JPH11159218A - Door latch mechanism for precision substrate containers - Google Patents

Abstract

[PROBLEMS] To provide a door latch mechanism for a precision substrate container that can expect a reduction in the thickness of door parts, does not generate particles that contaminate the precision substrate, and can uniformly seal the case. A cover case, a door, and a latch mechanism are provided. A plurality of locking recesses are provided on a rim portion of the cover case, and a plurality of windows are provided on a peripheral surface of the door. The latch mechanism 14 is connected to a rotating plate 15 that can be operated externally, and the rotating plate 15 via a connecting rod 18. A locking claw 19 is fitted into the locking recess 4 when the rotating plate 15 is locked and rotated. It comprises a plurality of latch plates 16 for releasing the locking claws 19 at the time of unlocking rotation of 15, and a link 17 penetrating each latch plate 16. A swing inducing projection 22 is provided on the back surface of the latch plate 16, the bent portion of the link 17 is pivotally supported on the front side of the door 5, and both free ends of the link 17 are provided on the back surface of the slide plate with rollers 23A and 23A. , And the swing inducing projection 22 and the roller 23A can be brought into contact with each other.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a precision substrate container used for storing, storing, transferring, or transporting semiconductor wafers and the like and connected to a processing apparatus having a standardized mechanical interface (SMIF). More specifically, the present invention relates to an improvement in a door latch mechanism of a precision substrate container.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A door latch mechanism of a conventional precision substrate container includes a synthetic resin cover case for aligning and storing semiconductor wafers (hereinafter abbreviated as "wafers"), as partially shown in FIGS. There is provided a door 5A fitted and covered on the opening surface of the cover case via a seal ring, and a latch mechanism 14A disposed on the door 5A, and the latch mechanism 14A is operated by a door opening / closing device of the processing apparatus. . A plurality of locking recesses are formed at predetermined intervals on the inner peripheral edge of the opening of the cover case (not shown), and a plurality of windows communicating with the inside thereof are formed at predetermined intervals on the peripheral surface of the door. Have been.

The latch mechanism 14A includes a rotating cam 28 accessible from the outside of the door 5A, and a pair of latch plates 16A slidably mounted on the door 5A via a plurality of rollers 29. The rotating cam 28 is basically formed in a disk shape, and has a concave surface 30 and a convex surface 31 formed at a predetermined interval on the outer periphery of the surface, and a rotatable shaft is provided on the surface side of the door 5A via a pin. Supported. Each of the latch plates 16A is formed in a substantially fork shape, and each of the branched distal ends is formed on a locking claw 19A that fits into the locking concave portion. Are in contact through.

In the door latch mechanism for a precision substrate container having the above structure, when the rotary cam 28 rotates, the rotational motion of the rotary cam 28 is converted into linear motion of each latch plate 16A, and the latch plate 16A is inserted into each locking recess of the cover case. The roller 32 rolls on the convex surface 31 of the rotating cam 28 just before the locking claw 19A at the tip of the roller is locked. With this movement,
The end of the latch plate 16A is raised, and the tip of the latch plate 16A is pushed down by the support of the latch plate 16A, so that the door 5A is locked on the opening surface of the cover case.

As prior art documents of this kind, JP-A-9-88398, JP-A-8-340043, JP-B-4-505234, JP-T-61-502994, JP-T-63-503259, and Tokushou 63-5006
No. 91, for example.

[0006]

The conventional precision substrate container door latch mechanism is constructed as described above. The intermediate portion of the latch plate 16A pushes up the support and the tip of the latch plate 16A pushes down the door plate. , 2
An external force acts in a direction to break the door plates. For this reason, since the door 5A and the latch plate 16A are required to have strength enough to withstand external force, there is a problem that the thickness of the door parts cannot be reduced. Further, in order to obtain a large locking force, the rotating cam 28, the roller 32, and the column are strongly rubbed, but if these are strongly rubbed, there is a possibility that particles contaminating the wafer may be generated.

