JPH01292838A - Box for keeping cleanness for transport or storage - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make it possible to completely seal a box filled with clean air by a method wherein a bottom lid is sealingly pressed by expanding a rubber tube. CONSTITUTION:This box comprises a container top lid 2 for storage and a bottom lid 4 fixedly pressed around the circumference of the lower opening 3 of the lid 2. An air chamber 14 is provided in a recess form in the bottom surface of an air-supply filter 11. In the bottom lid 4 is provided a recess groove 18 around the position facing an annular recess portion 6 around the wall of a disk 10. A rubber tube 19 is wound around the recess groove and air is supplied to the rubber tube 19 to expand it, causing the outer circumferential surface of the rubber tube 19 to be sealingly pressed against the annular recess portion 9 of a bottom lid fixing ring 9. A locking means 7 for locking to a locking section 8 is provided. As a result of this, neither a clean air is leaked nor contaminated air is allowed to flow in.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention is capable of processing, for example, wafers and masks, which are materials for making integrated circuits, and bio-related substances such as microorganisms and bacteria while maintaining their cleanliness. This relates to transport or storage boxes that maintain cleanliness for transport to processing steps.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, this type of transport box was disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 60-1436.
23, a small, clean air-filled box for transporting wafers from machine to machine is known.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, the box filled with clean air disclosed in JP-A-60-143623 has a problem in that it cannot be completely sealed. Another problem is that the wafers housed in the box cannot be allowed to breathe.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention provides means for supplying clean air to a storage space of a transparent container upper lid through an air supply filter by a first air supply valve installed on the lower lid; means for locking and fixing a locking rod retractably attached to the lid into a locking hole in the container top lid;
A means for supplying air to a rubber tube installed on the outer peripheral wall surface of the lower lid by a second air supply valve installed on the lower lid, and tightly fitting and pressing the expanded rubber tube to the upper lid of the container; The above problem was solved by adopting a configuration including a filter for

[Function] According to the present invention having the above-mentioned configuration, the lower lid is brought into close contact with the upper lid of the container filled with clean air by expanding the rubber tube and tightly fitting and pressure-welding to the upper lid of the container, thereby preventing clean air from leaking. Also, there is no possibility of contaminated air flowing in. Also,
Through the breathing filter in the lower lid, the items stored in the box of the present invention can breathe by sucking in clean air or exhausting the air as needed.

[Example] An example of the implementation of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The transport or storage box of the present invention is a cylindrical transport or storage box with a storage space 1 and a transparent cross section with an inverted concave shape. Consisting of a container upper M2 for storage and a lower lid 4 that is tightly fixed circumferentially to the lower opening 3 of the container upper lid 2 to maintain cleanliness in the storage space 1 of the container upper lid 2. has been done.

In more detail, on a container for transportation or storage
2 has a storage space 1 with a concave cross-section so that the inside can be seen through and dust-resistant objects such as wafers, which are materials for making integrated circuits, and bio-related substances such as microorganisms and bacteria can be stored. A handle 5 is attached to the top for easy carrying, and the lower lid 4 is tightly attached to the inner wall surface of the lower opening 3 of the container upper lid 2. In addition, a lower lid fixing ring 9 is fixed around the circumference, and a lower lid fixing ring 9 is provided with a locking part 8 for locking a locking means 7 protruding from the lower M4.

On the lower lid 4, a sheet-like air filter 11 is mounted in the center of a circle 110 formed with a smaller diameter than the lower lid fixing ring 9, and a filter edge of the outer extension of the air filter 11 is attached by a fixing frame 12. The portion 13 is pressed and fixed by any means such as screwing or adhesive bonding, and an air chamber 14 is recessed in the lower surface of the air filter 11, and
A long communication hole 15 communicating with the air chamber 14 extends in the circumferential direction of the disk 10, and communicates with a first air supply valve 17 having an air intake port 16 on the lower surface near the outer edge of the disk 10. ing.

