JP2009214902A - Substrate storing container - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a substrate storing container capable of appropriately bringing the front face part and the rim flange of a container body into contact with an access opening of a load port apparatus. <P>SOLUTION: The substrate storing container opposes the front face part horizontally opened of the container body 1 for storing two semiconductor wafers to the access opening of the load port apparatus, and is equipped with the rim flange 10 formed on the peripheral edge of the front face part of the container body 1, overhanging in the outward direction and opposing the access opening of the load port apparatus, a plurality of fitting holes 12 respectively penetrated through on both side parts of the rim flange 10, and information pads 15 being information displaying pads selectively inserted into a plurality of the fitting holes 12 and being freely removable. Each of the fitting holes 12 is formed of an expanding diameter part 13 positioned at the front face side of the rim flange 10 and a contracting diameter part integrally formed with the expanding diameter part 13 and positioned at the back face side of the rim flange 10, and the front face part of the information pad 15 is arranged approximately flush to the front face of the rim flange 10, or is buried into the expanding diameter part of the fitting hole 12. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a substrate storage container that stores a small number of substrates made of semiconductor wafers and the like, and more particularly to an improvement of the container body.

  Although not shown, the substrate storage container used when processing semiconductor wafers in a short period of time at an LSI manufacturer or the like opens and closes the container main body that stores three or less semiconductor wafers and the open front portion of the container main body. And a locking mechanism that locks the lid fitted to the front portion of the container body, and is mounted on a load port device that is an interface with a semiconductor processing apparatus (see Patent Document 1).

The container body is provided with a rim flange facing the loading / unloading port of the load port device on the periphery of the front portion thereof, and a plurality of round mounting holes are formed on both sides of the rim flange. An info pad, which is a detachable information display pad for displaying information such as the presence / absence and number of semiconductor wafers, is selectively inserted.
JP 2006-100712 A

  The conventional substrate storage container is configured as described above, and since the info pad is simply inserted into the mounting hole of the container body, the front of the info pad inserted into the mounting hole protrudes forward from the front of the rim flange. Will be. As a result, there is a problem in that the protruding portion on the front surface of the info pad becomes an obstacle, and the front portion of the container body and the rim flange do not properly come into contact with the loading / unloading port of the load port device, thereby hindering the work.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object of the present invention is to provide a substrate storage container in which the front portion of the container body and the rim flange can be appropriately brought into contact with the loading / unloading port of the load port device.

In the present invention, in order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the front part opened horizontally in the container main body for storing three or less substrates is opposed to the loading / unloading port of the load port device,
A rim flange that is formed on the peripheral edge of the front of the container body and projects outwards, and faces the loading / unloading port of the load port device, a mounting hole drilled in the side of the rim flange, and a selective insertion into the mounting hole Including a removable information display pad,
A mounting hole is formed from a large diameter portion located on the front side of the rim flange and a reduced diameter portion formed integrally with the large diameter portion and located on the back side of the rim flange, and the front portion of the information display pad is It is characterized in that it is substantially flush with the front surface of the rim flange or buried in the enlarged diameter portion of the mounting hole.

Note that the information display pad is preferably formed from a column portion that fits into the enlarged diameter portion of the attachment hole, and an elastic locking piece that extends from the column portion and catches on the reduced diameter portion of the attachment hole.
In addition, a lid that opens and closes the front part of the container body that opens horizontally is provided, and this lid is provided with a locking mechanism that locks the lid that closes the front part of the container body, and the locking mechanism is supported by the lid. The slide body is slidable in the left, right, inner and outer directions, and is rotatably supported at the tip of the slide body. The slide body protrudes from the through hole in the side wall of the lid and can interfere with the locking groove inside the front portion of the container body. A locking claw, a spring that slides the sliding body to the left and right outward of the lid body, and a locking claw that protrudes from the through hole of the lid body, and an end of the slide body are provided, and an operation pin is provided from the outside of the lid body. The operation hole of the slide body is formed in a substantially circular shape, and a part located on the left and right inward direction side of the lid body is a straight vertical flat portion, and the lid is opened from the front portion of the container body. When removing the body, insert the operation pin into the operation hole of the slide body and Slide the de body in the lateral inward direction of the lid, the locking claw that protrudes may be made to Shisabotsu in the through hole of the lid.