Further, in order to convert the rotational motion of the rotary cam 28 into a linear motion of the latch plate 16A, the rotary cam 2
Since the latch plate 16A has to be set on the outer periphery of the deviated surface of No. 8, a force acts on one side of the latch plate 16A, not on the center line. Therefore, the plurality of locking claws 19A do not act at the same distance from the power point,
There is a problem that the locking force of the plurality of locking claws 19A varies, and as a result, the seal of the door 5A also varies. In particular, when the size of the cover case is increased, there is a problem that a locking force required for uniformly sealing the cover case cannot be obtained at all.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, and can reduce the thickness of a door part, without generating particles that contaminate a precision substrate, and uniformly seal a case. It is an object of the present invention to provide a door latch mechanism for a precision substrate container that can perform the above operation.

[0009]

According to the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, a case for accommodating a precision substrate, a door covering an opening surface of the case, and a latch attached to the door are provided. A locking recess is provided in the peripheral edge of the opening of the case, a hollow portion is provided in the door, and a window connected to the hollow portion is provided on the peripheral surface of the door, The latch mechanism is provided with a rotating plate mounted on the front side of the door so as to be operable externally, and is connected to the rotating plate via a connecting member while being built in a hollow portion of the door. Insert the locking claw into the locking recess through the window,
A sliding plate for releasing the locking claw from the locking recess when the rotating plate is unlocked and rotating, and a pressing member having a substantially V-shaped cross section penetrating the sliding plate; A member is provided, the vicinity of the bent portion of the pressing member is rotatably attached to the front side of the door, and both free ends of the pressing member can be brought into contact with the back surface of the slide plate, and the rotation inducing member and It is characterized in that one free end of the pressing member can be contacted.

It is to be noted that one of the door and the slide plate has a concave portion and the other has a convex portion. The concave portion and the convex portion are connected to the rotation inducing member and one free end of the pressing member. It is preferable to fit after contact. Further, supporting shafts may be provided at both free ends of the pressing member, and the rotating members may be supported at the free ends. Further, an inclined guide portion may be provided in the engaging concave portion of the case, and one of the rotating member and the inclined portion may be provided in the engaging claw of the slide plate.

Here, the term "precision substrate" in the claims includes a single or plural liquid crystal cells, a quartz wafer, a semiconductor wafer such as a silicon wafer, a photomask used in the manufacturing field of electric, electronic or semiconductor. Or a mask substrate. Also, each part of the “latch mechanism”
A material having sufficient strength and good slidability, for example, various synthetic resins containing polyacetal resin, fluorine resin, silicone, or the like may be used as appropriate. In order to increase the mechanical strength of each component of the latch mechanism, it is preferable to add a reinforcing filler such as glass fiber to the synthetic resin, or to insert-mold a metal component or the like. Further, it is preferable that the outer periphery of the “locking claw” is formed in an R shape so that the case and the locking recess are not cut away.

"Rotation" must be understood in a substantial sense focusing on technical ideas, and includes techniques such as rotation and swing. In addition, “substantially V-shaped” must be understood in the same meaning as described above.
Includes shapes that are recognized as a letter, such as L, U, or W with a small bottom protrusion. In addition, the “around the bent portion” includes the bent portion and its vicinity. Also,
The “free end of the pressing member” includes not only the free end but also a portion near the free end, and when a roller or the like is attached to the free end, a roller is also included. Further, it is desirable that the “recess” is constituted by a single or a plurality of recessed holes, a gradient, a taper, or the like. Further, it is preferable that the “convex portion” and the “rotating member” include one or more rollers, balls, or the like. Further, it is preferable that the "inclined guide portion" and the "inclined portion" are formed of a gradient, a taper, or the like.

