JP2011031964A - Board supporting frame and board housing container - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a board supporting frame and a board housing container by which fear of the breakage or contamination of a board can be reduced, the transport efficiency is improved, and the board can easily be put in/taken out. <P>SOLUTION: On a base body 10, the hollow board supporting frame 30 is freely detachably laminate-arranged. On each board supporting frame 30, this board housing container for which a plurality of supporting sections 32 for supporting semiconductor wafers W are arranged at intervals is arranged. Each supporting section 32 is constituted of a directing step piece 35 which directs the supporting section 32 from the board supporting frame 30 in the hollow direction, a supporting shelf 36 which is formed on the directing step piece 35, and horizontally supports the semiconductor wafers W, and a board holder 38 which makes a flexible holding piece 40 inserted through the directing step piece 35 projected in the hollow direction of the board supporting frame 30, and makes the holding piece 40 positioned while being tilted so as to gradually approach the lower side of the supporting shelf 36. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a substrate support frame and a substrate storage container used when holding, storing, transporting, and transporting a substrate made of a semiconductor wafer, a glass substrate, or the like.

  In recent years, from the viewpoint of increasing the number of semiconductor parts that can be produced from a single wafer, improving production efficiency, and reducing costs, it has been studied to increase the diameter from φ200 mm to 300 mm, 450 mm, etc. Has already been developed and manufactured. When transporting such a large-diameter semiconductor wafer to a device factory to produce semiconductor parts, a plurality of semiconductor wafers are stored and sealed in a transport container (not shown) to the maximum, and the transport container is standardized. A method of stacking high on a pallet and transporting by aircraft, truck or ship is adopted.

  The transport container includes a front open box type container main body for aligning and storing a plurality (25) of semiconductor wafers, and a detachable lid that opens and closes the front surface of the container main body. A pair of left and right support pieces for horizontally supporting the semiconductor wafer are provided on the inner surface of the wall, and the pair of support pieces are arranged at intervals in the vertical direction of the container body, and are supported by the pair of support pieces. The obtained semiconductor wafer is automatically taken out by a dedicated robot or inserted again.

  The container body has a gripping flange mounted on the ceiling and long plate-shaped conveyor rails mounted on the lower portions of both side walls, and is automatically conveyed by utilizing these flanges and a pair of conveyor rails. Further, the plurality of pairs of support pieces of the container body are arranged at intervals that do not hinder the automatic insertion and removal of the semiconductor wafer in consideration of the bending due to the weight of the thin semiconductor wafer. For example, when the semiconductor wafer is a φ300 mm type, the pair of support pieces are arranged at intervals of 10 mm in the vertical direction of the container body. Also, the lid is automatically fitted to or removed from the open front of the container body from the viewpoint of preventing contamination of the semiconductor wafer (see Patent Documents 1, 2, and 3).

JP 2004-103937 A Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-320028 JP 2008-141131 A

  Although the conventional transport container is configured as described above and can be expected to have excellent effects, there are some problems. First, when transport containers containing semiconductor wafers are piled up high on a pallet, the risk of the transport containers falling must be taken into account. In this case, there is a considerable risk of damage to the semiconductor wafers. In addition, since the conventional transport container has a container body and lid that are heavier than the semiconductor wafer, there is a limit to improving the transport efficiency.

  In addition, when the semiconductor wafer is a φ300 mm type, the SEMI standard (M31) defines that a pair of support pieces are arranged at intervals of 10 mm in the vertical direction of the container body, but when the semiconductor wafer is a φ450 mm type, If the pair of support pieces are arranged at an interval of 10 mm, there is a risk of hindrance to the insertion and removal of the semiconductor wafer. As a means for solving such an adverse effect, a method of arranging a pair of support pieces at an interval exceeding 10 mm is conceivable. However, in such a case, the support accuracy of the pair of support pieces deteriorates, or the height of the container body increases. This will increase the transport efficiency of the transport container.

In order to improve the transport efficiency of the transport container, the transport container is covered with the base body, the plurality of substrate support frames stacked on the base body, and the base body covered from above. A method has been proposed in which a semiconductor wafer is sandwiched between a plurality of substrate support frames.
However, in this case, since the semiconductor wafer is sandwiched between the plurality of substrate support frames, there is a concern about generation of wear powder and contamination of the semiconductor wafer due to migration of organic substances and ion components. Furthermore, due to a significant change in the configuration of the transport container, it is expected that it will be difficult for the robot to insert and remove the semiconductor wafer.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a substrate support frame and a substrate storage container that can reduce the risk of substrate breakage and contamination, improve transport efficiency, and can easily take in and out the substrate. It is said.

