Panel storage container

Abstract

To provide a panel storage container capable of suppressing deterioration of the sealing property of a container body during transportation.SOLUTION: A panel storage container includes a container body 2 for storing panels, a handle 4 for transport provided on a side wall 23 of the container body 2, and screws 72 and pins 73 for fixing the handle 4 to the side wall 23, the screws 72 and pins 73 extending in the left-right direction across the handle 4 and the side wall 23.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a panel enclosure. [Background technology]

[0002] Panel storage containers for storing multiple panels are known. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a substrate storage container that includes a container body for storing multiple substrates, a lid for closing the opening of the container body, and a pair of top flanges fixed to the top surface of the container body. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2023-70578 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the substrate storage container described in Patent Document 1, the top flanges are fixed to the container body by screwing them to support columns provided on the top surface of the container body. The arms of a transport device are inserted under the pair of top flanges, and the arms apply an upward force to the top flanges, thereby lifting and transporting the substrate storage container. At this time, the top surface to which the top flanges are fixed is subjected to an upward pulling force in accordance with the weight of the substrate storage container. This can cause the top surface to deform, potentially reducing the airtightness of the container body.

[0005] The present disclosure describes a panel storage container that can suppress deterioration in the sealing performance of the container body during transportation. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A panel storage container according to one aspect of the present disclosure comprises a container body for storing panels, a transport handle provided on a side wall of the container body, and a fastening member for fixing the handle to the side wall, the fastening member extending in the left-right direction across the handle and the side wall.

[0007] In this panel storage container, the handle is fixed to the side wall by a fastening member that extends laterally across the handle and the side wall of the container body. Therefore, for example, when a transport device lifts the panel storage container by the handle, the handle exerts an upward pulling force on the side wall where the handle is fixed, in accordance with the weight of the panel storage container. In other words, the force acts on the side wall in a direction along the side wall, suppressing deformation of the side wall. As a result, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the airtightness of the container body during transport.

[0008] The handle may have a handle body extending in the front-rear direction, a support portion extending downward from the handle body, and a fixing portion provided at the lower end of the support portion and fixed to the side wall in the left-right direction. The side wall may have a housing portion that houses the fixing portion. The fixing portion may be fixed to the side wall by a fastening member while housed in the housing portion. In this case, the mounting position of the handle is determined simply by housing the fixing portion of the handle in the housing portion of the side wall. This improves the ease of assembly of the panel storage container.

[0009] The fixing portion may protrude in the front-rear direction beyond the support portion. The storage portion may include a pair of walls extending vertically and spaced apart in the front-rear direction to accommodate the fixing portion, a pair of locking pieces provided at the upper ends of the pair of walls and protruding toward each other in the front-rear direction, and a base provided between the pair of walls and having a fastening hole through which a fastening member is inserted. The distance between the tips of the pair of locking pieces in the front-rear direction may be longer than the length of the support portion in the front-rear direction or shorter than the length of the fixing portion in the front-rear direction. Due to loosening of the fastening member, the fixing portion stored in the storage portion may attempt to move upward relative to the side wall. In this case, interference between the fixing portion and the pair of locking pieces increases the likelihood that the fixing portion will remain in the storage portion. This reduces the likelihood that the container body will fall off during transportation.

[0010] The container body may have a flange defining an opening for inserting and removing the panel from the container body. The storage portion may store the fastening portion so that the outer edge of the handle is positioned at the same position as or inside the outer edge of the flange in the left-right direction. If a standard specifies a maximum length in the left-right direction for a panel storage container, the standard can be met without reducing the capacity of the container body.

[0011] The panel storage container may further include another fastening member that secures the handle to the side wall and extends in the left-right direction across the handle and the side wall. The fastening member may be a screw, and the other fastening member may be a pin. In this case, the handle is positioned in the up-down and front-to-back directions by the pin, and in the left-right direction by the screw. Therefore, the handle is more firmly secured to the side wall, further reducing the possibility of the container body falling off during transport.