According to the first or second aspect of the present invention, when the door is set on the opening surface of the case and the rotating plate is rotated in the locking direction, the slide plate slides outward from the inside of the door, and the pressing member of the pressing member is rotated. The rotation inducing member contacts one free end. When the slide plate slides in this state, the pressing member makes a circular motion around the installation portion of the door, so that one free end rotates and the other free end intersects the slide direction of the slide plate, in other words, For example, the slide plate rotates toward the front surface of the door, pressing the slide plate against the front surface of the door, and the slide plate retreats inward of the door. And finally, the concave portion and the convex portion interfere with each other, but at this time, the locking claw of the slide plate is
The trajectory changes and moves in the thickness direction of the door. By this movement, the door is securely locked to the case.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the rotating member is stably in contact with the back surface of the slide plate while being separated from the penetrating portion of the slide plate penetrated by the pressing member and its peripheral portion. . Further, according to the fourth aspect of the invention, when the locking claw interferes with the locking recess, the inclined guide portion of the locking recess enlarges the opening, so that the locking claw can enter smoothly. . In addition, at the time of this approach, the rotating member of the locking claw rolls by contacting the inner surface of the locking recess, or the inclined portion that is guided and guided by the inclined guide portion enters, so that the relative position of the locking claw is increased. Position determination and approach are facilitated.

[0015]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings, taking a wafer as an example. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the door latch mechanism of the precision substrate container according to the present embodiment includes a cover case 1 for a wafer and an opening surface of the cover case 1 formed of rubber such as EPDM or silicone rubber. The door 5 is covered with a frame-shaped seal ring S made of a thermoplastic elastomer, and a locking / unlocking latch mechanism 14 built in the door 5 is provided.

As shown in FIG. 1, the cover case 1 is excellent in lightness and moldability, and is integrated with a transparent front open box structure having an open front using a polyester resin or a polycarbonate resin subjected to an antistatic treatment. Is molded. In the cover case 1, a grip handle (not shown) for a ceiling transfer machine is screwed to the ceiling via a fastener, and a plurality of (for example, 25) support grooves are arranged vertically on both inner sides. The provided columns (not shown) are screwed so as to be exchangeable, and the plurality of support grooves function to align and stack a plurality of wafers (not shown) in a horizontal state.

The front edge of the opening of the cover case 1 is formed such that its peripheral edge portion is bent and bulged outward to form a rim portion 2, and the inner step surface of the rim portion 2 forms a sealing surface 3 ( (See FIG. 3). Above and below the inner peripheral surface of the rim 2, a plurality of (in this embodiment, a total of four) locking recesses 4 are respectively formed at predetermined intervals.

The door 5 has a front plate 6 and a back plate 7 which are exposed to the outside at the time of fitting and covering, in a fitting facing structure, and a hollow portion 8 is defined between these plates to form a peripheral surface. A plurality of windows 9 (a total of four in this embodiment) communicating with the hollow portion 8 are formed at upper and lower portions at predetermined intervals. A circular fitting hole 10 is formed in the center of the front plate 6 so as to penetrate therethrough. A fitting roller 11 and a guide roller 12 are provided at a predetermined interval on the inner surface of the front plate 6, in other words, on the back surface. The guide roller 12 near the fitting hole 10 is configured to move slightly in the front-rear direction by an elastic body such as a spring. A projection 13 for supporting the shaft is formed from the center of the inner surface of the back plate 7 toward the front plate 6.

As shown in FIGS. 2 to 6, the latch mechanism 14 includes a rotating plate 15, a plurality of
6 and a plurality of links 17. The rotating plate 15 is formed in a disk shape having a substantially convex cross section, is supported by a projection 13 of the back plate 7 via a support shaft, and a reduced diameter portion is exposed from the fitting hole 10. Is connected to a rotation mechanism (not shown) of the wafer processing apparatus outside the door 5 and is accessed from outside. The position and size of connection with the rotation mechanism are determined for each size of the container according to the SEMI standard, and the center of the rotation plate 15 is located at the determined connection position.

