JP2010087455A - Sealed container and cover opening/closing system for sealed container - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a pod for suppressing diffusion of microfine dust etc., accompanying a cover of the pod into a minienvironment and an FIMS system corresponding to the pod. <P>SOLUTION: An engaged portion is arranged inside an outer side surface of the cover of the pod, and an insertion hole for allowing access to the engagement portion from an external space is arranged at a flange portion that the cover arranged at a pod opening periphery can engage. A latch mechanism is supported on a surface of the flange portion on the side of a pod body slidably in a direction parallel to a flange side wall, and an engagement portion of the latch mechanism reaches the engaged portion through the insertion hole to make state change between engagement and disengagement according to movement of the latch mechanism. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a so-called FIMS (Front-Opening Interface Mechanical Standard) system used when a wafer internally held in a transfer container called a pod is transferred between semiconductor processing apparatuses in a semiconductor manufacturing process or the like. More specifically, a so-called FOUP (Front-Opening Unified Pod) used in the FIMS system, which is a hermetically sealed container for accommodating a wafer, and a wafer is transferred to the pod by opening and closing the lid of the pod. The present invention relates to a lid opening / closing system as a FIMS system.

  In recent years, the semiconductor manufacturing process keeps the inside of a processing apparatus, a pod (wafer container), and a very small space for transferring a substrate from the pod to the processing apparatus in a highly clean state, and the cleanliness of other spaces is to some extent. Has been done to maintain the level. The pod has a substantially cubic body having a shelf that can hold a plurality of wafers in parallel and spaced apart from each other, and an opening used for loading and unloading the wafer on one of the surfaces constituting the outer surface. And a lid that closes the opening. The pod where the opening is formed is not the bottom surface of the pod but on one side surface (the surface facing the minute space) and is collectively referred to as FOUP.

  In addition, the above-described minute space enters the inside of the pod through the opening facing the opening of the pod, the door for closing the opening, the other opening on the side of the processing apparatus provided on the semiconductor processing apparatus side, and the opening. And a transfer robot that holds the wafer and passes the other opening on the processing apparatus side to convey the wafer to the processing apparatus side. Moreover, the structure which forms minute space has the mounting base which supports a pod so that a pod opening may face in front of a door. On the upper surface of the mounting table, a positioning pin that is fitted into a positioning hole provided on the lower surface of the pod and defines the mounting position of the pod, and a clamped portion provided on the lower surface of the pod are engaged with the pod. A clamp unit that is fixed to the mounting table is disposed. Usually, the mounting table can move back and forth a predetermined distance with respect to the door direction. When the wafer in the pod is transferred to the processing apparatus, the pod is moved with the pod being placed until the lid of the pod comes into contact with the door, and after the contact, the lid is removed from the pod opening by the door. . By these operations, the inside of the pod and the inside of the processing apparatus communicate with each other through a minute space, and the wafer transfer operation is repeated thereafter. The mounting table, the door, the opening, the opening / closing mechanism of the door, the wall that forms part of the minute space in which the opening is configured, and the like are collectively referred to as the FIMS system described above.

JP 2001-077177 A Japanese Patent No. 34178821

  For example, as disclosed in detail in Patent Document 1, a conventional pod lid is provided with a pawl that can extend and retract outward from the outer periphery of the lid. We are going to get each state. The expansion and contraction of the claw is performed by fitting a so-called key member from the outside of the lid surface to an operated part that is connected to the claw and disposed at a predetermined position in the central region of the lid. Has been done. Due to such contact and rotation of the members, sliding that occurs at that time, dust that is normally regarded as a problem in semiconductor manufacturing is generated. However, these dusts are moved from the minute gap between the surface of the lid and the surface of the door into the minute space where the downflow is formed before diffusing outside the gap. For this reason, the diffusion of the dust into the minute space or the pod has not reached the level considered as a problem, and no countermeasure has been particularly taken against the dust. Further, since the space is usually transported in a poorly clean space, dust adhering in the space or, for example, hydrocarbon contained in the outside air is adsorbed on the outer peripheral surface of the pod body and the surface of the lid. Also regarding these, it was thought that the suppression effect by a downflow was functioning suitably like the dust generated from the key member etc. which were mentioned above.

  Here, semiconductor devices have been gradually improved in functionality and size. For this reason, the wiring width, design rule, etc. used for the element are narrowed, and it has become necessary to pay attention to the presence of smaller dust that was not a problem in the past. Unlike the dust for which countermeasures have been conventionally prepared, such extremely fine dust moves in the space by operations different from the conventional one, such as so-called Brownian motion and the influence of minute static electricity. Specifically, even if such extremely fine dust is pushed down the minute space by the downflow described above and further exhausted to the outside space, it is not simply flowed by the air current but drifts into the minute space. there is a possibility. In Patent Document 2, a claw is not disposed on the lid side, but a lever is disposed from the lid surface side in a state where a rotary lever is disposed outside the opening on the pod side and the lid closes the opening. The structure which presses down is disclosed. In this configuration, dust generation due to the key member in Patent Document 1 occurs around the opening, and the degree of dust diffusion from the lid and the door that holds the lid can be reduced as compared with the configuration of Reference Document 1. There is sex. However, there is a need to operate the lever in advance before opening and closing the lid, and since the configuration for the operation exists around the opening, very fine dust existing in the external space is very small. There is a risk of spreading to the space side.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above situation, suppresses the influence of extremely fine dust adhering to the surface of the lid that closes the pod opening, and generates dust when the lid is opened and closed. Another object of the present invention is to provide a pod that is a sealed container that suppresses diffusion of generated dust into a minute space or inside the pod, and a lid opening / closing system corresponding to the sealed container.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a sealed container according to the present invention has a flat plate shape, a lid having an engaged portion provided in the flat plate shape, an internal space capable of storing an object to be stored, An opening space that allows the internal space and the external space to communicate with each other and that is closed by a flat plate-shaped surface of the lid, and that accommodates the lid that protrudes in parallel to the opening forming surface from the periphery of the opening and closes the opening. A container main body portion having a flange portion to be configured, and an insertion hole communicating with the accommodation space from the outer surface of the flange portion arranged at a position corresponding to the engaged portion in a state where the lid is accommodated in the accommodation space, and opening formation A latch main body that is movable along one axis parallel to the surface and extends in the direction of the one axis; a connecting portion that protrudes from the latch main body in a direction different from the extending direction of the one axis; and a tip of the connecting portion Engaging part A latch mechanism having at least an engaging portion extending from the insertion hole into the receiving space, the engaging portion engaging with an engaged portion of a lid disposed in the receiving space, and the main body portion By moving along one axis, the engaging portion and the engaged portion are engaged and released.

