JP2011091270A - Storing container for substrate and substrate transport facility for transporting the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a storing container for substrate easy in the automatic disconnection of a container body. <P>SOLUTION: A placing/supporting member 4 capable of placing and supporting a container body 3 has a supporting part 27 for placing and supporting the container body 3 and a mounting part 28 to which a fan filter unit 5 is mounted so that the fan filter unit 5 is positioned in a position opposed to an air supply opening in a state that the supporting member 27 places and supports the container body 3. An opening 31 through which a reception support can be inserted into and extracted in up-down directions is formed at the supporting member 27. The container body 3 is configured so that the container body can be upwardly disconnected from the placing/supporting member 4 in a state that a lower part is received and supported on the reception support which is inserted into the opening 31. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention includes a container body provided with a substrate storage space capable of storing a plurality of substrates in a state in which the substrates are arranged at intervals in the vertical direction, and a fan filter unit that supplies clean air to the substrate storage space of the container body. The container body is formed with a loading / unloading port for loading / unloading the substrate on its side and an air supply port for supplying clean air supplied from the fan filter unit to the substrate storage space. It is related with the storage container for substrates comprised as mentioned above, and the conveyance facility which conveys it.

  Such a substrate storage container is used when a substrate such as a glass substrate used in a liquid crystal display or a plasma display is stored, and a plurality of substrates are stored in a substrate storage space in a state of being arranged at intervals in the vertical direction. As a result, a plurality of substrates can be stored in a stacked state. When a substrate that requires a high degree of cleanness, such as a glass substrate, is stored in the substrate storage container, a local clean technique is used that increases the cleanness of the substrate storage space of the substrate storage container as compared with the outside. That is, the container body is formed in a cylindrical shape with side walls on the top, bottom, left and right, and a fan filter unit is provided in a state facing the air supply port formed on one side of the front and rear sides of the container body. It is configured to be supplied to the substrate storage space. In addition, by supplying clean air to the substrate storage space in this way and forming an air flow along the substrate in the substrate storage space, the substrate storage space is kept clean and dust is prevented from adhering to the substrate. is doing.

  In such a substrate storage container, conventionally, the fan filter unit is mounted on the FFU frame, and the FFU frame is attached to the cylindrical container body so as to be separable and connectable. In other words, when cleaning the substrate storage container, the FFU frame is mounted with a fan filter unit including electrical components and cannot be cleaned with a liquid such as an aqueous solution. Therefore, the container body is separated from the FFU frame. Thus, only the container main body is cleaned (for example, see Patent Document 1).

The FFU frame is attached to the container body so that the fan filter unit faces the air supply port, and the shape thereof is formed in an I shape in a side view.
Further, when the attachment of the FFU frame to the container main body is described, the lower end of the FFU frame is engaged with the engagement support plate provided on the lower end of the container main body from above, and the FFU frame is used. An engagement member provided at the upper end of the frame is engaged with the upper end of the container body from above, the FFU frame is coupled to the container body, and the container body is separated from the FFU frame. In such a case, the container main body is separated from the FFU frame by moving the FFU frame upward with respect to the container main body.

JP 2008-094494 A (paragraph number “0054”, FIG. 15)

  In the above conventional substrate storage container, the FFU frame is formed in an I shape in a side view. Therefore, the FFU frame alone is not stable and easily falls down. It was difficult to automate.

  In addition, when separating the container main body from the FFU frame, it is conceivable that the container main body is separated from the FFU frame by lifting the FFU frame while supporting the lower surface of the FFU frame. However, since the FFU frame has an I-shaped side view and is not stable as a single unit, the FFU frame may fall over when separated. Thus, since there exists a possibility that the FFU frame may fall when separating the container main body, it is difficult to automate the separation of the container main body.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a substrate storage container that facilitates automatic separation of the container body.

A substrate storage container according to the present invention supplies a container body having a substrate storage space capable of storing a plurality of substrates in a state where the substrates are arranged at intervals in the vertical direction, and supplies clean air to the substrate storage space of the container body A fan filter unit, and the container main body for supplying clean air supplied by the fan filter unit to the substrate storage space with a loading / unloading port for loading / unloading the substrate to / from its side portion. An air supply port is formed, and the first characteristic configuration of the substrate storage container is:
A placement support member capable of placing and supporting the container body, a support portion for placing and supporting the container body, and a position facing the air supply port in a state where the container body is placed and supported by the support portion A mounting portion on which the fan filter unit is mounted so as to position the fan filter unit on the support portion, and an opening in which the receiving support body can be inserted and removed vertically is formed in the support portion. The main body is configured to be separable upward with respect to the mounting support member in a state where the lower portion is received and supported by the receiving support inserted into the opening.

