CN116601087A

CN116601087A - Panel container

Info

Publication number: CN116601087A
Application number: CN202180083606.4A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 大贯和正
Original assignee: Shin Etsu Polymer Co Ltd
Current assignee: Shin Etsu Polymer Co Ltd
Priority date: 2021-02-19
Filing date: 2021-09-14
Publication date: 2023-08-15
Also published as: JP2022127251A; KR20230147647A; TW202245094A; WO2022176244A1; JP7467367B2

Abstract

The panel storage container includes: a container body having a flange defining an opening and for receiving a plurality of panels; a cover for blocking the opening; and a convex protection member provided between an outer peripheral surface of the cover and an inner peripheral surface of the flange, the outer peripheral surfaces facing each other in a state in which the cover blocks the opening.

Description

Panel container

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a panel storage container.

Background

In a manufacturing process for processing a panel such as a glass substrate for a liquid crystal panel, a panel storage container for storing a plurality of panels can be used when transferring a rectangular panel to a manufacturing apparatus of another process and when temporarily storing the panels. For example, patent document 1 describes a panel storage container including: a container body accommodating the panel; and a cover body which can freely cover the opening part of the container body in an opening and closing manner.

Patent document 1: international publication No. 2019/138982

Disclosure of Invention

When the lid is opened and closed, the peripheral edge of the lid may contact with the opening edge of the container body defining the opening. At this time, at least one of the cap body and the container body may be damaged.

The present disclosure describes a panel storage container that can suppress damage.

A panel housing container according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes: a container body having a flange defining an opening and for receiving a plurality of panels; a cover for blocking the opening; and a convex protection member provided between an outer peripheral surface of the cover and an inner peripheral surface of the flange, the outer peripheral surfaces facing each other in a state in which the cover blocks the opening.

In the panel storage container, a convex protection member is provided between an outer peripheral surface of the cover and an inner peripheral surface of the flange, the outer peripheral surfaces of the cover and the flange facing each other in a state where the cover blocks the opening. When the cover is attached to the flange or detached from the flange, the outer peripheral surface of the cover may approach the inner peripheral surface of the flange due to inclination or the like of the cover. In this case, the outer peripheral surface of the cover may contact the protection member before contacting the inner peripheral surface of the flange. Therefore, the possibility that the outer peripheral surface of the cover contacts the inner peripheral surface of the flange can be reduced. Further, since the protective member is convex, the contact area between the outer peripheral surface of the cover and the protective member is smaller than the contact area between the outer peripheral surface of the cover and the inner peripheral surface of the flange. As a result, damage to the panel storage container can be suppressed.

The protection member may be provided on the inner peripheral surface of the flange, or may protrude from the inner peripheral surface of the flange toward the outer peripheral surface of the cover in a state where the cover blocks the opening. Since the protection member protrudes from the inner peripheral surface of the flange toward the outer peripheral surface of the cover, even when the outer peripheral surface of the cover approaches the inner peripheral surface of the flange, the possibility that the outer peripheral surface of the cover contacts the protection member before contacting the inner peripheral surface of the flange increases. Therefore, damage to the panel storage container can be further suppressed.

The protection member may be detachably provided to the flange. In this case, the protection member may be replaced. For example, in the case of damage to the protective member, the damage to the panel storage container can be suppressed by replacing the protective member with a new protective member.

The protection member may be provided on the outer peripheral surface of the lid body, and may protrude from the outer peripheral surface of the lid body toward the inner peripheral surface of the flange in a state where the lid body blocks the opening. Since the protection member protrudes from the outer peripheral surface of the cover toward the inner peripheral surface of the flange, even when the outer peripheral surface of the cover approaches the inner peripheral surface of the flange, the possibility of contacting the protection member before the outer peripheral surface of the cover contacts the inner peripheral surface of the flange increases. Therefore, damage to the panel storage container can be further suppressed.

The protection member may be detachably provided to the cover. In this case, the protection member may be replaced. For example, in the case of damage to the protective member, the damage to the panel storage container can be suppressed by replacing the protective member with a new protective member.

The flange may be a rectangular frame. The protection member may also include a first protection member and a second protection member. The first protection member and the second protection member may be provided between an inner peripheral surface of the frame portion, which is one side of the frame, and an outer peripheral surface of the cover. For example, in the case where the cover is inclined, the possibility that the outer peripheral surface of the cover approaches toward the inner peripheral surfaces at both ends of the frame portion is high. According to the above configuration, even if the outer peripheral surface of the cover approaches the inner peripheral surface of either end, the outer peripheral surface of the cover contacts the first protection member or the second protection member before contacting the inner peripheral surface of the flange. Therefore, damage to the panel storage container can be further suppressed.

The cover may also include a cover body including an outer peripheral surface. The cover body may also be composed of a metal material. The flange may also be formed of a resin material. In this case, if the outer peripheral surface of the cover contacts the inner peripheral surface of the flange, dust may be generated and mixed into the panel container. According to the panel storage container, the possibility that the outer peripheral surface of the cover body contacts the inner peripheral surface of the flange can be reduced, so that dust generation can be suppressed.

According to the present disclosure, damage may be suppressed.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a panel housing container according to an embodiment.

Fig. 2 is a rear perspective view of the panel container of fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of the container body of fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a view for explaining the installation of the flange.

Fig. 5 is a view for explaining the cover member.

Fig. 6 is a partial enlarged view of the panel container of fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII of fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a bottom view of the panel container of fig. 1.

Fig. 9 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of the container body of fig. 1.

Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the periphery of the air supply and exhaust mechanism.

Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XI-XI of fig. 2.

Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XII-XII of fig. 11.

Detailed Description

Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, and duplicate descriptions are omitted. In each figure, an XYZ coordinate system is shown. The Y-axis direction is a direction intersecting (here, orthogonal to) the X-axis direction and the Z-axis direction. The Z-axis direction is a direction intersecting (here, orthogonal to) the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. As an example, the X-axis direction is the left-right direction (width direction), the Y-axis direction is the front-back direction (depth direction), and the Z-axis direction is the up-down direction (height direction). For convenience of description, terms such as "front", "rear", "upper", "lower", "left", and "right" are used, but are not limited to these directions.

Referring to fig. 1 and 2, a panel storage container according to an embodiment will be described. Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a panel housing container according to an embodiment. Fig. 2 is a rear perspective view of the panel container of fig. 1. The panel storage container 1 shown in fig. 1 and 2 is a container for storing a plurality of panels. The panel housing container 1 is in accordance with, for example, the international (Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International, SEMI) standard for semiconductor devices and materials. Examples of the panel include a glass substrate for a liquid crystal panel and a panel on which electronic components are mounted. The panel has a rectangular shape. Examples of the dimensions of the panel include 510mm×515mm and 600mm×600mm. The number of panels that can be accommodated in the panel accommodating container 1 is arbitrarily determined, and may be 6 or 12, for example.

The panel storage container 1 is used, for example, in a manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing electronic components. The electronic component is manufactured, for example, by the following process: a large-sized carrier panel such as a glass plate or a stainless steel plate is provided with a plurality of electronic components; sealing the electronic parts with epoxy resin or the like; peeling the sealed electronic part from the carrier panel in the form of a panel; and cutting out the panel-shaped electronic parts. The panel housing container 1 is used for transferring the panel between these processes.