In the present invention, in order to solve the above problems, a plurality of support portions for a substrate are provided at intervals in a hollow support frame,
The support part has a directing piece oriented in the hollow direction of the support frame, a support shelf formed on the directing piece to support the substrate substantially horizontally, and a holding piece penetrating the directing piece protruding in the hollow direction of the support frame. And a substrate restraint that is tilted so as to gradually approach the lower side of the support shelf.

In addition, a height adjustment protrusion can be provided in a support frame.
The plurality of support parts include a pair of first support parts provided in the circumferential direction of the support frame and facing each other, and a pair of second support parts provided in the circumferential direction of the support frame and opposed to each other. The support portion can be formed to extend in the circumferential direction of the support frame more than the second support portion.
Further, the line connecting the centers of the pair of first support portions and the line connecting the centers of the pair of second support portions can be substantially orthogonal.

In the present invention, in order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the substrate support frame according to claim 1 or 2 can be detachably disposed on the base body.
The base body includes a base bottom on which the substrate support frame is mounted and a base cover fitted to the lower surface of the base bottom, and a plurality of positioning tools are provided on either the lower surface of the base bottom or the base cover. In addition to providing an engaging recess in the peripheral wall of the base bottom, an engaging claw that engages with the engaging recess in the base bottom can be formed on the peripheral wall of the base cover.

Further, the cover body includes a cover body that covers the substrate support frame from above and a locking mechanism that locks the cover body. The cover body has a substantially U-shaped cross section (such as a cross-sectional hat shape or a U-shaped cross section) with an open bottom surface. Including), and
The locking mechanism is formed on the locking claw that can protrude from the peripheral wall of the base body and interfere with the peripheral wall of the cover body, a spring member that is attached to the base body and projects the locking claw to the outside of the peripheral wall of the base body And an operation recess that is operated from the outside of the base body.

  In addition, an elastic gasket is provided between the base body and the cover body. The gasket is laminated on the peripheral edge of the upper surface of the base bottom, and contacts the lower peripheral wall of the cover body. It is possible to form an interference protrusion that interferes with the engaging claw of the base cover, and includes an opposing claw that extends from the upper surface of the base bottom and opposes the engaging recess of the base bottom.

It is also possible to arrange a plurality of substrate support frames in the vertical direction on the base body, form a recess in the ceiling periphery of the cover body, and bring the recessed ceiling periphery into contact with the uppermost substrate support frame It is.
Moreover, it is good to form a positioning part in a substrate support frame at least among a base body and a substrate support frame.

  In addition, when the bottom surface of the support shelf of the substrate support frame is recessed, and the substrate support frame is stacked so as to face the recessed bottom surface of the support shelf so that the restraining piece for restraining the substrate can be inserted through a gap. In addition, it is preferable that the restraining piece for restraining the substrate in the upper substrate support frame is brought into contact with the peripheral portion of the substrate supported by the lower substrate support frame.

  Here, the hollow support frame in the claims mainly has a substantially flat ring shape in plan view, but is not particularly limited, and may be a hollow polygon or a frame shape. The required number (for example, 25, 30, 40, 50, etc.) of the support frames, that is, the substrate support frames, is arranged on the base body of the substrate storage container. The directing piece of the support portion may be bent or not. The substrate includes at least semiconductor wafers of various sizes (for example, φ300, 450, 600 mm type, etc.), liquid crystal substrates, glass substrates, and the like.

  The support frame can be provided with a height adjusting portion, but the height adjusting portion is not particularly limited to one or more. The base cover and the cover body of the base body may be transparent, opaque, or translucent. In addition, the locking mechanism is supported by the base bottom of the base body and can be rotated from the outside, and can protrude and project from the peripheral wall of the base bottom and interfere with the peripheral wall of the cover body as the rotary body rotates. It can also consist of a plurality of advancing and retracting plates.

According to the present invention, when the substrate is supported by the substrate support frame, the substrate may be supported by the support shelves of the plurality of support portions.
When storing a plurality of substrates in the substrate storage container, first, the substrates are supported by the plurality of substrate support frames, the substrate support frame is mounted on the base body, and the substrate support frame is mounted on the lowermost substrate support frame. Are stacked one after another. Then, after stacking an empty substrate support frame on the uppermost substrate support frame supporting the substrate and then covering the base body with a cover body, a plurality of substrates can be stored in the substrate storage container.

  When the upper substrate support frame starts to be stacked on the lower substrate support frame during the above operation, the substrate restraining piece of the upper substrate support frame comes into contact with the peripheral portion of the substrate supported by the lower substrate support frame. To do. In this state, when the upper substrate support frame is completely overlapped with the lower substrate support frame, the substrate restraining restraining piece in the upper substrate support frame is deformed while bending upward while in contact with the peripheral edge of the substrate. Then, it fits into the recessed lower surface of the support shelf in the upper substrate support frame, and supports the substrate while preventing displacement of the substrate.