  That is, the fan filter unit is provided in a state facing the air supply port, and clean air is supplied to the substrate storage space by the fan filter unit. By supplying clean air to the substrate storage space in this way and forming an airflow along the substrate in the substrate storage space, the substrate storage space is kept clean and dust is prevented from adhering to the substrate. Yes.

  Then, in a state where the container main body is placed and supported on the support portion of the placement support member and the container main body is coupled to the placement support member, the receiving support is inserted into the opening from the lower side to insert the support body. The container main body is lifted relatively to the mounting support member in a state in which the lower portion of the container main body is received and supported by the receiving support body, and the container main body can be separated upward with respect to the mounting support member. it can.

  The mounting support member is configured to include a mounting portion on which the fan filter unit is mounted and a support portion on which the container body is mounted and supported. Since the I-shaped part and the single-shaped part of the support part can be formed in an L shape as a whole, the container body is placed and supported when the container body is separated from the placement support member. By supporting the support portion, the mounting portion on which the fan filter unit is mounted can be integrally supported. Therefore, since the mounting support member including the mounting part can be stably supported over a wide area, when the container main body is separated from the mounting support member, the mounting part is not easily toppled and the container main body can be easily separated. It became a thing. Therefore, it has become possible to provide a substrate storage container that facilitates automatic separation of the container body.

  A second characteristic configuration of the substrate storage container according to the present invention is the first characteristic configuration of the substrate storage container, wherein the support portion of the mounting support member is configured in a flat plate shape, and the container main body is a lower portion thereof. However, the frame material is configured such that a plurality of frame materials are arranged in a lattice shape, and the frame material is received and supported by the receiving support body.

  That is, the lower portion of the container main body is opened because a plurality of frame members are arranged in a lattice shape, but the support portion of the mounting support member for mounting and supporting the container main body is configured in a flat plate shape. Therefore, in a state where the container main body is placed and supported on the placement support member, the lower opening of the container body can be closed by the placement support member.

  Therefore, the container body can be reduced in weight by configuring the lower part of the container by arranging the frame members in a lattice shape, but in the state where the container body is placed and supported on the placement support member, the lower part of the container body is The air flow along the substrate can be easily formed in the substrate storage space with the supplied clean air. Further, by configuring the support portion in the mounting support portion in a flat plate shape, the gravity balance with the mounting portion becomes a balance that can support the mounting support member more stably due to the weight of the support portion.

  A third characteristic configuration of the substrate storage container according to the present invention includes a rotating drum that is driven to rotate in the forward and reverse directions by an electric motor, and a reel that is wound around the rotating drum and is rotated along with the rotation of the rotating drum. A pair of support frames, wherein a shutter device that includes a sheet-like door portion to be wound up and that opens and closes the entrance / exit of the container body is erected at an end of the placement support member on the entrance / exit side Mounted on the mounting support member in a state of being supported by a material, and separated above the mounting support member below the shutter device and between the pair of support frame members A passage opening is formed through which the container body can pass along the direction in which the substrate is taken in and out.

  That is, the shutter device can close the entrance / exit of the container body at the extended door portion by extending the door portion from the rotating drum. It is possible to prevent dust from entering the space. In addition, the shutter device can open the entrance / exit of the container body by winding the door portion around the rotating drum, and when the entrance / exit is thus opened, the entire shutter device is located above the passage port. The container main body which is positioned and separated upward with respect to the mounting support member can pass through the passage port along the direction in which the substrate is taken in and out.

  Since the shutter device provided with the electric motor or the like cannot be cleaned with a liquid such as an aqueous solution, it is necessary to separate the shutter device from the container body when cleaning the substrate storage container. According to this characteristic configuration, since the shutter device is mounted on the mounting support member, the shutter device can be separated from the container main body by separating the container main body from the mounting support member. Can be easily performed.

  Further, since the container main body can be moved through the passage opening formed below the shutter device, the container main body when separating the container main body from the mounting support member as compared with the case of moving the upper portion of the shutter device. Since the amount of upward movement can be suppressed, the container body can be easily separated from this point as well.

The transport facility according to the present invention is a facility for transporting a substrate storage container including any one of the first to third characteristic configurations of the substrate storage container, and the first characteristic configuration of the transport facility is:
The container storage unit is disposed between a storage container transfer unit that transfers the substrate storage container and a container body transfer unit that transfers the container main body, receives the substrate storage container from the storage container transfer unit, and After separating from the mounting support member, relay transporting means is provided to deliver the separated container body to the container body transporting means, and the storage container transporting means is the support portion of the mounting support member. Is configured to deliver the substrate storage container to the relay transport means in a state of being positioned on the side where the container main body transport means is present with respect to the mounting portion, and the relay transport means from the storage container transport means A first support for receiving the substrate storage container in a state in which the mounting support member is mounted and supported, and the container main body is mounted on the side on which the container main body conveying means in the horizontal direction exists. A second support as the receiving support for delivering the container body to the container body transport means, and a lifting operation means for moving the second support up and down relatively with respect to the first support. Before the second support is placed and supported on the first support by being moved up and down relative to the first support by the lifting operation means. A non-conveying state positioned below the mounting surface of the mounting support member; and the lower portion of the container body is mounted and supported from the lower side by being inserted into the opening of the mounting support member. The container body can be switched to a transport state separated upward from the mounting support member, and the container body is transferred to the container body transport means in the transport state.