The panel storage container 1 includes a container body 2 and a lid 3.

The container body 2 is a rectangular parallelepiped container with an open front face (front face). In other words, the container body 2 is a front open box (front open box) container provided with an opening 2a on the front surface. The container body 2 accommodates a plurality of panels. The panel is put into the container body 2 or taken out of the container body 2 through the opening 2 a. The detailed structure of the container body 2 will be described later.

The lid 3 is a member for closing the opening 2a of the container body 2. The lid 3 hermetically closes the opening 2a of the container body 2 via a sealing member 34 (see fig. 7) such as a gasket (gasset). The cover 3 is detachably attached to a flange 25 defining the opening 2 a. The cover 3 includes a cover body 31 and a locking mechanism 32. The cover body 31 is a body portion of the cover body 3. The lid body 31 is a rectangular plate material and includes an outer peripheral surface 3a of the lid body 3. The outer peripheral surface 3a is a surface along the peripheral edge of the lid body 3 (lid body 31). The specific gravity of the constituent material of the lid body 31 is greater than that of the constituent material of the flange 25, for example, 1.5 or more. The cover body 31 is made of, for example, a metal material. Examples of the metal material include aluminum and magnesium alloys. A key hole 33 is provided in the front surface of the cover body 31. A key, not shown, is inserted into the key hole 33.

The locking mechanism 32 locks or unlocks the cover 3 by operating a key inserted into the key hole 33. The locking mechanism 32 includes a latch (not shown). In a state where the cover 3 is attached to the flange 25, the cover 3 is locked by fitting a latch into an upper lock hole 25h provided in the flange 25 by a key operation. In a state where the cover 3 is locked, the latch is pulled out from the upper lock hole 25h by an operation of a key, whereby the cover 3 is unlocked.

The container body 2 and the lid 3 may be formed by combining a plurality of parts molded from a metal material or a resin material. Examples of the resin contained in the molding material of the resin material include thermoplastic resins. Examples of the thermoplastic resin include: polycarbonates, cycloolefin polymers, polyetherimides, polyetherketones, polyetheretherketones, polybutylene terephthalates, polyacetals, liquid crystal polymers, acrylic resins such as polymethyl methacrylate, and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene copolymers. As the resin contained in the molding material of the resin material, an alloy (alloy) of the foregoing materials can be used.

Conductive materials and various antistatic agents may be added to these resins. The conductive substance is composed of, for example, carbon fiber, carbon powder, carbon nanotube, or conductive polymer. As the antistatic agent, anionic, cationic, nonionic, and other antistatic agents can be used. Ultraviolet absorbers of benzotriazole, salicylate, cyanoacrylate, oxanilide (oxalic acid anilide) and hindered amine type may also be added. Glass fibers, carbon fibers, or the like may be optionally added to improve rigidity.

Next, the container body 2 will be described in further detail with reference to fig. 3 to 5. Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of the container body of fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a view for explaining the installation of the flange. Fig. 5 is a view for explaining the cover member. As shown in fig. 3 to 5, the container body 2 includes a top plate 21, a bottom plate 22, a pair of side walls 23, a rear wall 24, a flange 25, a frame 26, a pedestal 27, a pair of rail members 28, connecting plates 41 to 47, side plates 48, a pair of lid members C1, a pair of lid members C2, and a pair of lid members C3.

The top plate 21, the bottom plate 22, the side walls 23, and the back wall 24 are substantially rectangular plate materials. The top plate 21 and the bottom plate 22 are disposed in a substantially parallel manner so as to face each other in the vertical direction. The pair of side walls 23 are disposed substantially parallel to each other and face each other in the left-right direction. The left side wall 23 connects the left end of the top plate 21 and the left end of the bottom plate 22. The right side wall 23 connects the right end of the top plate 21 with the right end of the bottom plate 22. The back wall 24 connects the rear end of the top plate 21 with the rear end of the bottom plate 22, and connects the rear ends of the pair of side walls 23. The housing space 20 is defined by a top plate 21, a pair of side walls 23, a bottom plate 22, and a back wall 24.

The top plate 21, the bottom plate 22, and the side walls 23 are made of, for example, a metal material. Examples of the metal material include aluminum and stainless steel. The back wall 24 is made of, for example, a transparent resin material capable of visually observing the accommodating space 20 from the outside of the container body 2. A portion of the back wall 24 may also be formed of a transparent resin material. Examples of the transparent resin material include acrylic resin, polycarbonate, vinyl chloride resin and cycloolefin polymer.

The top plate 21 has a front end 21a, a rear end 21b, and a pair of side ends 21c. The front end portion 21a is a portion along the front end edge of the top plate 21. The rear end portion 21b is a portion along the rear end edge of the top plate 21. The pair of side end portions 21c are portions along the left and right side edges of the top plate 21. The front end portion 21a and the pair of side end portions 21c are provided with a plurality of insertion holes for inserting screws.

The bottom plate 22 has a front end 22a, a rear end 22b, and a pair of side ends 22c. The front end 22a is a portion along the front end edge of the bottom plate 22. The rear end 22b is a portion along the rear end edge of the bottom plate 22. The pair of side end portions 22c are portions along the left and right side edges of the bottom plate 22. The rear end 22b and the pair of side ends 22c are provided with a plurality of insertion holes for inserting screws. The bottom plate 22 is provided with a plurality of (four in the present embodiment) through holes 22h penetrating the bottom plate 22 in the vertical direction. The through hole 22h is fitted with a supply/exhaust mechanism 55 to be described later.

Each side wall 23 has a shape in which the front end and the upper and lower ends are folded back to the outside of the container body 2. The side wall 23 has a main body portion 23a, an upper end portion 23b, a lower end portion 23c, and a front end portion 23d. The body portion 23a has a rectangular shape. The body portion 23a has a rear end portion 23e. The rear end portion 23e is a portion along the rear end edge of the body portion 23 a. The upper end portion 23b extends along the upper end edge of the main body portion 23a, and stands from the main body portion 23a to the outside of the container main body 2 in the left-right direction. The lower end portion 23c extends along the lower end edge of the main body portion 23a, and stands from the main body portion 23a to the outside of the container main body 2 in the left-right direction. The front end portion 23d extends along the front end edge of the main body portion 23a, and stands from the main body portion 23a to the outside of the container main body 2 in the left-right direction. A plurality of insertion holes for inserting screws are provided in the upper end portion 23b, the lower end portion 23c, the front end portion 23d, and the rear end portion 23e. The body portion 23a is provided with a plurality of insertion holes for inserting the screw. The insertion hole of the body portion 23a is used for mounting a support body 65 described later.

The back wall 24 has an upper end 24a, a lower end 24b, and a pair of side ends 24c. The upper end 24a is a portion along the upper end edge of the back surface wall 24. The lower end 24b is a portion along the lower end edge of the back surface wall 24. The pair of side end portions 24c are portions along the left and right side edges of the back surface wall 24. A plurality of insertion holes for inserting the screw are provided in the lower end portion 24 b.