[0012] The handle may be a one-piece molded part, which reduces the number of parts that make up the panel storage container, thereby improving the ease of assembly of the panel storage container. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the sealing property of the container body during transportation. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a panel storage container according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the handle shown in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the top plate and side wall shown in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a perspective view for explaining the attachment of the handle shown in FIG. 1 to the container body. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the mounting portion of the handle. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a cross section taken along line VI-VI in FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a plan view of the panel storage container 1 shown in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same elements are given the same reference numerals, and duplicated explanations will be omitted. Each drawing shows an XYZ coordinate system. The Y-axis direction is a direction that intersects (here, perpendicular to) the X-axis direction and the Z-axis direction. The Z-axis direction is a direction that intersects (here, perpendicular to) the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. As an example, the X-axis direction is the left-right direction (width direction), the Y-axis direction is the front-back direction (depth direction), and the Z-axis direction is the up-down direction (height direction). For convenience of explanation, the terms "front," "rear," "up," "down," "left," and "right" are used, but are not limited to these directions.

[0016] A panel storage container according to one embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a panel storage container according to one embodiment. The panel storage container 1 shown in FIG. 1 is a container for storing a plurality of panels. The panel storage container 1 complies with, for example, the SEMI (Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International) standard. Examples of panels include glass substrates for liquid crystal panels and panels equipped with electronic components. The panels have a rectangular shape. Examples of panel sizes include 510 mm x 515 mm and 600 mm x 600 mm. The number of panels that can be stored in the panel storage container 1 is determined arbitrarily and may be, for example, 6, 12, 16, or 24.

[0017] The panel storage container 1 is used, for example, in a manufacturing device for manufacturing electronic component assemblies. Electronic component assemblies are manufactured through a process of mounting a large number of electronic components on a large carrier panel such as a glass plate or a stainless steel plate, sealing these electronic components with epoxy resin or the like, peeling the sealed electronic components from the carrier panel in panel form, and cutting out the panel-shaped electronic components individually. The panel storage container 1 is used to transport panels between these processes.

[0018] The panel storage container 1 includes a container body 2, a lid body 3, and a pair of handles 4.

[0019] The container body 2 is a rectangular parallelepiped container with an open front (front face). In other words, the container body 2 is a front-open box-type container with an opening 2a on the front face. The container body 2 stores panels. Specifically, the container body 2 stores multiple panels stacked vertically with gaps between them. The panels are inserted into and removed from the container body 2 through the opening 2a.

[0020] The container body 2 includes a top plate 21 , a bottom plate 22 , a pair of side walls 23 , a rear wall 24 , and a flange 25 .

[0021] The top plate 21, the bottom plate 22, the side walls 23, and the rear wall 24 are rectangular plate materials. The top plate 21 and the bottom plate 22 face each other in the up-down direction and are disposed substantially parallel to each other. The pair of side walls 23 face each other in the left-right direction and are disposed substantially parallel to each other. The rear wall 24 faces the cover 3 in the front-rear direction when the cover 3 closes the opening 2a. Any two adjacent members of the top plate 21, the bottom plate 22, the side walls 23, and the rear wall 24 are connected by fastening members such as screws. The top plate 21, the bottom plate 22, the pair of side walls 23, and the rear wall 24 define an internal space 20 for storing multiple panels.

[0022] The top plate 21, bottom plate 22, and side walls 23 are made of, for example, a metal material such as aluminum or stainless steel. The rear wall 24 is made of, for example, a transparent resin material that allows the internal space 20 to be seen from the outside of the container body 2. A portion of the rear wall 24 may be made of a transparent resin material. Examples of transparent resin materials include acrylic resin, polycarbonate, vinyl chloride resin, and cycloolefin polymer. The top plate 21 and side walls 23 will be described in detail below.

[0023] The flange 25 is a rectangular frame body that is provided across the front end of the top plate 21, the front end of the bottom plate 22, and the front ends of the pair of side walls 23. The flange 25 defines the opening 2a. The flange 25 is made of, for example, the above-mentioned resin material or a metal material such as aluminum or stainless steel. Two locking holes 25h are provided in each of the upper and lower frame portions of the flange 25, spaced apart in the left-right direction. The locking holes 25h in the upper frame portion and the locking holes 25h in the lower frame portion are provided in positions that face each other in the up-down direction.

[0024] The lid 3 is a member for closing the opening 2a of the container body 2. The lid 3 airtightly closes the opening 2a of the container body 2 via a sealing member such as a gasket. The lid 3 is detachably attached to a flange 25 that defines the opening 2a. When the lid 3 closes the opening 2a, it faces the panel housed in the container body 2 in the front-to-rear direction. The lid 3 includes a lid main body 31, a cover member 32, and a locking mechanism 33.

