JPH0563064A - Wafer keeper of wafer container - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a wafer keeper which does not generate sliding between it and a wafer and prevents contamination of a wafer by restraining generation of particles. CONSTITUTION:Each elastic piece 6 of a wafer keeper 3 is constituted bendably using an intermediate point as a fulcrum while keeping a contact part with a wafer immovable. Therefore, even if a wafer contained in a wafer container vibrates during transportation, the elastic piece 6 of the wafer keeper 3 bends using an intermediate point (bending point) as a fulcrum while stopping the wafer and absorbs vibration of the wafer; therefore, sliding is not generated between the elastic piece 6 and the wafer. As a result, the elastic piece 6 is not ground and particles are not generated, and the wafer can be surely prevented from being contaminated by particles. Furthermore, the wafer keeper 3 carries out its original function to hold the wafer elastically and to prevent damage thereof.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a wafer retainer detachably provided on an upper lid of a wafer container for accommodating a plurality of wafers.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, a semiconductor wafer is obtained by thinly slicing a single crystal ingot of silicon or the like in the direction perpendicular to the axis, but this is thin and fragile, and contamination is extremely disliked. is necessary.

Therefore, conventionally, such wafers are arranged and stored in a wafer storage container in an orderly manner and transported, and as a wafer storage container, for example, one shown in FIG. 19 is known. That is, FIG. 19 is a front view in which a part of the wafer storage container is cut away. The wafer storage container is composed of an outer box 101 and an inner box 102, and a plurality of wafers W ... Side walls 102a, 1 facing each other
It is fitted in a plurality of partition grooves formed between a plurality of ribs 102b that are provided on the inner side of 02a, and is housed in the inner box 102 in an orderly manner in the direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. Further, a wafer retainer 103 is detachably attached to the inside of the upper lid 101B of the outer box 101, and the wafer W accommodated in the inner box 102 is elastically held at its upper edge by the wafer retainer 103. , The wafer W is designed so as not to be damaged by vibration during transportation.

[0004]

However, the conventional wafer presser 103 is slipped between the wafer presser 103 and the wafer W due to vibration during transportation, and the wafer presser 103 is scraped by the slippage to generate particles. Therefore, there is a problem that the wafer W is contaminated with particles.

Further, the wafer W is often a wafer holder 1
The surface could be damaged by rubbing with 03.

Further, when the wafer W is stored in the wafer storage container, in addition to the above problem, there is a problem that the wafer W falls into the gap between the elastic pieces of the wafer retainer 103.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems. The object of the present invention is to prevent the occurrence of particles on the wafer without slipping with the wafer and to prevent the contamination of the wafer. It is to provide a wafer retainer for a storage container.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is a detachable attachment to the inside of the upper lid of a wafer container, and the upper edges of a plurality of wafers accommodated in the wafer container are stripped. In a wafer retainer of a wafer container for holding the wafer by pressing it with a strip-shaped elastic piece, the elastic piece is configured to be bendable with a certain intermediate point as a fulcrum, while the contact portion with the wafer remains stationary. What is done is the feature.

Also, in the present invention, two or more locking pieces are provided at the contact portion of the elastic piece with the wafer so as to face each other in the wafer arranging direction, and between the locking pieces, It is characterized in that the wafer is formed with a groove to be fitted therein, and one locking piece and the other locking piece of the adjacent elastic piece are overlapped in a side view.

[0010]

According to the present invention, even if the wafer stored in the wafer storage container vibrates during conveyance, the elastic piece of the wafer retainer is displaced on the outer peripheral edge of the wafer while pressing the wafer at its tip. Instead, the elastic pieces themselves bend at the bent portions, and the bending points of the respective bent portions move in mutually opposite directions centering on the tip positions of the elastic pieces. Therefore, the elastic piece is not scraped by the wafer to generate particles, and the contamination of the wafer with particles can be reliably prevented. The wafer retainer also has an original function of elastically holding the wafer to prevent the wafer from being damaged.

Further, according to the present invention, one locking piece formed on the elastic piece of the wafer retainer and the other locking piece of the adjacent elastic piece are configured to overlap each other in a side view. When the wafer is stored in the wafer storage container, the wafer does not fall between the elastic pieces, and the wafer is always fitted and held in the groove between the locking pieces. Therefore, the wafer is not sandwiched between the elastic pieces and is not damaged. Further, the elastic piece is not scraped by the wafer to generate particles, and the contamination of the wafer due to the adhesion of particles can be surely prevented.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.
It will be explained based on.

First, the schematic structure of a wafer storage container will be described with reference to the exploded perspective view of FIG. 11. The wafer storage container is an outer box 1, an inner box 2 housed in the outer box 1,
The wafer holder 3 according to the present invention is included.

The outer box 1 is composed of a main body 1A and an upper lid 1B. The upper lid 1B is covered with the main body 1A to be joined and integrated with the main body 1A, but a packing 4 is interposed between the two. When the upper lid 1B is closed, the inside of the outer box 1 is kept in a sealed state.