The flange 25 is a rectangular frame and is provided across the front end of the top plate 21, the front end of the bottom plate 22, and the front ends of the pair of side walls 23. The opening 2a is defined by a flange 25. The inner peripheral surface of the flange 25 is provided with a step in the front-rear direction, and the inner periphery of the rear end of the inner Zhou Jiao of the front end of the flange 25 is longer. The lid 3 is placed on the step via the seal member 34, and the opening 2a is closed by the lid 3. At this time, the front portion of the flange 25 further forward than the step surrounds the lid body 3. In other words, the outer peripheral surface 3a of the cover 3 faces the inner peripheral surface 25s of the front portion of the flange 25 across the entire circumference. The flange 25 is composed of, for example, the resin material described above. The flange 25 includes an upper frame 25a, a lower frame 25b, and a pair of side frames 25c. The upper frame 25a, the lower frame 25b, and the side frames 25c are each frame portions forming one side of the frame body.

The upper frame 25a and the lower frame 25b are members extending in the left-right direction. The upper frame 25a and the lower frame 25b are disposed apart from each other in the vertical direction and are substantially parallel to each other. The pair of side frames 25c are members extending in the up-down direction. The pair of side frames 25c are disposed apart from each other in the left-right direction and substantially parallel to each other. The left end of the upper frame 25a and the left end of the lower frame 25b are connected by a left side frame 25c, and the right end of the upper frame 25a and the right end of the lower frame 25b are connected by a right side frame 25 c. The upper frame 25a and the lower frame 25b are respectively provided with two upper lock holes 25h arranged apart from each other in the left-right direction. The upper lock hole 25h of the upper frame 25a and the upper lock hole 25h of the lower frame 25b are provided at positions opposite to each other in the up-down direction.

The frame 26 is used to fix the top plate 21, the bottom plate 22, the pair of side walls 23, and the back wall 24. The frame 26 is made of, for example, a metal material. Examples of the metal material include aluminum and stainless steel. The frame 26 is provided on the front surface of the back wall 24. The frame 26 includes an upper frame 26a, a lower frame 26b, a pair of side frames 26c, a strut 26d, and a pair of struts 26e. The upper frame 26a and the lower frame 26b are columnar members extending in the left-right direction. The upper frame 26a and the lower frame 26b are disposed apart from each other in the vertical direction and are substantially parallel to each other.

The pair of side frame members 26c are columnar members extending in the up-down direction. The pair of side frames 26c are disposed apart from each other in the left-right direction and substantially parallel to each other. The left ends of the upper frame 26a and the lower frame 26b are fixed to the left side frame 26c by screws. The right ends of the upper frame 26a and the lower frame 26b are fixed to the right side frame 26c by screws. That is, the left end of the upper frame 26a and the left end of the lower frame 26b are connected by the left side frame 26c, and the right end of the upper frame 26a and the right end of the lower frame 26b are connected by the right side frame 26c.

The strut 26d and the pair of struts 26e are columnar members extending in the up-down direction. One of the struts 26e, 26d, and the other strut 26e are arranged in order in the left-right direction and are arranged substantially parallel to each other. The upper ends of the strut 26d and the pair of struts 26e are fixed to the upper frame 26a by screws. The lower ends of the strut 26d and the pair of struts 26e are fixed to the lower frame 26b by screws. The support 26d is provided at the center of the frame 26 in the lateral direction, and the pair of support 26e is provided near both ends of the frame 26 in the lateral direction. The support column 26d is provided with a plurality of recesses for mounting a shaft 61a described later. These recesses are recessed rearward from the front surface of the stay 26 d. The support column 26e is provided with a plurality of recesses for mounting a shaft 62a described later. These recesses are recessed rearward from the front surface of the stay 26 e.

The pedestal portion 27 is a portion that serves as a base of the container body 2. The base portion 27 is made of, for example, a metal material. Examples of the metal material include aluminum and stainless steel. The pedestal portion 27 is provided on the lower surface of the bottom plate 22. The base portion 27 includes a support member 27a, a support member 27b, a pair of support members 27c, and a plurality of (three in the present embodiment) support members 27d. The support members 27a and 27b are columnar members extending in the left-right direction. The support members 27a and 27b are disposed apart from each other in the front-rear direction and substantially parallel to each other.

The pair of support members 27c are L-shaped members extending in the front-rear direction. The pair of support members 27c are disposed apart from each other in the left-right direction and substantially parallel to each other. Each support member 27c has a first portion 27e and a second portion 27f. The first portion 27e is a plate-like portion along the bottom plate 22 (XY plane), and extends in the front-rear direction. The second portion 27f extends in the front-rear direction along the inner edge of the first portion 27e in the left-right direction, and is erected downward from the edge. The first portion 27e and the second portion 27f have an L-shape.

The left ends of the support members 27a and 27b are fixed to the second portion 27f of the left support member 27c by screws. The right ends of the support members 27a and 27b are fixed to the second portion 27f of the right support member 27c by screws. That is, the left end of the support member 27a and the left end of the support member 27b are connected by the left support member 27c, and the right end of the support member 27a and the right end of the support member 27b are connected by the right support member 27 c.

The plurality of support members 27d are columnar members extending in the left-right direction. The plurality of support members 27d are arranged in the front-rear direction and are arranged substantially parallel to each other. The left end of each support member 27d is fixed to the left support member 27c by a screw. The right end of each support member 27d is fixed to the right support member 27c by a screw.

The pair of rail members 28 are portions for placing the container body 2 thereon. The pair of rail members 28 are placed on the conveyor when the panel storage container 1 is conveyed by the conveyor, for example. Each rail member 28 is a plate-like member extending in the front-rear direction. The rail member 28 is constructed of, for example, the resin material described above. Each rail member 28 is provided below the support member 27c, and is connected to the support member 27c by a connecting member 49. The coupling member 49 is a member provided with an external thread at a lower end and an internal thread (screw hole) at an upper end. The support member 27c and the rail member 28 are coupled to each other to have a U-shape with the left and right sides open.

The connecting plates 41 to 47 are members for connecting the top plate 21, the bottom plate 22, the side walls 23, the rear wall 24, and the flange 25. The connecting plates 41 to 47 are elongated plate-like members. The connecting plates 41 to 47 are made of, for example, a metal material. Examples of the metal material include aluminum and stainless steel. The connecting plates 41 to 44 and 47 are provided with insertion holes for inserting screws. Screw holes are provided in the connecting plates 45 and 46.

The side plate 48 is a member for attaching a support body 65 described later. The side plate 48 is a plate-like member extending in the up-down direction. The side plate 48 is made of, for example, a metal material. Examples of the metal material include aluminum and stainless steel. The side plate 48 is provided on the outer surface of the body portion 23a of the side wall 23. In the present embodiment, two side plates 48 are provided on each side wall 23. The two side plates 48 are arranged in the front-rear direction and are arranged substantially parallel to each other. One side plate 48 is provided near the center of the side wall 23 in the front-rear direction, and the other side plate 48 is provided near the front end of the side wall 23 in the front-rear direction. The upper ends of the side plates 48 are fixed to the upper end 23b by screws. The lower end of each side plate 48 is fixed to the lower end 23c by a screw. Each side plate 48 is provided with a penetration hole for penetrating a screw.