  Further, the lid is fitted to the open front portion of the container main body to house the locking mechanism, the front cover covering the open front portion of the housing, and the locking mechanism provided on the front cover. An operation port facing the operation hole of the slide body, and the operation port is formed in a horizontally long shape extending in the left / right / inside / outside direction of the lid, and the left / right outer direction side serves as a widened portion and is positioned on the left / right inner direction side. The remaining part may be a narrow part.

  Here, the substrates in the claims include at least various glass substrates, cover glasses, semiconductor wafers (φ200 mm, 300 mm, 450 mm, etc.), photomasks, and the like. The container body is not particularly required to be transparent, opaque, translucent, or the like, but is shorter than a substrate storage container that stores 25 or 26 φ300 mm semiconductor wafers. For example, in the case of storing two substrates made of a semiconductor wafer having a diameter of 300 mm, the height is 6 cm or less.

According to the present invention, there is an effect that the front portion of the container body and the rim flange can be appropriately brought into contact with the loading / unloading port of the load port device.
Further, if the information display pad is formed of a column portion that fits into the enlarged diameter portion of the mounting hole and an elastic locking piece that extends from the column portion and catches on the reduced diameter portion of the mounting hole, Since it is locked to the reduced diameter portion, it is possible to effectively prevent the information display pad from coming off from the mounting hole even if the information display pad is not strongly inserted.

  Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of a substrate storage container according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The substrate storage container in this embodiment is a container body 1 for storing a semiconductor wafer W as shown in FIGS. A rim flange 10 that is provided around the periphery of the front portion of the opening and extends outward and faces the loading / unloading port 3 of the load port device 2, a plurality of mounting holes 12 drilled in the rim flange 10, and the plurality And a removable info pad 15 to be inserted into the mounting hole 12, and a counterbore is formed in each mounting hole 12 so that the front portion of the info pad 15 is flush with the front surface of the rim flange 10 or attached. It is made to be buried in the hole 12.

  As shown in FIG. 3, each semiconductor wafer W is made of, for example, a thin and round silicon type of φ300 mm, and an orientation flat or a substantially semicircular notch for a plane is selectively formed on the peripheral edge.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the container body 1 has a short front opening for aligning and storing two semiconductor wafers W by injecting a molding material containing a predetermined resin into a molding die. The lid 20 is injection-molded into a box type, and the same shape of the lid 20 is detachably fitted to the open lateral front portion via an endless gasket 28. The lid 20 closes the front portion of the container body 1. The locking mechanism 40 that locks the lid 20 is built in, and is mounted on the load port device 2 so that the front portion and the rim flange 10 are opposed to the loading / unloading port 3.

  As the mold, an injection molding type (not shown) is used and is mounted on an injection molding machine. In this mold, a plurality of reciprocating protruding pins protruding together with the mold opening are built in a state of being fixed to the protruding plate.

  Examples of the predetermined resin of the molding material for molding the container body 1 include polycarbonate, polyetherimide, polyetheretherketone, polybutylene terephthalate and the like which are excellent in mechanical properties, heat resistance, dimensional stability and the like. Necessary carbon, carbon fiber, metal fiber, carbon nanotube, antistatic agent, flame retardant and the like are selectively added to these resins.

  A pair of left and right teeth 4 that horizontally support the semiconductor wafer W are provided inside the container main body 1, specifically, on the inner surfaces of the opposite side walls, and the pair of teeth 4 are spaced apart in the vertical direction. Are arranged. Each tooth 4 is formed into a long and narrow plate in the front-rear direction of the container body 1, and the end portion of the container body 1 near the back wall is tapered. A rib flange 5 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the container body 1 to increase the mechanical strength and rigidity of the container body 1, and the rib flange 5 on the back wall side protrudes and faces the pin when the container body 1 is removed.

