JPH1064991A - Semiconductor wafer housing container - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make a semiconductor wafer housing container freely placeable either vertically or horizontally and the lid body of the container quickly and easily attachable to and detachable from the main body of the container by forming the bottom section of the main body in a circular or square shape and the cylindrical section of the lid body in a regular quadrangular prism and constituting the lower surface of the bottom section of the main body and upper surface of the lid body insertable. SOLUTION: At the time of fitting the lid body 3 of a semiconductor wafer housing container 1 to the main body 2 of the container 1, the cylindrical section 3a of the lid body 3 is put on the cylindrical section 2b of the main body 2 and each projecting body introducing port opened in the step section at the upper end of the internal surface of the section 3a is matched to each projecting body 2f at the upper end of the section 2b and the main body 2 and lid body 3 are relatively turned clockwise against each other. The fitting work of the lid body 3 to the main body 2 can be performed while the main body 2 is placed on a flat place, such as the table, etc., or the attaching/detaching projecting section 3c and the lower side face of the main body 2 are respectively held by both hands. In addition, the container 1 can be placed vertically with the bottom section 2a of the main body 2 on the bottom side or horizontally with one face of the angular pipe section 3b of the lid body 3 on the bottom side, because the peripheral surface of the lid body 3 has a square shape due to the section 3b.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a wafer container used for transporting and storing a disk-shaped semiconductor wafer (hereinafter, referred to as "wafer"), and more particularly, to transporting, storing, and removing a wafer. The present invention relates to a wafer container improved so as to be suitable for work.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A container described in US Pat. No. 4,787,508 is conventionally known as a container used for carrying and storing wafers. As shown in FIG. 7, the wafer storage container has a bottomed cylindrical container body a capable of stacking and storing a large number of disk-shaped wafers, and a cylindrical portion c covering the outer periphery of the cylindrical portion b of the container body a. And a lid d having the following. Here, a male screw f is provided on the upper surface of the bottom part e of the container body a, and a lid d.
A female screw g corresponding to the male screw f is provided on the inner surface of the distal end of the cylindrical portion c, so that the container body a and the lid d can be attached and detached by screwing them together. And, a non-slip knurl composed of continuous streaky irregularities is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the bottom part e of the container body a,
A circular attaching / detaching convex portion h having a similar knurl formed on the outer peripheral surface is provided on the upper surface of the lid d, and a configuration for facilitating the attaching / detaching is provided.

In such a conventional wafer storage container, a plurality of slits i for opening to the atmosphere are provided in the cylindrical portion b of the container main body a over its entire length, and the wafer stored in the cylindrical portion b is provided. Can be taken out by vacuum suction or the like. Furthermore, on the upper surface of the lid d,
A ring-shaped projection j is formed around the detachable projection h,
By fitting the outer peripheral surface to the lower surface of the bottom portion e of the other container body a, a large number of wafer storage containers can be vertically stacked and integrated.

[0004]

In the conventional wafer storage container, the peripheral surface of the lid d is circular and rolls when placed horizontally, so that the wafer must be placed vertically when transporting and storing the wafer. Absent.

Since the attachment and detachment of the container body a and the lid d are performed by screwing the male screw f on the container body a and the female screw g on the lid d, it is necessary to rotate the both relative by at least 360 °. There is a trouble in attaching and detaching work. Moreover, the outer peripheral surface of the bottom part e of the container body a having the knurl provided for this attaching / detaching operation has a diameter of, for example, 150 mm, and is usually a size that cannot be gripped by an operator.
Also from this point, the work of attaching and detaching the container body a and the lid d is troublesome. For this reason, when removing the lid d from the container main body a, the wafer storage container must be lifted in the air, and the lid d must be rotated with respect to the container main body a so as to hold the entire wafer storage container. There is a problem that the wafer is exposed to a danger of dropping due to an operation error.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and provides a wafer storage container which can be placed vertically and horizontally and which allows quick and easy operation of attaching and detaching a container body and a lid. The purpose is to do.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, a wafer container of the present invention comprises a cylindrical container body having a bottom and capable of accommodating a plurality of disk-shaped wafers, and a cylinder of the container body. And a lid having a cylindrical portion covering the outer periphery of the container body, the bottom of the container body is circular or square,
It is characterized in that the cylindrical portion of the lid is formed in a square prism shape, and the lower surface of the bottom of the container body and the upper surface of the lid can be fitted.