Each latch plate 16 is formed in a rectangular plate shape, and is connected to the rotating plate 15 via a connecting rod 18. The latch plate 16 has a locking claw 19 whose corner is chamfered (see FIG. 6) protrudes from the center of the uppermost portion or the lowermost portion. It functions to engage and disengage. At the center of the latch plate 16, a rectangular slit opening 20 is formed by drilling vertically. In addition, each latch plate 1
6, a concave recess 21 having a semicircular cross section and a guide groove (not shown) for the guide roller 12 are respectively formed in a concave shape, and a swing-inducing projection 22 with an inclined surface is formed from the rear surface of each latch plate 16. Are protruded. The position of the fitting recess 21 and the fitting roller 11 is determined by the position of the latch plate 16.
Is determined in consideration of the distance until the locking claw 19 is locked in the locking recess 4 by sliding in the locking direction.

As shown in FIG. 2, one end of each connecting rod 18 is rotatably mounted on a center line of the back surface of the latch plate 16 via a pin, and the other end of the connecting rod 18 is formed on the outer periphery of the back surface of the rotating plate 15. It is rotatably mounted on the eccentric position via a pin. The mounting position and length of the connecting rod 18 are determined in consideration of the fact that the fitting roller 11 and the fitting recess 21 are fitted to each other when the rotating plate 15 rotates 90 °.

Further, each link 17 is formed to have a simple V-shaped cross section, and is operatively inserted through a slit opening 20 of the latch plate 16 through a gap. The bent portion of the link 17 is pivotally supported by the surface plate 6 of the door 5 via a mounting shaft so that rollers 23, 23A larger than the width of the slit opening 20 are rotated at both free ends. It is pivotally supported (see FIG. 5). The link 17 configured as described above is configured such that the rollers 23 and 23A abut against the back surface of the latch plate 16 and the one roller 23A on the rotating plate 15 side locks the swing-inducing projection 22 when locked.
Acts to abut. The one roller 23A and the swing inducing projection 22 are connected to the one roller 23A immediately before the fitting roller 11 and the fitting recess 21 are fitted.
Are set to be in a positional relationship such that abutment is possible.

In the above configuration, in order to store and lock the wafers, first, the sliced wafers are aligned and stored in the cover case 1 in a vertically stacked state via a pair of columns, Door 5 is seal ring S
Then, the connection mechanism of the wafer processing apparatus is connected to the rotating plate 15 to start the locking operation (the state of FIG. 3).

Then, the rotating plate 15 rotates in the locking direction, the latch plate 16 slides up and down while being guided by the guide roller 12, and the inclined surface of the swing inducing projection 22 is formed on one roller 23A of the link 17. Abut When the latch plate 16 further slides in this state, the link 17 makes a circular motion, and one roller 23A swings outward, and the other roller 23 forms an arc inward, in other words, in the direction of the surface plate 6. By swinging while drawing, the latch plate 16 is pressed against the surface plate 6 so that the latch plate 16 slides inward and retreats.

Finally, the fitting roller 11 and the fitting recess 21 are firmly fitted and locked. At this time, the locking claw 19 of the latch plate 16 changes its locus suddenly. The door 5 in the thickness direction. By this movement, the door 5 is stably and firmly sealed and locked to the cover case 1 via the seal ring S (the state of FIG. 4). When the locking of the cover case 1 is completed, the wafer is transported in a sealed state from the semiconductor maker to the IC maker.

According to the above configuration, the slide path of the latch plate 16 is changed from the vertical direction in FIG. 3 to the orthogonal direction immediately before the locking and locking of the locking claw 19, so that the two front and back plates 6 and 7 are destroyed. External force does not act in the direction of the movement.
Therefore, there is no need to form the door 5 and the latch plate 16 with a large thickness, and the thickness of the door parts can be greatly reduced. Further, since each latch plate 16 is connected to the rotating plate 15 via the connecting rod 18, the rotating plate 15, each latch plate 16 and the connecting rod 18 are not strongly rubbed unlike the related art, and the wafer can be removed. The possibility of generating contaminating particles can be eliminated very effectively.

