JP2023144301A - Panel housing container - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a panel housing container which allows improvement in gas exchange performance inside a housing space in a container body.SOLUTION: A panel housing container 1 comprises: a container body 2 which has an opening, and defines a housing space for housing a plurality of panels P in a manner of aligning in the vertical direction; a lid for closing the opening; and a gas feeder mechanism 52A and a gas feeder mechanism 52B which feed gas to the housing space. The container body 2 has a lateral wall 23A and a lateral wall 23B which face each other in the horizontal direction while defining the housing space. The gas feeder mechanism 52A feeds the gas into the housing space from the lateral wall 23A toward the lateral wall 23B. The gas feeder mechanism 52B feeds the gas into the housing space from the lateral wall 23B toward the lateral wall 23A.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

The present disclosure relates to a panel storage container.

In a panel storage container that stores a plurality of panels, gas within the panel storage container is exchanged to maintain cleanliness and low humidity. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a substrate storage container that includes a container body that can accommodate a plurality of substrates, and a gas replacement unit that blows gas into an internal space of the container body.

International Publication No. 2018/047541

In the substrate storage container described in Patent Document 1, gas replacement units are arranged at both rear ends of the container body. In this configuration, gas becomes more difficult to spread as the distance from the rear of the container body increases, so there is a possibility that the gas in the internal space (accommodation space) of the container body cannot be sufficiently exchanged.

The present disclosure describes a panel storage container that can improve gas exchange performance within a storage space of a container body.

A panel storage container according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a container body having an opening and defining a storage space for storing a plurality of panels arranged in a first direction, and a lid body for closing the opening. and a first air supply mechanism and a second air supply mechanism that supply gas to the accommodation space. The container body defines a storage space and includes a first side wall and a second side wall facing each other in a second direction intersecting the first direction. The first air supply mechanism supplies gas to the accommodation space from the first side wall toward the second side wall. The second air supply mechanism supplies gas to the accommodation space from the second side wall toward the first side wall.

In this panel storage container, gas is supplied into the storage space from the first side wall toward the second side wall, and from the second side wall toward the first side wall. Since the first side wall and the second side wall face each other in the second direction, the sum of the distance to the first side wall and the distance to the second side wall is constant at any position within the accommodation space. . Therefore, gas can easily spread within the housing space. As a result, it becomes possible to improve the gas exchange performance within the accommodation space of the container body.

In some embodiments, the first air supply mechanism includes an air supply valve that takes in gas from outside the container body, a discharge section provided along the first side wall that discharges the gas, and the supply valve and the discharge section. and a connection portion provided with a flow path connecting the two. The discharge part may be provided with a plurality of discharge holes for discharging gas toward the second side wall. In this case, even if the air supply valve and the discharge part are separated, gas can be supplied from the air supply valve to the discharge part by the connection part. Therefore, the degree of freedom in arranging the first air supply mechanism can be improved.

In some embodiments, the discharge part may include a first chamber and a second chamber arranged in a third direction intersecting the first direction and the second direction. The connecting portion may be provided with a first flow path that connects the air supply valve and the first chamber, and a second flow path that connects the air supply valve and the second chamber. In this case, the degree of freedom in arranging the discharge section within the accommodation space is improved. Therefore, it becomes possible to arrange the discharge part in the accommodation space without interfering with another member provided in the accommodation space.

In some embodiments, the channel length of the first channel may be equal to the channel length of the second channel. In this case, the timing at which the supply of gas from the air supply valve to the first chamber starts can be matched with the timing at which the supply of gas from the air supply valve to the second chamber starts; It is possible to reduce the lag between the timing at which the supply of gas to the space is started and the timing at which the supply of gas from the second chamber to the accommodation space is started. Therefore, the straightness of the gas can be improved, so that the gas can more easily spread within the accommodation space. As a result, it becomes possible to further improve the gas exchange performance within the accommodation space of the container body.

In some embodiments, the container body may include a bottom plate that defines a storage space, an inner wall that faces the first side wall in the second direction, and a connecting member that connects the bottom plate, the first side wall, and the inner wall. good. The discharge part may be configured by a first side wall and an inner wall. In this case, since the discharge section is configured using the first side wall that constitutes the container body, it is possible to reduce the number of dedicated parts used in the first air supply mechanism.

In some embodiments, the connecting member includes a first engagement groove for holding the bottom plate, a second engagement groove for holding the first side wall, and a third engagement groove for holding the inner wall. A groove may be provided. In this case, the bottom plate, the first side wall, and the inner wall are connected by simply inserting the bottom plate into the first engagement groove, the first side wall into the second engagement groove, and the inner wall into the third engagement groove. Therefore, the bottom plate, the first side wall, and the inner wall can be connected without using fastening members such as bolts. As a result, it is possible to reduce the number of parts.

In some embodiments, the plurality of discharge holes may be provided for each storage level in which each of the plurality of panels is stored. The gas flow is obstructed by a panel housed in the containment space. According to the above configuration, gas is supplied to each storage stage, so even if the flow of gas is obstructed by the panel, the gas can be spread throughout the storage space. As a result, it becomes possible to further improve the gas exchange performance within the accommodation space.

