120 via injection molding or some other suitable manufacturing method. The arm 126 has a modulus of elasticity that it is stiff enough to handle a compressive load applied to it, but yet sufficiently flexible such that the arm 126 permits the V- groove 120 to be snapped into place by hand. During assembly, as the t-slot 124 of the V-groove 120 engages the rail structure

125, the arm 126 of the compression latch member 126 contacts the block structure 128, forcing the arm 126 to move in a direction away from the main portion 130 of the V- groove 120. This movement causes a load to be applied to the arm 126, causing the arm to flex from a relaxed state in which no load is applied to a second state in which a load is applied. The arm 96, in turn, applies a compressive force to the block structure 128. As the V-groove continues to be moved along the rail structure, the arm 96 is moved over the block structure 128 and transitions from the second state to at least a partially relaxed state in which the arm 126 applies a compressive force to the rail structure 128 allowing the arm 126 to be snapped into place securing and retaining the V-groove to the container body.

Referring to FIGS. 1-18, an apparatus for holding a spaced stack of substrates comprises a front door frame 14 spaced apart from a rear container wall 36. The front door frame 14 defines a door opening 16 configured to receive a door 24. In an embodiment, a door 24 is disposed in the door opening 16 defined by the front door frame 14. A top container wall 30 extends in a rearward direction Z from the front door frame 14 to the rear container wall 36 and extends in a forward direction -Z from the rear container wall 36 to the front door frame 14. A bottom container wall 32 extends in a rearward direction Z from the front door frame 14 to the rear container wall 36 and extends in a forward direction -Z from the rear container wall 36 to the front door frame 14.

A starboard container wall 34 extends in a upward direction Y from the bottom container wall 32 to the top container wall 30 and extends in a downward direction -Y from top container wall 30 to the bottom container wall 32. The starboard container wall 34 extends in the rearward direction Z from the front door frame 14 to the rear container wall 36 and extends in the forward direction -Z from the rear container wall 36 to the front door frame 14. The starboard container wall 34 comprises an inner surface 78 and a plurality of block features 86 that protrude beyond the inner surface 78. A port container wall 34 extends in the upward direction Y from the bottom container wall 32 to the top container wall 30 and extends in the downward direction -Y from the top container wall 30 to the bottom container wall 32. The port container wall 34 extends in the rearward direction Z from the front door frame 14 to the rear container wall 36 and extends in the forward direction -Z from the rear container wall 36 to the front door frame 14.

The apparatus comprises a pair of generally opposed wafer supports 40. Each wafer support 40 comprises a plurality of shelves 52 for carrying substrates. The pair of wafer supports 40 includes a port wafer support 40 and a starboard wafer support 40. In an embodiment, the port wafer support 40 and the starboard wafer support 40 are mirror images of one another. The starboard wafer support 40 comprises a plurality of brackets 64 extending in the rearward direction Z away from the plurality of shelves 52. Each bracket 64 defines a socket 132 that opens in the rearward direction Z.

The starboard container wall 34 supports a plurality of posts 134. Each post 134 extends in the forward direction -Z through one of the plurality of sockets 132 defined by the brackets 64 of the starboard wafer support 40 to constrain of the starboard wafer support 40 relative to the starboard container wall 34 in upward, downward, port and starboard directions. The starboard wafer support 40 comprises a plurality of latch members 70, each latch member comprising a prong 82 fixed to a cantilevered arm 74. Each prong engages a block feature 86 of the starboard container wall 34 to constrain movement of the starboard wafer support 40 relative to the starboard container wall 34 in the rearward direction Z. The starboard container wall 34 comprises a plurality of anchor 150 portions.

Each anchor 150 portion defines a channel 152 that opens in the forward direction -Z. The starboard wafer support 40 comprises a plurality of anchor engaging members. Each anchor engaging member comprising a first leg 136 and a second leg 138 that both extend in the forward direction -Z away from the plurality of shelves 52. Each anchor engaging member also includes a spar extending between the first leg 136 and the second leg 138. The spar of each anchor engaging member extends through the channel 152 defined by a corresponding anchor 150 of the starboard container wall 34 to constrain movement of the starboard wafer support 40 relative to the starboard container wall 34 in the port direction - X. The port wafer support 40 comprises a plurality of brackets 64 extending in the rearward direction Z away from the plurality of shelves 52. Each bracket 64 defines a socket 132 that opens in the rearward direction Z. The port container wall 34 supports a plurality of posts 134. Each post 134 extends in the forward direction -Z through one of the plurality of sockets 132 defined by the brackets 64 of the port wafer support 40 to constrain movement of the port wafer support 40 relative to the port container wall 34 in upward, downward, port and starboard directions. The port wafer support 40 also comprises a plurality of latch members 70. Each latch member 70 comprises a prong 82 fixed to a cantilevered arm 74. Each prong 82 engages a block feature 86 of the port container wall 34 to constrain movement of the port wafer support 40 relative to the port container wall 34 in the rearward direction Z.