  According to the present invention, there is an effect that the possibility of breakage and contamination of the substrate is reduced, the transportation efficiency is improved, and the substrate can be easily taken in and out.

Also, if the first support part is formed to extend in the circumferential direction of the support frame more than the second support part, and the length of the second support part is shortened to reduce its occupied area, a robot for inserting and removing the substrate There is no need to make large-scale improvements.
Moreover, if the cover body which covers a board | substrate support frame is covered on a base body, contamination of a board | substrate support frame or its board | substrate can be prevented. Moreover, if the locking mechanism which locks a cover body is provided, it can prevent that a cover body removes carelessly from a base body.

Further, if an elastic gasket is interposed between the base body and the cover body, it is possible to prevent the substrate from being contaminated by gas or dust flowing from the outside to the inside of the cover body. Further, if an interference projection that interferes with the engagement claw of the base cover is formed on the opposing claw of the gasket, it is possible to prevent the gasket from dropping from the base bottom with a simple configuration.
Further, when a plurality of substrate support frames for supporting a substrate are stacked, if the substrate restraining piece in the upper substrate support frame is brought into contact with the peripheral portion of the substrate supported by the lower substrate support frame, the substrate rattles. Therefore, the substrate can be safely stored and transported.

It is an exploded perspective view showing typically an embodiment of a substrate support frame and a substrate storage container concerning the present invention. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing an embodiment of a substrate support frame and a substrate storage container according to the present invention. It is a section explanatory view showing typically an embodiment of a substrate support frame and a substrate storage container concerning the present invention. It is bottom explanatory drawing which shows typically embodiment of the substrate storage container which concerns on this invention. It is bottom explanatory drawing which shows typically the state which removed the base cover from the base bottom in embodiment of the board | substrate storage container which concerns on this invention. It is a section explanatory view showing typically the locking mechanism in the embodiment of the substrate storage container concerning the present invention. It is sectional explanatory drawing which shows typically the unlocking state of the locking mechanism in embodiment of the board | substrate storage container which concerns on this invention. It is a perspective explanatory view showing typically a base body and a gasket in an embodiment of a substrate storage container concerning the present invention. It is side explanatory drawing which shows typically the base body and gasket in embodiment of the substrate storage container which concerns on this invention. It is a whole perspective explanatory view showing typically the gasket in the embodiment of the substrate storage container concerning the present invention. FIG. 9 is a perspective explanatory view showing an XI portion in FIG. 8. It is principal part expansion explanatory drawing which shows typically the attachment state of the opposing nail | claw in embodiment of the board | substrate storage container which concerns on this invention. It is an expanded section explanatory view showing typically the attachment state of the counter nail in the embodiment of the substrate storage container concerning the present invention. It is a plane explanatory view showing typically the substrate support frame in the embodiment of the substrate storage container concerning the present invention. It is a plane explanatory view showing typically a substrate support frame, a semiconductor wafer, and a robot hand in an embodiment of a substrate storage container concerning the present invention. It is a section explanatory view showing typically the state where the substrate support frame was positioned and laminated on the lowermost substrate support frame in the embodiment of the substrate storage container according to the present invention. It is a section explanatory view showing typically the state where the upper substrate support frame was positioned and laminated on the lowermost substrate support frame in the embodiment of the substrate storage container according to the present invention. It is a section explanatory view showing typically the state where the upper substrate support frame started to be stacked on the lower substrate support frame in the embodiment of the substrate storage container according to the present invention. FIG. 19 is an explanatory cross-sectional view schematically showing a state in which the upper substrate support frame is stacked on the lower substrate support frame of FIG. 18. FIG. 20 is an explanatory cross-sectional view schematically illustrating a state in which an upper substrate support frame is further stacked on the upper substrate support frame of FIG. 19.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. A substrate storage container in the present embodiment is a base mounted on a semiconductor processing apparatus 1 for processing a semiconductor wafer W, as shown in FIGS. A body 10, a plurality of substrate support frames 30 disposed on the base body 10, a cover body 60 that covers the base body 10, a locking mechanism 70 that locks the covered cover body 60, and the base body 10. An elastic gasket 80 that is interposed between the cover body 60 and maintains hermeticity is provided, and is used as a transport container for transporting a plurality of semiconductor wafers W to a device factory.

As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 15, the semiconductor wafer W is made of, for example, a φ300 mm or φ450 mm type silicon wafer, and after being transported from the wafer maker to the device maker, a circuit pattern is formed on at least the front and back surfaces, Thinning is achieved by back grinding on the back side.
In the semiconductor processing apparatus 1, a plurality of positioning pins for positioning the substrate storage container are fixed and installed, and a plurality of slidable unlocking pins 2 for unlocking the locking mechanism 70 of the substrate storage container are arranged side by side. (See FIGS. 6 and 7).