According to the present disclosure, the gas exchange performance within the accommodation space of the container body can be improved.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a panel storage container according to one embodiment. FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the panel storage container shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the air supply mechanism shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line VV in FIG. 4. FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining gas supply by the air supply mechanism shown in FIG. 3. FIG. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a modification of the air supply mechanism.

Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In addition, in the description of the drawings, the same elements are given the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted. An XYZ coordinate system is shown in each figure. The Y-axis direction (third direction) is a direction that intersects (here, perpendicular to) the X-axis direction (second direction) and the Z-axis direction (first direction). The Z-axis direction is a direction that intersects (here, perpendicular to) the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. As an example, the X-axis direction is the left-right direction (width direction), the Y-axis direction is the front-rear direction (depth direction), and the Z-axis direction is the up-down direction (height direction). For convenience of explanation, the terms "front", "back", "top", "bottom", "left", and "right" are used, but are not limited to these directions.

A panel storage container according to one embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a panel storage container according to one embodiment. A panel storage container 1 shown in FIG. 1 is a container for storing a plurality of panels P (see FIG. 3). The panel storage container 1 complies with, for example, SEMI (Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International) standards. Examples of the panel P include a glass substrate for a liquid crystal panel and a panel mounted with electronic components. Panel P has a rectangular shape. Examples of the size of the panel P include 510 mm x 515 mm and 600 mm x 600 mm. The number of panels P that can be stored in the panel storage container 1 is arbitrarily determined, and may be, for example, 6, 12, 16, or 24.

The panel storage container 1 is used, for example, in a manufacturing device that manufactures electronic component assemblies. Electronic component assembly involves, for example, the process of mounting a large number of electronic components on a large carrier panel such as a glass plate or stainless steel plate, the process of sealing these electronic components with epoxy resin, etc., and the process of attaching the sealed electronic components to the panel. It is manufactured through a process of peeling off the electronic component from the carrier panel in the form of a panel, and a process of individually cutting out the electronic components in the form of a panel. The panel storage container 1 is used to transport the panels P between these processes.

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

The container body 2 is a rectangular parallelepiped-shaped container with an open front surface. In other words, the container body 2 is a front open box type container with an opening 2a provided on the front surface. The container body 2 accommodates a plurality of panels P. Specifically, the container body 2 stores a plurality of panels P arranged in the vertical direction. The panel P is taken in and out of the container body 2 through the opening 2a. Details of the container body 2 will be described later.

The lid 3 is a member for closing the opening 2a of the container body 2. The lid 3 hermetically closes the opening 2a of the container body 2 via a sealing member such as a gasket. The lid body 3 is detachably attached to a flange 25 that defines the opening 2a. The lid body 3 includes a lid main body 31 and a locking mechanism 32. The lid body 31 is the main body portion of the lid body 3. The lid body 31 is a rectangular plate. The lid body 31 is made of a metal material such as aluminum and magnesium alloy, for example. The lid body 31 may be made of thermoplastic resin such as polycarbonate resin. A keyhole 31h is provided on the front surface of the lid body 31. A key (not shown) is inserted into the keyhole 31h.

The locking mechanism 32 locks or unlocks the lid 3 when a key inserted into the keyhole 31h is operated. The locking mechanism 32 includes a latch (not shown). With the lid 3 attached to the flange 25, the latch is inserted into the locking hole 25h provided in the flange 25 by operating the key, thereby locking the lid 3. While the lid 3 is locked, the latch is pulled out from the locking hole 25h by operating the key, thereby unlocking the lid 3.

The container body 2 and the lid 3 are constructed by combining a plurality of parts molded from a metal material or a resin material. Examples of resins included in the resin molding material include thermoplastic resins. Examples of thermoplastic resins include polycarbonate, cycloolefin polymer, polyetherimide, polyetherketone, polyetheretherketone, polybutylene terephthalate, polyacetal, liquid crystal polymer, acrylic resin such as polymethyl methacrylate, and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene. Examples include polymers. These alloys may be used as the resin contained in the molding material of the resin material.

A conductive substance and various antistatic agents may be added to these resins. The conductive material is made of, for example, carbon fiber, carbon powder, carbon nanotubes, or a conductive polymer. As the antistatic agent, anionic, cationic, and nonionic antistatic agents may be used. Benzotriazole-based, salicylate-based, cyanoacrylate-based, oxalic acid anilide-based, and hindered amine-based ultraviolet absorbers may be added. Glass fibers, carbon fibers, etc. that improve rigidity may also be selectively added.

Next, the container body 2 will be explained in detail. The container body 2 includes a top plate 21, a bottom plate 22, a side wall 23A (first side wall), a side wall 23B (second side wall), a back wall 24, a flange 25, a frame 26, and a pedestal 27 ( 2), a pair of rail members 28 (see FIG. 2), and a side plate 29.