  That is, the relay transfer means receives the substrate storage container in a state where the mounting support member is mounted and supported on the first support body from the storage container transfer means, and then the first support of the second support body by the lifting operation means. The second support is inserted into the opening of the mounting support member from the lower side by moving the second support relative to the body and moving the second support from the non-transport state to the transport state. The lower part of the container body is placed and supported by the second support body, and the container body is separated upward from the placement support member. Thereafter, the container main body is placed and conveyed by the second support on the side where the container main body conveying means is present, and delivered to the container main body conveying means. In this way, the container body can be automatically separated from the mounting support member in the transport facility.

  A second characteristic configuration of the transfer facility according to the present invention is the first characteristic configuration of the transfer facility, wherein a cleaning device for cleaning the container main body using a liquid is provided, and the container main body transfer means is connected to the relay transfer means. In the point which is comprised so that the said container main body received may be conveyed to the said washing | cleaning apparatus.

  That is, when the substrate storage container is cleaned by the cleaning device, since the mounting support member is equipped with the fan filter unit, it is necessary to separate the container main body from the mounting support member and clean only the container main body. However, since the container main body can be automatically separated from the mounting support member in the transport facility, it is not necessary to manually separate the container main body from the mounting support member, and only the container main body can be easily cleaned. Can do.

Front view of the transport facility in the first embodiment The combined perspective view of the storage container for substrates in a 1st embodiment The exploded perspective view of the storage container for substrates in a 1st embodiment. The perspective view of the container main body in 1st Embodiment The perspective view of the mounting support member in a 1st embodiment. Exploded view of substrate storage container in the first embodiment Exploded view of substrate storage container in the first embodiment The combined perspective view of the storage container for substrates in a 2nd embodiment. The exploded perspective view of the storage container for substrates in a 2nd embodiment.

[First Embodiment]
Hereinafter, a first embodiment of a substrate storage container and a transport facility for transporting the same according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
As shown in FIG. 1, the transport facility is a facility for transporting the substrate storage container 2. The substrate storage container 2 transported by the transport facility is configured such that the container main body 3 and the mounting support member 4 for mounting and supporting the container main body 3 are separable.

  The transport facility includes a stacker crane 7 as a storage container transport means for transporting the substrate storage container 2, a relay transport means 8 for separating the container main body 3 in the substrate storage container 2 from the mounting support member 4, and A roller-type transport conveyor 9 is provided as a container body transport means for transporting the container body 3, and the relay transport means 8 is disposed between the stacker crane 7 and the transport conveyor 9.

  The stacker crane 7 delivers the substrate storage container 2 taken out from the storage shelf 10 for storing the substrate storage container 2 to the relay transfer means 8, and receives the substrate storage container 2 received from the relay transfer means 8 as the storage shelf 10. The substrate storage container 2 is transported between the storage shelf 10 and the relay transport means 8.

  The relay conveying means 8 receives the substrate storage container 2 from the stacker crane 7, separates the container main body 3 from the mounting support member 4, and then delivers the separated container main body 3 to the conveyer 9. After receiving the container main body 3 from the conveyor 9 and coupling the container main body 3 to the mounting support member 4, the substrate storage container 2 is transferred to the stacker crane 7. The substrate storage container 2 is transported between them, and the container body 3 and the mounting support member 4 are separated and coupled.

  The transfer conveyor 9 delivers the container main body 3 received from the relay transfer means 8 to the processing apparatus 11 for processing the substrate 1 or the container main body 3, and also transfers the container main body 3 received from the processing apparatus 11 to the relay transfer means 8. The container main body 3 is configured to be transferred between the relay transfer means 8 and the processing apparatus 11.

Moreover, the conveyance facility is installed in the clean space 13, and is provided with a downflow type clean air ventilation means 14 for passing clean air from the ceiling to the floor.
In this clean air ventilation means 14, a space below the grating floor 15 constituting the floor portion and a space above the air filter 16 constituting the ceiling portion are connected to a circulation path 19 including the ventilation fan 17 and the prefilter 18. The clean air is circulated while being cleaned by the pre-filter 18 and the air filter 16 so that the clean air is ventilated from the ceiling portion to the floor portion of the clean space 13. ing.