  The rib flange 5 is integrally formed on the back wall and both side walls of the container body 1 from the outside, and has a deformed planar substantially U shape. The rib flange 5 of the back wall is formed in, for example, a long and thin plate shape, and both side portions are horizontally positioned substantially at the center of both sides of the back wall of the container body 1, and the center portion is the back wall of the container body 1. Located below the center. In addition, metal balance weights 6 are screwed from the lower side on both sides of the rib flange 5 on the back wall so that the front part of the container body 1 does not tilt downward, so that the container body 1 is removed from the mold. It functions to face a plurality of protruding pins from the outside during molding.

  The central portion of the rib flange 5 on the back wall is bent into a substantially W shape to form a concave portion, and the opening of the concave portion faces downward and functions as a positioning portion 7 for the load port device 2 of the container body 1. Moreover, the rib flange 5 of each side wall is formed in, for example, a long and thin plate shape, the front part is located below the front part of each side wall, and the remaining part other than the front part is the remaining part other than the front part of each side wall. It is located horizontally in the approximate center of and is integrated with the rib flange 5 of the back wall. The front portion of the rib flange 5 on each side wall is bent into a substantially inverted V shape to form a recess, and the opening of this recess functions downward as a positioning portion 7 for the load port device 2.

  A plurality of attached ribs 8 having a substantially Y-shaped plane are erected at a substantially central portion of the ceiling of the container body 1, and a substantially planar surface gripped by a transport mechanism (not shown) is provided on the plurality of attached ribs 8. A triangular or polygonal suspension flange 9 is detachably screwed later through a fastener such as a screw.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 to 5 and 7 to 9, the front portion of the container body 1 is bent and formed to spread outward to form a rim flange 10. The locking grooves 11 for locking the lid 20 are cut out in the vertical direction. A plurality of mounting holes 12 are vertically perforated on both sides of the rim flange 10 projecting to the left and right, and an info pad 15 is selectively inserted into the plurality of mounting holes 12, and the load port device 2. Are detected by the detection means (for example, a photoelectric sensor, a photo sensor, a touch sensor, etc.), the load port device 2 identifies the presence / absence and number of the semiconductor wafers W, the type of the substrate storage container, and the like.

  As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, each mounting hole 12 is formed with a round enlarged diameter portion 13 located on the front side of the rim flange 10 and is formed integrally with the enlarged diameter portion 13 and located on the rear side of the rim flange 10. And a rounded reduced diameter portion 14. Further, as shown in FIG. 8, the info pad 15 includes a cylindrical portion 16 that fits into the enlarged diameter portion 13 of the mounting hole 12 and a pair of locking pieces 17 that extend from the back side of the cylindrical portion 16. The The pair of locking pieces 17 have elasticity and spring properties, bend inward and outward in the radius of the cylindrical portion 16, and lock on the periphery of the reduced diameter portion 14 to prevent the info pad 15 from falling off the mounting hole 12. To do.

  As shown in FIGS. 2, 4, 7, 10 to 13, the lid 20 is detachably fitted to the front portion of the container body 1, and has a horizontally long casing 21 containing a locking mechanism 40. And a transparent surface cover 32 that is screwed onto and covers the open front portion (surface portion) of the casing 21, and is attached to and detached from the container body 1 by a lid opening / closing device (not shown). The

  A plurality of holding ribs 22 for the locking mechanism 40 are integrally formed on both sides of the housing 21 so as to integrally project, and both sides of the peripheral wall are for the locking mechanism 40 facing the locking groove 11 of the container body 1. In the vicinity of the inner peripheral edge of each slot 23, a support rib 24 for the locking mechanism 40 is integrally formed. A horizontally long mounting hole 25 is formed in the center of the rear surface of the housing 21, and a front retainer 26 that elastically holds the front peripheral edges of the plurality of semiconductor wafers W with elastic pieces. Installed.

  A laterally long frame-shaped mounting groove 27 is cut out at the peripheral edge of the back surface of the housing 21, and an elastic gasket 28 interposed between the container body 1 and the mounting groove 27 is fitted into the mounting groove 27. The gasket 28 is made of, for example, various thermoplastic elastomers (for example, olefin type) that can be coated with silicone rubber, fluororubber, or diamond-like carbon (also referred to as DLC) 31 having excellent heat resistance, flame resistance, cold resistance, and compression characteristics. Etc.) is formed into a horizontally long frame shape that can be elastically deformed.

