Fixing kit for precision substrate storage container

Abstract

To provide an easy-to-handle fixing kit for a precision substrate storage container, which can fix and release a precision substrate storage container in conjunction with opening and closing of a door set.SOLUTION: A kit used when storing and transporting a precision substrate storage container 1 in a semiconductor wafer storage container 10 includes an adapter tray 20 on which the precision substrate storage container 1 is mounted and stored in the body 11 of the semiconductor wafer storage container, a pair of left and right clamp mechanisms 30 that rotates clamp pieces 32 at the front of the adapter tray to secure the precision substrate storage container, and an interlocking operation mechanism 40 attached to a door set 16 that opens and closes the front face of the body of the semiconductor wafer storage container, and in response to the opening and closing of the door set relative to the body of the semiconductor wafer storage container, the interlocking operation mechanism rotates the clamp pieces of the pair of left and right clamp mechanisms, respectively, such that each clamp piece approaches and moves away from the precision substrate storage container.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a fixing kit for a precision substrate storage container, which is used when a precision substrate storage container such as a reticle storage container is stored in a semiconductor wafer storage container and transported. [Background technology]

[0002] Semiconductor wafer storage containers called FOUPs are used in semiconductor factories to store and transport φ300mm semiconductor wafers, but in recent years, there has been a demand for photomask storage containers and reticle storage containers instead of semiconductor wafers. This is because photomasks and reticles are used in the front-end process of semiconductor manufacturing, so it would be very efficient if precision substrate storage containers consisting of photomask storage containers and reticle storage containers could be stored in a semiconductor wafer storage container and transported while being suspended by an automatic transport device such as an OHT.

[0003] However, since semiconductor wafers such as silicon wafers and precision substrate storage containers are different in size and shape, it is difficult to safely store the precision substrate storage container in the semiconductor wafer storage container. In view of this, methods for safely and reliably storing the precision substrate storage container in the semiconductor wafer storage container have been considered and proposed (see Patent Documents 1, 2, and 3). For example, (1) a method in which the precision substrate storage container is mounted on a disk-shaped adapter and fixed with multiple fixtures, and this adapter is stored in the body of the semiconductor wafer storage container, and (2) a method in which a required number of precision substrate storage containers are stored in a shelf-shaped storage jig, and this storage jig is stored in the body of the semiconductor wafer storage container have been considered and proposed. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5959302 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 5916508 [Patent Document 3] Patent No. 7257418 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Although both methods (1) and (2) are expected to have excellent effects, it is necessary to load the precision substrate storage container onto the adapter, fix the precision substrate storage container by sequentially operating multiple fixing devices, store the adapter into the body of the semiconductor wafer storage container, and then press-fit the door set into the open front of the body, so that it is not possible to reduce the number of work steps and it is thought that it is not possible to improve the work efficiency. Also, in the case of method (2), the storage jig becomes large, which may cause problems in handling.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above, and aims to provide a fixing kit for a precision substrate storage container that can fix and release the precision substrate storage container in conjunction with the opening and closing of a door set, and is easy to handle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a method for transporting a precision substrate container housed in a semiconductor wafer container, comprising the steps of: The device includes an adapter tray that carries a precision substrate storage container and is housed in a body of a semiconductor wafer storage container, a clamping mechanism that rotates a clamp piece at the front of the adapter tray to fix the precision substrate storage container, and an interlocking operation mechanism that is attached to a door set that opens and closes the front of the body of the semiconductor wafer storage container, In response to the opening and closing of a door set relative to the body of the semiconductor wafer storage container, the interlocking operation mechanism rotates the clamp pieces of the clamp mechanism, causing the clamp pieces to approach and move away from the precision substrate storage container.

[0008] The adapter tray may be formed into a planar, generally frame-like shape that can be fitted into the flange portion of the precision substrate storage container, and the adapter may be formed with endless support pieces that can support the flange portion of the precision substrate storage container.