  In the above-described closed container, the engaged portion includes a first straight portion extending along the extending direction of the flat plate-shaped outer peripheral surface, and an open end on the one surface side of the flat plate shape. A second linear portion extending in the thickness direction, and the engaging portion is engageable with an inner wall constituting the L-shaped first linear portion, It is preferable that the engagement state is released when the main body portion moves along the one axis and the engagement portion moves to the second linear portion. In this case, it is more preferable that the first straight portion and the second straight portion in the engaged portion are formed of a concave portion opened on a flat plate-shaped outer peripheral surface. Further, the inner wall described above is moved to the inner wall in accordance with the movement of the engaging portion to the end side different from the connecting end portion of the first straight portion with the second straight portion. It is more preferable to have a shape made of at least one of irregularities and slopes that change the urging force applied thereto. Moreover, in the said container, it is preferable that the direction where a connection part protrudes from a latch main-body part is a direction perpendicular | vertical with respect to the uniaxial extension direction. Further, it is more preferable that the engaging portion has a disk-shaped roller that can roll while contacting the inner wall. Furthermore, it is more preferable that the latch mechanism further includes a biasing unit that applies a biasing force to the engaging portion to stop and hold the engaging portion at a position where the engaging portion is engaged with the engaged portion. Alternatively, it is more preferable that the latch main body further includes a slide rail that supports the latch mechanism so as to be movable along one axis, and the slide rail is disposed on one surface of the flange main body side.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a lid opening / closing system according to the present invention opens and closes the lid with respect to the above-described sealed container to enable insertion / removal of an object to be contained in the sealed container. And when the minute space having the opening, the door movable between the position where the opening is substantially closed and the position where the opening is opened, and the position where the closed container is opened and closed by the door And a latch mechanism driving means disposed around the opening. In the lid opening / closing system, the latch mechanism driving means is arranged coaxially with the one axis that is the movement axis of the latch body, and can move the rod along the movement axis. It is preferable to have an actuator that is supported to extend and contract along the axis. Alternatively, the apparatus further includes a container mounting table that moves the closed container closer to or away from the opening in a state where the sealed container is mounted, and the latch mechanism driving means moves the container mounting table. And a latch mechanism according to a change in the cam surface accompanying the movement of the container mounting table. It is preferable to have a cam mechanism that applies a pressing force to the. Furthermore, it is more preferable that the airtight container further includes a flange cover that covers the outer peripheral surface of the flange portion when the airtight container exists at the open / close position of the lid.

  According to the present invention, the surface of the lid becomes a flat surface when the lid is fixed to the pod. Also, there is no so-called movable member that is accessed and operated from the outside on the lid. Therefore, it is possible to completely eliminate dust generation due to operation of a so-called latching claw on the door surface as in the conventional configuration. Further, unlike the conventional case, the lid does not have various configurations inside, and is merely a flat plate member. Therefore, dust can be easily removed by washing, and dust can be prevented from adhering to the lid when it is difficult to remove, so that the cleanliness against dust can be kept high even when considered as a single lid. Is possible. In particular, since the engaged recess provided in the lid has a simple groove shape, processing and cleaning are much easier than in the case of a conventional lid. Further, the shift of the wafer size used in the semiconductor manufacturing process from the current so-called 300 mmφ to 450 mmφ is being studied. In a pod that accommodates such a large-diameter wafer, it is required to increase the size of the lid, to prevent deformation such as warping and bending of the lid, to ensure the fixing of the lid to the pod and to ensure the fixing strength. In the structure of the lid of the pod according to the present invention, since the lid structure is a simple flat plate structure, a structure that increases the rigidity of the lid while facilitating weight reduction of the lid and reducing the weight of the lid is adopted. It is also possible. Therefore, it is possible to easily and reliably respond to such a request.

  Further, according to the present invention, it is possible to adopt a configuration in which the lid is always urged in the direction of sealing the pod opening while the lid is fixed to the pod body. With this configuration, it is possible to improve the airtightness of the pod itself and reduce the possibility of dust generation due to the vibration of the lid during transportation. Furthermore, since the surface of the lid can be flattened, the space between the lid and the door is completely separated from the surrounding space by arranging a sealing member on either the lid or the facing surface of the door. The lid can reliably prevent the diffusion of dust, outside air, etc. brought into the minute space. Further, in addition to the door holding the lid by suction, it is also possible to increase the holding force of the door by reducing the pressure of the closed space sandwiched between the lid formed by the seal member and the door. In addition, the arrangement of the configuration for performing the lid opening / closing operation and the operation area of the configuration are basically performed outside the pod and outside the minute space. Therefore, even if dust generation occurs due to these configurations, the frequency of diffusion of the dust into the pod or the minute space is greatly reduced as compared with the conventional configuration.

  In the present invention, when the so-called latch mechanism for fixing the lid to the pod is driven in the vertical direction and the lid is fixed at the lower position, the lid is fixed to the pod by its own weight. Will be done. In this case, even if a malfunction occurs in the configuration for driving the latch mechanism when the lid is opened / closed, the latch mechanism can always exist at the lid fixing position, so that the lid is kept closed and the pod is kept inside. It is possible to continue to maintain the clean state. Further, in the case of the configuration disclosed in Patent Document 1, for example, when separation of these configurations becomes difficult due to a situation in which the key member and the operated portion of the latch mechanism are bitten inside, for separation, It may be necessary to perform operations such as disassembling the lid. On the other hand, in the present invention, the latch mechanism can be forcedly operated by accessing the latch mechanism from the side of the so-called external space such as the side surface of the pod. Therefore, even when an abnormality occurs in the latch mechanism or the like and the operation becomes difficult, it is possible to recover from a trouble related to the latch mechanism by making the forced operation easy. Furthermore, it is not necessary to add a special configuration or establish an operation for detecting the suitability of the latched state, and the latched state can be easily confirmed visually from the outside.

  Furthermore, in the present invention, in the drive mechanism for operating the latch mechanism, the size of the operation portion (drive contact surface described later) for operating the latch mechanism can be arbitrarily set. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the positional accuracy for stopping the pod when the lid is opened by the door as compared with the conventional case. In the case of the conventional configuration, the lid is removed from the pod unless the lid fixing position relative to the mounting position, the pod fixing position relative to the opening, and the door abutting position due to the latch mechanism are all satisfied with high positional accuracy. It was not possible to communicate with the interior of the pod and the minute space. However, according to the present invention, at least the requirements for stopping accuracy of the lid and the pod due to the latch mechanism are relaxed. For example, the configuration of the operation program of the lid opening / closing device is simplified and the actual operational stability is improved. The effect is obtained.

