JPH08115973A - Mask protector case - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a mask protector case which can be stacked at a constant interval by projecting a spacer for forming a gap between cases stacked at least on the upper or lower side of a clip thereby preventing the upper cover from bending due to self-weight to touch the mask protector when the mask protectors are stacked in multistage. CONSTITUTION: The mask protector case comprises a rectangular case body for mounting a mask protector while positioning, a rectangular upper cover having a part for pressing the peripheral frame of the mask protector being applied to the case body, and a trapezoidal clip 11 being fitted the case body and the upper cover applied thereto at four corners thus coupling them. In such case for mask protector, spacers 12, 13 for forming a gap between the stacked cases are projected from at least the upper or lower side of the clip 11. For example, low protrusions 12 are projected contiguously to the oblique sides from the upper side of the clip 11 and high protrusions 13 are projected while tapering from the lower side of the clip 11 on the inside of the protrusion 12.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a case for accommodating a mask protector used for the purpose of preventing dust or the like from adhering to a mask or reticle (hereinafter referred to as "mask"). The case body to be attached,
The present invention relates to a storage case of a mask protection device including an upper lid and clips for fixing the upper lid to the case body at four corners.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the photolithography process in the manufacturing process of integrated circuits, if dust or the like adheres to a mask, it is projected onto a semiconductor wafer and tends to be a defective product. In order to solve this problem and prevent foreign matters from adhering to the mask, a transparent thin film is stretched on one side of the frame that is large enough to enclose the mask pattern, and the other end face is attached to the mask such as adhesive tape. There has been provided a mask protection device in which a mask is adhered by an adhering means to cover the mask with a thin film at a constant interval.

Until such a mask protection device is shipped and used, it is usually stored and transported in a storage case so that dust or the like will not adhere to it. Figure 1
This shows a conventionally used storage case of this type. A case body 3 is formed in a projecting shape on a table 2 on which a mask protection device 1 is positioned and mounted, and a case body 3 is mounted on the case body. The upper cover 5 is formed with a pressing portion 4 for pressing the peripheral edge of the frame of the mask protection device. When the upper cover 5 is fixed by covering the case body 3, a clip 6 as shown in FIG. 2 is used. As shown in FIG. 3, the case main body 3 and the upper lid 5 covering the case main body 3 were fitted and attached to the four corners, respectively. In the figure, 7 is a stopper which can be prevented from coming off by a rib 8 around the lid after pushing the clip.

[0004]

In the case in which the mask protector is stored, the upper cover 5 is usually provided with a stepped convex portion 9 as shown in FIG. 1 during storage or transportation.
Although it is stacked in multiple stages in a state where it is fitted in the recess 10 formed by the above, if the number of stages increases, the upper lid 5 of the lower layer portion may bend due to its own weight and come into contact with the thin film of the mask protection device to be stored.

The present invention provides a storage case for a mask protection device that can be stacked at a certain interval so that the upper cover does not bend and contact the mask protection device due to its own weight even when stacked in multiple stages. The purpose is to provide.

[0006]

Therefore, the storage case of the present invention has a rectangular case body on which the mask protection device is positioned and mounted, and a holding portion which is mounted over the case body and presses the peripheral edge of the frame of the mask protection device. In a storage case of a mask protection device having a trapezoidal clip that is inserted into the formed rectangular upper lid and the upper lid and the case body that are attached to the case body at the four corners, and It is characterized in that spacers are formed so as to form a gap between the storage cases stacked on at least one side.

The spacer may have a pin shape, but is preferably a ridge, more preferably a ridge formed along the hypotenuse of the clip.
It is also desirable that the spacers are provided above and below the clip so that when the storage cases are stacked, the upper and lower spacers engage with each other to prevent positional displacement. A preferable example of this is a ridge formed in a c-shape along the oblique side of the clip.

[0008]

[Operation] When the upper case is attached to the case body and the storage cases fixed by the clips at the four corners are stacked,
Spacers keep the storage cases at regular intervals and prevent the storage cases from directly contacting each other. Moreover, since the spacers are provided in the corners of the storage case that have relatively rigidity, deformation of the storage case due to weight from above does not occur easily.

