JP2010199354A - Substrate storing container - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a substrate storing container which suppresses the rotation of holding pieces and holding grooves due to vibration and shock and can eliminate the possibility that a substrate is removed from the holding groove, it is worn out, becomes dirty and is damaged. <P>SOLUTION: The container is provided with a container body where a plurality of semiconductor wafers 1 are arranged and stored and a lid which opens and closes an opened front part of the container body so that it can freely be attached/detached. A substrate holding tool 30 holding the plurality of semiconductor wafers 1 is installed on a confronted inner face opposite to the semiconductor wafer 1 in the lid. The substrate holding tool 30 is provided with first and second holding pieces 34A and 34B which come close to the semiconductor wafer 1 from the confronted inner face direction opposite to the semiconductor wafer 1 in the lid and the holding grooves 36 which are formed in the first and second holding pieces 34A and 34B and hold the front part of the peripheral part 2 of the semiconductor wafer 1. A contact part 39 with the front part of the peripheral part 2 of the semiconductor wafer 1 in each holding groove 36 is positioned in a range of the thickness T of each of the first and second holding pieces 34A and 34B. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a substrate storage container used for storing, transporting, and transporting a substrate made of a semiconductor wafer or the like.

  Although not shown, a conventional substrate storage container is configured to include a container main body for aligning and storing a plurality of semiconductor wafers, and a lid body that opens and closes the front portion of the container main body through a gasket. It is used for storing, storing, transporting and transporting semiconductor wafers (see Patent Documents 1 and 2).

  The container body is molded into a front open box type using a predetermined molding material, and a part of both side walls are inclined inwardly, and the periphery of the semiconductor wafer is formed on the inner surface of each inclined side wall. The side of the part touches. Teeth that horizontally support the side edges of the semiconductor wafer are provided on the inner surfaces of both side walls of the container main body, and the pair of left and right teeth are arranged at a predetermined pitch in the vertical direction of the container main body.

  The lid is molded into a shape that can be fitted into the open front portion of the container body using a predetermined molding material, and a substrate holder for holding the semiconductor wafer is mounted on the inner surface facing the semiconductor wafer. Yes.

  As shown in part in FIG. 9, the substrate holder includes an elastic holding piece 34 </ b> D extending from the lid direction toward the semiconductor wafer 1, and is formed on the holding piece 34 </ b> D to hold the front of the peripheral portion 2 of the semiconductor wafer 1. The holding groove 36A is formed. The holding groove 36A is deviated from the central portion of the holding piece 34D to the front side facing the front of the peripheral portion 2 of the semiconductor wafer 1, and is cut into a V-shaped cross section. The front side of the peripheral edge 2 of the semiconductor wafer 1 is held horizontally at a location away from the center.

  When the semiconductor wafer 1 is aligned and stored in the container main body of the substrate storage container, the lid is fitted, and the container main body is closed, the holding groove 36A of the substrate holder is fitted in front of the peripheral edge 2 of the semiconductor wafer 1 from the front. And hold. When the fitted lid is press-fitted in the direction of the container body, the semiconductor wafer 1 is lifted from the pair of teeth while being guided by the inclined side wall inner surface of the container main body, and the semiconductor wafer 1 is tilted to the inner side wall of the container main body. And a holding groove 36A of the substrate holder.

  As described above, the semiconductor wafer 1 is transported by the substrate storage container in a state of being lifted from the pair of teeth, and it is possible to prevent the possibility that the semiconductor wafer 1 is rubbed and worn due to contact with the teeth or is damaged and broken.

JP 2002-353301 A JP 2005-320028 A

  The conventional substrate storage container is configured as described above, and the holding groove 36A holds the front of the peripheral edge 2 of the semiconductor wafer 1 at a position away from the center of the thickness of the holding piece 34D. The force point at which the impact acts exists at a location away from the center of the thickness of the holding piece 34D. Accordingly, when the holding piece 34D is twisted and rotated by vibration or impact during transportation (see FIG. 10), the holding groove 36A also rotates in the same direction, so that the semiconductor wafer 1 comes off from the holding groove 36A and comes into contact with the teeth. As a result, the semiconductor wafer 1 may be rubbed and worn, contaminated, or damaged.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above, and it is possible to suppress the rotation of the holding piece or the holding groove due to vibration or impact, and to eliminate the possibility that the substrate is detached from the holding groove to be worn, contaminated or damaged. The purpose is to provide a container.

