JPH1017074A - Carrying handle for precision substrate housing cassette - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To surely prevent semiconductor wafers from slipping down from a cassette by using this carrying handle when a worker manually carries the cassette in which precision substrates such as semiconductor wafers, are arranged in a line and housed. SOLUTION: This carrying handle 20 is attached to a cassette 10 which arranges in a line and holds a plurality of precision substrates W removably inserted from an opening 11, and is used when the cassette 10 is manually carried with the precision substrates W horizontally arranged in a vertical line. Then, the carrying handle 20 is equipped with a hook part 23 which is engaged with an engaging part 12b of the cassette 10, a grip 22 which can be gripped by a worker, and a slip preventive plate 24 which is located at the opening of the cassette 10 and covers at least one part of the precision substrates W, and the precision substrates W are prevented from slipping down from the opening 11 by the slip preventive plate 24.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a handle used for manually transporting a cassette containing precision substrates such as a semiconductor wafer, a magnetic hard disk substrate, and a quartz glass for a photomask. Related to the handle to prevent that.

The above-mentioned precision substrate, for example, a semiconductor wafer is fragile and it is essential to avoid contamination. Therefore, it is usually housed in a cassette and handled by a robot or the like. Generally, such a cassette is configured on the assumption that the semiconductor wafer is handled in a vertical state, and holds the semiconductor wafer inserted removably from the upper opening in a vertically aligned state.

In some cases, it is necessary for the operator to directly transport the cassette described above, and in such a case, the handling of the cassette requires sufficient care to prevent damage and contamination of semiconductor wafers. Can be For this reason,
2. Description of the Related Art A detachable handle has been developed for the purpose of facilitating transportation and the like by an operator himself. This handle has a hook and a grip, hooks the hook to the cassette,
An operator holding the grip suspends and transports the semiconductor wafer in a state of being vertically (vertically) aligned. Therefore, such a handle did not cause the semiconductor wafer in the cassette to slide down unless the operator accidentally turned the cassette over.

On the other hand, in recent years, a cassette for handling a semiconductor wafer in a horizontal state has been demanded due to the increase in diameter of the semiconductor wafer and the convenience of a handling apparatus. (Hereinafter, referred to as a horizontal storage type cassette) for horizontally storing the cassettes are often used. And when it becomes necessary for the operator to directly transport such a cassette,
The handle described above was diverted.

[0005]

However, when the above-mentioned horizontal storage type cassette is manually conveyed using the above-mentioned handle, an operator may incline the cassette by mistake or cause the cassette to have a horizontal inertia for some reason. When a force acts, there is a problem that the semiconductor wafer slides down from the opening for insertion and removal. The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has as its object to provide a handle that can reliably prevent a semiconductor wafer from slipping down during manual transfer by an operator or the like.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is directed to a method of mounting a plurality of precision substrates, which are removably inserted through an opening, on a cassette which is arranged in a horizontal state and holds the cassette. Is a transfer handle of a precision substrate storage cassette used for handling in a state of being horizontally aligned, a hook portion hooked on the cassette,
It is provided with a grip portion that can be gripped and a slip-down preventing portion that is located at the opening and covers at least a part thereof.

The cassette has an opening for insertion / removal on one surface in the horizontal direction, and a plurality of locking portions (for example, grooves) at predetermined vertical intervals on the inner wall facing in the horizontal direction. A plurality of precision substrates to be inserted and removed from the opening are housed in a horizontal state with their peripheral edges hooked in the grooves. This cassette is
Locking portions such as protrusions and grooves are formed at appropriate portions, desirably at a plurality of positions symmetrical with respect to the center of gravity, and hook portions of the handle are removably locked to the locking portions.

[0008] The handle is formed by integrally forming the hook, the grip and the slip-preventing portion, or by separately forming the hook, the grip, and the slip-preventing portion. As a simple form of this handle, the hook part on the side of the handle body that engages horizontally in the upper part of the cassette, the grip part in the center upper part of the handle body, and the opening of the cassette on one side of the handle body It is formed by forming a slip-down preventing portion which hangs down.

[0009] In the handle, it is preferable that the gap between the slip-prevention portion and the precision substrate in the cassette is 0.5 mm or less in a state where the hook portion is locked to the locking portion of the cassette. However, from the viewpoint of the convenience of the operation of locking the hook portion to the locking portion of the cassette, it is desirable that the gap between the hook portion and the precision substrate is large, so the hook portion was locked to the locking portion of the cassette. It is preferable to add a mechanism for reducing the gap between the slip prevention unit and the precision substrate later.

The hook portion is formed by forming a hole or a projection corresponding to the locking portion of the cassette in a tongue-like portion that can be elastically deformed. The hook portion is detachably locked to the locking portion, and is three-dimensionally fixed to the locking portion in the locked state. The grip portion is provided in a position that can be easily gripped by a shape that can be gripped by an operator. The slide prevention portion is formed in a plate shape or the like, preferably in a plate shape curved with a curvature corresponding to the peripheral edge of the precision substrate.

[0011]

In the handle according to the present invention, the hook portion is mounted on the cassette by locking the hook portion to the locking portion of the cassette.
Release the hook part from the locking part and remove it from the cassette. And with the handle attached to the cassette,
The operator can transport the cassette by gripping the grip portion, and since the slip-down preventing portion closes the cassette insertion opening, the precision substrate can be prevented from dropping from the cassette.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 6 show a transfer handle of a precision substrate storage cassette according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the cassette mounted state, FIG. 2 is a front view of the same state, and FIG. Is a sectional view of the same state as viewed from the back side, FIG. 4 is a side sectional view of the same state, and FIG. 5 is a side view of the same state.