  The base body 10 of the substrate storage container is formed into a short disk shape using a predetermined molding material, and is detachably positioned and mounted on the semiconductor processing apparatus 1. The predetermined molding material of the base body 10 is not particularly limited, but for example, a thermoplastic resin such as polycarbonate, polyetherimide, polyetheretherketone, cycloolefin polymer, liquid crystal polymer, polybutylene terephthalate, It is prepared by selectively adding a conductive filler or a filler such as glass or carbon.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 to 9, the base body 10 includes a flat base bottom 11 on which the substrate support frame 30 is mounted on the upper surface, and a flat surface that is detachably fitted to the lower surface of the base bottom 11 and stacked. A circular base cover 12 is provided, and a plurality of (three in this embodiment) positioning tools 13 for positioning with respect to the semiconductor processing apparatus 1 are provided on either the lower surface of the base bottom 11 or the base cover 12. Is disposed.

  The base bottom 11 has a flat upper center portion 14 slightly raised upward, and the lowermost substrate support frame 30 among the plurality of substrate support frames 30 is horizontally mounted. A pair of frustoconical alignment bosses 15 for positioning 30 are formed, and a plurality of support protrusions 21 for the gasket 80 are arranged at intervals on the outermost peripheral portion of the upper surface. For example, one of the pair of alignment bosses 15 is formed low and short, and the other is formed high. Further, the plurality of support protrusions 21 are formed in a substantially triangular shape with a short cross section, and support the gasket 80 in a horizontal state in a floating state, and function to increase the degree of deformation of the gasket.

  As shown in FIGS. 1, 8, 9, 12, and 13, a plurality of engagement holes 16 and a plurality of horizontally long locking holes 17 for the locking mechanism 70 are drilled in the circumferential direction of the peripheral wall of the base bottom 11. The Each engagement hole 16 is formed in a vertically long shape, and a notch 18 positioned at the uppermost peripheral portion of the upper surface of the base bottom 11 is integrally communicated with the upper end portion.

  The base cover 12 is formed in a substantially U-shaped section having a short height, and a plurality of operation ports 19 that are loosely inserted into the unlocking pins 2 of the semiconductor processing apparatus 1 are spaced on the lower surface as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. And then drilled. As shown in FIG. 13, a plurality of flexible engaging claws 20 are integrally formed at the upper end of the peripheral wall of the base cover 12, and each engaging claw 20 is inserted into the engaging hole 16 of the base bottom 11 from the inside. By engaging, the base cover 12 is fixed to the base bottom 11.

  The plurality of positioning tools 13 are each formed in a substantially V-shaped cross section that opens downward, and are arranged side by side in the vicinity of the peripheral edge of the lower surface of the base cover 12. It functions to position the storage container with high accuracy. When each positioning tool 13 is provided on the base bottom 11, an exposure hole is drilled in the base cover 12 in order to enable fitting with a positioning pin of the semiconductor processing apparatus 1.

  A plurality (for example, 25 or more) of substrate support frames 30 are arranged in the central portion 14 of the upper surface of the base bottom 11 and stacked in a vertical direction as shown in FIGS. The substrate support frame 30 other than the uppermost substrate support frame 30 close to the ceiling of the cover body 60 is used in a state in which the semiconductor wafer W is individually supported.

  Each substrate support frame 30 is formed into a substantially planar ring shape having a diameter larger than that of the semiconductor wafer W by using the same molding material as that of the base body 10, and is used as a minimum unit when the semiconductor wafer W is stored. As shown in FIGS. 14 to 20, the substrate support frame 30 includes a support frame 31 that is a main body, and a plurality of support portions 32 for the semiconductor wafer W are spaced in the circumferential direction of the inner periphery of the support frame 31. The semiconductor wafer W is horizontally supported on the plurality of support portions 32 by a dedicated robot 50, and the outer peripheral portion 33 of the support frame 31 is formed from the viewpoint of stacking and stabilizing the posture at that time. It is formed flat.

  Each support portion 32 includes an inclined piece 34 directed in the hollow direction between the inner and outer peripheral portions of the support frame 31, and a directivity step piece 35 protruding further in the hollow direction from the tip portion of the inclined piece 34, A support shelf 36 that horizontally supports the semiconductor wafer W formed on the directional step piece 35 and a holding piece 40 that penetrates the directional step piece 35 protrude in the hollow direction of the support frame 31, and below the support shelf 36. A separate substrate holding member 38 that gradually approaches, and is configured to have a substantially circular arc shape.

  The support shelf 36 is formed in a shelf shape with surface irregularities suitable for supporting the semiconductor wafer W, and the lower surface 37 is formed in a recess. The substrate holder 38 is made of a predetermined molding material, specifically, a polyester-based, polyolefin-based, or polystyrene-based thermoplastic elastomer having a hardness measured by JIS K7202 of 80 ° or less, a rubber material such as fluorine or IR, polyethylene, It is molded using a thermoplastic resin such as polypropylene or polybutylene terephthalate.