In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention includes a container body that stores a substrate and a lid body that opens and closes the opening of the container body, and the substrate is held on a facing surface of the lid body that faces the substrate. Provided with a substrate holder,
The substrate holder includes a holding piece that approaches the substrate and a holding groove that is formed on the holding piece and holds the peripheral portion of the substrate, and the contact portion of the holding groove with the peripheral portion of the substrate is the meat of the holding piece. It is characterized by being positioned within the thickness range.

In addition, the substrate holder is provided on the opposing inner surface of the casing, and a pair of holding blocks for bringing the holding piece closer to the peripheral portion of the substrate housed in the container body, and provided on each holding block on the peripheral portion of the substrate. A holding groove for holding the peripheral edge of the substrate can be formed in each of the plurality of holding pieces.
Further, the substrate holder includes a support frame provided on the opposing inner surface of the housing, and a holding piece that approaches the peripheral edge of the substrate is installed between opposite sides of the support frame. A holding groove can be formed on the substrate.

Further, a protrusion is formed on each of the front surface of the holding piece facing the peripheral edge of the substrate and the back surface on the opposite side, and a holding groove is formed in each of the plurality of protruding portions so that the deepest trough is formed on the back surface of the holding piece. It is possible to position it at a location beyond
Furthermore, the contact portion between the holding groove and the peripheral edge portion of the substrate can be positioned on the approximate center line of the thickness of the holding piece.

  Here, the substrate in the claims includes at least φ200, φ300, φ450 mm semiconductor wafer, glass substrate, mask glass, and the like. This board | substrate does not ask | require especially the amount of bending, or the number of one or more. Further, the container body and the lid may be transparent, opaque, or translucent.

  The container body may be a front open box type, a top open box type with an open top, or a bottom open box type with an open bottom. A transparent window for substrate observation, an IC tag for physical distribution management, and the like can be attached to the upper, rear, and side portions of the container body. Moreover, the holding | maintenance piece of a board | substrate holder does not ask | require especially plural. The holding groove can be appropriately formed in a substantially U-shaped cross section, a substantially V-shaped cross section, a substantially Y-shaped cross section, or the like.

According to the present invention, since the contact portion between the holding groove and the substrate is located within the thickness range of the holding piece, the force point at which vibration or impact acts exists at a location away from the central portion of the holding piece thickness. Can be prevented.
That is, even if vibration or impact acts on the substrate storage container and the substrate tries to move, the force point is within the thickness range of the holding piece, so that the holding piece can be prevented from being twisted and deformed, It is possible to eliminate the possibility that the substrate comes off from the groove and is worn, contaminated, or damaged.

According to the present invention, it is possible to suppress the rotation of the holding piece or the holding groove due to vibration or impact, and to eliminate the possibility that the substrate is detached from the holding groove to be worn, contaminated or damaged.
Further, if the contact portion between the holding groove and the peripheral edge portion of the substrate is positioned on the substantially center line of the thickness of the holding piece, the holding piece is twisted and rotationally deformed, and the substrate is prevented from being detached from the holding groove. it can.

It is a whole perspective explanatory view showing typically an embodiment of a substrate storage container concerning the present invention. It is a disassembled perspective explanatory drawing which shows typically the container main body and cover body in embodiment of the substrate storage container which concerns on this invention. It is a section explanatory view showing typically an embodiment of a substrate storage container concerning the present invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows typically the relationship between the holding piece, holding groove, and semiconductor wafer in embodiment of the substrate storage container which concerns on this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows typically the state by which the peripheral part front of the semiconductor wafer was appropriately hold | maintained at the holding groove of the holding piece in embodiment of the substrate storage container which concerns on this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows typically the state in which a vibration, an impact, etc. act on the holding piece of FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows typically the relationship between the holding piece in the embodiment of the substrate storage container which concerns on this invention, a holding groove, and a semiconductor wafer. It is explanatory drawing which shows typically the cover body in 2nd Embodiment of the substrate storage container which concerns on this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows typically the relationship between the conventional holding piece, a holding groove, and a semiconductor wafer. It is explanatory drawing which shows typically the state which a semiconductor wafer remove | deviates from the holding groove of the conventional holding piece.

  Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of a substrate storage container according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The substrate storage container in this embodiment stores a plurality of semiconductor wafers 1 as shown in FIGS. A container body 10, a detachable lid 20 that opens and closes an open front portion of the container body 10, and a substrate holder 30 that is attached to the lid 20 and elastically holds a plurality of semiconductor wafers 1. The contact groove 39 between the holding groove 36 of the substrate holder 30 and the semiconductor wafer 1 is positioned within the range of the thickness T of the first and second holding pieces 34A and 34B.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the semiconductor wafer 1 is made of, for example, a thin and brittle silicon wafer having a diameter of 300 mm, and a notch for alignment and identification (not shown) is notched in a planar semicircular shape at the peripheral edge 2. The main body 10 is stored in an order of 25 or 26 sheets.