It is a perspective view which shows schematic structure of the principal part of the pod which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention, and a corresponding lid | cover opening / closing system. It is a figure which expands and shows the structure contained in the area | region 1B in FIG. 1A. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the lid | cover in the pod shown to FIG. 1A. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the pod main body in the pod shown to FIG. 1A. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the latch mechanism in the pod shown to FIG. 1A. It is the schematic which shows the state which looked at the principal part of the lid | cover opening / closing system shown to FIG. 1A from the side. It is the schematic which shows the state which looked at the principal part shown to FIG. 5A from the external space side front. It is a figure for demonstrating the drive mode about the pod and latch mechanism drive unit which are shown to FIG. 1A. It is a figure for demonstrating the drive mode about the pod and latch mechanism drive unit which are shown to FIG. 1A. It is a figure for demonstrating the drive mode about the pod and latch mechanism drive unit which are shown to FIG. 1A. It is a figure for demonstrating the drive mode about the pod and latch mechanism drive unit which are shown to FIG. 1A. It is a sectional side view showing the schematic structure of the load port device concerning one embodiment of the present invention. It is an expanded sectional side view which shows the principal part schematic structure of the load port apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention in the style similar to FIG. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the pod is present at the loading position with respect to the configuration illustrated in FIG. 8. It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of the lid | cover opening / closing system which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention.

  Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1A is a perspective view showing these configurations in a state where a pod that is a sealed container according to an embodiment of the present invention is present at a lid opening / closing position of a FIMS that is a lid opening / closing system. 1B shows an engagement state of a roller portion of a latch mechanism described later in the state shown in FIG. 1A, and is an enlarged view of the configuration of the region 1B. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the lid of the pod, FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of the pod body, and FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of a latch mechanism fixed to the pod body. Further, FIG. 5A shows a state where the mounting table and the wall constituting the opening of the minute space are viewed from the side, and FIG. 5B shows a state where these states are viewed from the front side where the pod is placed.

  A pod 1 as a sealed container according to the present invention includes a pod body 2 that is a container body, a lid 3, and a latch mechanism 5 that is slidably attached to the pod body 2. The pod main body 2 has a substantially cubic shape, and has an internal space in which a plurality of objects such as wafers are arranged side by side in the height direction. The pod main body can have various forms capable of accommodating a wafer, but since the basic shape is a cubic shape, it is defined as a substantially cubic shape in this specification. The pod body 2 has an opening 2a communicating with the accommodation space on one side surface of the substantially cubic shape. The opening 2a allows the internal space described above to communicate with the external space. A flange portion 2c is formed on the one side surface so as to surround the periphery of the opening 2a and project outward from the periphery of the opening 2a in a plane parallel to the opening plane including the opening 2a. The flange portion 2c has a side end surface parallel to the one side surface, and the side end surface opposes an opening peripheral wall of a load port as a lid opening / closing system described later. The flange portion 2c has a thickness equal to or larger than the thickness of the lid 3, and the lid 3 can be fitted when the opening 2a is closed by a flat surface (a back surface 3a described later) of the flat plate-shaped lid 3. 2d. That is, the lid 3 is accommodated in the accommodating space 2d when the opening 2a is closed.

  In addition, a rectangular roller portion insertion hole 2e is provided as an insertion hole that communicates from the external space to the accommodation space 2d with respect to the outer peripheral surface of the flange portion 2c, in this embodiment, the outer surface. The roller portion insertion hole 2e is disposed at two locations, upper and lower, with respect to each of the outer side surfaces of the flange portion 2c. In this embodiment, a slide rail 2g on which the latch mechanism 5 is slidably supported is also disposed with respect to the flange portion 2c. The slide rail 2g is on the back surface which is the surface opposite to the side end surface described above in the flange portion 2c (surface located on the pod main body side), adjacent to the outer surface and in the extending direction of the outer surface. Arranged to extend. Further, the pod body 2 is further provided with a held flange 2h, which is a portion held by a pod transport robot (not shown), and is fixed to the mounting table in actual contact with the mounting table (not shown). A fixed flange 2i in which the engaged portion and the like are arranged is arranged in the lower part. Note that the held flange 2h and the fixed flange 2i are not related to the characteristic configuration of the pod according to the present invention, and thus the description thereof is omitted here.

  The lid 3 in the present embodiment is made of a flat plate-like member having a back surface 3a facing the internal space when the opening 2a of the pod body 2 is closed and a surface 3b arranged on the external space side as opposed surfaces. In addition, a pair of recessed portions 3c to be engaged are disposed with respect to a vertical position corresponding to the roller insertion hole 2e in the pod main body 2 described above with respect to the flat plate outer peripheral surface, in this embodiment, the outer surface. The engaged recess 3c as the engaged portion communicates with the first straight portion 3c1 extending in the extending direction of the outer surface of the lid 3 where the engaged recess 3c is formed, and the first straight portion. Thus, the first linear portion extends in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction, and has an L-shape including a second linear portion 3c2 having an end opening on the back surface 3a of the lid 3. The length and width of the first straight portion have a length and a width that match the roller portion insertion hole 2e provided in the pod body 2 described above. Further, in the first linear portion 3c1, an inner wall 3c3 that is located on the back surface 3a side of the lid 3 and constitutes a part of the engaging recess functions as an engaging surface that engages with a roller portion 5b described later. The surface 3b of the lid 3 is subjected to a surface polishing process so as to enable efficient suction and retention in a region to be attracted and held by a suction pad of a door described later. Here, dust or the like attached when the pod is transported in a space with poor cleanliness is present on the lid surface 3b. Therefore, from the viewpoint of sealing with these suction pads and preventing diffusion into the minute space, the region is preferably configured to include almost the entire surface 3b.

  The latch mechanism 5 includes a latch main body portion 5a, a roller portion 5b serving as an engaging portion, and a connecting portion 5c that connects the latch main body portion 5a and the roller portion 5b. The latch body portion 5a is a prismatic member extending in one direction, and the flange portion 2c of the pod body 2 on the first facing surface 5d of the latch body portion 5a and the second facing surface 5f of the connecting portion 5c. Are opposed to the back surface and the side surface. The first facing surface 5d has a guide groove 5g extending along the extending direction of the latch body 5a on the first facing surface 5d in order to slidably accommodate the slide rail 2g. Is placed. A pair of connecting portions 5c protrude in the direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the latch main body portion 5a from the formation surface of the first facing surface 5d, and a pair of connecting portions 5c are arranged at the upper and lower positions so as to correspond to the roller portion insertion holes 2e. The In the present embodiment, the first facing surface 5d and the second facing surface 5f are actually opposed to the flange 2c with a small distance therebetween, so that contact, sliding, etc. do not occur. Yes. In addition, the arrangement of these configurations, for example, the protruding direction of the connecting portion 5c from the latch main body portion 5a is not limited to the embodiment. That is, the connecting portion 5c protrudes in a specific direction different from the direction of the one axis from the latch main body portion 5a that can move along one axis that is the extending direction, and the roller portion 5b that the connecting portion 5c serves as an engaging portion. Any structure that satisfies the contents supporting the above-mentioned material may be used.

