JPH03786B2 - - Google Patents

Description

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

[Prior art] Conventionally, this type of transport box was developed using the
143623, 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 was that the wafers housed in the box could not 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; A means for locking and fixing a locking rod retractably attached to the lid into a locking hole in the upper lid of the container, a rubber tube installed on the outer peripheral wall of the lower lid, and a second locking rod installed on the lower lid.
The above-mentioned problems were solved by employing means for supplying air with an air supply valve and tightly fitting and pressing the expanded rubber tube into the upper lid of the container, and providing a breathing filter on the lower lid.

[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 or There is no inflow of contaminated air. Further, the items stored in the box of the present invention can breathe by sucking in clean air or exhausting the air as needed through a breathing filter in the lower lid.

[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. A container top lid 2 for storage and a bottom lid 4 that is closely fixed to the lower opening of the container top lid 2 to maintain cleanliness in the storage space 1 of the container top lid 6. It is configured.

To explain in more detail, the top lid 2 of the container for transportation or storage allows the inside to be seen through, and is used to house wafers, which are materials for making integrated circuits, and bio-related substances such as microorganisms and bacteria, which are dust-resistant. Storage space part 1 with a concave cross section so that
A handle 5 is attached to the top for easy carrying, and a lower lid 4 is attached to the inner peripheral wall surface of the lower opening 3 of the upper lid 2 of the container. A locking means 7 that surrounds the annular recess 6 for close circumference and protrudes from the lower lid 4.
A lower lid fixing ring 9 provided with a locking part 8 for locking is fixed around the circumference.

The lower lid 4 has a sheet-shaped air supply filter 11 in the center of a disc 10 formed to have a slightly smaller diameter than the lower lid fixing ring 9, and a fixed frame 12 to attach the filter edge of the outer extension of the air supply filter 11. 13 is pressed and fixed by any means such as screwing or adhesive bonding, and further the air supply filter 11 is fixed.
An air chamber 14 is formed in the lower surface of the disc 10, and a communication elongated hole 15 communicating with the air chamber 14 is extended in the circumferential direction of the disk 10, and an air intake port 16 is formed in the lower surface near the outer edge of the disk 10. A first air supply valve 17 comprising
is communicated with.

Further, a groove 18 is provided around the lower cover 4 at a position facing the annular recess 6 on the circumferential wall of the disk 10, and a rubber tube 19 is wound around the groove 18, and the rubber tube 19 is attached to the outer edge of the disk 10. A second air supply valve 21 having an intake port 20 on the lower surface is connected to the second air supply valve 21 in the vicinity via a connecting pipe 22, and by supplying air to the rubber tube 19 and inflating it, the outer peripheral surface of the rubber tube 19 is expanded. It is formed so as to tightly fit and press into the annular recess 6 of the lower lid fixing ring 9, and is provided with a locking means 7 for locking and fixing to the locking portion 8.

The first air supply valve 17 does not need to be particularly limited, but preferably, as shown in FIG.
A valve shaft 27 provided with a valve 26 is inserted into a protruding valve hole 25 with an O-ring 28 interposed between the valve 26 and the valve seat 24, and the upper edge of the valve 26 and the cylindrical body 2
3 Valve spring 3 is attached to the valve shaft 27 between the upper steps 29.
0, the valve spring 30 constantly presses the valve 26 downward and presses against the O-ring 28, and the valve seat 24
It is recommended to use one that is formed so that the gap 31 between the valve shaft 27 and the valve shaft 27 can be sealed. This first air supply valve 17 is embedded and fixed in the disk 10, and the communication elongated hole 1 is connected to the air inflow chamber 32 in the upper part of the cylindrical body 23 of the first air supply valve 17.
5 is in open communication.