[Substrate storage container]
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the substrate storage container 2 transported in the transport facility includes a substrate storage space S that can store a plurality of rectangular substrates 1 in a state where they are arranged in the vertical direction at intervals. A container body 3, a fan filter unit 5 for supplying clean air to the substrate storage space S of the container body 3, and a mounting support member 4 to which the fan filter unit 5 is mounted and which supports the container body 3 It is prepared for.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the container body 3 is provided with a supply port for supplying clean air supplied to the substrate storage space S with a loading / unloading port 21 for loading / unloading the substrate 1 to / from its side and the fan filter unit 5. The mouth 22 is formed and configured. The inlet / outlet 21 is formed at the front side of the container body 3 and the air inlet 22 is formed at the rear side of the container body 3 so that the inlet / outlet 21 and the air inlet 22 face each other. Is formed. FIG. 4A shows a perspective view of the container main body 3 from the upper left side obliquely upward, and a part of the container main body 3 is cut away. Moreover, FIG.4 (b) has shown the perspective view of the container main body 3 from back side diagonally downward.

  When the container body 3 is described further, the container body 3 forms a body frame 23 by framing the frame material into a quadrangular prism shape, and the upper portion of the body frame 23 and the left and right side portions are closed by the side plate 24. It is formed in a gate shape. And the front side part of the container main body 3 is not obstruct | occluded with the side plate 24, and the entrance / exit 21 is formed in the front side part. Further, the rear side portion of the container body 3 is not closed by the side plate 24, and an air supply port 22 is formed in the rear side portion. The lower part of the container body 3 is configured by arranging frame members 23a for forming a lower part in a lattice shape and is not closed by the side plate 24, but is open, but as shown in FIG. In the state of being placed and supported by the placement support member 4, the placement support member 4 is closed. The lower forming frame member 23a constituting the lower portion corresponds to a plurality of frame members constituting the bottom portion of the container body 3 in the present invention.

  That is, the container body 3 supplies clean air supplied from the fan filter unit 5 through the air supply port 22, causes the clean air to flow through the substrate storage space S from the rear side to the front side, and from the inlet / outlet port 21. It is configured to exhaust clean air. Then, clean air is ventilated from the rear side to the front side in the substrate storage space S to prevent dust from adhering to the substrate 1 due to the air flow and to remove the clean air from the outlet 21. Intrusion of dust from the opening 21 into the substrate storage space S is prevented.

  The container body 3 is provided with a substrate support 25 for mounting and supporting the substrate 1 stored in the substrate storage space S. The substrate support 25 is supported by the body frame 23. Further, a plurality of substrate supports 25 are provided in the vertical direction according to the number of the plurality of substrates 1 arranged at intervals in the vertical direction, and each of the plurality of substrate supports 25 is arranged in the horizontal direction. It consists of multiple bars. Incidentally, a substrate storage space S is formed in the internal space of the container body 3.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the mounting support member 4 faces the air supply port 22 in a state in which the container main body 3 is mounted and supported by the support portion 27. A mounting portion 28 to which the fan filter unit 5 is mounted is provided so as to position the fan filter unit 5 at a position. 5 (a) is a perspective view of the mounting support member 4 from the upper left side obliquely upward, and FIG. 5 (b) is a perspective view of the mounting support member 4 from the lower left side diagonally downward. is there.

  When the mounting support member 4 is described further, the support portion 27 of the mounting support member 4 forms a support frame 29 by framing the frame material in a rectangular lattice shape in plan view, and the bottom plate 30 is formed on the support frame 29. Is attached to form a flat plate. Further, the mounting portion 28 of the mounting support member 4 is connected to the support portion 27 in a state of being erected from the rear end portion of the support portion 27, and the fan filter unit 5 is arranged in the container lateral width direction in a standing posture. Three are installed. The mounting support member 4 is formed in an L shape in a side view with a support portion 27 having a single letter shape in a side view and a mounting portion 28 having an I shape in a side view. Note that a total of 12 bottom plates 30 are attached so that four sheets are arranged in the horizontal width direction and three lines are arranged in the front-rear direction.

  In the support portion 27, an opening in which an elevating support 42, which will be described later, can be inserted / removed in the vertical direction in the form formed in the two bottom plates 30 positioned at both ends in the width direction in each of the three rows of the arranged bottom plates 30 A portion 31 is formed. The openings 31 formed in this way are formed in two rows at intervals in the container lateral width direction, each of which is formed in a shape along the container front-rear direction. Incidentally, the part located between the two rows of openings 31 in the mounting support member 4 is supported by the stacker crane 7, and the part located on the outer side in the container lateral width direction of the opening 31 is in the storage shelf 10. Supported when stored.