The top plate 21, the bottom plate 22, the side walls 23A, the side walls 23B, and the back wall 24 are substantially rectangular plates. The top plate 21 and the bottom plate 22 face each other in the vertical direction and are arranged substantially parallel to each other. The side walls 23A and 23B face each other in the left-right direction and are arranged substantially parallel to each other. The rear wall 24 connects the rear end of the top plate 21 and the rear end of the bottom plate 22, and also connects the rear ends of the side walls 23A and 23B. A housing space 20 for housing a plurality of panels P is defined by the top plate 21, the bottom plate 22, the side walls 23A, 23B, and the back wall 24.

The top plate 21, the bottom plate 22, and the side walls 23A, 23B are made of metal materials such as aluminum and stainless steel, for example. The back wall 24 is made of, for example, a transparent resin material that allows the storage space 20 to be viewed from outside the container body 2. A portion of the back wall 24 may be made of a transparent resin material. Examples of transparent resin materials include acrylic resins, polycarbonates, vinyl chloride resins, and cycloolefin polymers.

The flange 25 is a rectangular frame and is provided across the front end of the top plate 21, the front end of the bottom plate 22, and the front ends of the side walls 23A and 23B. Flange 25 defines opening 2a. The flange 25 is made of, for example, the above-mentioned resin material or a metal material such as aluminum and stainless steel. The upper frame portion and the lower frame portion of the flange 25 are each provided with two locking holes 25h that are spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction. The locking hole 25h in the upper frame portion and the locking hole 25h in the lower frame portion are provided at positions facing each other in the vertical direction.

The frame 26 is used to fix the top plate 21, the bottom plate 22, the side walls 23A, 23B, and the back wall 24. The frame 26 is made of, for example, a metal material such as aluminum or stainless steel. The frame body 26 is provided on the front surface of the back wall 24. The frame body 26 includes a frame portion 26a (see FIG. 3), a support column 26b (see FIG. 3), and a pair of support columns 26c (see FIG. 3). The frame portion 26a is a rectangular member and is provided along the periphery of the back wall 24.

The support column 26b and the pair of support columns 26c are columnar members that extend in the vertical direction. The one support 26c, the support 26b, and the other support 26c are arranged in that order in the left-right direction and are arranged substantially parallel to each other. The support column 26b and the pair of support columns 26c extend from the upper frame part to the lower frame part of the frame part 26a. The support column 26b is provided at the center of the frame body 26 in the left-right direction, and the pair of support columns 26c are provided near both ends of the frame body 26 in the left-right direction. The support column 26b is provided with a plurality of fitting holes for attaching a shaft 61a, which will be described later. The support column 26c is provided with a plurality of fitting holes for attaching a shaft 62a, which will be described later.

The pedestal portion 27 is a portion that serves as the base of the container body 2. The pedestal portion 27 is made of, for example, a metal material such as aluminum or stainless steel. The pedestal portion 27 is provided on the lower surface of the bottom plate 22. The pedestal portion 27 is constructed by combining a plurality of columnar support members 27a.

The pair of rail members 28 are members for mounting the panel storage container 1 on a conveyance device such as a conveyor. Each rail member 28 is a plate-shaped member extending in the front-rear direction. Each rail member 28 is made of, for example, the above-mentioned resin material. A pair of rail members 28 are provided below the pedestal portion 27 at both left and right ends of the container body 2 .

The side plate 29 is a member to which a support body 65, which will be described later, is attached. The side plate 29 is a plate-like member that extends in the vertical direction. The side plate 29 is made of, for example, a metal material such as aluminum or stainless steel. The side plate 29 is provided on the outer surface of the side walls 23A, 23B. In this embodiment, two side plates 29 are provided on each side wall. The two side plates 29 are arranged in the front-rear direction and are arranged substantially parallel to each other. One side plate 29 is provided near the center of the side wall in the front-rear direction, and the other side plate 29 is provided near the front end of the side wall in the front-rear direction.

A cover member is provided at a corner of the container body 2 to prevent particles from entering the accommodation space 20.

Next, referring to FIG. 2, the members provided at the bottom of the container body 2 will be explained. FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the panel storage container shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 2, the panel storage container 1 includes a positioning member 51, an air supply mechanism 52A (first air supply mechanism), an air supply mechanism 52B (second air supply mechanism), an exhaust valve 53, further including.

The positioning member 51 is a member used for positioning the panel storage container 1 (container body 2) by an external device such as a transport device or a processing device. The positioning member 51 is made of, for example, a metal material such as aluminum or stainless steel. The positioning member 51 is a V-shaped plate. The positioning member 51 is recessed toward the bottom plate 22 (upward). A V-shaped groove is defined by the V-shaped surface of the positioning member 51 . The V-shaped surface may be subjected to surface treatment to improve wear resistance and slidability, if necessary. In this embodiment, the panel storage container 1 includes three positioning members 51. The number and arrangement of positioning members 51 may be changed as appropriate.