In addition, on the upper surface of the lid or the lower bottom of the container main body, there can be provided an attaching / detaching concave / convex portion for facilitating the attaching / detaching work between the lid and the container main body. Can be formed with knurls. Further, the uneven portion may be configured to be fitted to each other,
Separately from this, an uneven portion that can be fitted to each other can be provided on the lower bottom surface of the container body and the upper surface of the lid.

[0009]

In the wafer storage container according to the present invention employing such a means, since the cylindrical portion of the lid covering the container body is formed in the shape of a regular quadratic prism, it is of course possible to place it vertically as in the prior art.
Since it can be placed horizontally, a large number of storage containers can be transported and stored in a stable state.

When the bottom of the container body is formed in a square shape, the corner of the bottom of the container body is sandwiched with one hand,
Since it is easy to rotate the lid with the other hand, it is not necessary to lift the wafer storage container into the air as in the related art and rotate the lid d with respect to the container main body a so as to hold the whole. , With the storage container placed on a table, etc.
The lid can be removed from the container body.

In the case where the concave and convex portions for attachment and detachment are provided on the upper surface of the lid, the removal of the lid becomes easier. Of course, the lid can be removed by lifting the wafer storage container into the air. In this case, a container main body having a concave / convex portion on the lower bottom surface is suitably used.

In the case where concave and convex portions which can be fitted to each other are provided on the bottom lower surface of the container body and the upper surface of the lid, a large number of wafer storage containers are stacked one on top of the other, vertically or horizontally. Can be linked and integrated. The fitting concave-convex portion on the upper surface of the lid portion can be used in common with the detachable concave-convex portion provided on the upper surface of the lid portion. You can also.

[0013]

1 to 3 are views showing an embodiment of a wafer container according to the present invention. FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a partial cross section of the entire structure, and FIG. 2 is a plan view, and FIG.
FIG. 1 to 3, a wafer storage container 1 is a disc-shaped wafer (nominal 5) which is not shown.
A container body 2 having a bottomed cylindrical shape capable of stacking and storing a large number of inches, 6 inches, 8 inches, etc .;
And a cover 3 which is put on the cover 3.

The container body 2 has a cylindrical base 2b protruding from a square base 2a.
Slits 2c of a predetermined width extending from the distal end portion to the proximal end portion are formed at four equally spaced positions in the circumferential direction. Usually, the length of one side of the square is the same as the length of the side of the square tube portion 3a described later.

The base 2a can be formed in a circular shape as shown in FIG. 4, but when it is formed in a square as shown in FIGS. It is also easy to pinch with one hand and rotate the lid with the other hand, so that there is no need to lift the wafer container into the air and remove the lid. In addition,
In FIG. 4, the same functional units as those in FIGS.

On the other hand, the cover 3 has a regular square prism shape as a whole, and has a cylindrical portion 3a and a rectangular cylindrical portion 3 circumscribing the cylindrical portion 3a.
b. The cylindrical portion 3a covers the cylindrical portion 2b of the container main body 2, and the lower end covers a part of the base 2a of the container main body 2 except for a part thereof. The cylindrical portion 3a is
Although not essential in the container of the present invention, in this embodiment,
The cylindrical portion 3a is used for attaching and detaching the lid 3 and the container main body 2.
It plays a role as guidance means.

As shown in FIG. 3, on the upper surface of the lid 3,
Removable projections 3c each formed of a circular trapezoidal projection are formed. The detachable projection 3c has a diameter of about 100 mm so that an operator can grip it, and a knurl 2d for preventing slippage is formed on an outer peripheral surface thereof. Further, on the upper surface of the lid 3, a ring-shaped projection 3d is formed concentrically therearound at a predetermined distance from the detachable projection 3c. Correspondingly, the base 2a of the container body 2
An outer peripheral wall 2e into which the outer peripheral surface of the ring-shaped protrusion 3d is fitted is formed on the lower surface of the wafer, and a number of the wafer storage containers 1 are stacked one on top of the other in the vertical direction or connected in the horizontal direction. Concavo-convex portions to be integrated are configured.

The upper surface (container side inner surface) of the base portion 2a of the container body 2 has an irregular shape in which a plurality of concentric reinforcing ribs project, but the upper ends of these are located on the same surface, and the wafer is placed on the same surface. It can be placed horizontally. The inner surface of the lid 3 facing the upper surface of the base 2a is similarly configured.