  The roller portion 5b protrudes into the lid housing space 2d through the roller portion insertion hole 2e provided in the flange portion 2c, and comes into contact with a part of the inner wall 3c3 of the engaged recess 3c described above. The roller portion 5b has a disk shape and is pivotally supported by the connecting portion 5c via a rotation shaft 5e perpendicular to the bottom surface. The rotating shaft 5e extends in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the latch body 5a and the protruding direction of the connecting portion 5c. With this configuration, when the roller portion 5b translates in a plane perpendicular to the rotation shaft 5e, that is, when the latch body portion 5a slides in the extending direction, the roller portion 5b rolls around the rotation shaft 5e. Thus, the abutting position of the disc outer peripheral surface is changed while maintaining the abutting state with respect to the abutting inner wall. In the present embodiment, a member having elasticity such as rubber is attached to the outer peripheral surface of the disk in the roller portion 5b, and elasticity is applied in the circumferential surface direction of the disk. Thereby, even when the roller part 5b is rotationally moved, the contact part is prevented from sliding without rotating, and dust generation can be suppressed.

  In the present embodiment, the latch mechanism 5 is attached to the pod body 2 by the guide rail 2g and the guide groove 5g. As a result, unnecessary contact of the latch mechanism 5 with the lid body 2 is eliminated, and dust generation due to the contact is prevented. However, for the purpose of strengthening the attachment of the latch mechanism 5 to the pod main body 2 and reducing the so-called rattling at the time of sliding, the guide groove 5g and a part of the outer peripheral surface of the disc of the roller portion 5b form a rectangular shape. The latch mechanism 5 may be attached to the pod body 2 by sandwiching a portion between one inner wall of the roller portion insertion hole 2e and the guide rail 2g. In this case, by adding an elastic body to the outer peripheral surface of the disk of the roller portion 5b described above, the roller portion with respect to both the one inner wall surface of the rectangular roller portion insertion hole 2e and the inner wall surface 3c3 of the engaging recess. 5b can abut with an appropriate pressing force. It is inevitable that dust is generated to some extent at the contact portion between these members. Therefore, dust generation caused by the operation of the latch mechanism 5 is further suppressed by using a wear-resistant material in consideration of wear characteristics at these contact portions, or using a roller made of a low dust generation bearing. It becomes possible.

  Next, how the lid 3 is fixed to the pod body 2 by the latch mechanism 5 will be described below. As shown in FIG. 1A, in a state where the lid 3 is accommodated in the accommodating space 2d in the pod body 2 and the opening 2a is closed, the roller portion 5b is below the roller insertion hole 2e, that is, an L-shaped engaged recess. It exists in the closed end part of the 1st linear part 3c1 in 3c. Although the latch mechanism 5 can be present at the closed end due to the influence of its own weight, in this embodiment, elasticity is imparted to the roller portion 5b, and the roller portion 5b is in contact with the lid 3 at the position. In this structure, an urging force is applied in a direction in which the urging force is in close contact with 2 and is stopped and held at the position by a reaction force of the urging force. When the latch mechanism 5 is slid from the state to the latch release position, that is, upward in FIG. 1A, the roller portion 5b has the first straight portion 3c1 and the second straight portion 3c2 in the L-shaped engaged recess 3c. Move to the crossing position. By this movement, the roller portion 5b is positioned at the second linear portion 3c2 that opens to the lid back surface 3a, and the abutting inner wall 3c3 does not exist. Accordingly, there is no restriction on the lid 3 by the roller portion 5b, and the lid 3 can be moved in the extending direction of the second linear portion 3c2, that is, the direction in which the lid 3 is moved away from the pod opening 2a.

  In the above-described embodiment, a pair of latch mechanisms 5 are arranged at the back side corners on both sides of the flange portion 2c. In the case of this form, since the latch state is obtained by the dead weight of the latch mechanism 5, it is not necessary to provide a mechanism for maintaining the latch mechanism 5 at a fixed position particularly when storing the pod, and the configuration of the pod is simplified. Effect is obtained. Such a simple configuration also has the effect of reducing the possibility of dust adhering to the pod as well as the ease of cleaning the dust. Further, in an actual semiconductor manufacturing factory, adjacent semiconductor processing apparatuses are arranged in close contact with each other, but in the case of this configuration, even when a latch mechanism driving unit described later is added, The projected area on installation is not particularly affected. However, this invention is not limited to the said form, You may arrange | position with respect to the upper and lower sides of the flange part 2c. Further, in order to increase the fixing strength of the lid 3 to the pod body 2, the roller portion 5b may be further added to at least one of the upper side and the lower side. Moreover, it is good also as a structure which ensures the fixed strength mentioned above by respond | corresponding to one to-be-engaged recessed part 3c, and to reduce the number of to-be-engaged recessed parts. Further, in this embodiment, the configuration that passes through the roller portion insertion hole 2e is described as only the roller portion 5b. However, it is also possible to grasp the rotating shaft 5e as a part of the connecting part 5c, and the configuration for inserting the roller part insertion hole 2e is a roller part 5b as an engaging part and a part of the connecting part 5c. It is preferable that the configuration for inserting the part insertion hole 2e is defined as at least an engaging part.

  Moreover, in this embodiment, the to-be-engaged recessed part 3c is made into the form which consists of an L-shaped concave groove | channel which consists of the 1st linear part 3c1 and the 2nd linear part 3c2. More specifically, both the first straight portion 3c1 and the second straight portion 3c2 have a simple groove shape that does not change the groove width. However, the first linear portion 3c1 may have a so-called taper portion in which the contact surface of the roller portion 5b, that is, the inner wall 3c3 approaches the lid back surface 3a as it approaches the closed end. By adopting such a configuration, for example, the roller portion 5b is present at the closed end, so that the roller portion 5b comes close to the shape of the outer peripheral surface of the disk of the main body due to loosening of the European pressure on the inner wall 3c3. Since restoration is performed, a force that prevents upward movement can be generated in cooperation with the tapered surface. In other words, the engaged recess in the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and a non-engaging region extending in the thickness direction of the lid with one end opening on the lid back surface and an engagement parallel to the lid back surface. Any shape may be included as long as it includes a region to be engaged that constitutes the inner wall 3c3 serving as a surface.