  The substrate holding member 38 includes a cylindrical holding tube 39 that is fitted into the inner peripheral portion of the support frame 31 or the mounting hole of the inclined piece 34, and the central portion where the directional step piece 35 is opened from the upper end portion of the holding tube 39. A penetrating elastic restraining piece 40 protrudes obliquely upward, and the tip end portion of the restraining piece 40 is positioned below the recessed lower surface 37 of the support shelf 36 in an inclined state with a slight gap, and the semiconductor wafer W Is inserted into the lower surface 37 of the support shelf 36 at the time of support. A retaining flange 41 that engages with the peripheral edge portion of the mounting hole is provided around the circumferential surface of the lower end portion of the holding cylinder 39.

  As shown in FIG. 14 and FIG. 15, the plurality of support portions 32 are provided in the circumferential direction of the support frame 31 and a pair of first support portions 32 </ b> A that are opposed to each other in the circumferential direction of the support frame 31. And a line connecting the centers of the pair of first support portions 32A and a line connecting the centers of the pair of second support portions 32B are orthogonal to each other. From the viewpoint of contributing to handling operation of the robot 50, each first support portion 32A is formed to extend in the circumferential direction of the support frame 31 more than the second support portion 32B.

  The pair of first support portions 32A are arranged so as to be orthogonal to the insertion direction of the semiconductor wafer W (left and right direction in FIG. 14), and the maximum diameter portion of the semiconductor wafer W that is perpendicular to the insertion direction of the semiconductor wafer W and its The peripheral edge in the vicinity is supported over a wide range. On the other hand, the pair of second support portions 32B are arranged to be parallel to the insertion direction of the semiconductor wafer W, and from the viewpoint of avoiding interference with the robot 50 and maintaining the strength of the robot 50, the first support portion 32A. Shorter than that.

  A plurality of height adjustment protrusions 42 for adjusting the height at the time of stacking are formed on the outer peripheral portion 33 of the substrate support frame 30 so as to protrude at intervals, and a positioning long hole 43 and a truncated cone shape for positioning at the time of stacking are formed. The positioning bosses 44 are respectively formed, and the positioning elongated holes 43 and the positioning bosses 44 face each other. Each height adjustment protrusion 42 is formed in a short columnar shape on the surface of the outer peripheral portion 33 of the substrate support frame 30 and has an upper end curved in a hemispherical shape. Specifically, the upper substrate support frame 30, specifically, It contacts the lower surface of the outer peripheral portion 33 of the support frame 31.

  The positioning slot 43 is positioned through the positioning boss 15 of the base bottom 11 or the positioning boss 44 of another adjacent substrate support frame 30 to position the substrate support frame 30. The positioning boss 44 is formed in a hollow shape having an open bottom surface, and is fitted and brought into contact with the positioning boss 15 of the base bottom 11 or the positioning long hole 43 of another adjacent substrate support frame 30.

  As shown in FIG. 15, the robot 50 includes a plane U-shaped hand 51 that can move in a three-dimensional direction, and the hand 51 is inserted between the first and second support portions 32 </ b> A and 32 </ b> B. The two support portions 32B are straddled, and the peripheral portion of the semiconductor wafer W is gripped in a state of straddling the second support portion 32B, and the semiconductor wafer W is inserted and removed.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, 6, and 13, the cover body 60 is formed in a planar circle having a substantially U-shaped cross section with a lower surface opened using a predetermined molding material. The body 10 is detachably covered from above to cover and protect the plurality of substrate support frames 30. The molding material of the cover body 60 is not particularly limited, but the same molding material as that of the base body 10 is used. From the viewpoint of contributing to observation of the stored semiconductor wafer W, light transmittance and transparency are provided. Is granted.

  A reinforcing groove 61 is formed in a planar cross shape on the ceiling of the cover body 60, and a separate robotic flange 62 is interposed via a fastener at the center of the reinforcing groove 61, in other words, at the center of the ceiling. Installed. The robotic flange 62 is formed of the same molding material as that of the base body 10 and is held by the transfer robot 50 (not shown). Further, the ceiling peripheral portion 63 of the cover body 60 is formed with an inwardly inclined surface or a step, and contacts the uppermost substrate support frame 30 that does not support the semiconductor wafer W, thereby restricting displacement.

  A flange 64 that fits to the outermost peripheral portion of the base bottom 11 is integrally formed in a radially outward direction at a lower portion of the peripheral wall of the cover body 60, and the inner peripheral surface of the flange 64 faces the locking hole 17 of the base bottom 11. A locking hole 65 for the locking mechanism 70 is formed, and a tapered press contact protrusion 66 that presses the gasket 80 from above is formed on the lower surface of the bent portion of the flange 64 so as to face downward.