Further, a groove 18 is provided around the lower lid 4 at a position facing the annular recess 6 on the peripheral wall of the disc 10, and the groove 18
A rubber tube 19 is wound around the rubber tube 19, and the rubber tube 19 is connected to a second air supply valve 21 having an air intake port 20 on the lower surface near the outer edge of the disc 10 via a connecting pipe 22. By supplying air to the rubber tube 19 to inflate it, the outer peripheral surface of the rubber tube 19 is tightly fitted and press-contacted to the annular recess 6 of the lower lid fixing ring 9, and is locked and fixed to the locking part 8. A locking means 7 is provided.

Although the first air supply valve 17 is not particularly limited, it is preferably a valve hole with a valve seat 24 protruding from a cylindrical body 23 having an air intake port 16 on the lower surface, as shown in FIG. 25, a valve shaft 27 provided with a valve 26 is inserted between the valve 26 and the valve seat 24 with an O-ring 28 interposed therebetween, and the valve shaft 27 is inserted between the upper edge of the valve 26 and the stepped portion 29 above the cylinder body 23. 27, a valve spring 30 is inserted into the valve shaft 27, and the valve spring 30 constantly presses the valve 26 downward and presses against the O-ring 28, thereby sealing the gap 31 between the valve seat 24 and the valve shaft 27. It is recommended to use a

This first air supply valve 17 is embedded and fixed in the disk 10, and the communication elongated hole 15 is opened and communicated with the air flow large seedling 32 in the upper part of the cylindrical body 23 of the first air supply valve 17. .

Further, the second air supply valve 21 preferably has an air intake port 20 on the lower surface of the same structure as the first air supply valve 17, as shown in FIG. 4, although there is no need to limit it in particular. The valve shaft 37 provided with the valve 36 is inserted into the valve hole 35 provided with the valve seat 34 of the cylindrical body 33 with an O-ring 38 interposed between the valve 36 and the valve seat 34, and the upper edge of the valve 36 is inserted. A valve spring 40 is inserted into the valve shaft 37 between the step portion 39 above the cylinder body 33, and the valve spring 40 constantly presses the valve 36 downward so that it comes into pressure contact with the O-ring 38. 37
It is recommended to use one that is formed in such a way that the gap 41 between the two can be sealed. This second air supply valve 21 is embedded and fixed within the circle 110, and the second air supply valve 21 is
The rubber tube 19 is connected to the airflow cavity 42 in the upper part of the first cylinder 33 via a connecting pipe 22.

The first air supply valve 17 and the second air supply valve 21
Although there is no need to specifically limit these, it is recommended that the lower lid 4 be provided with a phase difference of 180 degrees.

Furthermore, a breathing filter 43 is provided at a certain distance from the air supply filter 11 of the lower lid 4. This respiratory filter 43 is fixed by any means such as pressing the filter edge 44 of its outer extension part with a fixing frame 45 and fastening with screws or bonding with adhesive, and further passes through the lower surface of the respiratory filter 43. The pores 46 are perforated.

Further, the locking portion 8 of the lower lid fixing ring 9 and the locking means 7 of the lower M4 that is locked and fixed thereto are not particularly limited, but it is recommended that they be configured as follows. That is, the locking portion 8 is formed by boring a plurality of locking holes 47 at equal intervals in the peripheral wall of the lower surface of the annular recess 6 of the lower lid fixing ring 9, and the locking means 7 is formed in the lower surface of the lower lid 4. A large-diameter long groove 48 and a small-diameter long groove 49 are connected and bored at the same intervals as the respective locking holes 47, leaving an outer edge in the circumferential direction. A shaft hole 50 is drilled from the circumferential direction of the large Nagato groove 48 to the outer peripheral surface to communicate with the locking hole 47.
The locking rod 51 is inserted into the large diameter and small diameter long grooves 48, 49 and the shaft hole 50 so that the tip can be inserted into the locking rod 51, and a collar portion 52 is provided protruding from the front part of the locking rod 51. At the same time, a spring fixing ring 53 is loosely inserted into the base side of the locking rod 51, and a push spring 54 is inserted through the locking rod 51 between the collar 52 and the fixing ring 53, thereby increasing the diameter of the fixing ring 53. The push spring 54 is placed in contact with the stepped portion 55 between the small long day grooves 48 and 49.
Due to the resilient force, the tip of the locking rod 51 is always formed to protrude from the outer peripheral wall surface of the disk 10 by approximately the depth of the locking hole 47.