The air supply mechanisms 52A and 52B are mechanisms for supplying gas into the housing space 20 in order to maintain cleanliness and low humidity inside the panel storage container 1 (housing space 20). An example of the gas supplied into the accommodation space 20 is an inert gas. The air supply mechanism 52A supplies gas to the accommodation space 20 from the side wall 23A toward the side wall 23B. The air supply mechanism 52B supplies gas to the accommodation space 20 from the side wall 23B toward the side wall 23A. Details of the air supply mechanisms 52A and 52B will be described later.

The exhaust valve 53 is a mechanism for exhausting gas from the accommodation space 20. In this embodiment, the panel storage container 1 includes two exhaust valves 53, and each exhaust valve 53 is provided at the front of the panel storage container 1. Note that the number and arrangement of exhaust valves 53 may be changed arbitrarily.

Next, the configuration inside the accommodation space 20 will be described with reference to FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, the panel storage container 1 further includes a panel support section 60. The panel support part 60 is a part for supporting a plurality of panels P. The panel support section 60 is provided inside the container body 2 (accommodation space 20). The panel support section 60 includes a plurality of support sections 61 , a plurality of support sections 62 , a plurality of stoppers 63 , and a plurality of stoppers 64 .

The numbers of the support parts 61, the support parts 62, the stoppers 63, and the stoppers 64 are changed according to the number of panels P that can be stored in the panel storage container 1. In this embodiment, the panel support section 60 includes, per panel P, one support section 61, two support sections 62, two stoppers 63, and two stoppers 64. In other words, one support part 61, two support parts 62, two stoppers 63, and two stoppers 64 form a storage stage that stores one panel P.

The support portion 61 is a portion for supporting the center portion of the panel P in the left-right direction. The support portion 61 includes a shaft 61a and a plurality of elastic bodies 61b. The shaft 61a is a columnar (for example, cylindrical) member that extends in the front-rear direction. The shaft 61a is used to support one panel P. The rear end of the shaft 61a is fitted into the fitting hole of the support column 26b, and fixed to the support column 26b with a screw. The shaft 61a is made of, for example, a material with high bending rigidity. Examples of materials for forming the shaft 61a include metals such as stainless steel and aluminum, and carbon fiber reinforced plastics.

The elastic body 61b is an annular (for example, annular) member provided on the outer peripheral surface of the shaft 61a. The elastic body 61b is provided to suppress slippage of the panel P and improve positioning accuracy of the panel P. From the viewpoint of preventing the panel P from slipping, the elastic body 61b may have a higher frictional force than the shaft 61a. From the viewpoint of preventing damage to the panel P, the elastic body 61b may have higher elasticity (cushioning properties) than the shaft 61a. The elastic body 61b is made of, for example, a rubber material. Examples of rubber materials include EPDM (ethylene propylene diene rubber), silicone rubber, and fluororubber. The elastic body 61b is, for example, an O-ring. The plurality of elastic bodies 61b are arranged at regular intervals in the extending direction of the shaft 61a.

The support portion 62 is a portion for supporting both ends of the panel P in the left and right direction. The support portion 62 includes a shaft 62a, a plurality of elastic bodies 62b, and a plurality of supports 65. The shaft 62a is a columnar (for example, cylindrical) member that extends in the front-rear direction. The shaft 62a is used to support one panel P. The rear end of the shaft 62a is fitted into the fitting hole of the support column 26c, and fixed to the support column 26c with a screw. The shaft 62a is made of, for example, a material with high bending rigidity. Examples of materials for forming the shaft 62a include metals such as stainless steel and aluminum, and carbon fiber reinforced plastics.

The length of the shaft 62a in the front-rear direction is slightly longer than the length of the panel P in the front-rear direction, and longer than the length of the shaft 61a in the front-rear direction. The shaft 61a and the pair of shafts 62a are arranged in the left-right direction. A shaft 61a is arranged between the pair of shafts 62a.

The elastic body 62b is an annular (for example, annular) member provided on the outer peripheral surface of the shaft 62a. The elastic body 62b is provided to suppress slippage of the panel P and improve positioning accuracy of the panel P. The constituent material and arrangement of the elastic body 62b are the same as the constituent material and arrangement of the elastic body 61b, so a detailed explanation will be omitted.

The support body 65 is a member for holding (supporting) the shaft 62a and supporting the ends of the panel P in the left and right direction. An insertion hole passing through the support 65 in the front-rear direction is provided at the tip of the support 65, and the shaft 62a is inserted through the insertion hole. The base end portion of the support body 65 is brought into contact with the inner surface of the side walls (side walls 23A, 23B), and the side plate 29, the side wall, and the support body 65 are positioned by knock pins (not shown). In this state, a screw is inserted into an insertion hole provided in the side plate 29 from the outside of the side plate 29, and is screwed into a screw hole provided in the base end portion of the support body 65. Thereby, the support body 65 is fixed to the side plate 29 with the side wall sandwiched between the support body 65 and the side plate 29.