Also, since the center line of each latch plate 16 is connected to the rotating plate 15 via the connecting rod 18, no force acts on one side at all. Therefore, with a simple configuration, the distance from the center of the rotating plate 15 to each of the locking claws 19 becomes equidistant, the locking forces of the plurality of locking claws 19 are remarkably uniform, and the door 5 is uniformly sealed with high sealing properties. It becomes possible. In addition, since the fitting roller 11 and the fitting concave portion 21 are fitted at the time of locking, the latch plate 16 can be stably and firmly positioned and fixed.

Further, since all the corners of the locking claw 19 are rounded and chamfered, the locking claw 19 does not rub against the cover case 1 when the locking force is maximized, and there is an extremely low possibility of particle contamination during locking. It becomes possible to remove effectively. Further, the guide roller 12 of the surface plate 6
Move in the front-back direction and respond to the slide of the latch plate 16, so that particle contamination and the
Can be prevented beforehand. Furthermore, since the antistatic treatment is performed on the cover case 1, the column, and the like, the adhesion of dust due to static electricity can be extremely effectively prevented, the contamination of the wafer can be prevented, and the production yield can be greatly improved.

Next, FIG. 7 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. In this case, a plurality of support shafts 24 extending in the vertical direction in FIG. The rollers 23 and 23A are pivotally supported at the free ends of the support shafts 24. The other parts are almost the same as those in the above-described embodiment, and a description thereof will be omitted. In this embodiment, the same operation and effect as those of the above embodiment can be expected. Further, since the plurality of rollers 23 and 23A are located apart from the slit port 20, the rollers 23 and 23A come into contact with the periphery of the slit port 20 in the vicinity. There is no rattling or wobbling, and the swing of the link 17 is actually stabilized with a simple configuration.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show a third embodiment of the present invention. In this case, one inner wall surface of the locking recess 4 of the cover case 1 is directed from the inside to the outside. The inclined guide portion 25 for introducing the locking claw 19 is formed by gradually inclining, and a rectangular mounting hole is formed in the locking claw 19 of the latch plate 16, and the rotating roller 26 is axially supported in the mounting hole. Like that. The other parts are the same as those in the above-described embodiment, and a description thereof will be omitted. In this embodiment, the same operation and effect as those of the above embodiment can be expected. In addition, with the above configuration, the friction can be reduced, the locking between the locking recess 4 and the locking claw 19 can be smoothly performed, and the latch mechanism 14 can be used. Obviously, the simplification of the configuration can be greatly expected.

Next, FIGS. 10 and 11 show a fourth embodiment of the present invention.
One inner wall surface of the locking recess 4 is inclined in the same manner as above to form an inclined guide portion 25, and the locking claw 1 of the latch plate 16 is formed.
9, an inclined portion 27 is integrally formed. The other parts are the same as those in the above-described embodiment, and a description thereof will be omitted. In this embodiment, the same operation and effect as those in the above embodiment can be expected, and since the above configuration is adopted,
Obviously, smooth locking of the locking recess 4 and the locking claw 19 and simplification of the configuration of the latch mechanism 14 can be greatly expected.

In the above embodiment, the locking recesses 4 are formed at predetermined intervals on the upper and lower surfaces of the inner peripheral surface of the rim portion 2. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The locking recesses 4 may be formed in the left and right sides of the inner peripheral surface of the rim portion 2 at predetermined intervals, respectively. Further, the shape, structure, or number of the locking concave portion 4, the latch plate 16, or the locking claw 19 can be appropriately increased or decreased. If the same function can be expected, the support shaft 24
May be bent or curved. Further, it is also possible to form the inclined guide portion 25 by gradually inclining the upper and lower inner wall surfaces in the drawing of the locking concave portion 4 from the inside to the outside.