  The mounting portion 28 is provided with a hood portion 32 that covers the rear end portion of the container body 3 that is placed and supported by the placement support member 4. The hood portion 32 is formed in a shape that covers the left and right lateral sides and the upper side of the rear end portion of the container body 3. As shown in FIG. 6, the hood portion 32 has a vertical gap formed between the upper portion of the container body 3 and the hood portion 32 in a state where the container body 3 is placed and supported on the support portion 27. Since the gap is formed, the container body 3 does not come into contact with the hood portion 32 when the container body 3 is separated upward with respect to the mounting support member 4 as shown in FIG. It is configured as follows.

As shown in FIG. 5B, the mounting support member 4 includes the power receiving unit 33 a of the non-contact power feeding device 33, and the storage support 10 is provided in the storage shelf 10 when stored in the storage shelf 10. The fan filter unit 5 is configured to be operated by electric power supplied from the power supply unit 33b (see FIG. 1) of the non-contact power supply device 33.
Further, the mounting support member 4 is also provided with a battery (not shown) for storing the power supplied to the power receiving unit 33a. When the substrate storage container 2 is transported by the stacker crane 7, the power receiving unit The fan filter unit 5 is configured to be operated by the electric power stored in the battery when the electric power is not supplied to the substrate storage container 2 when the electric power 33a is separated from the power supply unit 33b.

  The substrate storage container 2 is provided with restriction means 34 for restricting the horizontal movement of the container body 3 relative to the placement support member 4 in a state where the container body 3 is placed and supported on the placement support member 4. ing. The restricting means 34 is provided in a form to be connected to and supported by the support frame 29 of the mounting support member 4 and protrudes upward from the upper surface of the mounting support member 4, and for forming the lower portion of the container body 3. It is comprised by the recessed part 34b formed in the frame material 23a. Then, when the container body 3 is placed on the placement support member 4, the restricting means 34 engages the positioning pin 34 a with the recess 34 b, thereby moving the container body 3 in the horizontal direction with respect to the placement support member 4. It is configured to regulate.

  And the frame material 23a for lower part formation of the container main body 3 is the container 23a (frame material 23a shown by an imaginary line in FIG.4 (b)) along the container front-back direction, and a container is mounted on the mounting support member 4. In a state where the main body 3 is placed and supported, the body 3 is disposed so as to be located immediately above the opening 31 formed in the placement support member 4. And the container main body 3 is configured to be lifted in a state where the frame member 23a for forming the lower part is received and supported by an elevating support body 42 to be described later inserted into the opening 31. The lower forming frame member 23 a is received and supported by the elevating support 42 inserted into the opening 31, and is configured to be separable upward with respect to the mounting support member 4.

  Next, a description will be given of the transport facility. In the transfer facility, a cleaning device W that cleans the container body 3 using an aqueous solution as a liquid is provided as the processing device 11. Hereinafter, a case where the substrate storage container 2 and the separated container main body 3 are transported between the storage shelf 10 and the cleaning device W by the stacker crane 7, the relay transport means 8, and the transport conveyor 9 will be described. Incidentally, in this case, the substrate storage container 2 in which the substrate 1 is not stored is transported.

[Stacker crane]
First, the stacker crane 7 will be described.
As shown in FIG. 1, a pair of storage shelves 10 in which storage units 10 a that store substrate storage containers 2 are arranged in parallel in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction of the shelf are provided in a state of facing each other. A stacker crane 7 is disposed between the two. The stacker crane 7 is guided and supported by a traveling carriage 37 that travels along a longitudinal direction of a traveling path 36 formed between the pair of storage shelves 10 and an elevating mast that is erected on the traveling carriage 37. And a fork-type transfer device 39 supported by the lift 38. The transfer device 39 is configured to be able to transfer the substrate storage container 2 between the pair of storage shelves 10 and the self, or between the relay transfer means 8 and the self, and to be rotatable around the vertical axis. . By the way, the storage container 10a of the storage shelf 10 has the rear end portion on which the fan filter unit 5 is mounted positioned on the traveling path 36 side with respect to the front end portion where the inlet / outlet 21 is formed. Is stored.

  The relay conveyance means 8 is provided in a state adjacent to the travel path 36, and the stacker crane 7 can deliver the substrate storage container 2 to the relay conveyance means 8 and receive the substrate storage container 2 from the relay conveyance means 8. It is configured to be possible. The stacker crane 7 is configured so that the orientation of the substrate storage container 2 being conveyed by turning the transfer device 39 can be changed by 180 °, and the position of the relay conveyance means 8 as the conveyance destination is the conveyance source. If the position is opposite to the travel path 36 with respect to the position of the storage portion 10a, the direction of the substrate storage container 2 is changed by 180 ° by turning the transfer device 39, and then transferred to the relay transport means 8, When the position of the transfer destination relay transfer means 8 is located on the same side of the travel path 36 with respect to the position of the transfer source storage unit 10a, the transfer transfer means 8 receives the change without changing the orientation of the substrate storage container 2. When the substrate storage container 2 is delivered to the relay conveyance means 8 by passing, the rear end portion of the substrate storage container 2 is delivered in a state of being positioned closer to the travel path 36 than the front end portion.