Further, the inner box 2 accommodates a plurality of wafers in an orderly manner, an upper portion of which is open, and a plurality of longitudinally long ribs 2b are provided inside the opposite side walls 2a, 2a. Are protruded at an appropriate pitch in the wafer array direction, and partition grooves are formed between these ribs 2b. Thus, the wafer is housed by being fitted into a pair of partitioning grooves formed on the side walls 2a, 2a and facing each other.

Here, details of the structure of the wafer retainer 3 according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7. Incidentally, FIG.
Is a front sectional view of the wafer retainer 3, FIG. 2 is a side view thereof (a view in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 1), FIG. 3 is a bottom view thereof (a view in the direction of arrow B of FIG. 1), and FIG. 4 is an enlarged detailed view of the C portion of FIG. 5, FIG. 5 is a view in the direction of arrow D in FIG. 4, and FIGS. 6 and 7 are EE lines in FIG.
It is a FF line sectional view.

The wafer retainer 3 according to the present invention is integrally formed of a thermoplastic elastomer (polyester) having a large friction coefficient, and has a rectangular frame body 5. The frame body 5 has a lower surface on the lower surface thereof. , A plurality of strip-shaped elastic pieces 6 that are bent inward in a V shape in a side view are arranged in two rows on the left and right in the wafer arrangement direction (direction perpendicular to the plane of FIG. 1) and suspended. There is. Further, an orientation flat retainer 7 which is long in the wafer arranging direction is provided at the center of the row of the pair of left and right elastic pieces 6 ... Of the frame body 5.

By the way, as shown in detail in FIGS. 4 to 7, the lower surfaces of the free ends (contact portions with the wafer) of the elastic pieces 6 are arranged in the wafer arranging direction (left and right direction in FIG. 4). A pair of locking pieces 8a, 8b and 9a, 9b and 10 facing each other
A pair of a and 10b are alternately projected, and one locking piece 8a provided on a certain elastic piece 6A shown in FIG. 4 is located between the locking pieces 9b and 10b of the adjacent elastic piece 6B. However, the other locking piece 8b and the locking piece 9a of another adjacent elastic piece 6C
0a, and the locking pieces 8a and the locking pieces 9b, 1
0b and the locking piece 8b and the locking pieces 9a and 10a overlap each other in a side view.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the pair of locking pieces 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b and 10a, 10b have inclined surfaces, which are opposed to each other, and these locking pieces 8a. , 8b, 9a and 9b, and 10a and 10b are formed with grooves 11 into which the wafer is to be fitted.

Then, as shown in FIG. 8, an inner box 2 for accommodating a plurality of wafers W ... Arranged in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the drawing.
Are housed in the main body 1A of the outer box 1, and then the upper lid 1B
As shown in FIG. 9, when the wafer presser 3 is fixed by being covered with 1A, the wafer retainer 3 attached to the upper lid 1B presses the upper edge of the wafer W ... and elastically retains the wafer W ... That is, the pair of left and right elastic pieces 6, 6 of the wafer retainer 3
Is brought into contact with the upper edge of the wafer W and its elastic force causes the wafer W to
Is pressed downward to elastically support the wafer W. At this time, the wafer W has locking pieces 8a, 8b (or 9a, 9b and 10a, whose upper edges are projected from the elastic pieces 6, 6).
10b) is fitted into and supported by the grooves 11, 11, but as described above, the locking piece 8a and the locking pieces 9b, 10b and the locking piece 8b and the locking pieces 9a, 10a are viewed from the side. Since the wafers W overlap each other, the wafer W has elastic pieces 6, 6
The wafer W that has not fallen into the gap between the two and is located at the position shown by the chain line in FIG. 6 when the upper lid 1B is closed, for example.
Moves in the direction of the arrow along the slopes of the locking pieces 9a and 10a, and is automatically positioned at the center of the groove 11 as shown by the solid line in FIG.

Thus, the plurality of wafers W accommodated in the inner box 2 are elastically held by the wafer retainer 3, and these wafers W are accommodated in the wafer container and conveyed. Even when it is vertically moved from the position shown by the solid line in FIG. 10 to the position shown by the chain line due to vibrations from the outside, the contact portion of the elastic piece 6 of the wafer retainer 3 with the wafer W is the wafer W. The elastic piece 6 is bent like a panda graph with the middle bending point a as a fulcrum and absorbs the vibration of the wafer W while keeping the upper edge of the wafer W stationary. For this reason, no slippage occurs between each elastic piece 6 and the wafer W, so that the elastic piece 6 is not scraped by the wafer W to generate particles, and contamination of the wafer W by particles is surely prevented. .. The wafer retainer 3 has an original function of elastically holding the wafers W ... and preventing the wafers W ... from being damaged.

Further, the orientation flat presser 7 provided on the wafer presser 3 at the same time is, as shown in FIG.
Since the rotation of the wafer W is prevented by engaging with the orientation flat portion Wa of the wafer W, slipping does not occur between the inner box 2 and the wafer W, which also prevents contamination of the wafer W by particles. It Note that FIG.
Further, as shown in FIG. 9, each wafer W is housed in the inner box 2 with its orientation flat portion Wa facing upward.