The means for attaching and detaching the container body 2 and the lid 3 in the present invention is not particularly limited, and various means can be used. For example, an enlarged sectional view of a main part of FIG. 5 and a sectional view of FIG. (A cross-sectional view as viewed in the direction of arrow V), there is a partial screw or the like formed between the outer surface of the cylindrical portion 2b of the container body 2 and the inner surface of the cylindrical portion 3a of the lid 3. In each part of the cylindrical portion 2b divided into four by the slit 2c of the container main body 2, the central portion in the width direction of the upper end of the outer peripheral surface has a partial male screw having a length of about 20 mm and a width of about 2 mm. The ridges 2f are each provided with a right-handed screw lead angle of about 6.5 °.

On the other hand, at the upper end of the cylindrical portion 3a of the lid 3,
A small-diameter portion 3e into which the upper end of the cylindrical portion 2b of the container body 2 fits is formed via a step 3f, and a portion on which the four ridges 2f fit respectively is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the small-diameter portion 3e. Four inclined grooves 3g each having a length of about 65 mm as female screws are formed at four equally spaced positions in the circumferential direction. The lower end of each inclined groove 3g is continuous with a ridge introduction port 3h having a circumference of about 25 mm and opened to the step 3f, and the ridge introduced into the ridge introduction port 3h. 2f is about 9 mm in the height direction of the wafer storage container 1 along the inclined groove 3g by the relative rotation of the container body 2 and the lid 3 by about 30 °.
It is designed to move.

The partial screw is provided with a ridge on the outer lower end of the cylindrical portion of the lid 3 and the inner lower end of the container body as shown in FIG.
And the female screw portion shown in FIG. 6 may be formed. However, when the container of the present invention is formed by a mold, a slide die is used. Is advantageous because the mold is not complicated.

The reference numeral 3i in FIG.
Arc-shaped projections 3i protruding from the inner surface of the lid 3 so as to guide the inner peripheral surface of the upper end portion of the cylindrical portion 2b. The arc-shaped projections 3i are provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction as shown in FIG. . The container main body 2 and the lid 3 of the wafer storage container 1 having such a structure may be made of any material.
It is integrally molded using a conductive plastic to which a conductive filler is added or a conductive plastic treated with a polymer alloy. In addition, as the conductive filler to be added, carbon black, graphite carbon, graphite, carbon fiber, metal powder, metal fiber,
Metal oxide powder, metal-coated inorganic fine powder, organic fine powder, fiber and the like can be used.

Next, the operation of the wafer container 1 will be described. First, when transporting or storing a wafer, the wafer is stored in the cylindrical portion 2b of the container body 2. At this time, when a large number of wafers are stored, it is preferable to interpose a cushion sheet and a conductive sheet every predetermined number of wafers. Then, when there is a gap on the stored wafer, a cushion sheet is mounted by an appropriate thickness in order to prevent the wafer from dancing, and in this state, the container body 2 is covered with the lid 3 and assembled.

Here, the assembling work of the lid 3 to the container main body 2 is performed by first covering the cylindrical portion 2a of the container main body 2 with the cylindrical portion 3a of the lid 3, and opening the step 3f on the inner surface of the upper end. The ridge introduction port 3h is connected to each ridge 2 at the upper end of the cylindrical portion 2b.
f, and both are relatively rotated in the right-handed screw direction. This work can be performed with the container body 2 placed on a flat place such as a table, or the detachable projection 3 of the lid 3.
c and the lower side surface of the container body 2 may be gripped by both hands. When the base 2a of the container body 2 has a square shape, the container body 2 can be fixed to a table or the like by pressing the square corner with one hand.
The above operation can be performed more quickly and easily. When the lid 3 covers the entire container body 2, that is, when the operator cannot grip the lower side surface of the container body 2, the lid 3 is also attached to and detached from the bottom lower surface of the container body. A convex portion may be provided (it may be shared with the fitting concave / convex portion).

Due to the relative rotation, each ridge 2f moves about 9 mm in the height direction of the wafer storage container 1 from the ridge introduction port 3h along the inclined groove 3g. This movement is 30 °
The rotation is carried out with the rotation of the
Is completed. The width of the tip of the inclined groove 3g is
By taking measures such as making it the same as the width of the ridge 2f,
The strength of assembly can also be enhanced.

The operation of removing the lid 3 from the container main body 2 in order to take out the wafer from the storage container 1 is performed in the reverse procedure. In this manner, the attachment / detachment work between the container body 2 and the lid 3 is performed very quickly and easily.