The port container wall 34 comprises a plurality of anchor 150 portions. Each anchor 150 portion defines a channel 152 that opens in the forward direction -Z. The port wafer support 40 comprises a plurality of anchor engaging members. Each anchor engaging member comprises a first leg 136 and a second leg 138. Both legs extend in the forward direction -Z away from the plurality of shelves 52. Each anchor engaging member also comprises a spar 140 that extends between the first leg 136 and the second leg 138. The spar 140 of each anchor engaging member extends through the channel 152 defined by a corresponding anchor 150 of the port container wall 34 to constrain movement of the port wafer support 40 relative to the port container wall 34 in the starboard direction X.

Referring to FIGS. 1-4, 15A, 16 and 17B, an upward direction Y and a downward or lower direction -Y are illustrated using arrows labeled "Y" and "-Y," respectively. A forward direction -Z and a rearward direction Z are illustrated using arrows labeled "-Z" and "Z," respectively. A starboard direction S and a port direction P are illustrated using arrows labeled "X" and "-X," respectively. The directions illustrated using these arrows are applicable to the apparatus throughout this application. The port direction may also be referred to as the portward direction. In an embodiment, the upward direction is generally opposite the downward direction. In an embodiment, upward direction and the downward direction are both generally orthogonal to a plane defined by the forward direction and the starboard direction. In an embodiment, the forward direction is generally opposite the rearward direction. In an embodiment, forward direction and the rearward direction are both generally orthogonal to a plane defined by the upward direction and the starboard direction. In an embodiment, the starboard direction is generally opposite the port direction. In an embodiment, starboard direction and the port direction are both generally orthogonal to a plane defined by the upward direction and the forward direction. Various direction-indicating terms are used herein as a convenient way to discuss the objects shown in the figures. It will be appreciated that many direction indicating terms are related to the instant orientation of the object being described. It will also be appreciated that the objects described herein may assume various orientations without deviating from the spirit and scope of this detailed description. Accordingly, direction-indicating terms such as "upwardly," "downwardly," "forwardly," "backwardly ," "portwardly," and "starboardly," should not be interpreted to limit the scope of the invention recited in the attached claims. Referring to FIGS. 1-18, a substrate container 10 comprises a door 24 and a container portion 20. The container portion includes a front door frame 14 that defines a door opening 16 configured to receive the door 24. The container portion 20 comprises pair of generally opposed side walls 34. The container portion 20 also comprises a rear wall 36, a top wall 30, and a bottom wall 32. A pair of generally opposed wafer supports 40 are removably attached to each of the side walls 34. Each of the wafer supports 40 has a plurality of shelves 52 and a vertically extending shelf bridging support 54, 55 for accommodating a plurality of substrates. Each of the wafer supports 40 comprises a latch member 70. The latch member 70 comprises an arm 74 extending horizontally away from the vertically extending shelf bridging support 55 at an acute angle with respect to the respective side wall 34. The arm 74 may be configured to contact one or more corresponding features provided on the container portion 20. In an embodiment, the one or more corresponding features provided on the container portion 20 comprise blocking features 86. In an embodiment, the arm 74 is configured to contact and apply a compressive force to the one or more corresponding features provided on the container portion 20. In an embodiment, the arm 74 receives a reaction force from the one or more corresponding features provided on the container portion 20. In embodiments, the arm is elongate and has an aspect ratio of the length of the arm to the maximum width of the arm of at least 4:1. In embodiments, said aspect ratio is at least 6: 1. In embodiments, said aspect ratio is at least 8:1. In an embodiment, each wafer support 40 has a forward end and a rearward end, and each wafer support 40 has constraining structure for constraining the rearward end of each wafer support 40 against the respective side wall 34. In an embodiment, the constraining structure of each wafer support 40 comprises a plurality of brackets 64 extending in the rearward direction away from the shelf bridging support 54. In an embodiment, each bracket 64 defines a socket 132 and each socket 132 opens in the rearward direction. In an embodiment, each side wall 34 supports a plurality of posts 124, each post 124 extending in the forward direction through one of the plurality of sockets 132 defined by the brackets 64 of the wafer support 40 to constrain movement of the wafer support 40 relative to the side wall 34 in upward, downward, port and starboard directions. In an embodiment, each wafer support 40 has a forward end and a rearward end, and the rearward end is constrained upwardly, downwardly, inwardly, outwardly, and rearwardly at the side wall 34 and the wafer support 40 at the forward end is constrained forwardly by the resilient arm 74 of a latch member 70.

