Wafer storage box with multiple protection structure

Abstract

The utility model discloses a wafer storage box with multiple protection structure, including box body, box cover and slot frame, the symmetry side of box body and box cover is locked through the buckle and lock block locking connection, and another symmetry side of box body all is equipped with the anti -backflow air nozzle, this anti -backflow air nozzle includes with the through -pipe of box body intercommunication, and the inner wall of through -pipe is equipped with sealing ring and limit ring, be equipped with sealing plug in sealing ring, the sealing plug tail end is connected through spring no.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of wafer storage technology, and in particular to a wafer storage box with multiple protective structures. Background Technology

[0002] As the core carrier of semiconductor manufacturing, the cleanliness and integrity of wafers directly determine the yield and performance of chips. In the semiconductor front-end process, wafers need to be frequently transferred between different production equipment and memory cells. In this process, wafer memory cells are key equipment to protect wafers from contamination and damage.

[0003] Currently, most wafer storage enclosures on the market, especially those designed for medium- to long-term storage and transportation, focus primarily on physical sealing. This involves using a sealing strip between the cover and the enclosure to achieve an airtight seal. However, once the cover is closed, the interior is sealed with ambient air. The oxygen, water vapor, and various trace chemical contaminants in the air will be in long-term contact with the wafer surface, leading to problems such as product oxidation, passivation layer growth, or corrosion of metal wires. Although some storage enclosures in high-end production lines are equipped with purge gas interfaces, their complex structure, high cost, and reliance on unidirectional valve core sealing mean that their sealing reliability may be insufficient when no external gas source is connected.

[0004] To address these issues, we propose a wafer storage enclosure with multiple protective structures. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a wafer storage box with multiple protective structures to solve the problems mentioned in the background art.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model provides the following technical solution:

[0007] A wafer storage box with multiple protective structures includes a box body, a box cover, and a slot rack. One symmetrical side of the box body and the box cover are locked together by a buckle plate and a locking block. The other symmetrical side of the box body is equipped with an anti-backflow vent. The anti-backflow vent includes a through pipe communicating with the inside of the box body. The inner wall of the through pipe is provided with a sealing ring and a limiting ring. The sealing ring is provided with a sealing plug. The tail end of the sealing plug is connected to a cross by a spring. The cross is fixed to the inner wall of the box body. The limiting ring is provided with a connection port. The outer port of the connection port is provided with a protruding ring. The protruding ring and the limiting ring are connected by a limiting rod and a spring. The limiting rod slides through the limiting ring.

[0008] In a further embodiment, a sealing groove is formed at the upper port of the box body, and a sealing strip for embedding the sealing groove is inlaid at the lower port of the box cover. The lower corner of the sealing strip and the inner bottom corner of the sealing groove are both beveled.

[0009] In a further embodiment, a cavity is formed between the housing and the slot holder.

[0010] In a further embodiment, the sealing plug adopts a conical structure that tapers from the tail end to the head end, and the inner hole of the sealing ring adopts a conical hole structure that matches the outer conical surface of the sealing plug.

[0011] In a further embodiment, a flexible pad is attached to the outer conical surface of the sealing plug.

[0012] In a further embodiment, the end of the connection port near the sealing plug is provided with a protruding tube, and the outer side wall of the protruding tube is provided with several through notches along the circumference.

[0013] In a further embodiment, the external thread of the through pipe is screwed with a sealing cap, and a sealing gasket is embedded on the inner plate surface of the sealing cap near the outer port of the through pipe.

[0014] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this utility model are:

[0015] This invention provides a gas replacement channel for the storage box by setting an anti-backflow air nozzle. Users can easily expel harmful air from the box through the nozzle and fill it with inert gases such as high-purity nitrogen, thereby actively creating a dry, oxygen-free, ultra-clean microenvironment for the wafer, fundamentally eliminating oxidation and chemical molecular contamination, and greatly improving the yield of the wafer after long-term storage and transportation.

[0016] This invention establishes a first one-way seal by setting a conical sealing plug inside the anti-backflow air nozzle, which is pressed tightly by a spring. At the same time, a second physical seal is formed outside the air nozzle through the cooperation of the sealing cap and the sealing gasket. This ensures that the storage box can reliably maintain the purity and stability of the internal microenvironment during long-term storage and transportation, and effectively prevents the backflow of external air and pollutants. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of this utility model;

[0018] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of this utility model after half-section.

[0019] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of this utility model after being cut in half.

[0020] Figure 4This is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the anti-backflow air nozzle of this utility model.