In the drawings, reference numeral 10 denotes a cassette, and reference numeral 20 denotes a handle. The cassette 10 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape in which a lower surface and a horizontal surface (hereinafter, referred to as an insertion / removal opening 11) are opened, and is spaced apart from the inner surface of the side wall 12 facing in the horizontal direction at regular intervals vertically. As a result, a receiving groove 12a is formed, and a locking rib 12b is formed on each side wall 12 at a position symmetrical with respect to the center of gravity of the upper part of the outer surface. This cassette 10
The semiconductor wafer W is housed in a horizontal state with the peripheral edge fitted into the housing groove 12a. The cassette 10 may be a known one that stores the semiconductor wafers W in a horizontal state, and thus a detailed description and illustration thereof are omitted.

The handle 20 has a grip 22 on an upper portion of a substantially rectangular flat base plate portion 21, hook portions 23 on both sides of the base plate 21, and a front edge of the base plate portion 21 (left edge in FIGS. 4 and 5). 2) Anti-slip plate
4 is provided. The base plate portion 21 has a length corresponding to the width dimension of the cassette 10, and has a hook portion 23.
And, it is molded by resin injection molding or the like integrally with the slide-off prevention plate 24. In this embodiment, the cassette 10
The description will be made with reference to the state in which the handle 20 is attached to the vehicle.

The grip 22 is disposed at the center of the base plate 21 in the longitudinal direction, and is formed separately from the base plate 21 and then fixed. Needless to say, this grip 22 is formed in a size and shape that can be gripped by an operator. Each of the hook portions 23 has a tongue-like shape having a predetermined length that is elastically deformable downward from a longitudinal side portion of the base plate portion 21, and is hookable with the locking rib 12 b of the cassette 10 described above. It has a hole 23a.
The hook hole 23a of the hook portion 23 is formed such that the fitting gap with the locking rib 12b is 0.5 mm or less.

The anti-slipping plate 24 is provided on the base plate portion 21.
From the front edge of the cassette 10, and the cassette 1
1 located in the center. The slide prevention plate 24 has a length substantially equal to the vertical dimension of the insertion / removal opening 11, a width that can prevent the semiconductor wafer W in the cassette 10 from falling off, and a handle 20. Cassette 10
Wafer W in the cassette 10 with the
Is formed so as to be located with a minute gap, desirably, a gap of 0.5 mm or less between the outer edge and the peripheral edge of the sheet.

In this embodiment, the cassette 10
A plurality of semiconductor wafers W to be inserted through the opening 11 are aligned and housed, and are housed in a housing container in this state for transportation or the like. In addition, a handle 20 is attached and the operator holds the semiconductor wafer W in a hand as described later. Transport. This cassette 1
When the semiconductor wafer W is to be transported while being housed in the storage container, the insertion / removal opening 11 faces upward.
Can also be handled vertically.

When the operator directly transports the cassette 10, the handle 20 is mounted on the cassette 10, and the operator grips the grip 22 of the handle 20 and transports the cassette. That is, the hook portion 23 is elastically bent to fit the locking rib 12b of the cassette 10 into the hook hole 23a, and the handle 20 is three-dimensionally fixed to the cassette 10 in front, rear, left and right and up and down directions. The grip 22 is gripped and transported by lifting.

Here, the handle 20 mounted on the cassette 10 has the slip-prevention plate 24 provided with the opening 1 for inserting and removing the cassette 10.
1 is located at a very small distance from the semiconductor wafer W in the cassette 10 on the front surface. For this reason, even when the operator is tilted during the transfer or when a horizontal inertial force acts on the cassette 10, the semiconductor wafer W can be prevented from slipping out of the insertion / removal opening 11 to the outside.

In the above-described embodiment, the slide prevention plate 24 is provided on the base plate portion 21 so as to be able to swing or move horizontally, and when the handle 10 is mounted on the cassette 10, the slide prevention plate 24 is opened. It is also possible to swing or horizontally move the slip-prevention plate 24 to a position that is spaced apart from the semiconductor wafer W in the cassette 10 by a small distance after mounting.

[0021]

As described above, according to the transfer handle of the precision substrate storage cassette according to the present invention, the hook portion can be detachably mounted on the cassette by engaging the hook portion with the engaging portion of the cassette. The operator can grip the grip portion and transport the cassette while the cassette is mounted. Then, in this mounted state, the slip-down preventing portion closes the cassette insertion opening, so that the precision substrate can be prevented from dropping from the cassette.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a transfer handle of a precision substrate storage cassette according to an embodiment of the present invention is mounted on the cassette.

FIG. 2 is a front view in the same state.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the cassette from the bottom surface side in the same state.

FIG. 4 is a side sectional view of the same state.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the same state.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Cassette 11 Insertion / removal opening 12b Locking rib (locking part) 20 Handle 21 Base plate part 22 Grip 23 Hook part 23a Hook hole 24 Slip prevention plate (slip prevention part) W Semiconductor wafer (precision board)

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A precision substrate storage cassette which is mounted on a cassette for holding a plurality of precision substrates which are removably inserted from an opening in a horizontal state and holds the cassette in a state where the precision substrates are horizontally aligned. A precision substrate storage cassette, comprising: a transfer handle, a hook portion hooked to the cassette, a grippable grip, and a slip-down preventing portion located at the opening and covering at least a part of the cassette. Transport handle.