In an embodiment, each wafer support 40 has a forward end and a rearward end, and the latch member 70 of each wafer support 40 is positioned proximate the forward end of the wafer support 40. In an embodiment, each wafer support 40 has an anchor engaging member extending forwardly to engage an anchor structure 150 on the side wall 34. In an embodiment, each wafer engaging member comprises a spar 140 extending between two legs 136,138. In an embodiment, each of the anchor engaging members 140 is U-shaped with two legs 136, 138 connecting to a shelf bridging support 55. In an embodiment, each of the pair of wafer supports 40 is secured to the respective side wall 34 without additional components or fasteners. In an embodiment, each wafer support 40 has a plurality of the latch members 70 and a plurality of the anchor engaging members 140.

Referring to FIGS. 1-18, a substrate container 10 comprises a door 24 and a container portion 20. The container portion includes a front door frame 14 that defines a door opening 16 configured to receive the door 24. The container portion 20 comprises pair of generally opposed side walls 34. The container portion 20 also comprises a rear wall 36, a top wall 30, and a bottom wall 32. In an embodiment, at least one container component engages with the container portion 20 on one wall of the pair of side walls 34, the top wall 30, and the bottom wall 32. The container component may comprise, for example, a wafer support 40, an autoflange 44 and/or a kinematic coupling component 47, 123. In an embodiment, the at least one container component includes a wall mounted constraint portion for positioning and constraining the at least one container component against the one wall, and a latch member comprising a resilient arm 74, 92, 126 configured to contact one or more corresponding features provided on the one wall. In an embodiment, the resilient arm 74, 92, 126 of the latch member is configured to apply a compressive force to the one or more corresponding features on the one wall. In an embodiment, the resilient arm of the latch member receives a reaction force from the one or more corresponding features on the one wall. In an embodiment, the at least one container component has a forward end and a rearward end and a constraint portion is positioned at one of the forward end and rearward end and the resilient arm 74, 92, 126 is positioned at the other of the forward end and rearward end. In an embodiment, the constraint portion may comprise a bracket 64 defining a socket 132 that receives a post 124. In an embodiment, the container component is a wafer support 40 and the one wall is a side wall 34. In this embodiment, the wafer support 40 has a forward end and a rearward end, and the rearward end is constrained upwardly, downwardly, inwardly, outwardly, and rearwardly at the side wall 34 and the wafer support 40 at the forward end is constrained forwardly by the resilient arm 74. In an embodiment, the forward end of the wafer support 40 has at least a pair of forwardly extending anchor engaging members 136, 138, 140 that cooperate with anchor feature 150 on the side wall 34.

In an embodiment, the at least one component is an autoflange 44 and the one wall is the top wall 30 and the top wall 30 has a plurality of rails 102 for sliding engagement with rail engaging portions on the autoflange 44. In an embodiment, the at least one component is a kinematic coupling component 47, 123 and the kinematic component 47, 123 has at least one rail 125 for slidably constraining the kinematic coupling on the bottom wall 32. In an embodiment, the resilient arm is at least 1.0 centimeters long. In an embodiment, the substrate container 10 comprises three kinematic coupling components 47, 123 and each kinematic coupling component 47, 123 has an elongate outwardly facing groove defined by a pair of planar wall surfaces.