  The container body 10 and the lid 20 are each injection-molded with a molding material containing a predetermined resin. Examples of the predetermined resin of the molding material include polycarbonate, polyetherimide, polyetheretherketone, cyclic olefin resin, and alloy resins thereof having excellent mechanical properties and heat resistance. Carbon, carbon fiber, metal fiber, carbon nanotube, conductive polymer, antistatic agent, flame retardant and the like are appropriately added to this resin as necessary.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the container body 10 is formed in a transparent front open box whose front portion opens horizontally, and a semiconductor processing device or gas replacement not shown in the state where the front portion is directed horizontally and horizontally. Positioned and mounted on the device or transported. The container body 10 is formed such that a part of both side walls are inclined toward the inward direction, and the side of the peripheral edge 2 of the semiconductor wafer 1 is in contact with the inner surface of each inclined side wall.

  Teeth 11 that horizontally support the sides of the peripheral edge 2 of the semiconductor wafer 1 are provided on the inner surfaces of both side walls of the container body 10, and the pair of left and right teeth 11 are arranged at a predetermined pitch in the vertical direction of the container body 10. Arranged. Each tooth 11 is not particularly limited. For example, each tooth 11 is curved and formed into a flat semi-circular flat plate along the peripheral edge 2 side of the semiconductor wafer 1. Similar to the example, it is in a non-contact relationship with the semiconductor wafer 1 that has been in contact.

  Positioning tools for positioning the substrate storage container are respectively screwed to both the front side and the rear center of the bottom plate of the container body 10, and the center part of the top plate of the container body 10 is gripped by the ceiling transport mechanism of the factory. A top flange for conveyance is screwed. Further, a rim flange 12 projecting outward is formed at the peripheral edge of the front portion of the container body 10, and the lid 20 is automatically fitted into the rim flange 12 by a lid opening / closing device (not shown). The

  Locking projections 13 for locking the lid 20 are formed on both sides of the front portion of the container body 10 so as to protrude outward. In addition, rear retainers 14 are formed on the inner surface of the back wall of the container body 10 so as to be arranged in the vertical direction so that the rear portions of the peripheral edge portions 2 of the plurality of semiconductor wafers 1 are horizontally fitted and supported.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the lid 20 is constituted by a horizontally long casing 21 that is detachably fitted into the rim flange 12 of the front portion of the container body 10 that is open. The casing 21 is basically formed in a shallow dish having a substantially dish-shaped cross section, and a pair of left and right reinforcing ribs 22 located on the surface side are provided at a distance from each other at the center. The space between the pair of reinforcing ribs 22 is curved in a semicircular arc shape along the front of the peripheral edge 2 of the semiconductor wafer 1. Each reinforcing rib 22 is formed in a bar shape elongated in the vertical direction.

  A frame-shaped seal gasket 24 is fitted to the peripheral edge of the back surface, which is the opposed inner surface 23 facing the semiconductor wafer 1 of the housing 21, and the seal gasket 24 is deformed by pressure into the rim flange 12 of the container body 10. Thereby, the sealing property of the substrate storage container is secured. In addition, horizontally long locking pieces 25 are pivotally supported on both sides of the casing 21 so as to be rotatable in the front-rear direction, and the locking holes of the pair of locking pieces 25 are locking protrusions 13 of the container body 10. The lid body 20 fitted to the container body 10 is fixed in a non-removable manner by being fitted and locked respectively.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 to 7, the substrate holder 30 is disposed on both sides of the opposing inner surface 23 of the housing 21, and the front of the peripheral edge 2 of the semiconductor wafer 1 housed in the container body 10 is first. A pair of left and right holding blocks 31 held between the holding grooves 36 of the holding pieces 34A, a plurality of second holding pieces 34B provided in each holding block 31, and a semiconductor formed on each second holding piece 34B The wafer 1 is formed with a holding groove 36 that holds the front edge of the peripheral edge 2 of the wafer 1.

  Examples of the molding material for the substrate holder 30 include synthetic resins such as polyether ether ketone, cyclic olefin resin, polybutylene terephthalate, and the like, alloy resins thereof, polyester-based, polyolefin-based, and polystyrene-based thermoplastic elastomers. . Carbon, carbon fiber, metal fiber, carbon nanotube, conductive polymer, antistatic agent, flame retardant, or the like is added to the resin as necessary.