[0009] The clamp mechanism includes a fixed base attached to the front of the adapter tray and a rotatable clamp piece supported by the fixed base, the clamp piece being formed in a substantially J-shape, the long side of the clamp piece being formed with a substantially L-shaped crank portion that engages with the front of the flange portion of the precision substrate storage container, and the short side of the clamp piece being formed with an inclined upright portion. The interlocking operation mechanism includes a plurality of protruding pieces attached to a rear surface of the door set of the semiconductor wafer storage container so as to face each other and extend toward the body, a first operation rod bridged between the plurality of protruding pieces, and a second operation rod bridged between the plurality of protruding pieces and interposed at an interval between the rear surface of the door set and the first operation rod, When the door set is fitted and attached to the body of the semiconductor wafer storage container, the first operating rod presses the long side of the clamp piece toward the rear of the body, the first and second operating rods hold the inclined upright portion of the clamp piece at a distance from each other, and the second operating rod presses the short side of the clamp piece toward the rear of the body to engage the crank portion of the clamp piece with the front of the flange portion of the precision substrate storage container. When the door set is removed from the body of the semiconductor wafer storage container, it is preferable for the first operating rod to press the short side of the clamp piece toward the door set to pull the crank portion of the clamp piece away from the front of the flange portion of the precision substrate storage container, the first operating rod to press the inclined upright portion of the clamp piece toward the door set, and the clamp piece to rotate to retract the inclined upright portion of the clamp piece from between the first and second operating rods.

[0010] In addition, the fixed base of the clamp mechanism can be formed into an approximately U-shape that clamps and holds the clamp piece so that it can rotate freely, and this fixed base can be formed with a posture control unit that directs the crank portion of the clamp piece diagonally upward and forward. Also, the first and second operating rods of the interlocking operating mechanism may each be formed to have a substantially circular cross section, and the second operating rod may be positioned lower than the first operating rod.

[0011] Here, the precision substrate storage container in the claims includes a photomask storage container or a reticle storage container whose lower portion at least protrudes as a flange portion. This precision substrate storage container may be a single POD type or a multi-POD type. The semiconductor wafer storage container is preferably a FOUP type, but may be an unused FOSB type used for transportation if no problem occurs. The clamp mechanism may be singular or multiple. The term "approximately J-shaped" includes not only a J-shape but also similar shapes (approximately L-shape, etc.) that do not cause a difference in the effect of the present invention. The term "approximately L-shaped" includes not only an L-shape but also similar shapes (such as a J-shape and an inverted R-shape) that do not cause a difference in the effect of the present invention.

[0012] The term "approximately U-shaped" includes not only a U-shape, but also similar shapes (such as an inverted C-shape, a groove shape, and a lip groove shape) that do not cause any difference in the effect of the present invention. Furthermore, the up-down, front-rear, left-right directions of the fixing kit for precision substrate storage containers according to the present invention are directions based on the drawings, and can be appropriately changed as necessary. Furthermore, although the subject of the present invention is a fixing kit for precision substrate storage containers, if the configuration for another use is the same as the configuration of the present invention and can be converted to a fixing kit for precision substrate storage containers, and the effect of the present invention is achieved, the configuration for the other use falls within the technical scope of the present invention. Effect of the Invention

[0013] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an easy-to-use fixing kit for a precision substrate storage container, and it is also possible to provide a precision substrate storage container that can be fixed or released in conjunction with the opening and closing of a door set.

[0014] According to the invention described in claim 2, the clamp piece is formed in a substantially J-shape, and a substantially L-shaped crank portion that engages with the front of the flange portion of the precision substrate storage container is formed on the long side of the clamp piece, and an inclined upright portion is formed on the short side of the clamp piece, so that the precision substrate storage container can be fixed and released with a simple configuration. In particular, since the inclined upright portion extends from the short side of the clamp piece, the inclined upright portion can be reliably brought into contact with the first operating rod, and the clamp piece can be appropriately rotated. In addition, the fixing and release of the precision substrate storage container can be linked with the attachment and detachment of the door set while simplifying the configuration of the interlocking operation mechanism.