Having thus described several illustrative embodiments of the present disclosure, those of skill in the art will readily appreciate that yet other embodiments may be made and used within the scope of the claims hereto attached. Numerous advantages of the disclosure covered by this document have been set forth in the foregoing description. It will be understood, however, that this disclosure is, in many respect, only illustrative. Changes may be made in details, particularly in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts without exceeding the scope of the disclosure. The disclosure's scope is, of course, defined in the language in which the appended claims are expressed

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A substrate container, comprising: a door and a container portion, the container portion comprising pair of generally opposed side walls; a rear wall; a top wall; a bottom; and a pair of generally opposed wafer supports, the wafer supports removably attached to each of said side walls, each of the wafer supports having a plurality of shelves and a vertically extending shelf bridging support for accommodating a plurality of substrates, wherein each of the wafer supports comprises a latch member, the latch member having an arm extending horizontally away from the vertically extending shelf bridging support at an acute angle with respect to the respective side wall, the arm configured to contact one or more corresponding features provided on the container portion.

2. The substrate container of claim 1 , wherein the arm is configured to contact and apply a compressive force to the one or more corresponding features provided on the container portion.

3. The substrate container of claim 1, wherein the arm is configured to contact and receive a reaction force from the one or more corresponding features provided on the container portion.

4. The substrate container of claim 1 wherein each wafer support has a forward end and a rearward end, and wherein each wafer support has constraining structure for constraining the rearward end of each wafer support against the respective side wall.

5. The substrate container of claim 1 wherein each wafer support has a forward end and a rearward end, and wherein the latch member of each wafer support is positioned at the forward end of said wafer support.

6. The substrate container of claim 5 wherein each wafer support has an anchor engaging member extending forwardly to engage an anchor structure on the side wall.

7. The substrate container of claim 5 wherein each wafer support has a plurality of said latch members and a plurality of said anchor engaging members.

8. The substrate container of claim 7 wherein each of said anchor engaging members is U-shaped with two legs connecting to the shelf bridging support.

9. The substrate container of claim 1 wherein each wafer support has a forward end and a rearward end, and wherein the rearward end is constrained upwardly, downwardly, inwardly, outwardly, and rearwardly at the side wall, and wherein the wafer support at the forward end is constrained forwardly by the resilient arm.

10. The substrate container of any one of claims 1-9, wherein the substrate container is any one of a front opening shipping box, a front opening unified pod or a multi-application carrier.

11. The substrate container of any one of claims 1-9, wherein the substrate container is sized and dimensioned to hold wafers having a diameter of 300mm or 450mm.

12. The substrate container of any one of claims 1-9, wherein each of the pair of wafer supports is secured to the respective side wall without additional components or fasteners.

13. A substrate container, comprising: a door and a container portion, the container portion comprising a pair of generally opposed side walls; a rear wall; a top wall; a bottom wall; and at least one container component engaged with the container portion on one wall of the pair of side walls, the top wall, and the bottom wall, the at least one container component including a wall mounted constraint portion for positioning and constraining the at least one container component against said one wall, and a latch member comprising a resilient arm configured to contact one or more corresponding features provided on said one wall.

14. The substrate container of claim 13, wherein the resilient arm of the latch member is configured to apply a compressive force to the one or more corresponding features on said one wall.

15. The substrate container of claim 13, wherein the resilient arm of the latch member is configured to receive a reaction force from the one or more corresponding features on said one wall.

16. The substrate container of claim 13, wherein the at least one container component has a forward end and a rearward end and wherein the constraint portion is positioned at one of the forward end and rearward end and the resilient arm is positioned at the other of the forward end and rearward end.

17. The substrate container of claim 13, wherein the container component is any one of a wafer support, an autoflange and/or a kinematic coupling component.

18. The substrate container of claim 13, wherein the container component is a wafer support and the said one wall is a side wall, wherein the wafer support has a forward end and a rearward end, and wherein the rearward end is constrained upwardly, downwardly, inwardly, outwardly, and rearwardly at the side wall, and wherein the wafer support at the forward end is constrained forwardly by the resilient arm.

19. The substrate container of claim 18 wherein the forward end of the wafer support has at least a pair of forwardly extending anchor engaging members that cooperate with anchor features on the side wall.

20. The substrate container of claim 13, wherein the at least one component is a autoflange, and the one wall is the top wall, and wherein the top wall has a plurality of rails for sliding engagement with rail engaging portions on the autoflange.

21. The substrate container of claim 20, wherein the at least one component is a kinematic coupling component and the kinematic component has at least one rail for slidably constraining the kinematic coupling on the bottom wall, and wherein the resilient arm is at least 1.0 centimeters long.