The stopper 63 is a member for preventing the panel P from popping out and for determining the position of the front end of the panel P. The stopper 63 is made of, for example, the above-mentioned resin material. The stopper 63 is provided at the front end of the shaft 62a. For example, the stopper 63 is attached to the shaft 62a by fitting the front end of the shaft 62a into an attachment hole provided in the stopper 63.

The stopper 64 is a member for determining the position of the rear end of the panel P. The stopper 64 is made of, for example, the above-mentioned resin material. The stopper 64 is provided at the rear end of the shaft 62a. The stopper 64 has a block shape. The stopper 64 is provided with an insertion hole through which the shaft 62a is inserted in the front-rear direction. With the shaft 62a inserted into the insertion hole of the stopper 64, the rear surface of the stopper 64 is brought into contact with the front surface of the support column 26c, and the stopper 64 is fixed to the support column 26c with a screw.

Next, the air supply mechanisms 52A and 52B will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the air supply mechanism shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line VV in FIG. 4. Since the air supply mechanism 52B has the same configuration as the air supply mechanism 52A, the air supply mechanism 52A will be described in detail here. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the air supply mechanism 52A includes an air supply valve 71, a discharge section 72, and a connection section 73. The air supply valve 71 is a mechanism for taking in gas from the outside of the container body 2. The air supply valve 71 is housed in a housing space 73a, which will be described later.

The discharge part 72 is a part that discharges gas into the accommodation space 20. The discharge portion 72 is provided along the side wall 23A. The discharge section 72 includes a chamber 74 (first chamber), a chamber 75 (second chamber), and a chamber 76. Each of the chambers 74 to 76 is capable of storing gas, and releases the stored gas into the accommodation space 20. The chamber 74, the chamber 75, and the chamber 76 are provided in the housing space 20 and arranged in that order in the front-back direction. The chamber 74 is provided between the lid 3 and the front support 65 in a state where the lid 3 closes the opening 2a. Chamber 75 is provided between two supports 65. The chamber 76 is provided between the rear support 65 and the back wall 24 .

The chamber 74 includes a box body 74a and a connecting pipe 74b. The box body 74a has a flat box shape and defines a space in which gas can be stored. The box body 74a extends in the vertical direction along the inner surface of the side wall 23A, and is arranged along the inner surface of the side wall 23A. A plurality of discharge holes 74h are provided on the surface 74c of the box body 74a. The surface 74c is a surface facing the side wall 23B (accommodation space 20) in the left-right direction. Each discharge hole 74h is a hole for discharging gas toward the side wall 23B.

The plurality of discharge holes 74h are arranged in the vertical direction. Each discharge hole 74h extends to the vicinity of both end edges in the front-rear direction of the surface 74c. The number of discharge holes 74h is the same as the number of panels P that can be stored in the panel storage container 1. One discharge hole 74h is provided for each storage stage of the panel P. The connecting pipe 74b is a pipe that connects the box body 74a and a flow path 73b (first flow path) described below. The connecting pipe 74b is provided on the lower surface of the box 74a and protrudes downward from the lower surface of the box 74a.

Chamber 75 includes a box 75a and a connecting pipe 75b. The box body 75a has a flat box shape and defines a space in which gas can be stored. The box body 75a extends in the vertical direction along the inner surface of the side wall 23A, and is arranged along the inner surface of the side wall 23A. A plurality of discharge holes 75h are provided on the surface 75c of the box body 75a. The surface 75c is a surface facing the side wall 23B (accommodation space 20) in the left-right direction. Each discharge hole 75h is a hole for discharging gas toward the side wall 23B.

The plurality of discharge holes 75h are arranged in the vertical direction, two each in the front-back direction. The front discharge hole 75h of the two discharge holes 75h arranged in the longitudinal direction extends from near the front edge of the surface 75c to near the center of the surface 75c in the longitudinal direction. The rear discharge hole 75h of the two discharge holes 75h arranged in the front-rear direction extends from near the center of the surface 75c in the front-rear direction to near the rear end edge of the surface 75c. The number of discharge holes 75h is twice the number of panels P that can be stored in the panel storage container 1. Two discharge holes 75h are provided for each storage stage of the panel P. The connecting pipe 75b is a pipe that connects the box body 75a and a flow path 73c (second flow path) described below. The connecting pipe 75b is provided on the lower surface of the box 75a and protrudes downward from the lower surface of the box 75a.

The chamber 76 includes a box body 76a and a connecting pipe 76b. The box body 76a has a flat box shape and defines a space in which gas can be stored. The box body 76a extends in the vertical direction along the inner surface of the side wall 23A, and is arranged along the inner surface of the side wall 23A. A plurality of discharge holes 76h are provided on the surface 76c of the box body 76a. The surface 76c is a surface facing the side wall 23B (accommodation space 20) in the left-right direction. Each discharge hole 76h is a hole for discharging gas toward the side wall 23B.