  The transfer conveyor 9 is provided on the side away from the travel path 36 of the relay transfer means 8, and the front end of the substrate storage container 2 is transferred to the relay transfer means 8 from the stacker crane 7 at the rear end. In other words, the support portion 27 of the mounting support member 4 is positioned closer to the side where the transport conveyor 9 is located than the mounting portion 28. That is, the stacker crane 7 delivers the support portion 27 of the mounting support member 4 by transferring the rear end portion of the substrate storage container 2 to the relay conveying means 8 in a state where the rear end portion is positioned on the traveling path 36 side from the front end portion. The substrate storage container 2 is transferred to the relay transfer means 8 in a state where the transfer container 9 is located with respect to the portion 28.

[Relay transportation means]
Next, the relay conveying means 8 will be described.
As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the relay conveyance means 8 is a fixed support body 41 as a first support body that receives the substrate storage container 2 in a state where the placement support member 4 is placed and supported from the stacker crane 7. The container body 3 is placed and conveyed on the side where the horizontal conveyor 9 is present, and the container body 3 is transferred to the conveyor 9. Ascending / descending operation means 43 (refer to FIG. 1) composed of an electrically driven cylinder or the like that moves up and down with respect to the fixed support 41. The elevating support 42 corresponds to the receiving support of the present invention.

  The fixed support 41 is provided in a fixed position at a position between the travel path 36 and the conveyor 9, and a portion on the outer side in the container lateral width direction from the opening 31 in the mounting support member 4 is mounted. It is comprised so that the both ends of the container horizontal width direction in the container 2 for board | substrates may be mounted and supported by the form to mount and support. Therefore, the fixed support body 41 is configured to be able to place and support only the remaining placement support member 4 even when the container body 3 is separated from the placement support member 4.

  The elevating support 42 is moved up and down with respect to the fixed support 41 by the elevating operation means 43, so that the elevating support 42 is placed on the mounting support member 4 supported by the fixed support 41. In a non-conveying state (see FIG. 6) located below, the container body 3 is placed on the opening 31 of the placement support member 4 from below and placed on the lower portion of the container body 3 to support the placement body 4. It can be switched to a transport state (see FIG. 7) separated from the upper side to the upper side. The placement surface of the placement support member 4 corresponds to the upper surface of the support portion 27 of the placement support member 4.

  The elevating support 42 is provided with a plurality of rotationally driveable drive rollers 42a for placing and supporting the container body 3, and the drive roller 42a is rotationally driven while receiving and supporting the container body 3. Thus, the container body 3 can be transported horizontally along the container front-rear direction (substrate loading / unloading direction), and the container body 3 can be transferred to the transport conveyor 9 or the container body 3 can be received from the transport conveyor 9. It is configured as follows.

  When the lift support 42 is described further, the driving roller 42a in the lift support 42 places the substrate storage container 2 on the fixed support 41 and supports the substrate storage container in advance. In the state positioned at the position, it is provided so as to be located immediately below the opening 31 in the substrate storage container 2 that is placed and supported.

  The elevating support 42 is moved up by the elevating operation means 43 while the substrate storage container 2 is placed and supported by the fixed support 41 and switched from the non-conveying state to the conveying state. Then, the driving roller 42a is inserted from below into the opening 31 of the mounting support member 4, and receives and supports the lower portion of the container body 3 mounted and supported on the mounting support member 4 by the driving roller 42a. It is configured to lift upward. Thus, the container body 3 lifted from the mounting support member 4 is separated upward with respect to the mounting support member 4. At this time, the lifting amount of the container body 3 by the lifting operation means 43 is set to be longer than the length of the portion protruding from the bottom plate 30 in the positioning pin 34a, and in a state where the container body 3 is lifted and separated, The container body 3 is in a state in which it can be conveyed in the horizontal direction with respect to the mounting support member 4 without being restricted by the restriction means 34. Incidentally, the gap in the vertical direction formed between the upper portion of the container body 3 and the hood portion 32 is wider than the length of the portion protruding from the bottom plate 30 in the positioning pin 34a.

  Therefore, in the state where the liftable support 42 is switched to the transport state, the container body 3 received and supported by the liftable support 42 is moved in the horizontal direction with respect to the mounting support member 4 by the regulating means 34. The container body 3 can be transported in the horizontal direction by the rotational drive of the drive roller 42a without being regulated, and the relay transport means 8 transfers the container body 3 to the transport conveyor 9 or transfers the container body 3 to the transport conveyor. 9 can be received.