[0025] The lid main body 31 is the main body of the lid body 3. The lid main body 31 is a rectangular plate material. The lid main body 31 is made of a metal material such as aluminum or magnesium alloy. The lid main body 31 may be made of a thermoplastic resin such as polycarbonate resin. The cover member 32 is a member that covers the front surface of the lid main body 31. The cover member 32 is a rectangular plate material. The cover member 32 is made of a resin material such as polycarbonate. The cover member 32 is provided with a keyhole 32h. A key (not shown) is inserted into the keyhole 32h.

[0026] The locking mechanism 33 locks or unlocks the lid 3 by operating a key inserted in the keyhole 32h. The locking mechanism 33 includes a latch (not shown). With the lid 3 attached to the flange 25, the latch is inserted into the locking hole 25h provided in the flange 25 by operating the key, thereby locking the lid 3. With the lid 3 locked, the latch is pulled out of the locking hole 25h by operating the key, thereby unlocking the lid 3.

[0027] The pair of handles 4 are members for transport and are used when the transport device transports the panel storage container 1. The handles 4 are also called robotic flanges (top flanges). The pair of handles 4 are provided on the pair of side walls 23, respectively. The transport device can use the pair of handles 4 to lift and transport the panel storage container 1. The handles 4 will be described in detail later.

[0028] The container body 2, the lid 3, and the handle 4 are formed by combining multiple parts molded from metal or resin materials. Examples of resins contained in the molding material for the resin material include thermoplastic resins. Examples of thermoplastic resins include polycarbonate, cycloolefin polymer, polyetherimide, polyetherketone, polyetheretherketone, polybutylene terephthalate, polyacetal, liquid crystal polymer, acrylic resins such as polymethyl methacrylate, and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene copolymer. Alloys of these resins may also be used as the resin contained in the molding material for the resin material.

[0029] Conductive materials and various antistatic agents may be added to these resins. Examples of conductive materials include carbon fibers, carbon powder, carbon nanotubes, and conductive polymers. Examples of antistatic agents that can be used include anionic, cationic, and nonionic antistatic agents. Benzotriazole-based, salicylate-based, cyanoacrylate-based, oxalic acid anilide-based, and hindered amine-based ultraviolet absorbers may also be added. Glass fibers or carbon fibers that improve rigidity may also be added selectively.

[0030] The panel storage container 1 further includes a plurality of support members 61, a plurality of support members 62, and a plurality of holders 63 as a mechanism for supporting the panels.

[0031] Each support member 61 is a member for supporting the center portion of the panel in the left-right direction. Each support member 62 is a member for supporting the end portion of the panel in the left-right direction. Each support member 61, 62 includes a columnar (e.g., cylindrical) shaft extending in the front-rear direction and a plurality of annular (e.g., annular) elastic bodies provided on the outer circumferential surface of the shaft around the axis of the shaft.

[0032] The rear end of the shaft is fixed to the inner surface of the rear wall 24. The shaft is made of, for example, a material with high bending rigidity. Examples of materials for the shaft include metals such as stainless steel and aluminum, and carbon fiber reinforced plastic. The length of the shaft of the support member 62 in the front-to-rear direction is slightly longer than the length of the panel in the front-to-rear direction, and is longer than the length of the shaft of the support member 61 in the front-to-rear direction. Each elastic body is provided to prevent the panel from slipping and improve the positioning accuracy of the panel. Each elastic body is made of, for example, a rubber material. Examples of rubber materials include EPDM (ethylene propylene diene rubber), silicone rubber, and fluororubber. The multiple elastic bodies are arranged at regular intervals in the extension direction of the shaft.

[0033] The number of support members 61 and support members 62 varies depending on the number of panels that can be stored in the panel storage container 1. In this embodiment, the panel storage container 1 includes one support member 61 and two support members 62 per panel. In other words, one support member 61 and two support members 62 form a storage stage that stores one panel. In the left-right direction, one support member 61 is arranged between two support members 62.

[0034] Each holder 63 is a member that holds (supports) the shaft of the support member 62 and supports the left-right end of the panel. An insertion hole that penetrates the holder 63 in the front-rear direction is provided at the tip portion of the holder 63, and the shaft of the support member 62 is inserted through the insertion hole. The base end portion of the holder 63 is fixed to the inner surface of the side wall 23.

[0035] Next, the handle 4 will be described in detail with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the handle shown in Fig. 1. As shown in Fig. 2, each handle 4 includes a handle main body 41, a support portion 42, and a fixing portion 43. Each handle 4 is an integrally molded product.