  As shown in FIG. 4 to FIG. 7, the locking mechanism 70 protrudes horizontally from the locking hole 17 of the base bottom 11 and can be protruded and retracted into the locking hole 65 of the cover body 60 (four in this embodiment). A locking claw 71, a ring spring 72 that is fitted in the base bottom 11 and urges the locking claw 71 outwardly from the locking hole 17, and a semiconductor processing apparatus formed on the lower surface of each locking claw 71. And an operation hole 73 that is operated by one unlocking pin 2. The ring spring 72 is fitted and fixed to the mounting groove in the base bottom 11 via a plurality of fulcrum pins 74 and connected to each locking claw 71.

  If such a ring spring 72 is used, even if one locking claw 71 is retracted into the locking hole 17 due to an external impact, for example, another locking claw adjacent to the one locking claw 71 is used. 71 is locked by protruding from the locking hole 17 by the reaction force accompanying the retreat. Therefore, it is possible to effectively prevent the locking claw 71 from coming off and the cover body 60 from falling off the base body 10.

  In the locking mechanism 70, when locking the substrate storage container, each locking claw 71 protrudes from the locking hole 17 of the base bottom 11 and opposes the locking hole 65 of the cover body 60 by the elastic biasing action of the ring spring 72. By inserting and inserting, the removal of the cover body 60 fitted to the base body 10 is regulated.

  On the other hand, when unlocking the substrate storage container mounted on the semiconductor processing apparatus 1, each unlocking pin 2 of the semiconductor processing apparatus 1 passes through the operation port 19 of the base cover 12 and operates the locking claw 71. Each unlocking pin 2 is inserted into the hole 73 and slides inward in the radial direction of the base body 10, and each locking claw 71 deflects the ring spring 72 and then into the locking hole 17 of the base bottom 11 from the locking hole 65 of the cover body 60. By retreating, the cover body 60 can be removed.

  The gasket 80 is molded so as to be elastically deformable using, for example, fluoro rubber, silicone rubber, various thermoplastic elastomers (for example, olefin-based, polyester-based, polystyrene-based, etc.) having excellent heat resistance and weather resistance as a molding material. As shown in FIGS. 8 to 13, the gasket 80 is laminated on the outermost peripheral edge of the upper surface of the base bottom 11, and has a hollow base material portion 81 that is pressed against the pressure contact protrusion 66 of the cover body 60, and the base It is formed with a plurality of opposing claws 82 extending downward from the outer peripheral edge of the material portion 81 and penetrating the notch 18 of the base bottom 11 and facing the engagement hole 16 of the base bottom 11.

  The base material portion 81 is formed into a flat ring-shaped flat plate having a diameter larger than that of the semiconductor wafer W, and is laminated and supported in a state of slightly floating on the plurality of support protrusions 21 of the base bottom 11. The pressure contact projection 66 of the cover body 60 is in pressure contact with the region supported by the cover body 60. Further, as shown in FIGS. 10 to 13, the plurality of opposing claws 82 are arranged at a predetermined interval on the outer peripheral edge portion of the base material portion 81, and the lower portion of each opposing claw 82 has a base bottom 11. An interference projection 83 that interferes with the upper portion of the engagement claw 20 of the base cover 12 engaged with the engagement hole 16 is formed to bulge, and the interference of the interference projection 83 effectively restricts the gasket 80 from coming off.

  In the above, when a plurality of semiconductor wafers W are stored in the substrate storage container, the semiconductor wafers W are respectively supported horizontally by the plurality of substrate support frames 30 and the lowermost substrate support frame 30 is formed on the upper surface of the base body 10. Are positioned and mounted, and a plurality of substrate support frames 30 are sequentially stacked on the lowermost substrate support frame 30 while changing the orientation. Specifically, the bottom substrate support frame 30 is rotated in the X direction by fitting the positioning long holes 43 and the positioning bosses 44 of the substrate support frame 30 to the pair of alignment bosses 15 of the base body 10 respectively. Position and mount in the direction.

  At this time, one alignment boss 15 of the base body 10 passes through the positioning long hole 43 of the lowermost substrate support frame 30, that is, the upper substrate support frame 30 of the lowermost substrate support frame 30, that is, the second step. It fits in the positioning boss 44 of the substrate support frame 30. The second stage substrate support frame 30 is rotated and rotated by 180 ° with respect to the lowermost substrate support frame 30, and the positioning boss 44 is positioned and fitted to the alignment boss 15 of the base body 10. The positioning elongated hole 43 penetrates the positioning boss 44 of the substrate support frame 30.