The operation of the embodiment will be explained.

The box B of the present invention having the above-mentioned configuration has a clean room CR equipped with manufacturing equipment (not shown) and a non-clean room DR separated by a wall W, as shown in FIG. The transfer device C, which is kept clean, is used, for example, in integrated circuit manufacturing equipment. That is, the box B of the present invention, in which the workpieces A such as wafers are placed on the lower lid 4 and stored in the clean storage space 1, is transferred to the non-clean room DR side of the transfer device C by a conveyor or manually. Afterwards, the workpiece A such as a wafer is lowered together with the lower lid 4 into the transfer device C which is kept clean, and then transferred to the transfer section C2 in the clean room OR. Move it to the lower surface, move it onto the transfer section C2, take out the workpiece A, perform processing on it in the clean room OR, and then perform the reverse operation to remove the workpiece A. Processed material A is returned to a non-clean room [)
Place the lower M4 in a clean state onto the upper M2 of the container left on the R side.
Used when tightly fitting and fixing and transferring to the next process.

In order to tightly fit and fix the lower M4 on which the workpiece A, such as a wafer, is placed, to the container-upper lid 2, each locking member is first set by an operation device not shown externally or in the transfer device C. Rod 51
The flange portions 52 of the container are pressed inward, the push springs 54 are compressed, and the locking rod 51 is recessed into the shaft hole 50. The lower cover fixing ring 9 is fitted into the lower cover fixing ring 9, the front position of the locking rod 51 and the position of the locking hole 47 are aligned V, and the push spring 54 is released from its compressed state, thereby being locked by the push spring 54. The rod 51 springs forward, protrudes from the outer peripheral surface of the lower lid 4, and is fitted into the locking hole 47 and locked.

Then, when clean air is forcibly filled into the storage space 1 of the box B of the present invention in which the workpiece A such as a wafer is stored, a second air supply valve 21 is inserted into the rubber tube 19.
Do not supply air through the rubber tube 19 and container top lid 2.
The air intake of the first air supply valve 17 is made such that ventilation can be caused from between the lower cover fixing ring 9 and the first air supply valve 17, for example, by a clean air supply means (not shown) installed externally or within the transfer device C. When air is pumped through the inlet 16, the air pressure compresses the valve spring 30, releases the valve 26 from the O-ring 28, and lifts the valve shaft 27, causing the air to move between the valve seat 24 and the valve shaft 27. The air flows from the gap 31 through the air inflow chamber 32 into the communicating elongated hole 15, then flows into the air chamber 14 through the communicating elongated hole 15, is further filtered by the air supply filter 11, and flows into the storage space 1, Excess air is exhausted from between the rubber dupe 19 and the lower lid fixing ring 9.

At this stage, air is supplied to the rubber tube 19 through the second air supply valve 21 mentioned above, and the rubber duplex 19 is tightly fitted into the annular recess 6 of the lower lid fixing ring 9 of the container upper lid 2. It is a pressure contact. Then, when it is no longer necessary to supply any more air to the storage space 1 through the first air supply valve 17 and the pressure supply of air is stopped, the valve spring 30 springs and the valve shaft 27 descends. valve 26 is 0 ring 2
8 to press against the valve seat 24 and cover the gap 31, preventing air from flowing backward and leaking.