[0015] According to the invention described in claim 3, the fixed base is formed in a substantially U-shape that holds the clamp piece, so that the posture of the clamp piece when it rotates can be expected to be stable. Even if the crank part of the clamp piece fixes the front of the flange part of the precision substrate storage container after the door set is removed, the clamp piece can rotate freely, so that the clamp piece can be easily operated to separate the crank part from the front of the flange part of the precision substrate storage container. Furthermore, the posture control unit of the fixed base makes the clamp piece of the clamp mechanism contact the first operating rod of the interlocking operating mechanism in a posture inclined forward rather than in a vertically standing posture, so that the clamp piece can be pressed backward to rotate reliably. In addition, it is possible to prevent the first operating rod from contacting the short side or the inclined standing part of the clamp piece, and to prevent the door set from being incompletely fitted.

[0016] According to the invention described in claim 4, the first and second operating rods of the interlocking operating mechanism are not substantially polygonal in cross section but substantially circular in cross section without corners or steps on the circumferential surface, so that it is possible to smoothly move the clamp pieces toward and away from the circumferential surfaces of the first and second operating rods. Also, since the second operating rod is positioned lower than the first operating rod, it is possible to prevent the inclined upright portion of the clamp piece from coming into contact with the second operating rod, which would hinder the rotation of the clamp piece. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1]1 is a perspective explanatory view showing a relationship between a precision substrate storage container, a body of a semiconductor wafer storage container, and an adapter tray in an embodiment of a fixing kit for a precision substrate storage container according to the present invention; FIG. [Diagram 2] 1 is a perspective explanatory view showing a relationship between a door set of a semiconductor wafer storage container and an interlocking operation mechanism in an embodiment of a fixing kit for a precision substrate storage container according to the present invention; FIG. [Diagram 3] 1 is a perspective explanatory view showing a schematic relationship between an adapter tray and a clamp mechanism in an embodiment of a fixing kit for a precision substrate storage container according to the present invention; FIG. [Figure 4] 1 is an enlarged perspective view showing a schematic diagram of an interlocking operation mechanism in an embodiment of a fixing kit for a precision substrate storage container according to the present invention. FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing the fixing operation of the clamp mechanism in an embodiment of the fixing kit for a precision substrate storage container according to the present invention, in which (a) is a side explanatory diagram showing the state in which the interlocking operating mechanism of the door set approaches the clamp mechanism of the adapter tray, (b) is a side explanatory diagram showing the state in which the first operating rod of the interlocking operating mechanism presses the long side of the clamp piece toward the rear of the body, (c) is a side explanatory diagram showing the state in which the clamp piece rotates to direct the crank portion upward and raise the inclined standing portion, (d) is a side explanatory diagram showing the state in which the clamp piece rotates to insert the inclined standing portion between the first and second operating rods of the interlocking operating mechanism, (e) is a side explanatory diagram showing the state in which the second operating rod of the interlocking operating mechanism further presses the short side of the clamp piece toward the rear of the body to rotate the clamp piece, and (f) is a side explanatory diagram showing the state in which the crank portion of the clamp piece is engaged with the front upper surface of the flange portion of the precision substrate storage container. [Figure 6]FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing the release operation of the clamp mechanism in an embodiment of the fixing kit for a precision substrate storage container according to the present invention, in which (a) is a side explanatory diagram showing the state in which the door set begins to be pulled out from the front of the body, (b) is a side explanatory diagram showing the state in which the first operating rod of the interlocking operating mechanism presses the short side of the clamp piece toward the door set, (c) is a side explanatory diagram showing the state in which the clamp piece rotates to pull the crank portion upward away from the front of the lower part of the precision substrate storage container, (d) is a side explanatory diagram showing the state in which the first operating rod presses the inclined standing portion of the clamp piece toward the door set, (e) is a side explanatory diagram showing the state in which the clamp piece further rotates to point the crank portion upward, and (f) is a side explanatory diagram showing the state in which the clamp piece rotates to retract the inclined standing portion from between the first and second operating rods. [Figure 7] 13 is a side view illustrating a state in which a first operating rod in an embodiment of a fixing kit for a precision substrate storage container according to the present invention has erroneously come into contact with a short side of a clamp piece, etc. FIG. [Figure 8] 1 is a side view illustrating the clamp piece of the clamp mechanism in an embodiment of a fixing kit for a precision substrate storage container according to the present invention, the clamp piece being capable of freely rotating. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. The fixing kit for a precision substrate storage container in this embodiment is a set used when storing and transporting a precision substrate storage container 1 in a semiconductor wafer storage container 10, as shown in Figures 1 to 8, and includes an adapter tray 20 that carries the precision substrate storage container 1 and is stored in the body 11 of the semiconductor wafer storage container 10, a pair of left and right clamp mechanisms 30 that rotate clamp pieces 32 at the front of the adapter tray 20 to fix the precision substrate storage container 1, and an interlocking operation mechanism 40 for the clamp mechanisms 30 that is attached to the door set 16 of the semiconductor wafer storage container 10, and contributes to the achievement of Goal 9 of the SDGs adopted at the United Nations Summit.