[0036] The handle body 41 is the part on which an upward force is applied by the transport device. The handle body 41 has a plate-like shape that is arranged substantially parallel to the top plate 21. The handle body 41 extends in the front-to-rear direction. At both the front and rear ends of the handle body 41, through-holes 41a that penetrate the handle body 41 in the up-and-down direction are provided. The through-holes 41a are used to position the arms of the transport device. An outer edge 41b located on the outside of the left-to-right ends of the handle body 41 is located slightly outside the end of the top plate 21 at which the handle 4 is provided, and extends along that end.

[0037] The support portion 42 is a portion that supports the handle body 41. The support portion 42 is provided on the underside of the handle body 41 and extends downward from the handle body 41. The support portion 42 has a columnar (e.g., cylindrical) shape. In this embodiment, the handle 4 includes three support portions 42 that are arranged at substantially equal intervals in the front-to-rear direction.

[0038] The fixing portion 43 is a portion that is fixed to the side wall 23 in the left-right direction. The fixing portion 43 is provided at the lower end of the support portion 42 and extends downward from the lower end of the support portion 42. The fixing portion 43 has a rectangular plate shape that extends in the up-down and front-rear directions. The fixing portion 43 protrudes in the front-rear direction further than the support portion 42. In other words, the length L2 (see FIG. 5) of the fixing portion 43 in the front-rear direction is longer than the length L1 (see FIG. 5) of the support portion 42 in the front-rear direction. The front end of the fixing portion 43 is located forward of the front edge of the support portion 42, and the rear end of the fixing portion 43 is located rearward of the rear edge of the support portion 42.

[0039] The fixing portion 43 is provided with a through hole 43a that passes through the fixing portion 43 in the left-right direction. A screw 72 (fastening member) described below is inserted into the through hole 43a. The inner surface of the fixing portion 43 that faces the side wall 23 is provided with a pin hole 43b into which a pin 73 (fastening member, another fastening member) described below is fitted (press-fitted). The pin hole 43b is recessed from the inner surface of the fixing portion 43 toward the outer surface of the fixing portion 43, and the portion of the outer surface corresponding to the pin hole 43b protrudes outward in a columnar shape.

[0040] Next, the top plate 21 and the side wall 23 will be described in detail with reference to Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the top plate and the side wall shown in Fig. 1.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 3, the tabletop 21 has a main body 21a, a front end 21b, a rear end 21c, and a pair of side end portions 21d. The main body 21a is the portion that forms the main body of the tabletop 21 and has a rectangular plate shape that extends in the left-right and front-rear directions. The front end portion 21b is a plate-like portion that is provided along the entire front edge of the main body 21a and stands upward from the front edge of the main body 21a. The front end portion 21b has a plurality of insertion holes that penetrate the front end portion 21b in the front-rear direction. Fastening members such as screws used to connect the tabletop 21 and the flange 25 are inserted into these insertion holes.

[0042] The rear end portion 21c includes a plate-shaped portion 21e extending upward from the rear edge of the main body portion 21a, and a plurality of female thread portions 21f used to fasten the rear wall 24. The plate-shaped portion 21e is provided along the entire rear edge of the main body portion 21a. Each female thread portion 21f protrudes forward from the plate-shaped portion 21e.

[0043] The pair of side end portions 21d are portions provided along the left and right side edges of the main body portion 21a. Each side end portion 21d is provided with a plurality of insertion holes that penetrate the side end portion 21d in the up-down direction. Fastening members 71, such as screws, used to connect the top plate 21 and the side wall 23 are inserted into these insertion holes. Each side end portion 21d is provided with a recess 21g into which the support portion 42 is inserted. In this embodiment, each side end portion 21d is provided with three recesses 21g arranged in the front-rear direction. Each recess 21g is recessed in the left-right direction toward the side edge of the main body portion 21a.

[0044] The side wall 23 has a main body portion 23a, a front end portion 23b, a rear end portion 23c, an upper end portion 23d, and a lower end portion 23e. The main body portion 23a is a portion that forms the main body of the side wall 23 and has a rectangular plate shape that extends in the up-down and front-rear directions. The front end portion 23b is a plate-like portion that is provided along the entire front edge of the main body portion 23a and extends from the front edge of the main body portion 23a toward the outside of the container body 2. The front end portion 23b has a plurality of insertion holes that penetrate the front end portion 23b in the front-rear direction. Fastening members such as screws used to connect the side wall 23 and the flange 25 are inserted into these insertion holes.