The cover members C1 to C3 are members for preventing particles (grains) from entering the storage space 20. The cover members C1 to C3 are made of, for example, the resin material described above. The pair of cover members C1 are provided at corners formed by the top plate 21, the side walls 23, and the flange 25. The pair of cover members C2 are provided at the corners formed by the top plate 21, the side walls 23, and the back surface wall 24. The pair of cover members C3 are provided at the corners formed by the bottom plate 22, the side walls 23, and the rear surface wall 24.

Next, a method of connecting the members of the container body 2 will be described.

The rear wall 24 is overlapped with the frame 26 so that the rear surface of the lower frame 26b contacts the inner surface of the lower end 24b of the rear wall 24 in the front-rear direction. Further, the connecting plate 41 is overlapped with the outer surface of the lower end 24 b. In other words, the lower end 24b is sandwiched between the connecting plate 41 and the lower frame 26 b. In this state, the screw is inserted Kong Chuancha through the insertion hole of the connecting plate 41 and the lower end 24b, and the screw is screwed into the screw hole of the lower frame 26 b. Thereby, the lower end 24b is sandwiched between the connecting plate 41 and the lower frame 26b, and the back wall 24 is fixed to the frame 26.

The rear end portion 21b of the top plate 21 is placed on the upper surface of the upper frame 26a, and the upper end portion 24a of the back wall 24 is placed on the rear surface of the upper frame 26a, and the connecting plate 42 is provided so as to cover the rear end portion 21b and the upper end portion 24 a. The connecting plate 42 has a shape along the outer shape of the upper frame 26 a. Specifically, the connecting plate 42 has a portion covering the rear end portion 21b, a portion covering the upper end portion 24a, and a connecting portion connecting these portions. The screw is screwed into a screw hole provided in the upper frame 26a through a penetration hole provided in the connecting portion of the connecting plate 42. Thus, the rear end portion 21b and the upper end portion 24a are sandwiched between the connecting plate 42 and the upper frame 26a, and the top plate 21 and the rear wall 24 are fixed to the frame 26. As a result, the top plate 21 is connected to the back surface wall 24.

The rear end 23e of the side wall 23 is placed on the side surface of the side frame 26c, the side end 24c of the back wall 24 is placed on the rear surface of the side frame 26c, and the connecting plate 43 is provided so as to cover the rear end 23e and the side end 24 c. The connecting plate 43 has a shape along the outer shape of the side frame 26 c. Specifically, the connecting plate 43 has a portion covering the rear end portion 23e, a portion covering the side end portion 24c, and a connecting portion connecting these portions. The screw is screwed into a screw hole provided in the side frame 26c through a penetration hole provided in the connecting portion of the connecting plate 43. Further, the screw is screwed into a screw hole provided in the side surface of the side frame 26c in a penetration hole provided in a portion of the connecting plate 43 covering the rear end portion 23e and a penetration Kong Chuancha screw provided in the rear end portion 23 e. Thereby, the rear end 23e and the side end 24c are sandwiched between the connecting plate 43 and the side frame 26c, and the side wall 23 and the rear wall 24 are fixed to the frame 26. As a result, the side wall 23 and the rear wall 24 are connected.

The side end portion 21c of the top plate 21 is placed on the upper surface of the upper end portion 23b of the side wall 23, and the connecting plate 44 is overlapped on the upper surface of the side end portion 21 c. Two webs 45 extending in the front-rear direction are provided on the lower surface of the upper end portion 23b so as to be away from each other in the front-rear direction. In other words, the side end portion 21c and the upper end portion 23b overlap each other in the vertical direction, and the side end portion 21c and the upper end portion 23b are sandwiched between the connecting plate 44 and the connecting plate 45 in the vertical direction. In this state, screws are sequentially inserted into the insertion holes of the connecting plate 44, the insertion holes of the side end portions 21c, and the insertion holes of the upper end portions 23b, and the screws are screwed into the screw holes of the connecting plate 45. Thus, the side end portion 21c and the upper end portion 23b are sandwiched by the connecting plates 44 and 45, and the top plate 21 is connected to the side wall 23.

The rear end portion of the upper frame 25a of the flange 25 is placed on the upper surface of the front end portion 21a of the top plate 21, and the connecting plate 46 is superimposed on the lower surface of the front end portion 21 a. In other words, the distal end portion 21a is sandwiched between the upper frame 25a and the connecting plate 46 in the up-down direction. In this state, the screw is screwed into the screw hole of the connecting plate 46 by inserting the screw Kong Chuancha into the insertion hole of the upper frame 25a and the tip portion 21 a. Thus, the top plate 21 is coupled to the flange 25 by sandwiching the distal end portion 21a between the upper frame 25a and the coupling plate 46.

The rear surface of the side frame 25c of the flange 25 is overlapped with the front surface of the front end portion 23d of the side wall 23, and the connecting plate 47 is overlapped with the rear surface of the front end portion 23 d. In other words, the front end portion 23d is sandwiched between the side frame 25c and the connecting plate 47 in the front-rear direction. In this state, a screw is inserted Kong Chuancha through the insertion hole of the connecting plate 47 and the distal end portion 23d, and the screw is screwed into the screw hole of the side frame 25 c. Thereby, the side frame 25c and the connecting plate 47 sandwich the distal end 23d, and the side wall 23 is connected to the flange 25.

The rear end 22b is overlapped with the lower frame 26b so that the lower surface of the lower frame 26b of the frame 26 contacts the upper surface of the rear end 22b of the bottom plate 22 in the vertical direction. Further, the support member 27b of the pedestal portion 27 is overlapped with the lower surface of the rear end portion 22 b. In other words, the rear end 22b is sandwiched between the lower frame 26b and the support member 27 b. In this state, the screw is screwed into the screw hole of the support member 27b through the insertion hole of the lower frame 26b and the screw Kong Chuancha inserted into the rear end portion 22 b. Thus, the rear end 22b is sandwiched between the lower frame 26b and the support member 27b, and the bottom plate 22 is fixed to the frame 26 and the pedestal 27.

The support member 27c is disposed on the rail member 28 such that the screw hole of the coupling member 49 overlaps the insertion hole provided in the first portion 27e of the support member 27c by screwing the external screw of the coupling member 49 into the screw hole provided in the rail member 28. The side end 22c of the bottom plate 22 is placed on the upper surface of the support member 27c, and the lower end 23c is overlapped with the side end 22c so that the upper surface of the side end 22c contacts the lower surface of the lower end 23c of the side wall 23 in the vertical direction. In this state, the screw is screwed into the screw hole of the coupling member 49 through the insertion hole of the lower end portion 23c, the insertion hole of the side end portion 22c, and the insertion Kong Chuancha screw of the first portion 27 e. Thus, the side end 22c is sandwiched between the lower end 23c and the support member 27c, and the bottom plate 22 and the side wall 23 are fixed to the pedestal portion 27. As a result, the bottom plate 22 is coupled to the side wall 23, and the pedestal portion 27 is coupled to the rail member 28.

The length of the rear end portion of the upper frame 25a in the lateral direction is shorter than the lengths of the front end portion 21a and the connecting plate 46 in the lateral direction. Therefore, both ends of the front end portion 21a in the left-right direction are not covered with the rear end portion of the upper frame 25 a. Cover members C1 are placed on both ends of the front end portion 21a in the lateral direction. That is, both ends of the distal end portion 21a in the lateral direction are sandwiched between the cover member C1 and the connecting plate 46. In this state, a screw is inserted Kong Chuancha through the insertion hole of the cover member C1 and the distal end portion 21a, and the screw is screwed into the screw hole of the connecting plate 46. Thereby, the cover member C1 is mounted.