  Each holding block 31 of the substrate holder 30 is located on the outer side of the housing 21 and approaches a front side of the peripheral portion 2 of the semiconductor wafer 1, and on the inner side of the housing 21, the peripheral edge of the semiconductor wafer 1. The first holding piece 34 </ b> A, which is the holding piece 34, is bent along the front of the peripheral edge 2 of the semiconductor wafer 1 between the ends of the long piece 32 and the short piece 33. Thus, a plurality of suspension grooves 36 are provided, and a holding groove 36 is formed integrally with each first holding piece 34A.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the first holding piece 34 </ b> A is formed in an elongated plate shape having elasticity, and has sharp protrusions on the front surface facing the front of the peripheral edge 2 of the semiconductor wafer 1 and on the back surface on the opposite side. 35 is formed, and a holding groove 36 is cut out in a substantially V-shaped cross section in the plurality of protruding portions 35, and the deepest trough portion 37 of the holding groove 36 extends beyond the back surface to face the inner surface 23 of the housing 21. Oriented in the direction.

  The inclination angle of the holding groove 36 and the position of the valley portion 37 are such that the contact portion 39 between the inclined surface 38 of the holding groove 36 and the front of the peripheral edge 2 of the semiconductor wafer 1 is within the range of the thickness T of the first holding piece 34A. Preferably, the first holding piece 34A is adjusted to be positioned on the center line of the thickness T. The inclination angle of the holding groove 36 is determined within a range of 20 ° to 60 ° on one side with respect to the horizontal plane, for example.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the second holding piece 34 </ b> B is formed in an elongated plate shape having elasticity like the first holding piece 34 </ b> A, and bends forward from the short piece 33 of the holding block 31 to the front side of the peripheral edge 2 of the semiconductor wafer 1. The holding groove 36 is integrally formed at the bulging tip. Sharp protrusions 35 are respectively formed on the front surface of the second holding piece 34B facing the front edge of the peripheral edge 2 of the semiconductor wafer 1 and the back surface on the opposite side, and holding grooves 36 are formed in the plurality of protrusions 35. The cross section is cut out in a substantially V shape, and the deepest trough portion 37 of the holding groove 36 is directed toward the opposed inner surface 23 of the housing 21 beyond the back surface of the second holding piece 34B.

  The inclination angle of the holding groove 36 and the position of the valley portion 37 are such that the contact portion 39 between the inclined surface 38 of the holding groove 36 and the front edge of the peripheral edge 2 of the semiconductor wafer 1 is within the range of the thickness T of the second holding piece 34B. Preferably, the second holding piece 34B is adjusted so as to be positioned on the center line of the thickness T. The inclination angle of the holding groove 36 is determined within a range of 20 ° to 60 ° on one side with respect to the horizontal plane, for example.

  According to the above configuration, the holding groove 36 is not positioned on the surface side of the first and second holding pieces 34A and 34B, but within the range of the thickness T of the first and second holding pieces 34A and 34B. Since the contact portion 39 between the inclined surface 38 of the holding groove 36 and the front of the peripheral edge portion 2 of the semiconductor wafer 1 is positioned (see FIG. 5), the force points to which vibrations and impacts during transportation act are the first and second holding pieces. It is possible to effectively prevent the 34A and 34B from being present at a location away from the center of the thickness T.

  That is, even if the vibration or impact during transportation acts on the substrate storage container (see FIG. 6) and the semiconductor wafer 1 tries to move in the vertical direction, the force point is the wall thickness T of the first and second holding pieces 34A and 34B. Therefore, the holding piece 34 can be effectively prevented from being twisted and deformed (see FIG. 7), and the semiconductor wafer 1 is not detached from the holding groove 36 and does not contact the lower teeth 11. .

  Accordingly, it is possible to effectively eliminate the possibility that the semiconductor wafer 1 is rubbed and worn, transported, or damaged when the substrate storage container is transported. In particular, when the contact portion 39 between the inclined surface 38 of the holding groove 36 and the front of the peripheral edge portion 2 of the semiconductor wafer 1 is located on the center line of the thickness T of the first and second holding pieces 34A and 34B, It becomes possible to very effectively suppress the first and second holding pieces 34A and 34B from being twisted and rotationally deformed.