[0045] The rear end portion 23c includes a plate-shaped portion 23f extending from the rear edge of the main body portion 23a toward the outside of the container body 2, and a plurality of female screw portions 23g used to fasten the rear wall 24. The plate-shaped portion 23f is provided along the entire rear edge of the main body portion 23a. Each female screw portion 23g protrudes forward from the plate-shaped portion 23f.

[0046] The upper end portion 23d includes a plate-shaped portion 23h that extends from the upper edge of the main body portion 23a toward the outside of the container body 2, and a plurality of female screw portions 23i that are used to fasten the top plate 21. The plate-shaped portion 23h is provided along the upper edge of the main body portion 23a. Each female screw portion 23i protrudes downward from the plate-shaped portion 23h.

[0047] The upper end portion 23d further includes the same number of accommodating portions 50 as the number of fixing portions 43 included in one handle 4. The accommodating portions 50 are portions that accommodate the fixing portions 43. The accommodating portions 50 will be described in detail later.

[0048] In this embodiment, the side wall 23 has a shape that is symmetrical from top to bottom. That is, the lower end 23e has the same shape as the upper end 23d, and therefore a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0049] Next, the storage section 50 will be described in detail with further reference to Figs. 4 to 7. Fig. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the attachment of the handle shown in Fig. 1 to the container body. Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of the attachment portion of the handle. Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing a cross section taken along line VI-VI in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the panel storage container 1 shown in Fig. 1.

[0050] As shown in FIGS. 3 to 6, the storage section 50 includes a base section 51, a pair of side walls 52, a bottom wall section 53, and a pair of locking pieces .

[0051] The base 51 is a portion that abuts against the inner surface of the fixing portion 43. The base 51 has an abutment surface 51a that abuts against the inner surface of the fixing portion 43. The abutment surface 51a is located more inward than the outer surface of the main body 23a. In other words, the abutment surface 51a is closer to the internal space 20 in the left-right direction than the outer surface of the main body 23a. A screw hole 51b (fastening hole) and a pin hole 51c (fastening hole) are provided in the abutment surface 51a. The screw hole 51b is recessed from the abutment surface 51a toward the internal space 20. A thread is provided on the inner circumferential surface of the screw hole 51b. A screw 72 is inserted into and screwed into the screw hole 51b. The pin hole 51c is recessed from the abutment surface 51a toward the internal space 20. A pin 73 is press-fitted into the pin hole 51c.

[0052] That is, the panel storage container 1 further includes a screw 72 and a pin 73. Each of the screw 72 and the pin 73 is a fastening member that fixes the handle 4 to the side wall 23, and extends in the left-right direction across the handle 4 (fixing portion 43) and the side wall 23 (base portion 51).

[0053] The pair of side walls 52 extend in the up-down direction and are spaced apart in the front-to-rear direction so as to be able to accommodate the fixing part 43. The pair of side walls 52 are provided along both front and rear end edges of the base 51, standing outward from the abutment surface 51a. In other words, the base 51 is provided between the pair of side walls 52. The bottom wall 53 extends in the left-right direction and connects the lower ends of the pair of side walls 52. The bottom wall 53 is provided along the lower edge of the base 51, standing outward from the abutment surface 51a. An accommodation space V that accommodates the fixing part 43 is defined by the base 51, the pair of side walls 52, and the bottom wall 53.

[0054] The pair of locking pieces 54 are provided on the upper ends of the pair of side wall portions 52 and protrude toward each other in the front-rear direction. The distance L3 between the tips of the pair of locking pieces 54 in the front-rear direction is longer than the length L1 of the support portion 42 in the front-rear direction and shorter than the length L2 of the fixing portion 43 in the front-rear direction.

[0055] 7, the accommodation portion 50 accommodates the fixing portion 43 so that the outer edge of the handle 4 (the outer edge 41b of the handle main body 41) is positioned at the same position as or inside the outer edge 25a of the flange 25 in the left-right direction. The fixing portion 43 is fixed to the side wall 23 by screws 72 and pins 73 while accommodated in the accommodation space V of the accommodation portion 50.

