Sheet support container

Details Sheet support container Sheet support container

1999-09-21

2002-11-05

Patterson, M. D. (Department: 3728)

Special receptacle or package

Holder for a removable electrical component

For a semiconductor wafer

C206S710000, C206S454000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06474474

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a thin-plate supporting container designed for the housing, storage and transportation of thin plates, such as semiconductor wafers, storage disks, liquid crystal glass substrates, and the like.
BACKGROUND ART
As an example of a conventional container having an easily attachable/detachable lid, the container disclosed in the Japanese Utility Model Publication No. Hei 6-13114 (No. 13114/1994) entitled “Engagement Mechanism in Sealed Container” is known.
Referring to
FIGS. 2 through 4
, the sealed container
51
generally includes a container body
52
, and a lid
53
for covering an open top of the container body
52
. Each of opposing side walls of the lid
53
is provided with an engagement piece
54
extending downward. Each engagement piece
54
has an operational hole
55
formed at the center thereof, and engagement apertures
56
formed at the both sides of the operational hole
55
. In the container body
52
, there are provided engagement elements
57
which engage with the engagement apertures
56
formed in the engagement piece
54
. Each engagement element
57
has an inclined surface
57
A which slidably contacts with and spreads outwardly the engagement piece
54
.
In the above construction, when the lid
53
is placed on the container body
52
and pressed downward from above, the engagement piece
54
slidably contacts with the inclined surface
57
A and is spread outwardly, so that the engagement elements
57
engage with their corresponding engagement apertures
56
. Thereby, the lid
53
is attached to the container body
52
so that they are securely fastened to each other.
When the lid
53
is removed from the container body
52
, the engagement pieces
54
are bent. Specifically, the operator inserts his hands into the operational holes
55
of the two engagement pieces
54
and bends the engagement pieces
54
in directions in which the pieces
54
are pulled away from each other (toward the right in
FIG. 4
) so as to disengage the engagement apertures
56
of the engagement pieces
54
from their corresponding engagement elements
57
. Thereafter, the lid
53
is removed from the container body
52
.
In the interior of the container body
52
, there may be provided thin-plate supporting units (not shown) which are formed as an integral part of an inner surface of the container body
52
and adapted to support at a predetermined spacing a plurality of semiconductor wafers housed in the container body
52
, or there may be housed a wafer carrier serving as a separate member.
Meanwhile, when the lid
53
is removed from the container body
52
, the two engagement pieces
54
must be bent in directions in which the pieces
54
are pulled away from each other so as to disengage the engagement apertures
56
of the engagement piece
54
from their corresponding engagement elements
57
.
However, such operations are difficult to perform. This is because in the operation of lifting the lid
53
upward while bending the two engagement pieces
54
in directions in which the pieces
54
are pulled away from each other, the operator must perform an operation of pulling the engagement pieces
54
away from each other and an operation of lifting the lid
53
upward at the same time.
Further, due to complexity of these operations, it has been difficult to automate these operations by means of transfer equipment.
Further, when the sealed container needs to be washed after use, if the container is of a type in which the thin-plate supporting unit is integrally formed in the container body
52
, washing the sealed container is not an easy task. Specifically, since the thin-plate supporting unit has a plurality of narrow slots for receiving the thin plates, besides being formed in the interior of the sealed container, it is difficult to wash the sealed container to an extent that the innermost portions of the slots are thoroughly washed. This problem also arises in the case of a wafer carrier.
The present invention is accomplished in view of the above-mentioned problems. An object of the present invention is to provide a thin-plate supporting container in which the operations of attaching and detaching the lid and the operation of washing the container are simplified.
Disclosure of Invention
A thin-plate supporting container according to a first aspect of the invention is characterized in that there are provided a container body for housing therein a plurality of thin plates; and thin-plate supporting units, provided on opposing side walls of the container body, for supporting the thin plates thus housed from their both sides, wherein
there are provided: a lid for covering the container body; and an easy attach/detach mechanism for causing the lid to be attached to and detached from the container body,
the easy attach/detach mechanism including:
an engagement part provided at a circumferential portion of the lid;
an object engagement part which is provided on the container body in such a manner as to oppose the engagement part and adapted to engage with the engagement part so as to secure the lid to the container body;
an arm which is provided integrally with the engagement part of the lid and adapted to release the engagement part from the object engagement part when the arm is pressed; and
an elevating mechanism for slightly elevating the lid from the container body when the engagement part is released from the object engagement part by means of the arm.
In this construction, when the lid is attached to the container body, the container body is placed in an upright position with its open top directed upward, and the open top is covered with the lid, and then the lid is pressed from above. Thereby, the engagement part of the easy attach/detach mechanism engages with the object engagement part, so that the lid is secured to the container body. When the lid is removed, the arm is pressed down ward. Thereby, the engagement part disengages from the object engagement part, so that the lid having been secured to the container body is released therefrom, whereby the lid is slightly elevated by means of the elevating mechanism. As a result, the lid is released from the container body. Thereafter, the lid is lifted manually by the operator, or automatically by the transfer equipment.
The thin-plate supporting container according to a second aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the thin-plate supporting container of the first aspect of the present invention, there are provided:
a leg, provided at the lower portion of the container body, for stably supporting the container body placed in an upright position; and
a leg receiving part, formed on the upper surface of the lid, for receiving the leg.
In this construction, when the thin-plate supporting container is placed in an upright position, the leg of the container body abutting contacts with the placement surface so that the thin-plate supporting container is supported in a stable manner. When a plurality of thin-plate supporting containers are stacked in a plurality of decks, the leg of the container body fits into the leg receiving part formed on the upper surface of the lid. Thereby, a plurality of thin-plate supporting container are stacked in a stable manner.
A thin-plate supporting container according to a third aspect of the present invention is characterized in that there are provided a container body for housing therein a plurality of thin plates; and thin-plate supporting units, provided on opposing side walls of the container body, for supporting the thin plates thus housed from their both sides, wherein the thin-plate supporting unit is detachably mounted to the container body.
In this construction, when the thin-plate supporting unit, which is detachably mounted to the container body, is detached, the thin-plate supporting unit and the container body can be washed easily and sufficiently to every small portion thereof.
Further, in this construction, the operator can previously prepare, with respect to the thin-plate supporting unit, a plurality

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