  More specifically, a region corresponding to the second straight line portion extending in the thickness direction communicating to the back surface, and a first straight line extending in the side surface extending direction (direction perpendicular to the thickness direction). Any style that includes a region corresponding to a part is included in the L-shape of the present invention. For example, a mode in which a plurality of second straight portions communicate with one first straight portion, the other end of the first straight portion that does not communicate with the second straight portion communicates with a further groove, and the surface side of the lid It is possible to adopt various modes, such as a mode of opening in a window. By adopting such a continuous groove shape, effects such as ease of processing and improved workability in cleaning are expected. Moreover, it is not a mere taper shape, For example, a recessed part is further provided in the roller part contact surface of the closed end part in a 1st linear part, and this roller part fits into the said recessed part in a normal state, and forms what is called a locked state. It is good as a style. That is, the biasing force at the time of engagement, the holding force in the engaged state, and the like are controlled by arranging a region having at least any shape such as unevenness or an inclined surface on the inner wall 3c3. Is preferred. Thereby, even when the pod is stored, the closed state of the pod opening can be maintained more preferably, specifically, for a longer time, and further, while maintaining a higher sealing property.

  In this embodiment, as a means for holding the latch mechanism 5 at the latch position, this is replaced by applying elasticity to the peripheral surface of the disk of the roller portion 5b. However, not only the embodiment but also a configuration in which an urging force is always applied to the latch mechanism by connecting an elastic member such as a spring to the latch body 5a. In the present embodiment, the roller member 5b is used as the engagement object, and the inner side wall 3c3 of the engaged recess is used as the engaged member. In the case of this configuration, the possibility of dust generation from the engagement site is greatly reduced. However, since dust generation from a so-called rotating roller may be a problem, a cylindrical contact member having high wear resistance may be used without using the roller member 5 shown in the embodiment. . In this case, it is good also as comprising a contact member from a leaf | plate spring etc. Further, in the present embodiment, even if dust is generated from the slide rail 2g, the diffusion of dust in the minute space direction is blocked by the flange portion 2c, so the slide rail 2g is disposed on the back surface of the flange portion 2c. It is said. In the case of this configuration, since the front projection area of the pod is not changed, there is no particular problem in placing the pod even when adjacent semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses are in close contact. However, from the viewpoint of simplifying the configuration of the latch mechanism, the slide rail 2g may be arranged on the outer surface of the flange portion 2c.

  Furthermore, in this embodiment, it is supposed that the engaged state by the roller part 5b is acquired with respect to the to-be-engaged recessed part 3c by the mode accessed from the outer peripheral surface of the flange part 2c. According to this style, it becomes possible to visually check the ease of processing and the actual engagement state, the slide rail 2g and the roller part insertion hole 2e can be arranged apart, and the roller part 5b. Can be made relatively large with respect to the first linear portion 3c1, and an effect of increasing the engagement force can be obtained. However, it is good also as a style which accesses only from the back surface side of the flange part 2c, for example. Further, in this case, for example, the engaged recessed portion 3c communicates with the hole constituting the second linear portion formed in the thickness direction of the lid 3 and the hole, and the direction from the formation direction of the hole is changed to the other direction. It is good also as making it the hole shape which consists of the other hole which comprises the 1st linear part formed in the direction to go, and arrange | positioning this in the outer periphery vicinity in the back surface 3a.

  According to the pod 1 described above, the lid 3 is a flat plate member having only the engaged recess 3c on the outer peripheral surface. Therefore, even when the dust is left in an uncontrolled space, the so-called latch key receiving hole in the conventional configuration does not exist, so the probability that these dust will adhere or the dust etc. is stored inside the lid. The probability of being reduced. Moreover, since the adhesion of dust etc. is mainly on the surface of a flat surface, it becomes possible to remove this easily under washing or downflow. Further, since it is not necessary to arrange the operation member for the latch key on the door surface in the conventional configuration, it is possible to simplify the door structure and improve the environmental cleanliness associated with this simplification.

  Next, the lid opening / closing system for the hermetic container corresponding to the above-described pod will be described below. 1A shows the pod 1 described above, and a pod placement unit 121, a docking plate 123, a door 115a, a first opening 111, a housing wall 105a, and a latch mechanism driving unit 131 in the lid opening / closing system 101 described later. And the flange cover 133 is shown. In the lid opening / closing system 101, a latch mechanism drive unit 131 and a flange cover 133 as latch mechanism drive means are characteristic configurations. In the present embodiment, the latch mechanism drive unit 131 is configured by an actuator having a rod that expands and contracts in a uniaxial direction. In the latch mechanism drive unit 131, when the lid 3 of the pod 1 is in a position where the lid 3 is attracted and held by the door 115a, the axis of the latch body 5a of the latch mechanism 5 and the axis of the rod of the actuator are aligned. They are arranged so that the rods face each other at the top and bottom of the latch body 5a.

  In other words, the latch mechanism drive unit 131 is disposed coaxially with the movement axis of the latch body 5a and can push the latch mechanism 5 along the movement axis, and the rod can be expanded and contracted along the movement axis. It is comprised from the actuator supported by. That is, the latch mechanism drive unit 131 in the present embodiment is a position corresponding to the latch mechanism 5 of the pod 1 existing at the position where the lid 3 is removed, and is arranged so that the latch mechanism 5 can be pressed in the vertical direction. It is preferable that the axis of the rod is arranged so as to coincide with the moving axis of the latch mechanism 5. The upper and lower end surfaces of the latch main body portion 5a of the latch mechanism 5 act as the above-described drive contact surfaces which are pressed surfaces, and the rod mechanism presses the pressed surface to drive the latch mechanism 5 in the axial direction. .

  Here, regarding the actual opening / closing operation of the lid 3, the operation sequence of the latch mechanism drive unit 131 will be described with reference to FIGS. These drawings show only the pod 1 and the latch mechanism drive unit 131 in perspective views. FIG. 6A shows a state where the pod 1 is arranged at a position where the lid 3 is opened and closed by the door 115a. In this state, the pressing surfaces of the latch mechanisms 5 are in a state separated from the tip of the rod of the corresponding latch mechanism drive unit 131 by a predetermined distance in the axial direction. From this state, the latch mechanism drive unit 131 disposed below starts to operate, and as shown in FIG. 6B, the rod is extended and the lower end surface of the latch body 5a is pressed to move the latch mechanism 5 upward. Let Thereby, the roller part 5b will be located in the 2nd linear part 3c2 in the to-be-engaged recessed part 3c. At this position, the engaged state between the roller portion 5b and the engaged recessed portion 3c is released, and the lid 3 becomes removable from the pod body 2. As described above, in this embodiment, the roller portion 5b has an elastic member disposed on the outer peripheral portion of the disk, and always has an urging force due to the elasticity to the inner wall surface of the engaged recess 3c. It is in contact.