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. A valve shaft 37 is provided with a valve hole 35 provided with a valve seat 34 of a cylinder body 33.
is inserted between the valve 36 and the valve seat 34 with an O-ring 38 interposed therebetween, and a valve spring 40 is inserted into the valve shaft 37 between the stepped portion 39 above the cylindrical body 33 on the upper edge of the valve 36. It is recommended to use a valve spring 40 that is configured to constantly press the valve 36 downward and into pressure contact with the O-ring 38, thereby sealing the gap 41 between the valve seat 34 and the valve shaft 37. The second air supply valve 21 is embedded and fixed in the disk 10, and the rubber tube 19 is connected to the air inflow chamber 42 in the upper part of the cylinder 33 of the second air supply valve 21 via a connecting pipe 22. has been done.

Although the first air supply valve 17 and the second air supply valve 21 do not need to be particularly limited, they can preferably be arranged with a phase difference of 180 degrees in the lower lid 4. Recommended.

Furthermore, a breathing filter 43 is provided at a certain distance from the air supply filter 11 of the lower lid 4. This breathing 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 gluing with an adhesive, and furthermore, the filter edge 44 of the outer extension part is fixed by any means such as screwing or adhesive bonding. A pore 46 is provided.

Further, the locking portion 8 of the lower lid fixing ring 9 and the locking means 7 of the lower lid 4 that is locked and fixed thereto are not particularly limited, but it is recommended that they preferably be constructed 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 elongated groove 48 and a small-diameter elongated groove 49 are connected and bored at the same intervals as the locking holes 47, leaving outer edges in the circumferential direction, and A shaft hole 50 is bored and communicated from the circumferential side of the large-diameter long concave groove 48 to the outer circumferential surface, and the locking rod 51 is made large in diameter so that the tip can be inserted into the locking hole 47. The locking rod 51 is inserted into the small diameter long concave grooves 48, 49 and the shaft hole 50, and has a flange 52 protruding from the front part of the locking rod 51.
A spring fixing ring 53 is loosely inserted into the base side of the holder, and a push spring 54 is inserted through the locking rod 51 between the flange 52 and the fixing ring 53, so that the fixing ring 53 is inserted into the long concave groove 48 with a large diameter and a small diameter. , 49, and the locking rod 51 is always held in contact with the stepped portion 55 between the
is formed such that its tip protrudes from the outer circumferential wall surface of the disc 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 includes a clean room CR equipped with manufacturing equipment (not shown) and a non-clean room, as shown in FIG. 7, for example.
The DR is divided by a wall W, and a transfer device C whose interior is kept clean is installed between the two walls, and is used, for example, in an integrated circuit manufacturing device. 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 of the transfer device C by a conveyor or manually. The wafer to be processed A is placed on the transfer section _C1 on the side of the clean room CR, and then lowered together with the lower lid 4 into the transfer device C, which is kept clean, and transferred to the transfer section C1 on the clean room CR side. Move it to the bottom surface of C ₂ and move it onto the transfer section C ₂ to take out the object to be processed A, process it in the clean room CR, and then process it by performing the reverse operation to the above. The finished workpiece A is returned to the non-clean room DR.
This is used when the lower lid 4 is tightly fitted and fixed to the upper lid 2 of the container left on the side in a clean state and transferred to the next process.

In order to tightly fit and fix the lower lid 4 on which the object A to be processed such as a wafer is placed to the upper lid 2 of the container, first each locking button is pressed by an operation device not shown externally or in the transfer device C. The flange portions 52 of the rods 51 are each pressed inward, the push springs 54 are compressed, the locking rods 51 are recessed into the shaft holes 50, and the lower lid 4 is inserted into the container upper lid 2.
By inserting it into the lower cover fixing ring 9 through the lower opening 3, aligning the front position of the locking rod 51 with the position of the locking hole 47, and releasing the compressed state of the push spring 54. , the locking rod 5 by the push spring 54
1 springs forward and protrudes from the outer circumferential surface of the lower lid 4, and is fitted into and locked in the locking hole 47.