The container 1 containing the wafers can be placed vertically with the base 2a of the container main body 2 facing down, and the peripheral surface of the container 1 has a rectangular shape due to the rectangular cylindrical portion 3b of the lid 3. It is also possible to place the rectangular tube portion 3b horizontally with one surface facing down. The storage container 1 storing a large number of wafers,
In some cases, it is preferable to place it horizontally. By placing the wafer horizontally, each wafer is held in a vertical posture, so that it is possible to prevent the destruction of the wafer that occurs when a large number of wafers are stacked in a horizontal posture.

As described above, since the wafer storage container 1 can be placed vertically and horizontally, it can be placed in a dedicated box or the like at the time of transportation. The storage space can be used effectively. When a large number of wafer storage containers 1 are placed vertically (or horizontally), the ring-shaped projection 3d formed on the lid 3 of the wafer storage container 1 located below (or next to) is placed above (or next to) next. ) Is fitted to the outer peripheral wall 2e formed on the container main body 2 of the wafer storage container 1 located at the position (1), whereby a large number of the wafer storage containers 1 are stacked one on top of the other (or connected in the horizontal direction). Can be integrated.

In order to remove the wafer stored in the wafer container 1, the lid 3 is removed from the container body 2 as described above, and the wafer is removed from the cylindrical portion 2b of the container body 2 using an appropriate suction tool. . In this case, the cylindrical portion 2b of the container body 2 is formed with a slit 2c for opening to the atmosphere having a predetermined width extending from the distal end portion to the base end portion, so that the wafer can be easily and reliably taken out without being damaged.

Further, since the container main body 2 and the lid 3 of the wafer storage container 1 are made of conductive plastics, it is easy to remove the charged static electricity. Therefore, damage to the stored wafer due to the electrostatic shock can be prevented.

In the above embodiment, the container body 2 and the lid 3 of the wafer storage container 1 are made of conductive plastics.
Was integrally molded, but plastics mixed with an antistatic agent may be used as a raw material to be integrally molded. Non-ionic surfactants such as polyethylene glycol fatty acid esters and polyhydric alcohol fatty acid esters as the antistatic agent,
Cationic surfactants such as quaternary ammonium salts, anionic surfactants such as higher alcohol phosphate esters and higher alcohol sulfates, amphoteric surfactants such as alkyl betaines, and arbitrary combinations thereof Any surfactant can be used as long as it is generally kneaded or applied to a synthetic resin and used as an antistatic agent.

In the case where a conventional wafer container as shown in FIG. 7 is manufactured by injection molding, a step of removing the molded product while twisting the molded product is required. In contrast, the wafer container of the present invention uses partial screws,
Since the above-described steps are not required, manufacturing costs can be reduced.

[0033]

As described above, according to the present invention, the peripheral shape of the lid covering the container body is rectangular, so that the wafer storage container can of course be placed vertically as in the prior art.
It can also be placed horizontally. Accordingly, when storing a large number of wafers, the wafer storage container can be placed horizontally and each wafer can be held in a vertical position. Therefore,
It is possible to prevent the destruction of the wafer that occurs when a large number of wafers are stacked in a horizontal posture. Also,
When storing the wafer storage container in a dedicated box during transportation,
Any combination of vertical or horizontal placement can be accommodated without gaps, and storage space can be effectively utilized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a partial cross section of the entire structure of an embodiment of a wafer storage container according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the wafer storage container of FIG. 1 as a half section.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing the wafer storage container of FIG. 1 as a half section.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing a partial cross section of the entire structure of another embodiment of the wafer storage container according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of a main part of the wafer storage container shown in FIGS.

FIG. 6 is a view taken in the direction of the arrow V in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view showing the entire structure of a conventional wafer storage container as a partial cross section.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Wafer storage container 2 Container main body 2a Base 2b cylinder 2c Slit 2d Removable knurl 2e Peripheral wall 2f Ridge 3 Lid 3a Cylindrical 3b Square tube 3c Removable protrusion 3d Ring-shaped protrusion 3e Small diameter portion 3f Step Part 3g Inclined groove 3h Ridge inlet 3i Arc-shaped projection

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A semiconductor wafer storage comprising: a bottomed cylindrical container main body capable of storing a plurality of disc-shaped semiconductor wafers in a stacked state; and a lid having a cylindrical portion covering the outer periphery of the cylindrical portion of the container main body. In the container, the bottom of the container body is formed in a circular or square shape, the cylindrical portion of the cover is formed in a square prism shape, and the lower surface of the bottom of the container body and the upper surface of the cover are configured to be fittable. Semiconductor wafer container.