[0019] 1, 3, etc., the precision substrate storage container 1 is, for example, a pod weighing about 5 kg, with a lid fitted over the open top of the main body that stores precision substrates, and with the front, rear, left and right sides of the lower flange portion 2 projecting outward in the width direction. Specifically, it is at least one of a photomask storage container conforming to the SEMI standard that stores photomasks, which are precision substrates, and a reticle storage container conforming to the SEMI standard that stores reticles, which are precision substrates. These may be either tall or short types.

[0020] 1, 2, 7, 8, etc., the semiconductor wafer storage container 10 is configured as a FOUP type used in mini-environment type semiconductor factories, and includes a body 11 capable of storing a plurality of semiconductor wafers in an aligned manner, and a door set 16 that is detachably fitted to the open front of the body 11. The body 11 is molded into a front-open box with an open front from a molding material containing a predetermined resin, and a pair of left and right support teeth 12 that are originally intended to horizontally support semiconductor wafers of φ300 mm are provided on both sides inside the body, and the pair of left and right support teeth 12 are arranged at a predetermined interval in the vertical direction.

[0021] A bottom plate 13 having a substantially Y-shape, triangle, polygon, or the like in plan view is attached horizontally to the underside of the bottom plate of the body 11, and a plurality of positioning fixtures are attached to the bottom plate 13, each of which fits from above into a positioning pin of a semiconductor processing device (not shown) to position the semiconductor wafer storage container 10 with high precision. In addition, a robotic flange 14 having a substantially rectangular shape in plan view is detachably attached as an option to the approximate center of the ceiling of the body 11, and this robotic flange 14 is suspended by an automatic transport device such as an OHT in a factory (not shown). Optional gripping operation handles 15 are detachably attached to the outer surfaces of both sides of the body 11.

[0022] The door set 16 comprises a door body 17 having a generally rectangular shape at the front that is press-fitted detachably into the open front of the body 11, and a pair of left and right door covers 18 that cover both sides of the open front of the door body 17, with a locking mechanism 19 interposed between both sides of the open front of the door body 17 and the pair of left and right door covers 18 to prevent them from falling off. A front retainer (not shown) that holds the front peripheral edge of a semiconductor wafer horizontally with an elastic piece is detachably attached to the recessed central part of the back of the door body 17 that faces the back of the body 11, but this front retainer is removed and unused when the interlocking operation mechanism 40 is used.

[0023] As shown in Figures 1, 3, 5, 6, etc., the adapter tray 20 is molded into a flat rectangular, roughly frame-shaped plate made of a molding material containing a specified resin in order to position the precision substrate storage container 1 in the XY directions and to reduce weight, and is supported by a pair of support teeth 12 on the left and right sides of the body 11 in place of semiconductor wafers.