The webs 44 and 45 do not extend to the rear ends of the side end portions 21c and the rear ends of the upper end portions 23 b. The cover member C2 is attached so as to sandwich the rear ends of the side end portions 21C and the rear ends of the upper end portions 23 b. In this state, the screw is screwed into the screw hole provided in the lower portion of the cover member C2 through the insertion hole provided in the upper portion of the cover member C2, the insertion hole of the side end portion 21C, and the insertion Kong Chuancha screw of the upper end portion 23 b. Thereby, the cover member C2 is mounted.

The length of the connecting plate 41 in the lateral direction is shorter than the length of the lower end 24b in the lateral direction. Therefore, both ends of the lower end portion 24b in the left-right direction are not covered with the connecting plate 41. The cover member C3 is attached so as to sandwich the rear end of the lower end portion 23C and the rear end of the first portion 27e, and so as to sandwich both ends of the lower end portion 24b in the lateral direction. Further, the cover member C3 is attached by a screw.

The bottom plate 22 and the support member 27c extend forward of the side wall 23. That is, the front end of the side end portion 22c is not covered with the lower end portion 23 c. The distal end of the side end portion 22c is sandwiched between the side frame 25c of the flange 25 and the distal end of the first portion 27 e. In this state, the screw is screwed into a screw hole provided in the lower surface of the side frame 25c through the insertion hole of the first portion 27e and the screw Kong Chuancha inserted into the side end 22 c. Thus, the bottom plate 22 and the flange 25 are fixed to the pedestal portion 27, and the bottom plate 22 is coupled to the flange 25. The front end 22a of the bottom plate 22 is inserted into a groove provided in the rear surface of the lower frame 25b of the flange 25.

Next, the relationship between the flange 25 and the cover 3 will be described with reference to fig. 6 and 7. Fig. 6 is a partial enlarged view of the panel container of fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII of fig. 6. As shown in fig. 6 and 7, the container body 2 further includes a plurality of protection members 29.

The protection member 29 is a convex member for protecting the flange 25. The protective member 29 is constituted of, for example, the resin material described above. The constituent material of the protection member 29 may be the same as or different from that of the flange 25. The protection member 29 is provided between the outer peripheral surface 3a of the lid body 3 and the inner peripheral surface 25s of the flange 25, which face each other in a state where the lid body 3 blocks the opening 2 a. In the present embodiment, the protection member 29 is provided on the inner peripheral surface 25s of the flange 25, and protrudes from the inner peripheral surface 25s toward the outer peripheral surface 3a in a state where the opening 2a is closed by the lid 3. More specifically, the protection member 29 is provided on the inner peripheral surface 25s of the side frame 25c, and protrudes toward the outer peripheral surface 3a of the side end portion of the cover 3. Two protection members 29 (first protection member and second protection member) are provided on each side frame 25c, and the two protection members 29 are provided on the inner peripheral surfaces 25s of the upper and lower ends of the side frame 25 c.

The protection member 29 is detachably provided to the flange 25. The protection member 29 includes a receiving portion 29a and a shaft portion 29b. The receiving portion 29a is a portion protruding from the inner peripheral surface 25s of the flange 25 toward the outer peripheral surface 3 a. The receiving portion 29a has a disk shape, for example. The receiving portion 29a has an abutment surface 29c facing the outer peripheral surface 3 a. The contact surface 29c is a surface against which the cover 3 can contact. The area of the contact surface 29c is smaller than the area of the inner peripheral surface 25s of the side frame 25 c. The contact surface 29c is distant from the outer peripheral surface 3a in design. The distance D between the contact surface 29c and the outer peripheral surface 3a is, for example, about 0.5 mm.

The shaft portion 29b is a portion for attaching the protection member 29 to the flange 25. The shaft portion 29b is provided on a surface of the receiving portion 29a opposite to the contact surface 29c, and extends in a direction opposite to the contact surface 29 c. The shaft portion 29b is fitted into a mounting hole 25t provided in the inner peripheral surface 25s of the side frame 25 c. For example, the shaft portion 29b is press-fitted into the mounting hole 25t, whereby the protection member 29 is mounted to the flange 25 (side frame 25 c). The shaft portion 29b may be joined to the mounting hole 25t by a joining material, whereby the protection member 29 may be mounted to the flange 25 (side frame 25 c). The shaft portion 29b may be externally threaded, and the mounting hole 25t may be internally threaded. In this case, the shaft portion 29b is screwed into the mounting hole 25t, whereby the protection member 29 is mounted to the flange 25 (the side frame 25 c). The shaft portion 29b may be fixed to the mounting hole 25t by using a snap-fit (snap-fit), whereby the protection member 29 may be mounted to the flange 25 (side frame 25 c).

Next, with reference to fig. 8 to 10, a member provided at the bottom of the container body 2 will be described. Fig. 8 is a bottom view of the panel container of fig. 1. Fig. 9 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of the container body of fig. 1. Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the periphery of the air supply and exhaust mechanism. In fig. 8 and 9, for convenience of explanation, a screw for attaching the base substrate 51 and the like to the pedestal 27 is not shown. As shown in fig. 8 and 9, the container body 2 further includes a base substrate 51, a mounting plate 52, a mounting plate 53, a positioning member 54, an air supply and exhaust mechanism 55, and a block 56.

The base substrate 51 is a substrate on which the positioning member 54, the air supply/exhaust mechanism 55, and the bulk 56 are mounted. The base substrate 51 is a rectangular plate material. The base substrate 51 is provided below the pedestal portion 27, and is fixed to the support members 27a and 27d by screws. The base substrate 51 is provided across the support member 27a and the three support members 27d, and does not extend to the rear end portion 22b. That is, the base substrate 51 is disposed near the front end 22a of the bottom plate 22. The front end 51a of the base substrate 51 is positioned below the lower frame 25b of the flange 25. The distal end portion 51a is provided with a penetration hole for penetrating the screw. A screw is inserted Kong Chuancha through the distal end portion 51a, and is screwed into the screw hole of the lower frame 25 b.

The base substrate 51 is provided with a through hole 51g for attaching the positioning member 54 and a through hole 51h for attaching the air supply and exhaust mechanism 55. In the present embodiment, three through holes 51g and four through holes 51h are provided. Three through holes 51g are provided radially from the center of the base substrate 51. Two through holes 51g are provided near both ends in the left-right direction of the front portion of the base substrate 51, and one through hole 51g is provided near the center in the left-right direction of the rear portion of the base substrate 51. Four through holes 51h are provided near four corners of the base substrate 51. A through hole for mounting a radio frequency identification (Radio Frequency Identification, RF-ID) tag is further provided at the rear end portion of the base substrate 51.

The mounting plates 52 and 53 are members for mounting the positioning member 54 to the base substrate 51. The mounting plates 52 and 53 are plate-like members. The mounting plates 52, 53 are made of, for example, the resin material described above. The mounting plate 52 is provided on the lower surface of the front portion of the base substrate 51. The mounting plate 52 is provided with two through holes 52g for exposing the positioning members 54. A through hole for fixing the panel storage container 1 is further provided between the two through holes 52g of the attachment plate 52. The mounting plate 53 is provided on the lower surface of the rear portion of the base substrate 51. The mounting plate 53 is provided with a through hole 53g for exposing the positioning member 54.