By the way, in the above embodiment, each elastic piece 6 is bent inward in a V-shape when viewed from the side.
Alternatively, each elastic piece 6 may be bent outward in a V shape as shown in FIG.

Further, as a structure for preventing the wafer W in the wafer retainer 3 from falling between the elastic pieces 6 and 6,
Besides those shown in FIGS. 4 to 7, those shown in FIGS. 13 to 16 or those shown in FIGS. 17 and 18 can be considered.

That is, FIG. 13 is a bottom view of the engaging portions of the elastic pieces 6 ..., FIG. 14 is a view in the direction of arrow G in FIG. 13, and FIGS.
FIG. 14 is a sectional view taken along line HH and line JJ of FIG. 13,
In the configuration examples shown in these drawings, the locking pieces 12a, 12b, 12c are provided on each elastic piece 6 so as to project therefrom.
a and 12b are provided on the same side and a locking piece 12c is provided on the opposite side, and the locking piece 12c is the locking piece 12 of the adjacent elastic piece 6.
It overlaps with a and 12c in a side view. Further, in each elastic piece 6, a groove 11 into which the wafer is fitted is formed between the locking pieces 12a and 12b and the locking piece 12c.

FIG. 17 is a bottom view of the engaging portions of the elastic pieces 6 ..., FIG. 18 is a sectional view taken along the line KK of FIG. 17, and in the configuration examples shown in these figures, each elastic piece 6 is A pair of locking pieces 13a, 13b facing each other are provided to project, and these locking pieces 13a, 13b overlap the locking pieces 13b, 13a of the adjacent left and right elastic pieces 6, 6 in a side view. The elastic pieces 6 have locking pieces 13a and 13b.
A groove 11 into which the wafer is to be fitted is formed between them.

[0027]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, each upper edge of a plurality of wafers which are detachably attached to the inside of the upper lid of the wafer storage container and are accommodated in the wafer storage container are stripped. In a wafer retainer for a wafer basket that holds the wafer by pressing it with a strip-shaped elastic piece, the elastic piece is configured to be bendable with a certain intermediate point as a fulcrum, while the contact portion with the wafer remains stationary. ,
The effect that slippage does not occur between the elastic piece and the wafer, the generation of particles is suppressed, and the contamination of the wafer is reliably prevented is obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front sectional view of a wafer retainer according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view (a view in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 1) of the wafer retainer according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a bottom view (view in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 1) of the wafer retainer according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detailed view of a C portion of FIG.

5 is a view in the direction of arrow D in FIG.

6 is a line EE in FIG.

7 is a sectional view taken along line FF in FIG.

FIG. 8 is a front sectional view of a wafer container for explaining the action of the wafer retainer.

FIG. 9 is a front sectional view of a wafer container for explaining the action of the wafer retainer.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory view of the action of the elastic piece of the wafer retainer.

FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of a wafer container.

FIG. 12 is a front view showing another embodiment of the wafer retainer.

FIG. 13 is a bottom view of the locking portion of the elastic piece of the wafer retainer according to another embodiment.

14 is a view in the direction of arrow G in FIG.

15 is a sectional view taken along line HH of FIG.

16 is a sectional view taken along line JJ of FIG.

FIG. 17 is a bottom view of the locking portion of the elastic piece of the wafer retainer according to another embodiment.

18 is a sectional view taken along line KK of FIG.

FIG. 19 is a cutaway front view of a conventional wafer storage container including a wafer retainer.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Outer box 1B Upper lid 3 Wafer retainer 6 Elastic piece 7 Orifla retainer 8a, 8b Locking piece 9a, 9b Locking piece 10a, 10b Locking piece 11 Groove W wafer

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A wafer storage which is detachably attached to the inside of an upper lid of a wafer storage container and holds the wafer by pressing the upper edges of a plurality of wafers stored in the wafer storage container with strip-shaped elastic pieces. In the wafer retainer for a container, the elastic piece is configured to be bendable with a certain intermediate point as a fulcrum while the contact portion with the wafer remains stationary. 2. The wafer according to claim 1, wherein the elastic piece has a bent portion at least at two positions, and a contact point of the tip end of the elastic piece with the wafer is not displaced with respect to the wafer. Wafer holder for storage container. 3. The wafer retainer for a wafer container according to claim 1, wherein the elastic piece is made of a thermoplastic elastomer having a large friction coefficient such as polyester resin. 4. The abutting portion of the elastic piece with the wafer,
Two or more locking pieces are provided so as to face each other in the wafer arranging direction, a groove into which the wafer is fitted is formed between the locking pieces, and the elastic piece is adjacent to one locking piece. 4. The wafer retainer for a wafer storage container according to claim 1, wherein the other locking piece of the one piece is configured to overlap in a side view. 5. The wafer retainer for a wafer storage container according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, wherein a long orientation flat retainer is provided in the wafer arranging direction.