  In this way, the plurality of substrate support frames 30 are sequentially stacked in the third, fourth, fifth, etc. while changing the direction, and an empty substrate is supported on the uppermost substrate support frame 30 that supports the semiconductor wafer W. After the frame 30 is positioned and laminated to support the uppermost semiconductor wafer W, the base body 10 is covered with the cover body 60 via the gasket 80 and locked by the locking mechanism 70, so that a plurality of semiconductor wafers W are placed in the substrate storage container. Can be stored.

  As described above, since the plurality of substrate support frames 30 are alternately rotated by 180 ° and stacked, accumulation of errors during stacking can be greatly reduced. Further, as shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, the lowermost substrate support frame 30 and the second substrate support frame 30 are directly positioned by the alignment boss 15 of the base body 10, and an odd number such as the third step is obtained. Since the lower stage substrate support frame 30 can be positioned by the lowermost stage substrate support frame 30, and the even stage substrate support frame 30 such as the fourth stage can be positioned by the second stage substrate support frame 30. The accumulated error during lamination can be further halved.

  Now, when the upper substrate support frame 30A starts to be stacked on the lower substrate support frame 30, the substrate restraint 38 in the upper substrate support frame 30A is formed on the peripheral edge of the semiconductor wafer W supported by the lower substrate support frame 30. The lower surface of the holding piece 40 contacts (see FIG. 18). In such a state, when the bottom surface of the flat outer peripheral portion 33 of the upper substrate support frame 30A comes into contact with the height adjustment protrusion 42 of the lower substrate support frame 30 and is positioned and laminated, the upper substrate support frame 30A The holding piece 40 of the substrate holder 38 is deformed while being curved upward while contacting the peripheral edge of the semiconductor wafer W, and is fitted into the recessed lower surface 37 of the support shelf 36 in the upper substrate support frame 30A. It will be resiliently supported while preventing displacement (see FIG. 19).

When the upper substrate support frame 30B is further stacked on the upper substrate support frame 30A, the peripheral portion of the semiconductor wafer W supported by the upper substrate support frame 30A is further overlapped with the upper substrate support frame 30B in the same manner as described above. The lower surface of the holding piece 40 of the board holding 38 is elastically contacted (see FIG. 20).
The empty substrate support frame 30 positioned on the uppermost substrate support frame 30 that supports the semiconductor wafer W is used to support the uppermost semiconductor wafer W by the substrate support 38 in addition to the suppression by the cover body 60. Laminated.

  According to the above configuration, since the height of the substrate storage container that stores the same number of semiconductor wafers W can be significantly reduced, there is little need to stack a large number of substrate storage containers on the pallet, and the risk of damage to the semiconductor wafer W Can be reduced. Further, the semiconductor wafer W is stored with the plurality of substrate support frames 30 stacked from the base body 10 removed, or the semiconductor wafer W is stored with the plurality of substrate support frames 30 taken out divided into several parts. Therefore, the semiconductor wafer W can be removed at random positions, and the storage space and storage height in the process can be suppressed.

  In addition, since each substrate support frame 30 that is the minimum unit for storage is lighter than the conventional container body and lid, the transport efficiency can be improved. Even if the semiconductor wafer W is a φ450 mm type, it is possible to eliminate the possibility of hindering the insertion and removal of the semiconductor wafer W, and therefore it is possible to suppress and prevent the deterioration of the transport efficiency. Further, since the contact area between each support portion 32 and the semiconductor wafer W is very small, it becomes possible to prevent the generation of wear powder and contamination of the semiconductor wafer W due to the transfer of organic substances and ion components.

  Further, if the conventional front open box type substrate storage container robot 50 is slightly improved, it can be applied to the substrate storage container of this embodiment, so that it is difficult for the robot 50 to insert and remove the semiconductor wafer W. It is rare to become. Furthermore, if the height adjustment protrusion 42 is provided on the support frame 31, the substrate support frame 30 can be positioned with high accuracy in the vertical direction, and the stability of the posture of the stacked substrate support frame 30 can be greatly expected.

  In addition, the base bottom 11 of the base body 10 of the above embodiment is formed in a short cylindrical shape, and the flat circular base covers 12 are fitted to the opened upper and lower surfaces, respectively, and the upper surface side base cover 12 is mounted on the back. The substrate support frame 30 may be mounted in a low truncated cone shape. Further, the engagement hole 16 of the base bottom 11 may not be a through hole as long as the inner side is recessed. The substrate support frame 30 of the above embodiment may be formed as a flat plate, but a bent step is provided between the inner peripheral portion and the outer peripheral portion 33, and the inner peripheral portion is obliquely above the outer peripheral portion 33. May be located.