22. The substrate container of claim 21, comprising three kinematic coupling components and the kinematic coupling component has an elongate outwardly facing groove defined by a pair of planar wall surfaces.

23. An apparatus for holding a spaced stack of substrates, the stack having an axis extending in upward and downward directions through the centers of the substrates, the apparatus comprising: a front door frame spaced apart from a rear container wall, the front door frame defining a door opening; a top container wall extending in a rearward direction from the front door frame to the rear container wall and extending in a forward direction from the rear container wall to the front door frame; a bottom container wall extending in a rearward direction from the front door frame to the rear container wall and extending in a forward direction from the rear container wall to the front door frame; a starboard container wall extending in the upward direction from the bottom container wall to the top container wall and extending in the downward direction from top container wall to the bottom container wall, the starboard container wall extending in the rearward direction from the front door frame to the rear container wall and extending in the forward direction from the rear container wall to the front door frame, the starboard container wall comprising an inner surface and a plurality of block features, each block feature protruding beyond the inner surface; a port container wall extending in the upward direction from the bottom container wall to the top container wall and extending in the downward direction from top container wall to the bottom container wall, the port container wall extending in the rearward direction from the front door frame to the rear container wall and extending in the forward direction from the rear container wall to the front door frame; a pair of generally opposed wafer supports, each wafer support comprising a plurality of shelves for carrying substrates, the pair of wafer supports comprising a port wafer support and a starboard wafer support, the starboard wafer support comprising a plurality of brackets extending in the rearward direction away from the plurality of shelves, each bracket defining a socket, each socket opening in the rearward direction; the starboard container wall supporting a plurality of posts, each post extending in the forward direction through one of the plurality of sockets defined by the brackets of the starboard wafer support to constrain movement of the starboard wafer support relative to the starboard container wall in upward, downward, port and starboard directions; the starboard wafer support comprising a plurality of latch members, each latch member comprising a prong fixed to a cantilevered arm, each prong engaging a block feature of the starboard container wall to constrain movement of the starboard wafer support relative to the starboard container wall in the rearward direction; the starboard container wall comprising a plurality of anchors, each anchor defining a channel, each channel opening in the forward direction; and the starboard wafer support comprising a plurality of anchor engaging members, each anchor engaging member comprising a first leg and a second leg, both legs extending in the forward direction away from the plurality of shelves, each anchor engaging member comprising a spar extending between the first leg and the second leg, the spar of each anchor engaging member extending through the channel defined by a corresponding anchor of the starboard container wall to constrain movement of the starboard wafer support relative to the starboard container wall in the port direction.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the downward direction is- generally opposite the upward direction.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the forward direction is generally opposite the rearward direction.

26. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the starboard direction is generally opposite the port direction.

27. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the starboard and port directions are generally orthogonal to a plane defined by the forward direction and the downward direction.

28. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the upward and downward directions are generally orthogonal to a plane defined by starboard direction and the forward direction.

29. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the forward and rearward directions are generally orthogonal to a plane defined by the starboard direction and the downward direction.

30. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein: the port wafer support comprises a plurality of brackets extending in the rearward direction away from the plurality of shelves, each bracket defining a socket, each socket opening in the rearward direction; and the port container wall supports a plurality of posts, each post extending in the forward direction through one of the plurality of sockets defined by the brackets of the port wafer support to constrain movement of the port wafer support relative to the port container wall in upward, downward, port and starboard directions.

31. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the port wafer support comprises a plurality of latch members, each latch member comprising a prong fixed to a cantilevered arm, each prong engaging a block feature of the port container wall to constrain movement of the port wafer support relative to the port container wall in the rearward direction.

32. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein: the port container wall comprises a plurality of anchors, each anchor defining a channel, each channel opening in the forward direction; and the port wafer support comprises a plurality of anchor engaging members, each anchor engaging member comprising a first leg and a second leg extending in the forward direction away from the plurality of shelves, each anchor engaging member also comprising a spar extending between the first leg and the second leg, the spar of each anchor engaging member extending through the channel defined by a corresponding anchor of the port container wall to constrain movement of the port wafer support relative to the port container wall in the starboard direction.

33. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising a door received in the door opening defined by the front door frame.

34. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising a flange selectively coupled to the top container wall.