The plurality of discharge holes 76h are arranged in the vertical direction. Each discharge hole 76h extends to the vicinity of both edges in the front-rear direction of the surface 76c. The number of discharge holes 76h is the same as the number of panels P that can be stored in the panel storage container 1. One discharge hole 76h is provided for each storage stage of the panel P. The connecting pipe 76b is a pipe that connects the box body 76a and a flow path 73d, which will be described later. The connecting pipe 76b is provided on the lower surface of the box 76a and protrudes downward from the lower surface of the box 76a.

The connecting portion 73 is a portion that connects the air supply valve 71 and the discharge portion 72. In this embodiment, the connecting portion 73 is a plate-shaped member, and an accommodation space 73a and flow paths 73b, 73c, and 73d are provided inside the connecting portion 73. The accommodation space 73a is a space for accommodating the air supply valve 71. An introduction port 73h (see FIGS. 2 and 6) through which the air supply valve 71 takes in gas from the outside of the container body 2 is provided on the bottom plate of the connection part 73 that defines the accommodation space 73a.

The flow path 73b connects the air supply valve 71 and the chamber 74. Specifically, one end of the flow path 73b is connected to the accommodation space 73a, and the other end of the flow path 73b is connected to the connecting pipe 74b. The flow path 73c connects the air supply valve 71 and the chamber 75. Specifically, one end of the flow path 73c is connected to the accommodation space 73a, and the other end of the flow path 73c is connected to the connecting pipe 75b. The flow path 73d connects the air supply valve 71 and the chamber 76. Specifically, one end of the flow path 73d is connected to the accommodation space 73a, and the other end of the flow path 73d is connected to the connecting pipe 76b.

In this embodiment, each of the flow path 73b, the flow path 73c, and the flow path 73d has a uniform cross-sectional shape, and the cross-sectional area of the flow path 73b, the cross-sectional area of the flow path 73c, and the flow path 73d are uniform. The cross-sectional areas of are equal to each other. The flow path length of the flow path 73b, the flow path length of the flow path 73c, and the flow path length of the flow path 73d are mutually equal.

Next, exchange of gas within the accommodation space 20 will be explained with reference to FIG. FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining gas supply by the air supply mechanism shown in FIG. 3. FIG. As shown in FIG. 6, in the air supply mechanisms 52A and 52B, gas is taken into the air supply valve 71 from the outside of the container body 2 via the introduction port 73h, and the taken gas is passed through the flow path in the connection part 73. It is supplied to chambers 74 to 76 through passages 73b to 73d. Then, gas is supplied to the storage space 20 from the discharge hole 74h, the discharge hole 75h, and the discharge hole 76h provided for each storage stage. At this time, in the air supply mechanism 52A, gas is supplied from the side wall 23A toward the side wall 23B, and in the air supply mechanism 52B, gas is supplied from the side wall 23B toward the side wall 23A. Then, the gas in the accommodation space 20 is exhausted to the outside of the container body 2 via the exhaust valve 53. As described above, the gas in the accommodation space 20 is exchanged.

In the panel storage container 1 described above, gas is supplied to the storage space 20 from the side wall 23A toward the side wall 23B, and from the side wall 23B toward the side wall 23A. Since the side wall 23A and the side wall 23B face each other in the left-right direction, the sum of the distance to the side wall 23A and the distance to the side wall 23B is constant at any position within the accommodation space 20. In other words, the further away from the air supply mechanism 52A in the accommodation space 20, the closer the air supply mechanism 52B is, so that variations in the amount of gas supplied within the accommodation space 20 can be reduced. Therefore, gas can easily spread within the accommodation space 20. As a result, it becomes possible to improve the gas exchange performance within the accommodation space 20 of the container body 2. This makes it possible to reduce variations in gas concentration and humidity within the accommodation space 20.

The gas flow is obstructed by the panel P housed in the housing space 20. In the panel storage container 1, one discharge hole 74h, two discharge holes 75h, and one discharge hole 76h are provided for each storage stage in which a panel P is stored. Therefore, since gas is supplied to each storage stage, even if the flow of gas is obstructed by the panel P, the gas can be spread throughout the storage space 20. As a result, it becomes possible to further improve the gas exchange performance within the accommodation space 20.

The air supply valve 71 is provided under the bottom plate 22, and the discharge section 72 (chambers 74 to 76) is provided within the accommodation space 20. In this way, even if the air supply valve 71 and the discharge section 72 are separated, gas is supplied from the air supply valve 71 to the discharge section 72 through the connection section 73. Therefore, the degree of freedom in arranging the air supply mechanisms 52A, 52B can be improved.

The discharge section 72 includes chambers 74 to 76, and the connection section 73 includes a flow path 73b connecting the air supply valve 71 and the chamber 74, a flow path 73c connecting the air supply valve 71 and the chamber 75, and a flow path 73c connecting the air supply valve 71 and the chamber 75. A flow path 73d connecting the gas valve 71 and the chamber 76 is provided. According to this configuration, the degree of freedom in arranging the discharge portion 72 within the accommodation space 20 is improved. Therefore, it becomes possible to arrange the discharge part 72 in the accommodation space 20 without interfering with another member (for example, the support body 65) provided in the accommodation space 20.