  Next, FIG. 8 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. In this case, the lid 20 is detachably fitted into the rim flange 12 of the container body 10; The housing 21 includes a surface plate that covers the opened surface (front surface), and a locking mechanism 50 for the lid 20 is built in between the housing 21 and the surface plate. The substrate holder 30 is attached to the central portion of the opposed inner surface 23 of 21.

  The locking mechanism 50 is not particularly limited. For example, a pair of left and right rotating plates 51 that are pivotally supported on both inner sides of the casing 21 and rotated from the outside are connected to the upper and lower edges of each rotating plate 51. A plurality of slide plates 52 that linearly slide in the inner and outer directions of the lid body 20 as the rotary plate 51 rotates, and a peripheral pivot portion of the housing 21 and a distal end portion of each slide plate 52 are pivotable. A locking claw 53 that can be protruded and retracted and interferes with a locking hole on the inner peripheral surface of the rim flange 12 of the container body 10 by the protrusion of the slide plate 52 is configured.

  The substrate holder 30 includes a vertically long support frame 40 that is attached to the central portion of the opposing inner surface 23 of the housing 21, and approaches the front of the peripheral edge 2 of the semiconductor wafer 1 between both sides of the support frame 40. A plurality of elastic holding pieces 34 </ b> C are arranged in a vertically aligned manner, and holding grooves 36 are integrally formed on both sides of each holding piece 34 </ b> C at intervals.

  The holding piece 34C is formed in an elongated plate shape having elasticity, and a sharp protrusion 35 is formed on each of the front surface of the semiconductor wafer 1 facing the front edge of the peripheral edge 2 and the back surface on the opposite side thereof. A holding groove 36 is formed in the protruding portion 35 with a substantially V-shaped cross section, and the deepest trough portion 37 of the holding groove 36 is located in the direction of the opposed inner surface 23 of the housing 21 beyond the back surface. The other parts are substantially the same as those in the above embodiment, and thus description thereof is omitted.

  In the present embodiment, the same effect as the above-described embodiment can be expected, the locking mechanism 50 and the substrate holder 30 can be prevented from interfering with each other, and the configuration of the substrate holder 30 can be diversified. Obviously you can.

  In addition, you may fix the cover body 20 fitted to the front part of the container main body 10 of the said embodiment with a magnet. Moreover, although the container main body 10 was only shown in the said embodiment, you may screw the bottom plate which exposes a some positioning tool to the bottom plate of the container main body 10 horizontally. A conveyor rail for conveyance may be formed on the bottom plate, or a plurality of identification holes may be perforated, and detachable information identification pads may be selectively inserted into the plurality of identification holes.

  A plurality of holding grooves 36 can also be formed in the first holding piece 34A. In addition, the second holding piece 34 </ b> B can be extended from the opposed inner surface 23 of the lid 20 in front of the peripheral edge 2 of the semiconductor wafer 1. Furthermore, the inclination angle of the holding groove 36 is not limited to a uniform angle. For example, the angle of the holding groove 36 on the opening side is made larger than the angle on the trough 37 side to expand the alignment range of the semiconductor wafer 1, and the angle on the trough 37 side is reduced to stabilize the holding of the semiconductor wafer 1. It can also be made.

1 Semiconductor wafer (substrate)
2 Peripheral part 10 Container body 11 Teeth 12 Rim flange 20 Lid 21 Housing 23 Opposing inner surface 30 Substrate holder 31 Holding block 34 Holding piece 34A First holding piece 34B Second holding piece 34C Holding piece 34D Holding piece 35 Projection Part 36 holding groove 37 valley 38 inclined surface 39 contact part 40 support frame 50 locking mechanism T thickness

Claims (3)

A substrate storage container having a container body for storing a substrate and a lid body for opening and closing the opening of the container body, and having a substrate holder for holding the substrate on a surface facing the substrate of the lid body. There,
The substrate holder includes a holding piece that approaches the substrate and a holding groove that is formed on the holding piece and holds the peripheral portion of the substrate, and the contact portion of the holding groove with the peripheral portion of the substrate is the meat of the holding piece. A substrate storage container characterized by being positioned within a thickness range.   Protrusions are formed on the surface of the holding piece facing the peripheral edge of the substrate and on the opposite back side, and holding grooves are formed in the plurality of protruding parts so that the deepest troughs extend beyond the back side of the holding piece. The substrate storage container according to claim 1, wherein the substrate storage container is positioned at a different location.   The substrate storage container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a contact portion between the holding groove and the peripheral edge portion of the substrate is positioned on a substantially center line of a thickness of the holding piece.

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