  After reaching this state, the lid 3 is sucked and held by a door (not shown) in FIG. 6C, and the lid 3 is removed from the pod body 2 as the door moves. Thereafter, the wafers accommodated in the pod body 2 are unloaded through the opening 2a of the opened pod body 2, and the wafers processed by the processing apparatus are loaded into the interior. After all the wafers are loaded, the lid 3 is moved again to the state shown in FIG. 6C by the door, and the opening 2 is then closed by the lid 3. Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 6D, the latch mechanism drive unit 131 disposed below contracts the rod, and the latch mechanism drive unit 131 disposed above starts operating to extend the rod, The latch mechanism 5 is moved downward by pressing the upper end surface of the latch body 5a. Thereby, the roller part 5b will be located in the 1st linear part 3c1 in the to-be-engaged recessed part 3c. At this position, the roller portion 5b and the inner wall 3c3 are engaged, and the lid 3 is fixed to the pod body 2. After the engaged state is obtained, the upper latch mechanism drive unit 131 contracts the rod and returns to the state shown in FIG. 6A. By the operation of the latch mechanism drive unit 131 described above, a series of operations from removal of the lid 3 to attachment of the pod 1 is performed.

  The lid opening / closing system according to the embodiment of the present invention further includes a flange cover 133. The flange cover 133 is formed of a cylindrical structure having an inner peripheral surface that can be opposed to the entire outer peripheral surface of the flange portion 2 c of the pod 2. The flange cover 133 is disposed so as to protrude perpendicularly from the housing wall 105a with respect to the side where the pod 1 is disposed (external space side). In a state where the pod 1 is disposed at a position where the lid 3 is opened and closed by the door 115a, the flange cover 133 covers the outer peripheral surface of the flange portion 2c of the pod 2 and directly reaches the outer peripheral surface from the external space. Block the route. In the present embodiment, the storage space 2d in the pod body 2 from the external space through the roller insertion hole 2e regardless of whether the latch mechanism 5 is in the engagement position or the non-engagement position with the lid 3. There will be a route that leads to Normally, the inside of the pod is set to a so-called positive pressure from the outside space due to the influence of the clean gas supplied to the minute space communicating with the inside, so that conventionally, an air flow directed outward is also generated in the roller portion insertion hole 2e. Therefore, it is considered that there is no problem in dust countermeasures. In this embodiment, by further disposing the flange cover 133, it is possible to make the path from the housing space 2d configured substantially through the roller portion insertion hole 2e to the external space as small as possible. As a result, for example, extremely small dust reaching the accommodation space 2d through the roller insertion hole 2e due to diffusion of the molecular motion region can be suppressed.

  In the above-described embodiment, a pair of actuators that are the latch mechanism drive unit 131 are arranged above and below the latch mechanism 5. By adopting such a configuration, the structure of the latch mechanism 5 can be simplified, and an effect of reducing the possibility of bringing dust in can be obtained. However, it is possible to add an urging means for urging the latch mechanism 5 in the axial direction so that the latch mechanism driving unit 131 is disposed either above or below the latch mechanism 5. It is possible to obtain the effects of the present invention related to the arrangement. Further, for example, an inclined surface that rises or falls in one direction along the advancing / retreating direction of the docking plate 123 with respect to the docking plate 123 is a fixed cam surface, and a cam that follows the cam surface by contacting the cam surface. A latch mechanism drive unit 131 may be constructed in which a means is arranged and a rod or the like is raised or lowered by the operation of the cam means. That is, a so-called cam mechanism may be arranged between the pod mounting table as a container mounting table and the latch mechanism driving unit, and the latch mechanism driving unit may be driven by the cam mechanism. With this configuration, it is possible to eliminate a drive source for driving an actuator or the like.

  In the present embodiment, the flange cover 2c is entirely covered as the flange cover 133, thereby preventing direct communication between the accommodation space 2d and the external space through the roller portion insertion hole 2e. By setting it as the said structure, the effect that the washing | cleaning of the roller part penetration hole 2e, the roller part 5b, etc. becomes easy is acquired, for example. However, for example, the thickness of the connecting portion 5c may be reduced so that the roller portion 5b and the connecting portion 5c are accommodated in the roller portion insertion hole 2e, and the accommodating portion may be covered with a cover. By setting it as the said structure, it becomes possible to acquire the effect of this invention, without adding an upper member of a lid | cover opening / closing system.

  In the embodiment described above, the sealed container according to the present invention can be used only by adding the latch mechanism drive system 131 and the flange cover 133 to the conventional lid opening / closing system. Further, regarding the projected area on the actual installation of the semiconductor processing apparatus, these configurations do not particularly change the area. Therefore, it can be said that it is easy to modify the existing semiconductor production line so that the sealed container according to the present invention can be used. When the lid opening / closing system is configured as described above, the sealed container according to the present invention can be used, and the above-described various effects obtained from the sealed container can be enjoyed. The flange cover 133 is more preferably arranged, but it may be difficult to position the flange cover 133 depending on the configuration of the docking plate 123, for example. In this case, in the case of a semiconductor manufacturing process consisting of a conventional so-called design rule, for example, by increasing the flow rate of clean gas sent from the minute space to the inside of the pod, the dust of the size that is the current problem enters the inside of the pod. It may be prevented.

  Next, the lid opening / closing system corresponding to the sealed container according to the present invention will be described. FIG. 7 is a side sectional view of the system showing a schematic configuration, and FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of a pod mounting portion, a door, a pod, a lid and the like in the system 101 in a similar manner. FIG. 9 is a diagram schematically showing a pod placement portion, a door, and the like in a state where the opening of the pod is closed with a lid. The lid opening / closing system 101 includes a casing 105 that forms a minute space 103 and a pod mounting section 121 that is disposed adjacent to the casing 105. The housing 105 further includes a fan 107, a robot 109, a first opening 111, a second opening 113, and a door system 115. The fan 107 is disposed above the minute space 103 by the housing 105 and introduces gas existing in the external space of the housing 105 into the minute space. The fan 107 is accompanied by a filter that removes contaminants such as dust from the gas introduced from the space according to the cleanliness of the external space. A structure that allows airflow to flow out is arranged at the lower part of the housing 105, and dust generated in the minute space 103 is carried by the airflow and discharged from the lower part of the housing 105 to the external space. .