  As shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the gasket 28 includes an endless frame-shaped attachment portion 29 that fits into the attachment groove 27 of the lid 20, and a rim flange of the container body 1 that is integrally formed with the attachment portion 29. 10 is a hard diamond-like carbon that is excellent in high smoothness, wear resistance, corrosion resistance, low friction coefficient, and high gas barrier properties. 31 is coated by batch processing or the like, and this diamond-like carbon 31 comes into contact with the inner peripheral edge of the rim flange 10.

  The gasket 28 has a substantially U-shaped cross section, and the thickness and length of both free ends thereof are different, and the outer free end portion extends longer than the inner free end portions of both free ends. Both free ends of the gasket 28 are obliquely cut so that the thin inner free end is easily deformed and tightly fitted in the mounting groove 27 of the lid 20, and the end surface of the thick outer free end is The contact portion 30 is sharpened to have a substantially triangular cross section, and the remaining portion other than the contact portion 30 is the attachment portion 29.

  Diamond-like carbon 31 is formed into an amorphous hard film by carbon-containing gas being decomposed atomically in plasma, and has a feature that the surface is smooth and has grain boundaries due to a dense amorphous structure. From the viewpoint of maintaining the flexibility and followability of the gasket 28, it is coated to a thickness of about 10 to 300 nm.

  The front cover 32 is formed in a horizontally long and substantially rectangular shape, and operation ports 33 for the locking mechanism 40 are respectively perforated in a substantially convex shape on both sides. A front circular suction region 36 that is vacuum-sucked by the apparatus is formed. Each operation port 33 is formed in a horizontally long shape extending in the left-right inward / outward direction of the lid 20, the left-right outer direction side is a widened portion 34 with a curved side, and the remaining portion located on the left-right inner direction side is a rectangular narrow-width portion A pair of guide pieces 37 for the locking mechanism 40 are integrally formed in the inner direction of the housing 21 at the rear surface side peripheral edge portion.

  As shown in FIGS. 4, 7, 10, and the like, the locking mechanism 40 includes a pair of link plates 41 that are supported on both inner sides of the housing 21 and are slidable in the left and right inner and outer directions, and each slot hole of the housing 21. A pair of swingable locking claws 45 that are pivotally supported by 23 and supported to be connected to the distal end of the link plate 41 and engage with the locking groove 11 of the container body 1 to interfere with each other, and each link plate 41 and a pair of coil springs 47 that cause the locking claws 45 to interfere with the locking grooves 11 of the container body 1 and the outermost end 43 side of each link plate 41, and each operation pin is inserted from the outside of the lid And an operation hole 48 to be configured.

  Each link plate 41 is formed, for example, in a substantially Y-shaped plate having a bifurcated tip, and a collar 42 that is a cylindrical body for the coil spring 47 is slidably fitted in the center of the rod. And the most distal end portion 43 are slidably sandwiched between a pair of guide pieces 37 of the surface cover 32, and the most distal end portion 43 has a front semi-elliptical operation facing the operation port 33 of the surface cover 32. Hole 48 is drilled.

  A link arm 44, which is a substantially U-shaped arm that restricts the sliding and dropping off of the collar 42, is fitted and supported at the end of the link plate 41 so as to be swingable in the left / right / inside / outward direction via a pin. It is pivotally supported by the holding rib 22 of the housing 21 so as to be swingable in the left and right inner and outer directions via pins.

  Each latching claw 45 is bent and formed into a deformed substantially V shape, and the bent portion is pivotally supported by the support rib 24 of the housing 21 via a pin so as to be swingable. One end of the locking claw 45 is pivotally supported via a pin between the bifurcated tip portions of the link plate 41, and the container main body 1 is latched between the other bifurcated other ends. A plurality of rollers 46 in sliding contact with the groove 11 are rotatably supported via pins. Each roller 46 is formed into a cylindrical shape using, for example, the same material as that of the container body 1.