Then, attach the lower cover 4 to the lower cover fixing ring 9 using the rubber tube 19.
In the case of close-fitting pressure welding via external or transfer vi,
When air is forced into the air intake port 20J of the second air supply valve 21 through the air supply means (not shown) installed in the device C, the air pressure compresses the valve spring 40 and the valve 36 is closed. The pressure contact state with the seat 34 is released, the valve shaft 37 rises, and air flows from the gap 41 between the valve seat 34 and the valve shaft 37 to the air inflow chamber 42, through the connecting pipe 22, and into the rubber tube 19.
The rubber tube 19 is tightly fitted and pressed into the annular recess 6 of the lower lid fixing ring 9 by being supplied with air to inflate it. Part 1: When the multi-rubber tube 19 is filled with air and the pressure feeding of air is stopped, the valve spring 40 springs and the valve shaft 37
is lowered, and the valve 36 presses the O-ring 38 and comes into pressure contact with the valve seat 34, thereby blocking the gap 41 and preventing backflow of air. Further, in order to release the close contact state of the lower M4 to the lower cover fixing ring 9 via the rubber tube 19, the valve shaft 37 is moved externally or by means of pushing up means (not shown) installed in the transfer device C. By pushing upward and releasing the pressure contact state of the valve 36 against the O-ring 38, the air inside the rubber duplex 19 flows back toward the air intake port 20 side, the swollen state of the rubber tube 19 is released, and the rubber tube 19 is released from the annular recess 6, and then the locking rod 51 is released from the locking hole 47, whereby the lower lid 4 can be removed from the container top M2.

Further, when the volume of the processed material A stored in the storage space 1 decreases due to a change in temperature, that is, a decrease in temperature, the outside air is replaced with clean air through the ventilation hole 46 and the breathing filter 43. The structure is such that the air inside the storage space 1 can be exhausted through the breathing filter 43 to cope with temperature changes. has been done.

[Effects of the Invention] Since the present invention is as described above, the lower lid on which the object to be processed is placed on the upper lid of the container is tightly fitted and press-contacted by expanding the rubber tube, and the clean air in the storage space is released to the outside. It is completely sealed without any leakage, and no contaminated air from outside flows into the storage space. Furthermore, even when external air is forcibly supplied into the storage space, the air is filtered by the air supply filter, so there is no risk of contaminated air flowing into the storage space, and the breathing filter is also used. Because it is a device, it is possible to respond to internal and external temperature changes by allowing outside air to flow in as clean air through the breathing filter as needed, or by exhausting the air inside the storage space through the breathing filter. Wafers and masks, which are the materials used to make them, and bio-related substances such as microorganisms and bacteria are transported to the next process while maintaining their cleanliness.
Or you can store it as is.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a front view, Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view, Fig. 3 is a bottom view, Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along line I--I of Fig. 3, Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along line ■-■, Fig. 6. The figure is a sectional view taken along the line ■--■, and FIG. 7 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing an example of use. In the figure, 1 is a storage space, 2 is a container top lid, 4 is a bottom lid, 11
17 is an air supply filter, 17 is a first air supply valve, 19 is a rubber tube, 21 is a second air supply valve, 43 is a breathing filter, 47 is a locking hole, and 51 is a locking rod. May 20, 1988 Figure 3 Figure 1 Figure 6 Figure 2 ζ Figure 7 Figure 5 Figure 4

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. Means for supplying clean air through an air supply filter to the storage space of the transparent container upper lid by a first air supply valve installed on the lower lid, and a means attached to the lower lid so as to be freely retractable. A second air supply valve installed on the lower lid supplies air to a rubber tube installed on the outer circumferential wall of the lower lid. A box for transportation or storage that maintains cleanliness, characterized in that it is equipped with a means for tightly fitting and pressure-welding an expanded rubber tube to the upper lid of the container, and a breathing filter on the lower lid.