  The robot arm 109a in the robot 109 can project outside the minute space through the first opening 111 and the second opening 113. Although the first opening 111 is seemingly closed by the door 115a in the door system 115, a gap is formed between the outer periphery of the door 115a and the inner peripheral surface of the first opening 111. The door 115a is described as being capable of substantially closing the first opening 111. Although the second opening 113 is connected to the inside of the wafer processing apparatus 117, the details of the wafer processing apparatus 117 are not directly related to the present invention, and thus the description in this specification is omitted. . Since the latch mechanism driving mechanism 131 and the flange cover 133 have already been described, the description thereof will be omitted, and the flange cover 133 will be omitted in the drawing for easy understanding of the drawings. And

  The pod placement unit 121 includes a docking plate 123, a pod fixing system 125, and a docking plate drive system 127. The upper surface of the docking plate 123 is substantially flat, and a part of the pod fixing system 125 is disposed on the upper surface. The pod 1 according to the present invention is placed on the upper surface of the docking plate 123, and is engaged with a part of the pod fixing system 125, specifically, an engaged portion (not shown) in which a pin is disposed on the lower surface of the pod 1. By joining, it is fixed at a predetermined position on the docking plate 123. The docking plate 123 is arranged so that the main body opening 2a of the pod 1 faces the first opening 111 described above when the pod 1 is placed on the upper surface. The docking plate drive system 127 uses the guide rail 127a and the drive cylinder 127b to drive the pod 1 fixed at the predetermined position together with the docking plate 123 in a direction toward the first opening 111 and a direction away from the first opening 111.

  One end of the driving cylinder 127b is fixed to the mounting table main body 121a, and the extending and contracting cylinder end serving as the other end is fixed to the docking plate 123. The docking plate 123 is slidably supported with respect to the guide rail 127a, and slides on the guide rail 127a according to the expansion and contraction of the cylinder end portion of the drive cylinder 127b. Here, the docking plate 123 has a position where the pod 1 is mounted (loaded) or removed (unloaded) from the outside on the docking plate 123 at a position farthest from the micro space 103. The position where the lid 3 is removed is the position closest to the minute space 103.

  The suction pad 115k disposed on the surface of the door 115a sucks the lid 3 by supplying a negative pressure from a negative pressure supply source 108 (see FIG. 10) through a pipe (not shown) in contact with the lid 3. The lid 3 can be held by the door 115a. The door system 115 includes a door arm 115b, a door opening / closing actuator 115c, and a door up / down mechanism 115d. The door arm 115b is made of a rod-shaped member, supports the door 115a at one end, and is connected to the door opening / closing actuator 115c at the other end, and is pivotally supported around the position at an appropriate position in the intermediate portion. . The door arm 115b is rotated about the rotation center by the door opening / closing actuator 115c, and one end of the door arm 115b and the door 115a supported by the door arm 115b move toward or away from the first opening 111. The door up-and-down mechanism 115d supports the door opening / closing actuator 115c and the rotating shaft of the door arm 115b described above, and the actuator and the door arm 115b and the door 115a supported by the actuator along a guide extending in the vertical direction by the vertical movement actuator. Is driven vertically.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 9, a substantially annular sealing member 115m is arranged around the surface of the door 115a facing the lid 3 so as to correspond to the sealing surface provided on the surface 3b of the lid 3. The The seal member 115m comes into contact with and closely contacts the seal surface 3c in a state where the lid 3 is sucked and held by the suction pad 115k disposed on the surface of the door 115a. By sealing minute dust or the like adhering to the surface of the lid 3 in the sealed space formed thereby, diffusion of these dusts to the surroundings is prevented. In the present embodiment, the lid 3 is held only by the suction pad 115k. However, for example, a further suction / exhaust port may be provided on the door surface to exhaust the space inside the door 115a, the lid 3 and the seal member 115m sealed by the seal member 115m. With this configuration, it is possible to forcibly remove minute dust and the like, and it is possible to increase the holding force for holding the lid 3 by the door 115a. Further, the suction pad 115k may be eliminated, and the seal member 115m may be used as a kind of suction pad.

  FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the FIMS system 101. The above-described fan 107, robot 109, door system 115, pod fixing system 125, and docking plate drive system 127 are controlled by the control device 102, respectively. The door system 115 can independently control the door opening / closing actuator 115c and the door up-and-down mechanism 115d. In practice, however, these components are controlled so as to operate according to a series of time charts. To do. The latch mechanism drive unit 131 is also controlled by the control device 102 and driven so as to be interlocked with a series of operations of the door system 115 described above. Note that the control device 102 performs operations of supplying negative pressure from the negative pressure supply source 108 to the suction pad 115k and stopping supply (breaking of negative pressure). The docking plate drive system 127 turns on and off the drive of the drive cylinder 127b. The operation of the drive cylinder 127 ensures that the docking plate 123 exists at two predetermined positions, that is, when the pod 1 is loaded. It is necessary to detect the case where the wafer exists at the dock position where the wafer can be inserted and removed.

  For this reason, the load sensor 127d that detects that the pod 1 is placed on the docking plate 123 and that the docking plate 123 exists at a position where the pod 1 should be loaded / unloaded with respect to the docking plate 123 is provided. , Connected to a docking plate drive system 127. In addition, a dock sensor 127 c that detects whether or not the docking plate 123 is present at the dock position described above is also connected to the docking plate drive system 127. Here, in the present invention, the lid 3 itself has high rigidity and is difficult to be deformed, and the latch mechanism 5 is engaged and disengaged by only one axis operation. The probability that a mistake will occur is greatly reduced compared to the conventional configuration. For this reason, in this embodiment, the latch mechanism drive mechanism 131 is configured to issue an on / off signal in accordance with the expansion / contraction state of the rod, and the engagement / disengagement of the lid 3 with the pod body 2 by the on / off signal. It is supposed to detect the state of. In addition, embodiment of this invention is not limited to the said detection style, For example, it is good also as a structure which detects the operation | movement of the latch mechanism 5 directly and knows the suitability of an engagement state using an optical sensor etc., for example.

  Here, the operation of the lid opening / closing system 101 when actually performing the wafer processing operation will be described. In the wafer processing operation, the pod 1 containing a predetermined number of wafers and filled with a clean gas is placed on the docking plate 123. When placing the docking plate 123, the pod fixing system 125 operates to set the placement position of the pod 1 relative to the docking plate 123 to a predetermined one. Subsequently, the docking plate drive system 127 is operated to drive the pod 1 toward the first opening 111. Specifically, the drive cylinder 127 b moves the pod 1 integrated with the docking plate 123 by the pod fixing system 125 in a manner through the docking plate 123. At that time, the door 115a stops at a position where the first opening 111 is substantially closed. The driving operation ends when the lid 3 of the pod 1 comes into contact with the contact surface of the door 115a and the docking plate 123 and the first opening 111 are in a predetermined positional relationship. At this time, the latch mechanism drive unit 131 and the latch mechanism 5 are in a state satisfying the predetermined positional relationship shown in FIG. 6A and the like. From this state, the latch mechanism drive unit 131 starts operating, and the engagement state of the pod body 2 with the lid 3 is released. At the same time, the suction pad 115k sucks the lid 3, the lid 3 is held by the door 115a, and the space sandwiched between the surface of the lid 3 and the surface of the door 115a is sealed by the seal member 115m.