Further, if the spacer is used as a ridge and the supporting portion is elongated in one direction, the stability when the storage cases are stacked increases, and if a pair is formed along each oblique side of the clip,
Stability is further improved. Also, by providing ridges formed along the oblique sides of the clip on the top and bottom of the clip, the ridges of the clips at the four corners can be fitted into the ridges of the clip on the lower side. The movement of the storage cases stacked on each other can be restricted to eliminate the positional deviation, or the positional deviation can be limited to a certain range. In this case, in order to prevent the fixing function of the clip from being impaired, it is necessary to change the position of the ridges vertically so that the upper ridges engage with the lower ridges from the inside or outside. . In order to provide the protrusion with the function of preventing positional deviation, it is sufficient that either one of the upper and lower protrusions has a shape that can be simply engaged with the other protrusion. It is desirable to make it lower than the ridge, and a short pin may be used instead of the ridge.

[0010]

EXAMPLE A clip 11 shown in FIGS. 4 to 6 is made of resin, has a trapezoidal shape when viewed from above and below like the above-mentioned clip 6, and has an upper side which is adjacent to a hypotenuse and is lower than a lower ridge 12. High protruding ridges 13 are formed to project in a c-shape at the positions located on the inner side, and taper-shaped protruding stoppers 7 are formed on the short sides.
Is formed downward and at a position facing the stopper 7, a low protrusion 15 is formed. When fixing the case body 3 and the upper lid 5 attached to the body 3 shown in FIG. Similarly to the above, the clip 11 is pushed into the corners of the case body 3 and the upper lid 5 from the long side thereof. Then, while the clip 11 is deformed, the stopper 7 gets over the rib 8 around the lid,
It fits inside the rib 8 to prevent it from coming off, and
Is pressed against the case body 3 from below and can be stopped.

FIG. 7 shows a clip when the storage cases A are stacked. The clip 11 is a ridge 1.
By hitting the lower clip 11, 3 is supported on the lower clip, thereby supporting the storage case A at a constant interval. Further, by fitting the protrusions 13 between the protrusions 12, the displacement of the storage case A is prevented.

According to this embodiment, when the storage cases A in which the case main body and the upper lid are clipped are stacked, the clips 11 at the four corners are supported on the lower clips without displacement. As a result, the storage cases A can be supported at regular intervals without contacting each other and without displacement. In addition, the weight from above acts on the clip, and the clip is attached to the corner of the storage case that is relatively rigid due to the case body and the upper lid overlapping and has the strength by the rib 8. Therefore, the clip is stored by the weight from above. Does not deform the case.

[0013]

The present invention is configured as described above and has the following effects. According to the storage case of claim 1, when stacked, the spacers keep a constant space between the storage cases so that the storage cases do not come into direct contact with each other, and the weight of the storage case from above acts on the clip portion. Therefore, there is no possibility that the upper lid will bend and come into contact with the mask protection device.

In the storage case according to the second aspect, since the storage case is linearly supported by the ridge, the stability when the storage cases are stacked is increased, and the ridge is formed like the storage case according to the third aspect. If you provide a pair along each hypotenuse of the clip,
Stability is further improved. As in the storage case according to claim 4, when the interval between the projections of the clip is changed vertically, the upper and lower projections of the stacked storage cases are engaged from the inside or the outside, so that the storage case is displaced. This makes it possible to stack the storage cases without tilting or twisting them.

As in the storage case according to the fifth aspect, it is possible to provide a position deviation preventing function by simply lowering one of the upper and lower protrusions or using a short pin. No longer need.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of stacking storage cases.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a conventional clip.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a storage case in which a case body and an upper lid are clipped.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a clip according to the present invention.

5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the clip.

FIG. 7 is a front view of the clips when the storage cases are stacked.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Mask protector 3 ... Case body 5 ... Upper lid 7 ... Stopper 8 ... Rib 11 ... Clip 12, 13 ... Projection 15 ... Projection

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Internal reference number FI technical display location H01L 21/027

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A rectangular case main body on which a mask protection device is positioned and mounted, a rectangular upper lid which is mounted over the case main body and has a holding portion for pressing the peripheral edge of the frame of the mask protection device, and four corners. In a storage case of a mask protection device, which is fitted and inserted into an upper lid attached to the case body and a case-shaped clip for connecting the two, a storage case stacked on at least one side above and below the clip. A storage case for a mask protection device, characterized in that spacers are formed so as to form a gap therebetween. 2. The storage case for the mask protection device according to claim 1, wherein the spacer is a ridge. 3. The storage case for the mask protection device according to claim 2, wherein a pair of protrusions are formed along the hypotenuse of the clip. 4. The storage case for the mask protection device according to claim 3, wherein the protrusions are formed above and below the clip with different intervals between the protrusions. 5. The storage case for the mask protection device according to claim 4, wherein one of the upper and lower ridges is formed low or has a short pin.