  Each of the coil springs 47 is inserted into the center portion of the link plate 41 and interposed between the wide tip end side of the link plate 41 and the collar 42, presses the collar 42 against the link arm 44, and The other end portion of the locking claw 45, that is, the plurality of rollers 46 is protruded from the slot 23 to the outside.

  Each operation hole 48 is basically formed in a substantially elliptical shape on the front, and a peripheral edge portion located on the left and right inward side of the lid body 20 is notched into a vertical flat portion 49 that is linear in the vertical direction. The operation pin comes into contact with the vertical flat portion 49 when the lid 20 is removed.

  Although not shown, each operation pin includes an elongated cylindrical pin portion and a bulging portion that is integrally formed with the pin portion and bulges outward in the radial direction, and is operated automatically or manually. The operation pin is inserted into the operation hole 48 of the link plate 41 through the operation port 33, and the bulging portion appropriately contacts and interferes with the operation port 33 of the surface cover 32 to support the lid 20. To function.

  In the above configuration, when the info pad 15 is selectively inserted into the plurality of mounting holes 12 of the container body 1, the pair of locking pieces 17 of the info pad 15 is inserted into the selected mounting hole 12 and pressed. good. Then, a pair of locking pieces 17 are locked to the peripheral edge of the back surface of the reduced diameter portion 14 of the mounting hole 12 while being bent, and the cylindrical portion 16 of the info pad 15 is fitted to the enlarged diameter portion 13 of the mounting hole 12, The front portion of the info pad 15 is aligned and aligned with the front surface of the flange 10.

  Conversely, when the info pad 15 is removed from the mounting hole 12 of the container body 1, the pair of locking pieces 17 of the info pad 15 are bent inward to lock the back surface side periphery of the reduced diameter portion 14. The info pad 15 may be pressed from the back side of the rim flange 10 to the front side.

  Further, when the open front portion of the container body 1 containing the semiconductor wafer W is closed by the lid body 20, the lid body 20 is pressed and fitted into the rim flange 10 of the container body 1 by the lid body opening / closing device. The contact portion 30 of the gasket 28 is pressed and deformed to the inner peripheral edge of the rim flange 10 via the diamond-like carbon 31 and the groove 23 of the lid 20 is made to face each locking groove 11 of the container body 1. .

  Then, the link plate 41 is slid horizontally in the left and right outer directions of the lid body 20 while being guided by the holding rib 22, the guide piece 37, and the link arm 44 by the restoring action of each compressed coil spring 47, and the locking claw 45 is moved. A plurality of rollers 46 that are swung in the front and back direction of the lid 20 and projecting while the other end of the locking claw 45 arcs outwardly from the slot 23 of the lid 20 are arranged on the container body 1. By fitting in the stop groove 11 and inserting the plurality of rollers 46, the front portion of the container body 1 is firmly closed by the lid body 20, and airtightness and airtightness are ensured.

  When no load is applied to the locking mechanism 40 as described above, the roller 46 of the locking claw 45 that swings and protrudes into each locking groove 11 of the container body 1 is fitted so as to be able to roll and contact the front surface of the container body 1. The part is covered with the lid 20.

  On the other hand, when removing the locked lid 20 from the front portion of the container main body 1 containing the semiconductor wafer W, the operation pins are inserted into the operation holes 48 of the pair of link plates 41 and the operation ports 33 of the lid 20 are connected. Each link plate 41 may be slid in the left-right inward direction of the lid body 20 by inserting each operation pin from the outside and moving each operation pin from the widened portion 34 of the operation port 33 toward the narrow-width portion 35.

  Then, each link plate 41 slides horizontally in the left-right inward direction of the cover body 20 while compressing the coil spring 47, and the locking claw 45 swings while drawing an arc to expose the other end, that is, a plurality of rollers. 46 is retracted into the slot 23 of the lid 20, and the other end of the locking claw 45 is retracted, so that the plurality of rollers 46 are removed from the locking groove 11 of the container body 1 and the lid is closed from the container body 1. The body 20 can be removed.