[0033]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the thickness of the door part can be reduced, and the possibility that particles contaminating the precision substrate can be effectively eliminated. There is. In addition, the case can be uniformly sealed. According to the second aspect of the present invention,
Since the concave portion and the convex portion are fitted at the time of locking, it is possible to position and fix the slide plate in a stable state. According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the rotating member comes into contact with the slide plate apart from the penetrating portion of the pressing member, the posture of the pressing member can be expected to be stabilized with a simple configuration. Furthermore, according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to expect smooth locking of the locking concave portion and the locking claw, and it is possible to reduce the friction between the locking concave portion and the locking claw to suppress generation of particles.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing an embodiment of a door latch mechanism for a precision substrate container according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing an embodiment of a door latch mechanism of the precision substrate container according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side view taken along line AA of FIG. 2 showing an unlocked state in the embodiment of the door latch mechanism of the precision substrate container according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional side view taken along the line AA of FIG. 2 showing a locked state in the embodiment of the door latch mechanism of the precision substrate container according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a partial front view showing a latch plate and a link in the embodiment of the precision substrate container door latch mechanism according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line BB of FIG. 2 showing a locking claw in the embodiment of the door latch mechanism for the precision substrate container according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a partial front view showing a latch plate and a link in another embodiment of the door latch mechanism for a precision substrate container according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory view showing a latch plate and a locking claw in another embodiment of the door latch mechanism for a precision substrate container according to the present invention.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a use state of FIG. 9;

FIG. 10 is an explanatory view showing a latch plate and a locking claw in another embodiment of the door latch mechanism for a precision substrate container according to the present invention.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing a use state of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a front view showing a conventional precision substrate container door latch mechanism.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a rotary cam in a conventional precision substrate container door latch mechanism.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Cover case (case) 2 Rim part 4 Locking concave part 5 Door 6 Front plate (front side) 7 Back plate 8 Hollow part 9 Window 11 Fitting roller (convex part) 14 Latch mechanism 15 Rotating plate 16 Latch plate (Slide plate) 17) Link (pressing member) 18 Connecting rod (connecting member) 19 Engagement claw 20 Slit opening 21 Fitting recess (recess) 22 Swing-inducing projection (rotation-inducing member) 23 Roller (rotating member) 23A Roller (rotating member) 24 Support shaft 25 Incline guide 26 Rotary roller (rotary member) 27 Incline

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A door latch mechanism for a precision substrate container, comprising: a case for storing a precision substrate; a door covering an opening surface of the case; and a latch mechanism attached to the door. A locking recess is provided in a peripheral portion, a hollow portion is provided in the door, and a window connected to the hollow portion is provided on a peripheral surface of the door. The latch mechanism is mounted on the front surface side of the door so as to be externally operable. The rotating plate, which is built in the hollow portion of the door and is connected to the rotating plate via a connecting member, and a locking claw is fitted into the locking recess through the window when the rotating plate is locked and rotated, A slide plate for releasing the locking claw from the locking recess when the rotating plate is unlocked and rotating, and a pressing member having a substantially V-shaped cross section penetrating the slide plate; A rotation inducing member is provided on the rear surface of the door, and the vicinity of the bent portion of the pressing member is rotatably mounted on the front surface side of the door, and both free ends of the pressing member can contact the rear surface of the slide plate, A door latch mechanism for a precision substrate container, wherein the rotation inducing member and one free end of the pressing member can be brought into contact with each other. 2. A concave portion is provided in one of the door and the slide plate, and a convex portion is provided in the other. The concave portion and the convex portion are connected to the rotation inducing member and one free end of the pressing member. 2. The door latch mechanism for a precision substrate container according to claim 1, wherein said door latch mechanism is fitted after said contact. 3. A door latch mechanism for a precision substrate container according to claim 1, wherein support shafts are provided at both free ends of the pressing member, and a rotating member is supported at the free ends. 4. The door latch of a precision substrate container according to claim 1, wherein an inclined guide portion is provided in the locking concave portion of the case, and one of a rotating member and an inclined portion is provided in the locking claw of the slide plate. mechanism.