The positioning member 54 is a member for positioning the panel storage container 1 (container body 2) by an external device such as a conveyor or a processing device. The positioning member 54 is made of, for example, a metal material. Examples of the metal material include aluminum and stainless steel. The positioning member 54 is a V-shaped plate. The positioning member 54 is fitted into the through hole 51g so as to be recessed (upward) in the bottom plate 22. The V-shaped groove is defined by the V-shaped face of the positioning member 54. For the V-surface, a surface treatment having abrasion resistance was performed. In the present embodiment, the container body 2 includes three positioning members 54.

Two positioning members 54 are fitted into two through holes 51g provided in the front portion of the base substrate 51, and the mounting plate 52 is mounted on the lower surface of the base substrate 51 such that the V-shaped surfaces of the positioning members 54 are exposed from the through holes 52 g. Both ends of the positioning member 54 are sandwiched by the base substrate 51 and the mounting plate 52. Similarly, a positioning member 54 is fitted into one through hole 51g provided in the rear portion of the base substrate 51, and the mounting plate 53 is mounted on the lower surface of the base substrate 51 such that the V-shaped surface of the positioning member 54 is exposed from the through hole 53 g. Both ends of the positioning member 54 are sandwiched by the base substrate 51 and the mounting plate 53.

The panel storage container 1 is positioned by the pins of the external device abutting against the V-shaped surfaces of the positioning members 54. Specifically, the pin is guided by the V-face to the V-shaped groove. Since the panel housing container 1 includes three positioning members 54, the panel housing container 1 is supported at three points. Therefore, the position of the panel storage container 1 can be determined with high accuracy. The number and arrangement of the positioning members 54 may be changed as appropriate.

Furthermore, the positioning member 54 is remote from the lower surface of the base plate 22. Thereby, it is avoided that the V-face force applied to the positioning member 54 from the pin of the external device is transmitted to the base substrate 51 and to the bottom plate 22. Therefore, deformation of the bottom plate 22 is suppressed.

The air supply/exhaust mechanism 55 is a mechanism for supplying air into the storage space 20 and exhausting air from the storage space 20 to maintain the cleanliness and low humidity of the interior (storage space 20) of the panel storage container 1. As an example of the gas to be supplied into the storage space 20, an inert gas may be mentioned. In the present embodiment, the container body 2 includes four air supply and exhaust mechanisms 55. Each of the air supply and exhaust mechanisms 55 is provided between the base plate 22 and the base substrate 51. Each of the gas supply and exhaust mechanisms 55 supplies gas to the storage space 20 or discharges gas from the storage space 20 through the through-hole 22h provided in the bottom plate 22 and the through-hole 51h provided in the base substrate 51. In the present embodiment, the two gas supply and exhaust mechanisms 55 provided at the front discharge gas from the housing space 20, and the two gas supply and exhaust mechanisms 55 provided at the rear supply gas to the housing space 20. The number, arrangement, and function of the air supply and exhaust mechanisms 55 may be arbitrarily changed.

As shown in fig. 10, the air supply and exhaust mechanism 55 includes a filter 55a, a spacer 55b, and a sealing member 55c. The filter 55a is a member for passing gas. The spacer 55b is a member for holding the filter 55a. The spacer 55b is a cylindrical (cylindrical) member having both upper and lower ends open, and the filter 55a is housed in the inner space of the spacer 55 b. A step is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the spacer 55b, and the inner diameter of the upper end of the spacer 55b is smaller than the inner diameter of the lower end. The spacer 55b is provided between the bottom plate 22 and the base substrate 51 so that the through holes 22h and 51h communicate with the internal space of the spacer 55 b.

The filter 55a has a filter body 55d and a cover 55e. The filter body 55d has an annular claw 55f at an upper end, and a screw groove is provided on an outer peripheral surface of a lower end of the filter body 55 d. The cover 55e covers the outer peripheral surface of the lower end and the lower end of the filter body 55 d. The cover 55e has annular claw portions 55g on the outer peripheral surface, and a screw groove is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the cover 55e.

A method of installing the air supply/exhaust mechanism 55 will be described. The lower end of the spacer 55b is fixed to the base substrate 51 by a screw, and the upper end of the spacer 55b is pressed against the lower surface of the bottom plate 22 via a sealing member 55c such as an O-ring. In this state, the filter body 55d is inserted into the inner space of the spacer 55b through the through hole 22 h. At this time, the claw 55f is locked by the peripheral edge portion defining the through hole 22 h. Then, the cover 55e is inserted into the inner space of the spacer 55b through the through hole 51h, and the outer peripheral surface of the filter body 55d is screwed with the inner peripheral surface of the cover 55e, so that the filter body 55d and the cover 55e are integrated. At this time, the claw 55g is locked to the step of the inner peripheral surface of the spacer 55b. That is, the bottom plate 22 and the spacer 55b are held by the claw portions 55f and 55 g. Further, by screwing the outer peripheral surface of the filter body 55d and the inner peripheral surface of the cover 55e, the bottom plate 22 and the spacer 55b are closely adhered and hermetically fixed.

The block 56 is a member for suppressing deformation of the panel storage container 1 (container body 2). The bulk material 56 is composed of, for example, the resin material described above. The bulk material 56 is disposed on the lower surface of the base substrate 51. The bulk material 56 is provided further rearward than the center of the base substrate 51 in the front-rear direction. More specifically, the block 56 is provided further rearward than the centers in the front-rear direction of the two positioning members 54 provided in the front and the one positioning member 54 provided in the rear. In the present embodiment, the container body 2 includes two blocks 56. The two blocks 56 are provided at corners formed by the rear end edge and the side end edge of the base substrate 51, respectively.

Next, the structure in the housing space 20 will be described with reference to fig. 11 and 12. Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XI-XI of fig. 2. Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XII-XII of fig. 11. As shown in fig. 11, the container body 2 further includes a panel support 60. The panel support 60 is a portion for supporting a panel. The panel support portion 60 includes a plurality of support portions 61, a plurality of support portions 62, a plurality of stoppers 63, and a plurality of stoppers 64.

The number of the supporting portions 61, 62, the stoppers 63, and the stoppers 64 is changed according to the number of panels that can be accommodated in the panel accommodating container 1. In the present embodiment, the panel support portion 60 includes one support portion 61, two support portions 62, two stoppers 63, and two stoppers 64 for each panel. In other words, the one support portion 61, the two support portions 62, the two stoppers 63, and the two stoppers 64 form a storage layer for storing one panel.

The support portion 61 is a portion for supporting a central portion of the panel in the lateral direction. The support portion 61 has a shaft 61a and a plurality of elastic bodies 61b. The shaft 61a is a columnar (e.g., columnar) member extending in the front-rear direction. The rear end of the shaft 61a is fitted into the recess of the stay 26d, and is fixed to the stay 26d by a screw. The shaft 61a is made of a material having high bending rigidity, for example. Examples of the constituent material of the shaft 61a include metals such as stainless steel and aluminum, and carbon fiber reinforced plastics.