Since the chamber 76 is close to the air supply valve 71 and the chamber 74 is far from the air supply valve 71, if the air supply valve 71 and each chamber are connected with a straight flow path, gas will flow to the chamber 76 faster than the chamber 74. is supplied. In this case, gas may first be supplied to the accommodation space 20 from the chamber 76 . At this time, since gas is not supplied from the chambers 74 and 75, the gas supplied from the chamber 76 tends to diffuse, and there is a possibility that the straightness in the left-right direction may be impaired. In this case, there is a possibility that the gas may not be distributed within the accommodation space 20.

On the other hand, in the panel storage container 1, the flow path length of the flow path 73b, the flow path length of the flow path 73c, and the flow path length of the flow path 73d are mutually equal. Therefore, the timing at which the gas supply from the air supply valve 71 to each chamber is started can be matched, so that the timing at which the gas supply from the chamber 74 to the accommodation space 20 is started, and the timing at which the gas supply from the chamber 75 to the accommodation space 20 is started can be matched. It is possible to reduce the difference between the timing when gas supply starts and the timing when gas supply starts from chamber 76 to accommodation space 20. Therefore, the straightness of the gas can be improved, so that the gas can spread more easily within the accommodation space 20. As a result, it becomes possible to further improve the gas exchange performance within the accommodation space of the container body.

Note that the panel storage container according to the present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiment.

The sum of the volume of the flow path 73b and the volume of the chamber 74, the sum of the volume of the flow path 73c and the volume of the chamber 75, and the sum of the volume of the flow path 73d and the volume of the chamber 76 may be equal to each other. . In this case, since the volumes from the air supply valve 71 to each discharge hole are equal to each other, it is possible to synchronize the timing at which gas supply from each chamber to the accommodation space 20 is started.

The flow path length of the flow path 73b, the flow path length of the flow path 73c, and the flow path length of the flow path 73d may be different from each other. In this case, although the timing at which the supply of gas from each chamber to the accommodation space 20 is started may be different, the gas can be sufficiently distributed within the accommodation space 20 by lengthening the gas supply time.

The discharge hole 74h does not need to be provided for each storage stage. For example, one discharge hole 74h may be provided across a plurality of storage stages. Similarly, the discharge hole 75h may not be provided for each storage stage, and the discharge hole 76h may not be provided for each storage stage.

In the above embodiment, the discharge section 72 includes three chambers, but the discharge section 72 may include only one chamber, two chambers, or four or more chambers. The number of flow channels provided in the connection part 73 can be changed depending on the number of chambers included in the discharge part 72.

In the embodiment described above, the discharge section 72 is separate from the container body 2, but may be integrated with the container body 2. A modification of the air supply mechanisms 52A, 52B will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a modification of the air supply mechanism. Since the air supply mechanism 52B has the same configuration as the air supply mechanism 52A, the air supply mechanism 52A will be described in detail here. As shown in FIG. 7, the air supply mechanism 52A according to the modified example differs from the air supply mechanism 52A according to the above embodiment mainly in the configurations of the discharge section 72 and the connection section 73.

The container body 2 further includes an inner wall 77, a connecting frame 78 (connecting member), and piping 79. The inner wall 77 faces the side wall 23A in the left-right direction and is arranged substantially parallel to the side wall 23A. A discharge portion 72 is configured by the side wall 23A and the inner wall 77. The inner wall 77 is arranged at a predetermined distance from the side wall 23A so that the storage space 72a defined by the side wall 23A and the inner wall 77 has a sufficient volume to store the gas to be supplied to the accommodation space 20. ing. The inner wall 77 is provided with a plurality of discharge holes 77h. Each discharge hole 77h is a hole for discharging gas toward the side wall 23B, and penetrates the inner wall 77 in the left-right direction. The number and arrangement of the discharge holes 77h may be the same as the number and arrangement of the discharge holes 74h, 75h, and 76h of the embodiment described above.

The connection frame 78 is a long member extending in the front-rear direction. The connection frame 78 connects the bottom plate 22, the side wall 23A, and the inner wall 77, and also fixes the support member 27a and the rail member 28. The connection frame 78 is provided with an engagement groove 78a (first engagement groove), an engagement groove 78b (second engagement groove), and an engagement groove 78c (third engagement groove). . The engagement groove 78a is a groove for holding the bottom plate 22. The engagement groove 78a is provided on the surface of the connection frame 78 facing the side wall 23B, opens toward the side wall 23B, and extends in the front-rear direction. A side end portion of the bottom plate 22 is inserted into the engagement groove 78a.

The engagement groove 78b is a groove for holding the side wall 23A. The engagement groove 78c is a groove for holding the inner wall 77. The engagement groove 78b and the engagement groove 78c are provided at the upper end of the upwardly projecting portion of the connection frame 78, open upward and extend in the front-rear direction. The lower end of the side wall 23A is inserted into the engagement groove 78b. The lower end of the inner wall 77 is inserted into the engagement groove 78c.