[0024] The specified resin for the molding material is not particularly limited, but examples thereof include thermoplastic resins such as polycarbonate (PC) resin, cycloolefin polymer (COP) resin, cycloolefin copolymer (COC) resin, polypropylene (PP) resin, polyetherimide (PEI) resin, polyether ketone (PEK) resin, polyether ether ketone (PEEK) resin, polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) resin, polyacetal (POM) resin, and liquid crystal polymer, as well as alloys thereof.

[0025] The hollow portion 21 at the center of the adapter tray 20 is formed into a rectangular shape in plan view, and is sized to fit loosely with a small gap into the flange portion 2 of the precision substrate storage container 1 or to fit tightly without any gap, based on the SEMI standard. In addition, on the back surface of the adapter tray 20, support pieces 22 with an L-shaped cross section located below the inner peripheral surface of the hollow portion 21 are provided in the shape of an endless flat frame, and these support pieces 22 function to support the underside 4 of the flange portion of the precision substrate storage container 1. On both sides of the adapter tray 20, elongated mounting pieces extending in the front-rear direction of the adapter tray 20 are formed to protrude, and each mounting piece is supported and mounted on the support teeth 12 of the body 11.

[0026] The pair of left and right clamp mechanisms 30 are arranged side by side at a predetermined interval on the front surface of the adapter tray 20, as shown in Figures 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, etc. Each clamp mechanism 30 includes a fixed base 31 attached near the center of the front surface of the adapter tray 20, and a stepped clamp piece 32 pivotally supported by the fixed base 31 and freely rotatable in the vertical direction, and these are molded from the same molding material as the adapter tray 20. The fixed base 31 is bent, for example, into a substantially U-shape at the front that holds the clamp piece 32 from the left and right with a gap between them, and a posture control unit that tilts the clamp piece 32 downward and forward is formed on an inclined surface on the inner surface, such as the inner bottom surface (see Figure 3).

[0027] The clamp piece 32 is formed, for example, in a substantially J-shape that swings up and down, and a pin is inserted horizontally near the boundary between the long side 33 and the short side 35, and this pin is axially mounted between both sides of the fixed base 31 so as to be freely rotatable. The end of the long side 33 of this clamp piece 32 is integrally formed with a crank portion 34 that engages with the front upper surface 3 of the flange portion 2 of the precision substrate storage container 1 to position and fix it, and the end of the short side 35 is integrally formed with an inclined upright portion 36 that is inclined and oriented toward the back surface of the door set 16. In consideration of the test results, the crank portion 34 is bent into a substantially L-shape from the viewpoint of ensuring engagement, and when the clamp piece 32 is inclined forward by the posture control unit to maintain the basic posture, it is oriented diagonally upward and forward (see FIG. 3).

[0028] As shown in Figures 2, 4 to 6, the interlocking operation mechanism 40 comprises a pair of left and right vertical mounting bars 41 that are detachably attached to the center of the back surface of the door body 17 that constitutes the door set 16, a pair of left and right protruding pieces 42 that extend horizontally from the pair of left and right vertical mounting bars 41 toward the body 11, a first operating rod 44 that is horizontally installed between the tips of the pair of left and right protruding pieces 42 to improve rigidity, and a second operating rod 45 that is horizontally installed between the pair of left and right protruding pieces 42 and is interposed at a distance between the center of the back surface of the door body 17 and the first operating rod 44. These are molded from the same molding material as the adapter tray 20, and function to operate the clamp mechanism 30 in conjunction with the opening and closing of the door set 16.

[0029] A plurality of insertion grooves 43 for the first and second operating rods 44, 45 are cut vertically in the opposing surfaces of the pair of protruding pieces 42. The first operating rod 44 is formed as a cylindrical rod with a circular cross section extending horizontally and is installed slightly above the second operating rod 45. In contrast, the second operating rod 45 is formed as a cylindrical rod with a circular cross section extending horizontally, but is installed slightly below the first operating rod 44, which not only improves the rigidity of the interlocking operating mechanism 4 but also prevents the second operating rod 45 from colliding with the inclined upright portion 36 of the clamp piece 32 and interfering with the rotation of the clamp piece 32.