[0021] In the diagram: 1. Box body; 11. Sealing groove; 2. Box cover; 21. Sealing strip; 3. Slot frame; 4. Cavity; 5. Buckle plate; 6. Locking block; 7. Anti-backflow nozzle; 71. Through pipe; 711. Sealing ring; 712. Limiting ring; 72. Sealing plug; 721. Flexible pad; 73. Cross; 74. Spring one; 75. Connection port; 751. Protruding ring; 752. Limiting rod; 753. Protruding tube; 754. Notch groove; 76. Spring two; 77. Sealing cap; 771. Sealing gasket. Detailed Implementation

[0022] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship, are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings and are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this utility model. In the description of this utility model, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0023] In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "joining" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model based on the specific circumstances.

[0024] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0025] Please see Figure 1-4 A wafer storage box with multiple protective structures mainly includes a box body 1, a box cover 2, and a slot holder 3 for supporting wafers. The slot holder 3 is fixed inside the box body 1, and a cavity 4 for gas circulation and temporary storage is formed between the box body 1 and the slot holder 3.

[0026] The box body 1 and the lid 2 are mechanically locked by symmetrical buckle plates 5 and locking blocks 6. The locking blocks 6 are fixed to the outer wall of the box body 1, the top of the buckle plate 5 is hinged to the outer wall of the lid 2, and the bottom slot of the buckle plate 5 can be fastened to the outside of the locking blocks 6 to achieve locking. A sealing groove 11 with a trapezoidal cross section is opened at the upper port of the box body 1. Correspondingly, a sealing strip 21 made of perfluoroether rubber is embedded at the lower port of the lid 2. The contact corners of the sealing strip 21 and the sealing groove 11 are both designed with bevels. When the lid 2 is fastened and locked, the sealing strip 21 is tightly pressed into the sealing groove 11, and an excellent sealing interface is formed by the compression and guidance of the bevel.

[0027] On the other symmetrical side of the box body 1, there are anti-backflow air nozzles 7. Each air nozzle includes a through pipe 71 that communicates with the inside of the box body 1. The inner wall of the through pipe 71 is provided with a sealing ring 711 and a limiting ring 712 in sequence. The inner hole of the sealing ring 711 is a conical hole, and there is a matching conical sealing plug 72 that tapers from the tail end to the head end. The tail end of the sealing plug 72 is connected to a cross 73 fixed to the inner wall of the box body 1 by a spring 74. In the natural state, the elastic force of the spring 74 pushes the sealing plug 72 into the conical hole of the sealing ring 711 to achieve the first airtight seal. To further improve the sealing effect, a flexible pad 721 can also be bonded to the outer conical surface of the sealing plug 72. The flexible pad 721 is made of rubber or soft plastic.

[0028] On the side of the limiting ring 712 near the outer port of the through pipe 71, there is a connection port 75. The outer port of the connection port 75 is provided with a protruding ring 751. The protruding ring 751 is slidably connected to the limiting ring 712 through several limiting rods 752. A spring 76 is installed between the protruding ring 751 and the limiting ring 712, so that the connection port 75 is pushed away from the sealing plug 72 in the natural state. A section of protruding tube 753 is provided at the end of the connection port 75 near the sealing plug 72. Multiple through notches 754 are opened circumferentially on the side wall of the protruding tube 753. The notches 754 allow the injected inert gas to be sprayed out in a divergent and multi-channel manner when it enters the box 1 and the cavity 4, avoiding the local turbulence and particle lifting that may be caused by the direct airflow. This helps the gas to diffuse and mix more quickly and evenly in the cavity 4, so as to replace the air in the entire box in a shorter time and with less gas consumption.

[0029] At the outer end of the through pipe 71, a sealing cap 77 is screwed on. A sealing gasket 771 is embedded on the inner side plate of the sealing cap 77. When the sealing cap 77 is tightened, the sealing gasket 771 is pressed against the end face of the through pipe 71 to form a second reliable end face seal.

[0030] Workflow: First, insert the wafers into the slot rack 3 in sequence. Then, cover the box 2 on the box body 1. The sealing strip 21 and the sealing groove 11 are tightly fastened to form a body seal. At this time, the sealing plug 72 of the anti-backflow air nozzle 7 is pressed tightly against the sealing ring 711 under the action of the spring 74, and the internal seal is effective. The sealing cap 77 is screwed on the port of the through pipe 71, and the external seal is effective. The storage box is in a completely closed state.