  The elevating support 42 is an elevating operation means in a state where the placing support member 4 is placed and supported by the fixed support 41 and the container body 3 is placed and supported by the elevating support 42. When it is moved downward at 43 and switched from the conveying state to the non-conveying state, the drive roller 42a is extracted downward from the opening 31 of the mounting support member 4, and the positioning pin 34a is engaged with the recess 34b. Thus, the container body 3 received and supported by the drive roller 42 a is lowered onto the mounting support member 4. In this way, the container body 3 lowered to the mounting support member 4 is mounted and supported by the mounting support member 4 and coupled to the mounting support member 4.

[Conveyor]
Next, the transport conveyor 9 will be described.
As shown in FIG. 1, the transport conveyor 9 is configured by a roller-type conveyor, and transports the container body 3 received from the relay transport means 8 to the cleaning device W and is transported from the cleaning device W. The container main body 3 is configured to be transferred to the relay conveying means 8. And the conveyor 9 is provided so that the height of the conveyance surface may become the same height as the conveyance surface of the raising / lowering support body 42 of a conveyance state, and the raising / lowering support body 42 was switched to the conveyance state. In the state, the container body 3 can be transferred to the elevating support 42 and the container body 3 can be received from the elevating support 42.

  Accordingly, the substrate storage container 2 is transported as follows in the transport equipment configured as described above. That is, the substrate storage container 2 is taken out from the storage shelf 10 by the stacker crane 7, the container main body 3 is separated from the substrate storage container 2 by the relay transfer means 8, and the container main body 3 is cleaned by the transfer conveyor 9. W is transported to W. In the cleaning device W, only the container body 3 is cleaned in a state where the electrical equipment such as the fan filter unit 5 and the power receiving unit 33a is removed from the substrate storage container 2. The container body 3 is transported from the cleaning device W by the transport conveyor 9, the container body 3 is coupled to the mounting support member 4 by the relay transport means 8, and the substrate storage container 2 is stored by the stacker crane 7. 10 is stored.

[Second Embodiment]
Next, a substrate storage container according to a second embodiment of the present invention and a transport facility for transporting the same will be described with reference to the drawings.
Since the second embodiment is configured in the same manner as the first embodiment except that the configuration of the substrate storage container 2 is different, the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted. The configuration different from the first embodiment will be mainly described.

  As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the support portion 27 is provided with a front hood portion 46 that covers the front end portion of the container body 3 that is placed and supported by the placement support member 4. The front hood portion 46 is formed in a shape that covers the left and right lateral sides and the upper side of the front end portion of the container body 3. The front hood portion 46 has a vertical gap formed between the upper portion of the container body 3 and the front hood portion 46 in a state where the container body 3 is placed and supported on the support portion 27. Thus, the container body 3 is configured not to come into contact with the front hood portion 46 when the container body 3 is separated upward with respect to the mounting support member 4. In addition, the food | hood part 32 and the front hood part 46 are mutually connected by the frame material in the right-and-left both ends of an upper end.

  The substrate storage container 2 is provided with a shutter device 47 that opens and closes the entrance / exit 21 of the container body 3. The shutter device 47 includes a rotary drum 48 that is driven to rotate in the forward and reverse directions by an electric motor, and a sheet-like sheet that is wound around the rotary drum 48 and is fed and wound up as the rotary drum 48 rotates. The door portion 49 is provided, and is mounted on the mounting support member 4 in a form that is mounted and supported by the front hood portion 46.

  The support portion 27 and the front hood portion 46 form a passage port 50 through which the container body 3 separated upward from the placement support member 4 can pass along the container front-rear direction (substrate loading / unloading direction). Has been. The shutter device 47 extends the door portion 49 to the passage port 50 and closes the passage portion 50 at the door portion 49. When the door portion 49 is closed, the shutter device 47 winds up the door portion 49 and retracts the door portion 49 above the passage port 50. It can be switched to an open state. That is, the shutter device 47 is configured to close the loading / unloading port 21 of the container body 3 by closing the passage port 50 in the mounting support member 4 in the closed state.

  A portion of the front hood portion 46 covering the left and right lateral sides of the front end portion of the container body 3 corresponds to a pair of support frame members 46 a erected on the loading / unloading port side end portion of the mounting support member 4. A passage port 50 is formed below the shutter device 47 and between the pair of support frame members 46a. The front end portion of the mounting support member 4 corresponds to the end portion on the entrance / exit side.

[Another embodiment]
(1) In the above embodiment, the lower portion of the container main body 3 is configured by arranging a plurality of frame members in a lattice shape, and the lower portion of the container main body 3 is configured in a flat plate shape without being closed by the side plate 24. Although it is configured so as to be closed by the support portion 27 of the support member 4, the lower portion of the container body 3 is configured to be closed by the side plate 24, and the container body 3 is formed in a cylindrical shape in a sideways posture. Good. In this case, the support portion 27 of the mounting support member 4 may not be configured in a flat plate shape, and the bottom plate 30 may not be provided.