  In the above-described embodiment, the holding piece 40 of the substrate holding member 38 is fitted into the recessed lower surface 37 of the supporting shelf 36, but the lower portion 37 of the supporting shelf 36 is not recessed, and the intermediate piece of the holding piece 40 of the substrate holding plate 38 is inserted. The semiconductor wafer W may be regulated. Further, a necessary number of positioning bosses 44 for the semiconductor wafer W can be formed in the vicinity of the support shelf 36. Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the ceiling peripheral part 63 in which the cover body 60 was dented and contacted the uppermost board | substrate support frame 30, it positioned, it is not limited to this at all. For example, without positioning the ceiling peripheral part 63 of the cover body 60, the positioning part can be formed downward from the ceiling inner surface of the cover body 60, and the uppermost substrate support frame 30 can be positioned by this positioning part. .

  Further, a single ring spring 72 may be connected to the plurality of locking claws 71, but a spring member such as a plate spring or a coil spring can be connected to each locking claw 71. The ring spring 72 and various spring members can be manufactured using a synthetic resin, a metal, or a material obtained by coating these with a resin. In addition, a bottomed cylindrical boss can be formed instead of the operation hole 73 of the locking claw 71. Furthermore, the base material portion 81 of the gasket 80 is not endless but can be divided into a plurality of bendable elongated strips.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Semiconductor processing apparatus 2 Unlocking pin 10 Base body 11 Base bottom 12 Base cover 13 Positioning tool 16 Engagement hole (engagement recessed part)
17 Locking hole 18 Notch 19 Operation port 20 Engaging claw 21 Support protrusion 30 Substrate support frame 30A Substrate support frame 30B Substrate support frame 31 Support frame 32 Support part 32A First support part 32B Second support part 34 Inclined piece 35 Directional step Piece (directing piece)
36 Supporting shelf 37 Lower surface 38 Substrate restraint 39 Restraining tube 40 Restraining piece 50 Robot 51 Hand 60 Cover body 63 Ceiling peripheral edge 64 Flange 65 Locking hole 70 Locking mechanism 71 Locking claw 72 Ring spring (spring member)
73 Operation hole (operation recess)
80 Gasket 81 Base Material Part 82 Opposing Claw 83 Interference Protrusion W Semiconductor Wafer (Substrate)

Claims (8)

  A substrate support frame in which a plurality of support portions for a substrate are provided at intervals in a hollow support frame, and the support portion is formed on the directing piece oriented in the hollow direction of the support frame, and the directing piece is formed on the directing piece. A support shelf that supports the substrate horizontally, and a substrate restraint that protrudes the restraining piece penetrating the directional piece in the hollow direction of the support frame and is inclined to approach gradually below the support shelf. A substrate support frame characterized by the above.   The plurality of support parts include a pair of first support parts provided in the circumferential direction of the support frame and facing each other, and a pair of second support parts provided in the circumferential direction of the support frame and opposed to each other. The substrate support frame according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is formed to extend in a circumferential direction of the support frame from the second support part.   A substrate storage container in which the substrate support frame according to claim 1 or 2 is detachably disposed on a base body.   The base body includes a base bottom on which the substrate support frame is mounted and a base cover fitted to the lower surface of the base bottom. A plurality of positioning tools are provided on either the lower surface of the base bottom or the base cover, and the base 4. The substrate storage container according to claim 3, wherein an engaging recess is provided on the peripheral wall of the bottom, and an engaging claw that engages with the engaging recess of the base bottom is formed on the peripheral wall of the base cover. A cover body that covers the substrate support frame from above the base body, and a locking mechanism that locks the cover body, and the cover body is formed in a substantially U-shaped cross section with an open bottom surface;
The locking mechanism is formed on the locking claw that can protrude from the peripheral wall of the base body and interfere with the peripheral wall of the cover body, a spring member that is attached to the base body and projects the locking claw to the outside of the peripheral wall of the base body The substrate storage container according to claim 3, further comprising an operation recess that is operated from outside the base body.   The gasket includes an elastic gasket interposed between the base body and the cover body. The gasket is laminated on the peripheral edge of the upper surface of the base bottom and contacts the lower peripheral wall of the cover body, and extends from the base material section. 6. The substrate storage container according to claim 5, further comprising an opposing claw penetrating the upper surface of the base bottom and facing the engaging recess of the base bottom, and forming an interference projection that interferes with the engaging claw of the base cover on the opposing claw. .   Claims wherein a plurality of substrate support frames are stacked in a vertical direction on the base body, a ceiling peripheral edge portion of the cover body is recessed, and the recessed ceiling peripheral edge portion is in contact with the uppermost substrate support frame. The substrate storage container according to 5 or 6.   When the bottom surface of the support shelf of the substrate support frame is formed in a concave shape, the control piece for suppressing the substrate is opposed to the recessed bottom surface of the support shelf so as to be fitted through a gap, and a plurality of substrate support frames that support the substrate are stacked. 8. The substrate storage container according to claim 7, wherein a holding piece for holding the substrate in the upper substrate support frame is brought into contact with a peripheral portion of the substrate supported by the lower substrate support frame.

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