[0056] Next, the assembly procedure for the top plate 21, side wall 23, and handle 4 will be described. As shown in Fig. 3, the side end 21d of the top plate 21 is placed on the upper end 23d of the side wall 23 so that the tips of the pair of locking pieces 54 and the inner circumferential surface of the recess 21g overlap in the vertical direction. Then, the shank of the fastening member 71 is inserted into a through-hole provided in the side end 21d and inserted into and screwed into the female thread portion 23i. This connects the top plate 21 and the side wall 23.

[0057] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 4 , with one end of the pin 73 fitted (press-fitted) into the pin hole 51c of the base 51, the support portion 42 is inserted between the recess 21g and the pair of locking pieces 54 from the outside in the left-right direction, and the fixing portion 43 of the handle 4 is accommodated in the accommodation space V from the outside in the left-right direction. At this time, the fixing portion 43 is pushed toward the abutment surface 51a of the base 51 until the inner surface of the fixing portion 43 abuts against the abutment surface 51a, thereby fitting (press-fitting) the other end of the pin 73 into the pin hole 43b. This fixes the handle 4 in the up-down direction and the front-rear direction. Then, the shank of the screw 72 is inserted through the through hole 43a and inserted into the screw hole 51b and screwed into it. As a result, the fixing portion 43 is sandwiched between the head of the screw 72 and the base 51 in the left-right direction, and the handle 4 is fixed in the left-right direction. In this manner, the handle 4 is attached to the side wall 23.

[0058] In the panel storage container 1 described above, the handle 4 is fixed to the side wall 23 by a screw 72 and a pin 73 that extend in the left-right direction across the handle 4 and the side wall 23. Therefore, for example, when a transport device uses the handle 4 to lift the panel storage container 1, a force that the handle 4 pulls the side wall 23 acts upward on the portion of the side wall 23 to which the handle 4 is fixed (the base 51 of the storage section 50) in accordance with the weight of the panel storage container 1. In other words, the force acts on the side wall 23 in a direction along the side wall 23, and deformation of the side wall 23 is suppressed. As a result, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the airtightness of the container body 2 during transport.

[0059] The handle 4 is positioned in the up-down and front-rear directions by the pin 73, and in the left-right direction by the screw 72. Therefore, compared to when either the screw 72 or the pin 73 is used, the handle 4 is more firmly fixed to the side wall 23, which reduces the possibility of the container body 2 falling off during transport.

[0060] The fixing portion 43 of the handle 4 is fixed to the side wall 23 by the screws 72 and the pins 73 while housed in the housing space V of the housing unit 50. With this configuration, the attachment position of the handle 4 is determined simply by housing the fixing portion 43 in the housing space V of the housing unit 50. This improves the ease of assembly of the panel storage container 1.

[0061] The fixing portion 43 housed in the housing portion 50 may attempt to move upward relative to the side wall 23 due to loosening of the screws 72, falling off of the pins 73, and the like. In the panel storage container 1, the distance L3 between the tips of the pair of locking pieces 54 in the front-to-rear direction is longer than the length L1 of the support portion 42 in the front-to-rear direction and shorter than the length L2 of the fixing portion 43 in the front-to-rear direction. Therefore, when the fixing portion 43 moves upward, the fixing portion 43 interferes with the pair of locking pieces 54 and cannot pass between them. This increases the likelihood that the fixing portion 43 will remain in the housing space V of the housing portion 50. As a result, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the container body 2 will fall off during transportation.

[0062] The SEMI standard specifies the maximum length of the panel storage container 1 in the left-right direction. For example, if the handle 4 is attached to the outer surface of the main body 23a of the side wall 23, the outer edge (outer edge 41b) of the handle 4 is positioned outside the outer edge 25a of the flange 25 in the left-right direction. In this case, the maximum length of the panel storage container 1 in the left-right direction is the distance between the outer edges 41b of the pair of handles 4. Therefore, if the maximum length of the panel storage container 1 in the left-right direction were to satisfy the SEMI standard, the distance between the pair of side walls 23 would be shorter, and the capacity of the container body 2 would be smaller. For example, there is a risk that the container body 2 would not be able to store panels.

[0063] To address this issue, in the panel storage container 1, the storage portion 50 stores the fixing portion 43 so that the outer edge 41b of the handle 4 is positioned at the same position as or inside the outer edge 25a of the flange 25 in the left-right direction. Specifically, since the abutment surface 51a of the base 51 is positioned inside the outer surface of the main body portion 23a, the outer edge 41b is positioned at the same position as or inside the outer edge 25a. Therefore, the container body 2 can comply with the SEMI standard without reducing its capacity.