[0030] When the door set 16 is fitted and attached to the body 11 of the semiconductor wafer storage container 10, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, the interlocking operation mechanism 40 functions as follows: the first operating rod 44 presses the long side 33 of the clamp piece 32 toward the rear of the body 11 to rotate it, and the first and second operating rods 44, 45 clamp the inclined upright portion 36 of the clamp piece 32 at a distance from each other, and then the second operating rod 45 presses the short side 35 of the clamp piece 32 toward the rear of the body 11 to rotate it, thereby engaging the crank portion 34 of the clamp piece 32 with the front of the flange portion 2 of the precision substrate storage container 1.

[0031] In contrast, when the door set 16 is pulled out and removed from the body 11 of the semiconductor wafer storage container 10, the first operating rod 44 presses the short side 35 of the clamp piece 32 toward the door set 16 to rotate it, and then the first operating rod 44 functions to press the inclined upright portion 36 of the clamp piece 32 toward the door set 16 to rotate it.

[0032] In the above configuration, when a tall precision substrate storage container 1 is stored in the semiconductor wafer storage container 10 and transported, first, the adapter tray 20 is inserted horizontally between the multiple support teeth 12 at the bottom inside of the empty body 11, a pair of mounting pieces of this adapter tray 20 is supported horizontally by a pair of left and right support teeth 12, the precision substrate storage container 1 is inserted inside the body 11, and then the peripheral edge of the underside 4 of the flange portion of the precision substrate storage container 1 is directly supported by the support pieces 22 of the adapter tray 20 to position it.

[0033] Next, the door set 16 is pressed into the open front of the body 11. The door set 16 may be pressed in manually or automatically by an opener. When the door set 16 starts to be pressed in, the interlocking operation mechanism 40 of the door set 16 approaches the clamp mechanism 30 of the adapter tray 20 (see FIG. 5(a)), and the first operating rod 44 presses the long side 33 of the clamp piece 32 toward the rear of the body 11 (see FIG. 5(b)), causing the clamp piece 32 to rotate and direct the crank portion 34 upward, while raising the inclined standing portion 36 (see FIG. 5(c)). At this time, since the clamp piece 32 is waiting in a slightly inclined forward and downward position, rather than in a vertically standing position, the first operating rod 44 can be reliably brought into contact with the long side 33 of the clamp piece 32, causing the clamp piece 32 to rotate.

[0034] Next, when the door set 16 is gradually pressed in deeper and fitted, the clamp piece 32 rotates, causing the rising inclined standing portion 36 to enter between the first and second operating rods 44 and 45 of the interlocking operating mechanism 40 (see FIG. 5(d)), and the second operating rod 45 presses the short side 35 of the clamp piece 32 further toward the rear of the body 11 (see FIG. 5(e)), rotating the clamp piece 32, and this rotation causes the crank portion 34 of the clamp piece 32 to engage with the front upper surface 3 of the flange portion 2 of the precision substrate storage container 1 (see FIG. 5(f)). Due to this engagement, the precision substrate storage container 1 is positioned and fixed in the Z direction without any rattle, so that the precision substrate storage container 1 can be stored in the semiconductor wafer storage container 10 and transported.

[0035] Next, when removing the door set 16 of the semiconductor wafer storage container 10 to take out the precision substrate storage container 1, first, the fitted door set 16 is pulled out from the front of the body 11, but the door set 16 may be pulled out manually or automatically with an opener. When the door set 16 starts to be pulled out (see FIG. 6(a)), the interlocking operation mechanism 40 of the door set 16 moves away from the clamp mechanism 30 of the adapter tray 20, and the first operation rod 44 presses the short side 35 of the clamp piece 32 toward the door set 16 (see FIG. 6(b)), and the clamp piece 32 rotates to pull the crank portion 34 upward away from the front upper surface 3 of the flange portion 2 of the precision substrate storage container 1 (see FIG. 6(c)).