Then, when clean air is forcibly filled into the storage space 1 of the box B of the present invention in which the objects A to be processed such as wafers are stored, the air is sent to the rubber tube 19 via the second air supply valve 21. In a state where ventilation is allowed to flow between the rubber tube 19 and the lower lid fixing ring 9 of the container upper lid 2 without worrying, for example, a clean air supply means (not shown) installed outside or inside the transfer device When air is forced into the air intake port 16 of the air supply valve 17 of No. 1, the air pressure compresses the valve spring 30, releases the pressure contact state of the valve 26 to the O-ring 28, and the valve shaft 27 rises, causing the air to flow out. is the gap 3 between the valve seat 24 and the valve shaft 27
1, the air flows into the communication slot 15 via the air inflow chamber 32, and then flows into the air chamber 14 from the communication slot 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 tube 19 and the lower lid fixing ring 9. Then, on this staircase, air is supplied to the rubber tube 19 through a second air supply valve 21 to be described later, and the rubber tube 19 is tightly fitted and pressed into the annular recess 6 of the lower lid fixing ring 9 of the container upper lid 2. It is. Then, when it is no longer necessary to supply 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 O-ring 2
8 to press against the valve seat 24 and cover the gap 31, preventing air from flowing backward and leaking.

Then, when the lower lid 4 is tightly fitted and pressure-welded to the lower lid fixing ring 9 via the rubber tube 19, a second air supply is applied, for example, by an air supply means (not shown) installed outside or in the transfer device C. When air is forced into the air intake port 20 of the valve 21, the air pressure compresses the valve spring 40, releases the valve 36 from the valve seat 34, and the valve shaft 37 rises, causing the air to contact the valve seat 34. Air is supplied to the rubber tube 19 from the gap 41 with the valve shaft 37 through the air inflow chamber 42 and the connecting pipe 22 to inflate it, so that the rubber tube 19 is tightly fitted and pressed into the annular recess 6 of the lower cover fixing ring 9. . After that, when the rubber tube 19 is filled with air, when the pressure feeding of air is stopped, the valve spring 40 springs, the valve shaft 37 descends, and the valve 36 presses the O-ring 38 and comes into pressure contact with the valve seat 34, closing the gap 41. Shield to prevent backflow of air. Further, in order to release the close contact state of the lower lid 4 to the lower lid fixing ring 9 via the rubber tube 19, the valve shaft 37 is moved externally or within the transfer device C by a pushing means (not shown). Push up and remove the O-ring 3 of the valve 36.
8, the air inside the rubber tube 19 flows back toward the air intake port 20.
The expanded state of the rubber tube 19 is released, the pressure contact state of the rubber tube 19 to the annular recess 6 is released, and then the locking state of the locking rod 51 in the locking hole 47 is released, so that the lower lid 4 becomes the container upper lid. It can be removed from 2.

Furthermore, the workpiece A stored in the storage space 1
When the volume of the air is reduced due to a change in temperature, that is, a decrease in temperature, external air is introduced as clean air through the ventilation hole 46 and the breathing filter 43 to be sucked into the object A, or On the other hand, when the temperature increases due to a rise in temperature, the air in the storage space 1 is evacuated by intervening the breathing filter 43 to cope with the temperature change.

[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 clean air in the storage space leaks 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 before being supplied, so there is no risk of contaminated air flowing into the storage space. Since it is equipped with a filter, external air can be allowed to flow in as clean air through the breathing filter as needed, or air in the storage space can be exhausted through the breathing filter to accommodate temperature changes inside and outside. We use wafers, masks, and other bio-related materials such as microorganisms and bacteria to create circuits.
Transport to the next process while maintaining cleanliness,
Or you can store it as is.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

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

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A means for supplying clean air through an air supply filter by a first air supply valve installed on the lower lid to the storage space of the transparent container upper lid, and a locking rod retractably attached to the lower lid. A second air supply valve installed on the lower lid supplies air to the rubber tube installed on the outer circumferential wall of the lower lid by locking and fixing it in the locking hole of the upper lid of the container, and the expanded rubber tube is inserted into the container. A box for transportation or storage that maintains cleanliness, characterized by having a means for tightly fitting and press-fitting the upper lid, and a breathing filter on the lower lid.