[0031] Then, unscrew the sealing cap 77 to expose the air nozzle interface. One side of the air nozzle interface is connected to the left air inlet of the inert gas filling device, and the other side of the air nozzle interface is opened as an air outlet. The filling connector on the device is pushed forward and pressed against the convex ring 751 of the connection port 75, overcoming the elastic force of the second spring 76, and pushing the entire connection port 75 and its convex tube 753 to move inward into the box. The convex tube 753 pushes open the sealing plug 72 pressed by the first spring 74, opening the airflow channel. High-purity nitrogen is injected from the device connector, passes through the connection port 75, and is radially sprayed into the cavity 4 of the box body 1 through the notch 754 on the side of the convex tube 753. Due to the dispersing effect of the notch 754, the gas can fill the cavity 4 evenly and gently. The continuously injected nitrogen will discharge the original air in the box from another symmetrically installed anti-backflow air nozzle 7, completing the gas replacement.

[0032] At the end of the gas replacement process, the air nozzle serving as the exhaust port is closed first, allowing the amount of inert gas to be filled to be slightly more than the amount to be discharged. This establishes a stable micro-positive pressure environment within the housing 1. The equipment stops filling, and its connector is quickly retracted. Under the strong force of spring 74, the sealing plug 72 instantly resets and quickly presses against the conical sealing ring 711, immediately cutting off the airflow channel and locking the established micro-positive pressure environment inside the housing. Simultaneously, under the action of spring 76, the connection port 75 is pushed back to its original position. At this time, the micro-positive pressure maintained inside the housing continues to act on the conical surface of the sealing plug 72, making it fit more tightly against the sealing ring 711, forming a pneumatically assisted sealing effect. This outward pressure also acts on all sealing interfaces, such as the sealing strip 21 of the housing cover 2, passively enhancing the overall sealing reliability through the air pressure difference and greatly improving the defense against reverse infiltration of external contaminants. Finally, the sealing cap 77 is tightened back onto the air nozzle to restore the external seal.

[0033] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that this invention is not limited to the details of the exemplary embodiments described above, and that it can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics of this invention. Therefore, the embodiments should be considered illustrative and non-limiting in all respects, and the scope of this invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description. Thus, it is intended that all variations falling within the meaning and scope of equivalents of the claims be included within this invention. No reference numerals in the claims should be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.

[0034] Furthermore, it should be understood that although this specification describes embodiments, not every embodiment contains only one independent technical solution. This narrative style is merely for clarity. Those skilled in the art should consider the specification as a whole, and the technical solutions in each embodiment can also be appropriately combined to form other embodiments that can be understood by those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A wafer storage box with multiple protective structures, comprising a box body (1), a box cover (2), and a slot holder (3), characterized in that: The box body (1) and the lid (2) are connected by a snap plate (5) and a locking block (6) on one symmetrical side. The other symmetrical side of the box body (1) is equipped with an anti-backflow air nozzle (7). This anti-backflow air nozzle (7) includes a through pipe (71) communicating with the inside of the box body (1). The inner wall of the through pipe (71) is provided with a sealing ring (711) and a limiting ring (712). The sealing ring (711) contains a sealing plug (72). 72) The tail end is connected to the cross (73) by spring one (74), and the cross (73) is fixed to the inner wall of the box (1). The limiting ring (712) is provided with a connection port (75). The outer port of the connection port (75) is provided with a protruding ring (751). The protruding ring (751) and the limiting ring (712) are connected by a limiting rod (752) and spring two (76), and the limiting rod (752) slides through the limiting ring (712).

2. A wafer storage box with multiple protection structures according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper port of the box body (1) is provided with a sealing groove (11), and the lower port of the box cover (2) is inlaid with a sealing strip (21) for embedding the sealing groove (11). The lower corner of the sealing strip (21) and the inner bottom corner of the sealing groove (11) are both beveled.

3. A wafer storage box with multiple protection structures according to claim 1, characterized in that: A cavity (4) is formed between the box body (1) and the slot frame (3).

4. A wafer storage box with multiple protection structures according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sealing plug (72) adopts a conical structure that tapers from the tail end to the head end, and the inner hole of the sealing ring (711) adopts a conical hole structure that matches the outer conical surface of the sealing plug (72).

5. A wafer storage box with multiple protection structures according to claim 1, characterized in that: A flexible pad (721) is connected to the outer conical surface of the sealing plug (72).

6. A wafer storage box with multiple protection structures according to claim 1, characterized in that: The connection port (75) is provided with a protruding tube (753) at one end near the sealing plug (72), and a number of through notches (754) are provided on the outer side wall of the protruding tube (753) along the circumferential direction.

7. A wafer storage box with multiple protection structures according to claim 1, characterized in that: The tube (71) is threaded with a sealing cap (77), and a sealing gasket (771) is embedded on the inner plate surface of the sealing cap (77) near the outer port of the tube (71).

Images