(2) In the above embodiment, the second support body is moved up and down by the lifting operation means 43, but the first support body may be moved up and down by the lifting operation means 43, You may comprise so that a 1st support body and a 2nd support body may be moved up and down separately by the raising / lowering operation means 43. FIG.

(3) In the above-described embodiment, the stacker crane 7 is provided as the storage container transporting unit. However, the storage container transporting unit travels in a state in which the conveyor for mounting and transporting the substrate storage container and the substrate storage container are mounted. You may comprise with the cart which does. Moreover, although the conveyance conveyor 9 was provided as a container main body conveyance means, you may comprise as a container main body conveyance means with the trolley | bogie and stacker crane which drive | work with the container main body 3 mounted.

(4) In the above embodiment, the inlet / outlet port 21 is formed in the front side portion of the container body 3, the air inlet 22 is formed in the rear side portion of the container body 3, and the inlet / outlet port 21 and the air inlet 22 are connected to each other. Although formed so as to face each other, for example, an inlet / outlet port 21 is formed in the front side portion of the container main body 3, and an air supply port 22 is formed in the left and right side portions of the container main body 3. The locations where the inlet / outlet port 21 and the air supply port 22 are formed in the side portion of the container main body 3 can be appropriately changed.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Substrate 2 Substrate storage container 3 Container main body 4 Placement support member 5 Fan filter unit 7 Storage container transfer means 8 Relay transfer means 9 Container main body transfer means 21 Intake / outlet port 22 Air supply port 23a Frame material 27 Support portion 28 Mounting portion 31 Opening 41 First support 42 Second support (receiving support)
43 Lifting operation means 46a Supporting frame material 47 Shutter device 48 Rotating drum 49 Door portion 50 Passage port S Substrate storage space W Cleaning device

Claims (5)

A container main body provided with a substrate storage space capable of storing a plurality of substrates in a state where the substrates are arranged at intervals in the vertical direction, and a fan filter unit for supplying clean air to the substrate storage space of the container main body,
The container body is configured by forming a loading / unloading port for loading / unloading the substrate on a side portion thereof and an air supply port for supplying clean air supplied from the fan filter unit to the substrate storage space. A storage container for a substrate,
A placement support member capable of placing and supporting the container body, a support portion for placing and supporting the container body, and a position facing the air supply port in a state where the container body is placed and supported by the support portion And a mounting portion where the fan filter unit is mounted so as to position the fan filter unit.
In the support portion, an opening is formed in which the receiving support body can be inserted and removed in the vertical direction,
A substrate storage container configured such that the container main body is separable upward with respect to the mounting support member in a state where the lower part is received and supported by the receiving support inserted into the opening. The support portion of the mounting support member is configured in a flat plate shape,
2. The substrate storage container according to claim 1, wherein the container body is configured such that a lower portion thereof is configured by arranging a plurality of frame members in a lattice shape, and the frame members are received and supported by the receiving support body. . A rotating drum that is driven to rotate in the forward and reverse directions by an electric motor; and a sheet-like door portion that is wound around the rotating drum and is fed out and wound up as the rotating drum rotates. The shutter device that opens and closes the entrance / exit of the container body is mounted on the mounting support member in a state of being supported by a pair of support frame members erected at the end of the mounting support member on the entrance / exit side. And
A passage port through which the container body separated above the mounting support member can pass along the direction in which the substrate is taken in and out, below the shutter device and between the pair of support frame members. The substrate storage container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: is formed. A transport facility for transporting the substrate storage container according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The container storage unit is disposed between a storage container transfer unit that transfers the substrate storage container and a container body transfer unit that transfers the container main body, receives the substrate storage container from the storage container transfer unit, and After separating from the mounting support member, relay transport means is provided to deliver the separated container body to the container body transport means,
The storage container transfer means delivers the substrate storage container to the relay transfer means in a state where the support portion of the mounting support member is positioned on the side where the container main body transfer means is present with respect to the mounting portion. Composed of
A first support for receiving the substrate storage container in a state in which the relay transfer means places and supports the mounting support member from the storage container transfer means; and the container main body transfer means in the horizontal direction holds the container main body. A second support as the receiving support that is placed and conveyed on the existing side and delivers the container main body to the container main body conveying means; and the second support relative to the first support Elevating and lowering operation means for moving up and down,
The placement support member is placed on and supported by the first support by the second support being moved up and down relative to the first support by the lifting operation means. A non-conveying state positioned below the placement surface, and the container main body from the placement support member by inserting and supporting the lower portion of the container body by being inserted into the opening of the placement support member from the lower side. A transfer facility that can be switched to a transfer state separated upward and is configured to deliver the container body to the container body transfer means in the transfer state. A cleaning device for cleaning the container body using a liquid is provided,
5. The transfer facility according to claim 4, wherein the container main body transfer means is configured to transfer the container main body received from the relay transfer means to the cleaning device.

Images