  According to the above configuration, since the counterbore is formed in the mounting hole 12, the front portion of the info pad 15 can be flush with the front surface of the rim flange 10, or can be buried in the mounting hole 12. The front surface of the info pad 15 inserted into the hole 12 does not protrude forward from the front surface of the rim flange 10. Accordingly, since the protruding portion on the front surface of the info pad 15 does not become an obstacle, the front portion of the container body 1 and the rim flange 10 are appropriately brought into contact with the loading / unloading port 3 of the load port device 2 to facilitate the semiconductor manufacturing work. , Speed and ease.

  Further, when the locking mechanism 40 that does not remove the lid 20 from the container body 1 is not operated, the locking claw 45 is continuously fitted into the locking groove 11 of the container body 1 by the coil spring 47 so that the front portion of the container body 1 and the rim flange are fitted. Since 10 is firmly closed by the lid 20, the lid 20 is not detached from the container body 1 at all, and there is no risk of hindering the locking or opening / closing of the lid 20. In addition, the locking claw 45 is not directly inserted into the locking groove 11 of the container body 1, but a plurality of rotatable rollers 46 of the locking claw 45 are fitted and slidably contacted, so that the container body 1 and the locking claw There is no possibility that particles are generated by rubbing with 45 and the semiconductor wafer W is contaminated.

  In addition, in the said embodiment, although the info pad 15 in which a pair of latching piece 17 expand | extends from the cylindrical part 16 was shown, it is not limited to this at all. For example, if there is no particular problem, the info pad 15 may be formed in a substantially convex cross section. Further, a plurality of (three, four, etc.) locking pieces 17 may be used instead of the pair of locking pieces 17.

It is side surface explanatory drawing which shows typically the container main body and load port apparatus in embodiment of the substrate storage container which concerns on this invention. It is a perspective explanatory view showing typically an embodiment of a substrate storage container concerning the present invention. It is front explanatory drawing which shows typically the container main body in embodiment of the substrate storage container which concerns on this invention. It is a section side view showing typically a container main part in an embodiment of a substrate storage container concerning the present invention. It is plane explanatory drawing which shows typically the container main body in embodiment of the substrate storage container which concerns on this invention. It is bottom explanatory drawing which shows typically the container main body in embodiment of the substrate storage container which concerns on this invention. It is front explanatory drawing which shows typically the container main body and its cover body in embodiment of the substrate storage container which concerns on this invention. It is a section explanatory view showing typically a rim flange, a mounting hole, and an info pad in an embodiment of a substrate storage container concerning the present invention. It is side explanatory drawing which shows typically embodiment of the board | substrate storage container which concerns on this invention. It is a disassembled perspective explanatory drawing which shows typically the cover body in embodiment of the substrate storage container which concerns on this invention. It is a perspective explanatory view showing typically the back of the lid in the embodiment of the substrate storage container concerning the present invention. It is front explanatory drawing which shows typically the gasket in embodiment of the substrate storage container which concerns on this invention. It is XIII-XIII sectional view explanatory drawing of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Container main body 2 Load port apparatus 3 Outlet / inlet 10 Rim flange 12 Mounting hole 13 Diameter expansion part 14 Diameter reduction part 15 Info pad (information display pad)
16 Cylindrical part 17 Locking piece 20 Lid 40 Locking mechanism

Claims (2)

A substrate storage container in which the front part opened horizontally in the container main body for storing three or less substrates is opposed to the loading / unloading port of the load port device,
A rim flange that is formed on the peripheral edge of the front of the container body and projects outwards, and faces the loading / unloading port of the load port device, a mounting hole drilled in the side of the rim flange, and a selective insertion into the mounting hole Including a removable information display pad,
A mounting hole is formed from a large diameter portion located on the front side of the rim flange and a reduced diameter portion formed integrally with the large diameter portion and located on the back side of the rim flange, and the front portion of the information display pad is A substrate storage container characterized by being substantially flush with a front surface of a rim flange or buried in an enlarged diameter portion of a mounting hole.   The substrate storage container according to claim 1, wherein the information display pad is formed of a column portion that fits into a diameter-expanded portion of the mounting hole, and an elastic locking piece that extends from the column portion and catches on the reduced-diameter portion of the mounting hole. .

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