The elastic body 61b is an annular (e.g., circular) member provided on the outer peripheral surface of the shaft 61 a. The elastic body 61b is provided to suppress the sliding of the panel and to improve the positioning accuracy of the panel. The elastic body 61b may also have a higher friction force than the shaft 61a in terms of preventing the sliding of the panel. The elastic body 61b may also have higher elasticity (cushioning property) than the shaft 61a in terms of preventing damage to the panel. The elastic body 61b is made of, for example, a rubber material. Examples of the rubber material include ethylene propylene diene rubber (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer, EPDM), silicone rubber, and fluororubber. The elastic body 61b is, for example, an O-ring. The plurality of elastic bodies 61b are arranged at regular intervals in the extending direction of the shaft 61 a. The distance between two elastic bodies 61b adjacent to each other may be in the range of 50mm to 100mm from the viewpoint of improving positioning accuracy.

The support portion 62 is a portion for supporting both end portions of the panel in the left-right direction. The support 62 includes a shaft 62a, a plurality of elastic bodies 62b, and a plurality of support bodies 65. The shaft 62a is a columnar (e.g., cylindrical) member extending in the front-rear direction. The rear end of the shaft 62a is fitted into a recess of the stay 26e and fixed to the stay 26e by a screw. The shaft 62a is made of a material having high bending rigidity, for example. Examples of the constituent material of the shaft 62a include metals such as stainless steel and aluminum, and carbon fiber reinforced plastics. The length of the shaft 62a in the front-rear direction is slightly longer than the length of the panel in the front-rear direction, and longer than the length of the shaft 61a in the front-rear direction.

The elastic body 62b is an annular (e.g., circular) member provided on the outer peripheral surface of the shaft 62 a. The elastic body 62b is provided to suppress the sliding of the panel and to improve the positioning accuracy of the panel. The constituent materials and arrangements of the elastic body 62b are the same as those of the elastic body 61b, and thus detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The support body 65 is a member for supporting the shaft 62 a. As shown in fig. 12, the support body 65 includes a mounting portion 65a and an attaching portion 65b. The mounting portion 65a is a portion on which the end portions of the panel in the left-right direction are mounted. The placement portion 65a has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape extending in the left-right direction. The end portions of the panel in the left-right direction are placed on the upper surface of the placement portion 65 a. A penetration hole 65c for penetrating the shaft 62a is provided at the front end portion of the placement portion 65 a. The insertion hole 65c penetrates the mounting portion 65a in the front-rear direction.

The mounting portion 65b is a portion for mounting the support body 65 to the side plate 48. The mounting portion 65b is provided at the base end of the mounting portion 65 a. The mounting portion 65b protrudes upward from the upper surface of the mounting portion 65a, and has an inclined surface 65d that is inclined downward as the base end of the self-supporting body 65 faces the front end. The mounting portion 65b is provided with a screw hole extending in the left-right direction from the end surface of the mounting portion 65 b. In a state where the mounting portion 65b is pressed against the inner surface of the side wall 23 (the main body portion 23 a), a screw is screwed into the screw hole of the mounting portion 65b through the insertion hole of the side plate 48 and the insertion Kong Chuancha screw of the main body portion 23 a. Thus, the support body 65 is fixed to the side plate 48 in a state where the side wall 23 (the main body portion 23 a) is sandwiched between the support body 65 and the side plate 48.

The stopper 63 is a member for preventing the panel from flying out and determining the position of the front end of the panel. The stopper 63 is constituted of, for example, the resin material described above. The stopper 63 is provided at the front end of the shaft 62a. For example, the stopper 63 is attached to the shaft 62a by fitting the tip of the shaft 62a into an attachment hole provided in the stopper 63. The stopper 63 has a circular plate-shaped locking piece 63a, and the locking piece 63a has an outer diameter larger than that of the elastic body 62 b. The locking piece 63a has an inclined surface inclined rearward from the outer peripheral surface toward the center.

The stopper 64 is a member for determining the position of the rear end of the panel. The stopper 64 is constituted of, for example, the resin material described above. The stopper 64 is provided at the rear end portion of the shaft 62 a. The stopper 64 has a block shape. The stopper 64 is provided with a penetration hole for penetrating the shaft 62a in the front-rear direction. In a state where the shaft 62a is inserted into the insertion hole of the stopper 64, the rear surface of the stopper 64 abuts against the front surface of the column 26e, and the stopper 64 is fixed to the column 26e by a screw. The stopper 64 has an inclined surface 64a that is inclined forward as going downward from the upper surface.

The mounting position of the mounting panel is defined by the stopper 63, the stopper 64, and the support body 65. Specifically, the stopper 63 and the stopper 64 define the placement position of the panel in the front-rear direction, and the four supports 65 provided on the left and right define the placement position of the panel in the left and right direction. For example, the panel is carried into the accommodation space 20 by a robot, and is placed on any one of the accommodation layers. At this time, the position of the panel may be slightly shifted due to an error or the like. For example, even if the front end of the panel is placed on the inclined surface of the locking piece 63a of the stopper 63, the panel is guided to the placement position along the inclined surface by the self weight of the panel. Similarly, even if the rear end of the panel rests on the inclined surface 64a of the stopper 64, the panel is guided to the mounting position along the inclined surface 64a by the self weight of the panel. Similarly, even if the side end of the panel is placed on the inclined surface 65d of the support body 65, the panel is guided to the placement position along the inclined surface 65d by the self weight of the panel.

In the panel storage container 1 described above, the convex protection member 29 is provided between the outer peripheral surface 3a of the lid body 3 and the inner peripheral surface 25s of the flange 25, which face each other in a state where the lid body 3 blocks the opening 2 a. Specifically, the protection member 29 is provided on the inner peripheral surface 25s of the flange 25, and protrudes from the inner peripheral surface 25s toward the outer peripheral surface 3a in a state where the opening 2a is closed by the lid 3. When the lid 3 is attached to the flange 25 or when the lid 3 is detached from the flange 25, the outer peripheral surface 3a of the lid 3 may approach the inner peripheral surface 25s of the flange 25 due to tilting or the like of the lid 3. In this case, the outer peripheral surface 3a of the cover 3 may contact the protection member 29 before contacting the inner peripheral surface 25s of the flange 25. Therefore, the possibility that the outer peripheral surface 3a of the cover 3 contacts the inner peripheral surface 25s of the flange 25 can be reduced. Further, since the protection member 29 is convex, the contact area between the outer peripheral surface 3a of the cover 3 and the protection member 29 is smaller than the contact area between the outer peripheral surface 3a of the cover 3 and the inner peripheral surface 25s of the flange 25. As a result, damage to the panel storage container 1 can be suppressed.

Since the protection member 29 is detachably provided to the flange 25, the protection member 29 can be replaced. For example, in the case where the protection member 29 is damaged, the damage to the protection member 29 is repaired by replacing the protection member 29 with a new protection member 29. Therefore, damage to the panel storage container 1 can be suppressed.