The connection frame 78 is placed on the upper surface of the rail member 28 and overlapped so as to contact the side end surface of each support member 27a in the left-right direction. In this state, a fastening member such as a bolt is inserted into an insertion hole passing through the connecting frame 78 in the left-right direction, and the fastening member is screwed into a screw hole provided in the end surface of the support member 27a. Furthermore, a fastening member such as a bolt is inserted into an insertion hole that passes through the rail member 28 in the vertical direction, and the fastening member is screwed into a screw hole provided on the lower surface of the connecting frame 78.

The connection frame 78 is provided with a flow path 78d that connects the pipe 79 and the storage space 72a. Piping 79 connects air supply valve 71 and flow path 78d so that they can communicate with each other. Therefore, in the air supply mechanism 52A according to the modified example, the connecting portion 73 is configured by the connecting frame 78 and the piping 79.

Also in the panel storage container including the air supply mechanisms 52A and 52B according to the modification, the same effects as the panel storage container 1 according to the above embodiment can be achieved with respect to the common configuration with the panel storage container 1 according to the above embodiment. Ru. Furthermore, in the panel storage container including the air supply mechanisms 52A and 52B according to the modified example, the discharge section 72 is configured by the side wall 23A (side wall 23B) and the inner wall 77. According to this configuration, the discharge section 72 is configured using the side walls 23A, 23B that constitute the container body 2, so it is possible to reduce the number of dedicated parts used in the air supply mechanisms 52A, 52B. .

The connection frame 78 is provided with an engagement groove 78a for holding the bottom plate 22, an engagement groove 78b for holding the side wall 23A, and an engagement groove 78c for holding the inner wall 77. . According to this configuration, the bottom plate 22, the side wall 23A, and the inner wall 77 are connected by simply inserting the bottom plate 22 into the engagement groove 78a, the side wall 23A into the engagement groove 78b, and the inner wall 77 into the engagement groove 78c. Ru. Therefore, the bottom plate 22, the side wall 23A, and the inner wall 77 can be connected without using a fastening member such as a bolt. As a result, it is possible to reduce the number of parts.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Panel storage container, 2... Container body, 2a... Opening, 3... Lid, 20... Accommodation space, 22... Bottom plate, 23A... Side wall (first side wall), 23B... Side wall (second side wall), 52A... Supply air mechanism (first air supply mechanism), 52B... air supply mechanism (second air supply mechanism), 53... exhaust valve, 71... air supply valve, 72... discharge section, 73... connection section, 73b... flow path (second air supply mechanism); 1 channel), 73c...channel (second channel), 73d...channel, 74...chamber (first chamber), 74h...discharge hole, 75...chamber (second chamber), 75h...discharge hole, 76 ...Chamber, 76h...Discharge hole, 77...Inner wall, 77h...Discharge hole, 78...Connection frame (connection member), 78a...Engagement groove (first engagement groove), 78b...Engagement groove (second engagement groove) ), 78c...Engagement groove (third engagement groove), 78d...Flow path, 79...Piping, P...Panel.

Claims (7)

a container body having an opening and defining a storage space for storing the plurality of panels arranged in a first direction;
a lid for closing the opening;
a first air supply mechanism and a second air supply mechanism that supply gas to the accommodation space;
Equipped with
The container body defines the accommodation space and includes a first side wall and a second side wall facing each other in a second direction intersecting the first direction,
The first air supply mechanism supplies gas to the accommodation space from the first side wall toward the second side wall,
The second air supply mechanism is a panel storage container that supplies gas to the accommodation space from the second side wall toward the first side wall. The first air supply mechanism is
an air supply valve that takes in gas from outside the container body;
a discharge portion provided along the first side wall and configured to discharge gas;
a connection part provided with a flow path connecting the air supply valve and the discharge part;
Equipped with
The panel storage container according to claim 1, wherein the discharge portion is provided with a plurality of discharge holes for discharging gas toward the second side wall. The discharge part is provided in the housing space and includes a first chamber and a second chamber arranged in a third direction intersecting the first direction and the second direction,
The connecting portion is provided with a first flow path that connects the air supply valve and the first chamber, and a second flow path that connects the air supply valve and the second chamber. The panel storage container according to claim 2. The panel storage container according to claim 3, wherein a channel length of the first channel is equal to a channel length of the second channel. The container body is
a bottom plate defining the accommodation space;
an inner wall facing the first side wall in the second direction;
a connecting member connecting the bottom plate, the first side wall, and the inner wall;
Equipped with
The panel storage container according to claim 2, wherein the discharge section is configured by the first side wall and the inner wall. The connecting member includes a first engagement groove for holding the bottom plate, a second engagement groove for holding the first side wall, and a third engagement groove for holding the inner wall. The panel storage container according to claim 5, wherein the panel storage container is provided with a. The panel storage container according to any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein the plurality of discharge holes are provided for each storage stage in which each of the plurality of panels is stored.

Images