[0036] Next, as the door set 16 continues to be pulled out and the interlocking operating mechanism 40 is moved away from the clamp mechanism 30 of the adapter tray 20, the first operating rod 44 presses the inclined standing portion 36 of the clamp piece 32 toward the door set 16 (see Figure 6(d)), the clamp piece 32 rotates and points the crank portion 34 upward (see Figure 6(e)), and the clamp piece 32 rotates and lowers the inclined standing portion 36 from between the first and second operating rods 44, 45 (see Figure 6(f)).

[0037] At this time, the inclined upright portion 36 extends while inclining from the short side of the clamp piece 32, so that the first operating rod 44 can be reliably brought into contact with and rotated by the inclined upright portion 36. As the inclined upright portion 36 descends, the clamp piece 32 retreats from between the first and second operating rods 44, 45 and comes out completely, so that the door set 16 of the semiconductor wafer storage container 10 can be removed and the precision substrate storage container 1 can be taken out.

[0038] According to the above configuration, since the fixing and releasing of the precision substrate storage container 1 is linked with the attachment and detachment of the door set 16, it is expected that the number of work steps can be reduced, which contributes to improving work efficiency and automating the process. In addition, the adapter tray 20 and the clamping mechanism 30 are not large shelves or the like, and do not lead to an increase in size, which eliminates the risk of hindrance to handling. In addition, since the adapter tray 20 is a hollow frame shape with a reduced thickness, it is expected that the weight can be reduced, which eliminates the risk of the support teeth 12 of the body 11 being cracked or damaged. In addition, since the adapter tray 20 is lightweight, there is no risk of hindrance to the transportation of an automatic transportation device that suspends the semiconductor wafer storage container 10.

[0039] In addition, since the clamp piece 32 waits in a slightly inclined forward position, it is possible to prevent the first operating rod 44 from contacting the short side 35 or the inclined upright portion 36 of the clamp piece 32, or to prevent the door set 16 from being incompletely fitted (see FIG. 7). Even if the crank portion 34 of the clamp piece 32 engages with the front upper surface 3 of the flange portion 2 of the precision substrate storage container 1 after the door set 16 is removed, the clamp piece 32 rotates freely, so that the crank portion 34 of the clamp piece 32 can be easily pulled away from the front upper surface 3 of the flange portion 2 of the precision substrate storage container 1 (see FIG. 8), and the precision substrate storage container 1 can be easily removed. Furthermore, since the support piece 22 of the adapter tray 20 has an L-shaped cross section and extends vertically, it is possible to mount the precision substrate storage container 1 in a stable position regardless of the height of the precision substrate storage container 1.

[0040] The body 11 and door set 16 of the semiconductor wafer storage container 10 in the above embodiment can be molded from the same molding material as the adapter tray 20. In addition to a predetermined resin, the molding material of the adapter tray 20 may contain conductive substances such as carbon fibers, carbon powder, carbon nanotubes, and conductive polymers, as well as various antistatic agents such as anionic, cationic, and nonionic antistatic agents, as necessary. A spacer for adjusting the fixing height may be detachably interposed between the flange portion 2 of the precision substrate storage container 1 and the adapter tray 20.

[0041] In the above embodiment, the adapter tray 20 is in the shape of a substantially square frame in plan, but it may be in the shape of a substantially polygonal frame in plan, or in the shape of a plate without a hollow portion 21. The outer peripheral surface of the adapter tray 20 may have a plurality of corners or steps, or may be curved. The support pieces 22 of the adapter tray 20 may be in the shape of an endless frame, or may be in the shape of a plurality of pieces. For example, the support pieces 22 having a plate-like cross section may be formed protruding only from the front and rear lower portions of the inner peripheral surface of the hollow portion 21 of the adapter tray 20. In addition, when the adapter tray 20 is a plate without a hollow portion 21, a plurality of positioning surrounding pieces for the precision substrate storage container 1 may be formed in an array on the surface of the adapter tray 20.