For example, when the lid body 3 is inclined, the outer peripheral surface 3a of the lid body 3 is highly likely to approach the inner peripheral surfaces 25s at both ends of the side frame 25 c. On the other hand, the inner peripheral surface 25s at both ends (upper and lower ends) of the side frame 25c is provided with a protection member 29. According to this structure, even if the outer peripheral surface 3a of the cover 3 approaches the inner peripheral surface 25s of the upper end of the side frame 25c or the inner peripheral surface 25s of the lower end of the side frame 25c, the outer peripheral surface 3a of the cover 3 contacts the protection member 29 before contacting the inner peripheral surface 25s of the flange 25. Therefore, damage to the panel storage container 1 can be further suppressed.

The lid body 31 is made of a metal material, and the flange 25 is made of a resin material. Therefore, if the outer peripheral surface 3a of the lid body 3 contacts the inner peripheral surface 25s of the flange 25, dust may be generated and mixed into the panel storage container 1. According to the panel storage container 1, the possibility that the outer peripheral surface 3a of the lid body 3 contacts the inner peripheral surface 25s of the flange 25 can be reduced, and thus dust generation can be suppressed.

For example, when the side end portion 21c and the upper end portion 23b are connected by a screw without using the connecting plates 44 and 45, there is a possibility that the side end portion 21c and the upper end portion 23b are not sufficiently closely adhered to each other at a portion where the screw is not provided. In contrast, in the panel storage container 1, the side end portion 21c and the upper end portion 23b are sandwiched by the connecting plates 44 and 45, and the top plate 21 and the side wall 23 are connected. In this configuration, the side end portion 21c and the upper end portion 23b are sandwiched between the connecting plates 44 and 45, so that the adhesion between the side end portion 21c and the upper end portion 23b can be improved. As a result, the air tightness of the housing space 20 can be improved.

The side plate 48 is sandwiched between the upper end 23b and the lower end 23 c. Therefore, the position of the side plate 48 in the up-down direction can be aligned with high accuracy, and thus the position accuracy of the support body 65 in the up-down direction can be improved. The lower end 23c is fixed to a support member 27c of the base 27, and the support member 27c is connected to the support member 27a, the support member 27b, and the support member 27d. Therefore, when the panel is mounted on the support 65, the entire mount 27 can be used to receive the weight of the panel. As a result, the panel can be stably supported.

By providing the lid members C1 to C3 at the corners of the container body 2, gaps between the members can be closed, and the possibility of particles entering the storage space 20 from these gaps can be reduced.

The positioning member 54 is made of a metal material, and is surface-treated with wear resistance on the V-face. Therefore, the strength can be improved as compared with the case where the positioning member 54 is made of a resin material. Therefore, even when the weight of the panel storage container 1 is large, deformation of the positioning member 54 can be suppressed. As a result, the position of the panel container 1 can be stabilized, and the positioning accuracy of the panel container 1 can be improved. The V-shaped surface of the positioning member 54 is exposed from the through holes 52g and 53g of the mounting plates 52 and 53. Since the mounting plates 52 and 53 are made of a resin material, the pins are easily slid even when they rest on the peripheral edges defining the through holes 52g and 53 g. Thus, the pin can be guided by the V-face to the V-shaped slot.

The front ends of pins of an external device such as a conveyor or a processing device are brought into contact with V-shaped surfaces of the positioning members 54, thereby supporting the panel storage container 1. In the panel storage container 1, since two positioning members 54 are provided at the front and one positioning member 54 is provided at the rear, the panel storage container 1 tends to be lowered further than the front portion and rear portion of the panel storage container 1 in a state where the panel storage container 1 is supported. At this time, the block 56 is brought into contact with an external device, whereby tilting of the panel storage container 1 can be suppressed. As a result, deformation of the panel storage container 1 can be suppressed.

The panel container of the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments.

In the above embodiment, the screw is used as an example of the fixing member, but other fixing members may be used instead of the screw.

In the above embodiment, the flange 25 is formed by connecting the upper frame 25a, the lower frame 25b, and the pair of side frames 25c, but the flange 25 may be an integrally molded product.

In the above embodiment, the protection member 29 is provided on the pair of side frames 25c, but may be provided on at least one of the upper frame 25a, the lower frame 25b, and the pair of side frames 25c constituting the flange 25. For example, the protection member 29 may be provided not on the pair of side frames 25c but on the upper frame 25a and the lower frame 25b. The protection member 29 may be provided on the upper frame 25a, the lower frame 25b, and the pair of side frames 25c, respectively. The number and installation positions of the protection members 29 for each frame material can be arbitrarily set.

In the above embodiment, the protection member 29 is configured to be detachable from the flange 25, but may be fixed to the flange 25. In the above embodiment, the protection member 29 and the flange 25 are separate members, but may be integrally formed with the protection member 29.

The protection member 29 may be provided on the outer peripheral surface 3a of the cover 3 as a member separate from the cover 3. The protection member 29 may be integrally formed with the cover 3. In these cases, the protection member 29 protrudes from the outer peripheral surface 3a toward the inner peripheral surface 25s in a state where the cover 3 blocks the opening 2 a. Therefore, even when the outer peripheral surface 3a of the cover 3 approaches the inner peripheral surface 25s of the flange 25, the possibility of contacting the protective member 29 increases before the outer peripheral surface 3a of the cover 3 contacts the inner peripheral surface 25s of the flange 25. Therefore, damage to the panel storage container 1 can be further suppressed.

Further, the protection member 29 may be detachably provided to the cover 3. For example, in the case where the protection member 29 is damaged, the damage to the protection member 29 is repaired by replacing the protection member 29 with a new protection member 29. Therefore, damage to the panel storage container 1 can be suppressed.

The method of connecting the members of the container body 2 may be different from the above-described embodiment. In the above embodiment, the container body 2 is formed by combining a plurality of parts, but may be an integrally molded product. The panel support 60 may also have a different structure from the embodiment.

Description of the reference numerals

1 Panel containing Container 2 Container body 2a opening

3 cover 3a outer peripheral surface 25 flange

25a upper frame (frame portion) 25b lower frame (frame portion) 25c side frame (frame portion)

25s inner peripheral surface 29 protection member (first protection member, second protection member)

31 cover body.

Claims

1. A panel storage container comprising:

a container body having a flange defining an opening for receiving a plurality of panels;

a cover for blocking the opening; and

and a convex protection member provided between an outer peripheral surface of the cover and an inner peripheral surface of the flange, the outer peripheral surfaces facing each other in a state where the cover blocks the opening.

2. The panel housing container according to claim 1, wherein the protection member is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the flange, and protrudes from the inner peripheral surface toward the outer peripheral surface in a state where the cover blocks the opening.

3. The panel housing container according to claim 2, wherein the protection member is detachably provided to the flange.

4. The panel housing container according to claim 1, wherein the protection member is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the cover body, and protrudes from the outer peripheral surface toward the inner peripheral surface in a state where the cover body blocks the opening.

5. The panel storage container according to claim 4, wherein the protection member is detachably provided to the cover.

6. The panel housing container according to any one of claim 1 to 5, wherein,

the flange is a rectangular frame body,

the protection member includes a first protection member and a second protection member,

the first protection member and the second protection member are provided between the inner peripheral surface and the outer peripheral surface at both ends of a frame portion forming one side of the frame body.

7. The panel housing container according to any one of claim 1 to 6, wherein,

the cover body includes a cover body including the outer peripheral surface,

the cover body is formed of a metallic material,

the flange is made of a resin material.