  From this state, the door opening / closing actuator 115 c starts operating, and the door arm 115 b rotates to carry the door 115 a holding the lid 3 from the first opening 111 toward the inside of the minute space 103. After the door arm 115b stops rotating at a predetermined angle, the door up-and-down mechanism 115d starts operating, and moves the door 115a together with the door opening / closing actuator 115c. By this operation, the first opening 111 is fully opened, and the minute space 103 is in communication with the inside of the pod main body 2 through the first opening 111. In this state, the robot 109 starts operating, and the wafer 4 is transferred from the inside of the pod 1 to the wafer processing apparatus 117 through the second opening 113 by the robot arm 109a. Further, while maintaining this state, the robot 109 transports the wafer that has been subjected to the predetermined processing in the wafer processing apparatus 117 to the pod 1. When the lid 3 is attached to the pod 1 and the pod 1 can be removed from the lid opening / closing system 101, these operations are basically performed in reverse.

  By using the pod described above and the FIMS system that is a lid opening / closing system corresponding to the pod, the influence of extremely fine dust adhering to the surface of the lid that closes the pod opening is suppressed, and when the lid is opened and closed It is possible to suppress the generation of dust accompanying the opening / closing operation and the diffusion of the generated dust into the minute space or inside the pod. More specifically, the lid 3 is fixed to the pod body 2 and released from the outer surface side of the flange portion 2c provided on the pod body. For example, by forming an air flow from the vicinity of the outer periphery of the first opening 111 to the external space, the possibility of diffusing minute dust or the like into the pod or the minute space that is reduced in terms of arrangement is further reduced. It becomes possible to do.

  In the embodiments described above, the present invention is mainly described with respect to the FIMS system for wafers. However, the application target of the present invention is not limited to the system, and can be applied to, for example, a sealed container that accommodates a display panel, an optical disk, or the like.

1: Pod, 2: Pod body, 3: Lid, 4: Wafer, 5: Latch mechanism, 101: Lid opening / closing system, 102: Control device, 103: Micro space, 105: Housing, 107: Fan, 108: Negative Pressure supply source 109: Robot, 111: First opening, 113: Second opening, 115: Door system, 117: Wafer processing apparatus, 121: Pod mounting table, 123: Docking plate, 125: Pod fixing system 127: Docking plate drive system 131: Latch member drive unit 131: Flange cover

Claims (12)

A lid having a flat plate shape and having an engaged portion provided in the flat plate shape;
An internal space capable of accommodating an object to be accommodated, an opening that communicates the internal space and the external space and is closed by one surface of the flat plate shape in the lid, and extends in parallel to an opening forming surface from the periphery of the opening; A flange portion constituting an accommodation space for accommodating the lid in a state in which the opening is closed, and a flange portion arranged at a position corresponding to the engaged portion in a state in which the lid is accommodated in the accommodation space. A container body having an insertion hole communicating from the outer surface to the accommodation space;
A latch body that is movable along one axis parallel to the opening forming surface and extends in the direction of the one axis; and a connecting part that protrudes from the latch body in a direction different from the extending direction of the one axis; A latch mechanism having an engaging portion disposed at the distal end of the connecting portion,
At least the engaging portion reaches the accommodating space from the insertion hole,
The engaging portion engages with the engaged portion of the lid disposed in the accommodating space,
An airtight container in which the engagement portion and the engaged portion are engaged and released by moving the main body portion along the one axis. The engaged portion has a first straight portion extending along an extending direction of the outer peripheral surface of the flat plate shape, and an opening end on one surface side of the flat plate shape, and in the thickness direction of the lid. It consists of an L-shape that includes a second straight portion that extends,
The engaging portion is engageable with an inner wall constituting the L-shaped first linear portion, and the engaging portion is moved along the one axis to move the engaging portion to the second axis. The closed container according to claim 1, wherein the engaged state is released by moving to the linear portion.   The sealed container according to claim 2, wherein the first straight portion and the second straight portion in the engaged portion are formed of a concave portion that opens on the outer peripheral surface of the flat plate shape.   In response to the engagement portion moving to an end side that is different from a connection end portion of the first straight portion with the second straight portion, the inner wall is provided with the engagement portion. The airtight container according to claim 2, wherein the airtight container has a shape made of at least one of irregularities and slopes that change the urging force applied to.   The sealed container according to claim 2, wherein a direction in which the connecting portion protrudes from the latch main body is a direction perpendicular to an extending direction of the one axis.   The sealed container according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the engaging portion includes a disk-shaped roller that can roll while contacting the inner wall.   7. The latch mechanism according to claim 1, further comprising urging means for applying an urging force to the engaging portion to stop and hold the engaging portion at a position where the engaging portion is engaged with the engaged portion. The airtight container of any one.   The latch main body further includes a slide rail that movably supports the latch mechanism along the one axis, and the slide rail is disposed on one surface of the flange main body on the container main body side. The hermetic container according to any one of claims 1 to 7. A lid opening / closing system capable of opening and closing the lid with respect to the sealed container according to any one of claims 1 to 8 and allowing the contained object to be inserted into and removed from the sealed container.
A minute space having an opening;
A door movable between a position where the opening is substantially closed and a position where the opening is opened;
Latch mechanism driving means arranged to be able to operate the latch mechanism when the sealed container is present at a position where the lid is opened and closed by the door, and arranged around the opening. Lid opening and closing system.   The latch mechanism driving means is arranged coaxially with the one axis that is the movement axis of the latch main body part, and is capable of pressing the latch mechanism along the movement axis, and the rod can be expanded and contracted along the movement axis. The lid opening / closing system according to claim 9, further comprising an actuator for supporting the lid. A container mounting table for moving the closed container closer to or away from the opening in a state where the closed container is mounted;
The latch mechanism driving means includes a cam surface that can move relative to the container mounting table by movement of the container mounting table, and a cam means that can follow the cam surface disposed on the container mounting table. The lid opening / closing system according to claim 9, further comprising a cam mechanism that applies a pressing force to the latch mechanism according to a change in the cam surface accompanying the movement of the container mounting table.   The lid opening / closing system according to any one of claims 9 to 11, further comprising a flange cover that covers an outer peripheral surface of the flange portion when the sealed container is present at an opening / closing position of the lid.

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