[0042] A fastener having an inverted L-shaped cross section that engages with the rear upper surface 3 of the flange portion 2 of the precision substrate storage container 1 can be screwed near the center of the rear surface of the adapter tray 20. In this case, if an escape groove (also called an escape allowance) that can face the rear edge of the lower surface 4 of the flange portion of the precision substrate storage container 1 is formed as a recess in the rear surface of the support piece 22, the precision substrate storage container 1 can be smoothly loaded after tilting its rear part downward by utilizing this escape groove. Furthermore, the fixing base 31 of the clamp mechanism 30 can be integrally formed on the front surface of the adapter tray 20, or can be attached detachably. Furthermore, all of the technologies described in this specification are subject to the acquisition of rights through amendments, divisional applications, etc. [Industrial Applicability]

[0043] The fixing kit for a precision substrate storage container according to the present invention is used in the field of semiconductor manufacturing and the like. [Explanation of symbols]

[0044] 1 Precision PCB storage container 2 Flange 3 Top surface 10 Semiconductor wafer storage container 11. Body 12 Support teeth 16 Door Set 17 Door body 18 Door Cover 20 Adapter Tray 21 Hollow part 22 Support piece 30 Clamping mechanism 31 Fixed base 32 Clamp piece 33 Long side 34 Crank section 35 Short Side 36 Inclined standing section 40 Interlocking operation mechanism 42 Projecting piece 44 First operating rod 45 Second operating rod

Claims

1. A precision substrate storage container fixing kit used when storing a precision substrate storage container in a semiconductor wafer storage container and transporting the precision substrate storage container, The device includes an adapter tray that carries a precision substrate storage container and is housed in a body of a semiconductor wafer storage container, a clamping mechanism that rotates a clamp piece at the front of the adapter tray to fix the precision substrate storage container, and an interlocking operation mechanism that is attached to a door set that opens and closes the front of the body of the semiconductor wafer storage container, A fixing kit for a precision substrate storage container, characterized in that an interlocking operating mechanism rotates a clamp piece of a clamp mechanism in response to opening and closing of a door set relative to a body of a semiconductor wafer storage container, thereby causing the clamp piece to approach and move away from the precision substrate storage container.

2. the clamp mechanism includes a fixed base attached to the front of the adapter tray and a rotatable clamp piece supported by the fixed base, the clamp piece being formed in a substantially J-shape, a substantially L-shaped crank portion being formed on a long side of the clamp piece for engaging with a front flange portion of the precision substrate storage container, and an inclined upright portion being formed on a short side of the clamp piece; The interlocking operation mechanism includes a plurality of protruding pieces attached to the rear surface of the door set of the semiconductor wafer storage container so as to face each other and extend toward the body, a first operating rod bridged between the plurality of protruding pieces, and a second operating rod bridged between the plurality of protruding pieces and interposed at a distance between the rear surface of the door set and the first operating rod, and when the door set is fitted and attached to the body of the semiconductor wafer storage container, the first operating rod has a function of pressing the long side of the clamp piece toward the rear of the body, the first and second operating rods have a function of clamping the inclined upright portion of the clamp piece at a distance, and the second operating rod has a function of pressing the short side of the clamp piece toward the rear of the body. a first operating rod pressing the short side of the clamp piece toward the rear of the body to engage the crank portion of the clamp piece with the front of the flange portion of the precision substrate storage container, and when the door set is removed from the body of the semiconductor wafer storage container, a first operating rod pressing the short side of the clamp piece toward the door set to pull the crank portion of the clamp piece away from the front of the flange portion of the precision substrate storage container, a first operating rod pressing the inclined upright portion of the clamp piece toward the door set, and a clamp piece rotating to retract the inclined upright portion of the clamp piece from between the first and second operating rods.

3. 3. A fixing kit for a precision substrate storage container as described in claim 2, wherein the fixing base of the clamping mechanism is formed into an approximately U-shape that clamps and holds the clamp piece so as to be freely rotatable, and this fixing base is formed with an attitude control unit that directs the crank portion of the clamp piece diagonally upward and forward.

4. 3. A fixing kit for a precision substrate storage container according to claim 2, wherein the first and second operating rods of the interlocking operating mechanism are each formed to have a substantially circular cross section, and the second operating rod is positioned lower than the first operating rod.

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