[0064] For example, when a handle is attached to the top plate 21 of the container body 2, a support part corresponding to the support part 42 of the handle 4 is fixed to the top plate 21 with a fastening member such as a screw, and a part corresponding to the handle body 41 is fixed to the support part with a fastening member such as a screw. In other words, the handle is made up of multiple individual parts. On the other hand, in the panel storage container 1, the handle 4 is attached to the side wall 23 of the container body 2. In other words, since the screws 72 and the pins 73 connect the fixing part 43 and the base part 51 in the left-right direction intersecting with the extension direction (up-down direction) of the support part 42, an integrally molded product can be used as the handle 4. Therefore, the number of parts that make up the panel storage container 1 is reduced, and the assembly of the panel storage container 1 can be improved.

[0065] The panel storage container according to the present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiment.

[0066] As long as the handle 4 is fixed to the side wall 23, the panel housing 1 may include either the screw 72 or the pin 73.

[0067] The handle 4 does not have to be a one-piece molded product. For example, the handle body 41 may be a separate component, and the handle body 41 may be fixed to the upper end of the support portion 42 by a fastening member such as a screw.

[0068] The accommodation portion 50 does not have to include the pair of locking pieces 54. In this case, the length L2 in the front-rear direction of the fixing portion 43 may be substantially the same as the length L1 in the front-rear direction of the support portion 42, or may be shorter than the length L1.

[0069] The side wall 23 may not include the receiving portion 50, and the fixing portion 43 of the handle 4 may be fixed to the outer surface of the main body portion 23a.

[0070] In the above embodiment, the container body 2 is formed by connecting the individual components of the top plate 21, bottom plate 22, side wall 23, rear wall 24, and flange 25. The structure of the container body 2 is not limited to a structure in which the individual components are connected. For example, the container body 2 may be an integrally molded product. Alternatively, the top plate 21, bottom plate 22, side wall 23, and rear wall 24 may be integrally molded, and the flange 25 may be an individual component.

[0071] The panel storage container 1 may be used without the handles 4 attached. Therefore, the panel storage container 1 does not necessarily have to include the pair of handles 4.

[0072] (Addendum) [Article 1] a container body for storing the panel; a carrying handle provided on a side wall of the container body; a fastening member for fixing the handle to the side wall, the fastening member extending in the left-right direction across the handle and the side wall; A panel storage container comprising:

[0073] [Clause 2] The handle includes a handle body extending in the front-rear direction, a support portion extending downward from the handle body, and a fixing portion provided at a lower end of the support portion and fixed to the side wall in the left-right direction, the side wall has a receiving portion that receives the fixing portion, The panel storage container described in clause 1, wherein the fixing portion is fixed to the side wall by the fastening member while being housed in the storage portion.

[0074] [Article 3] The fixing portion protrudes further in the front-rear direction than the support portion, The storage section is a pair of walls extending in the vertical direction and spaced apart from each other in the front-rear direction so as to be able to accommodate the fixing portion; a pair of locking pieces provided on upper ends of the pair of wall portions and protruding toward each other in the front-rear direction; a base portion provided between the pair of wall portions and having a fastening hole into which the fastening member is inserted; and A panel storage container as described in clause 2, wherein the distance between the tips of the pair of locking pieces in the front-to-rear direction is longer than the length of the support portion in the front-to-rear direction and shorter than the length of the fixing portion in the front-to-rear direction.

[0075] [Article 4] the container body has a flange defining an opening for inserting and removing the panel from the container body; The panel storage container according to clause 2 or clause 3, wherein the storage portion stores the fixing portion so that an outer edge of the handle is positioned at the same position as or inside an outer edge of the flange in the left-right direction.

[0076] [Article 5] The vehicle further includes another fastening member that fixes the handle to the side wall, the another fastening member extending in the left-right direction across the handle and the side wall, the fastening member is a screw, The panel storage container according to any one of clauses 1 to 4, wherein the other fastening member is a pin.

[0077] [Article 6] The panel storage container according to any one of clauses 1 to 5, wherein the handle is an integrally molded product. [Explanation of symbols]

[0078] 1...panel storage container, 2...container body, 2a...opening, 3...lid body, 4...handle, 21...top plate, 23...side wall, 25...flange, 25a...outer edge, 41...handle body, 41b...outer edge, 42...support part, 43...fixing part, 50...storage part, 51...base, 51b...screw hole (fastening hole), 51c...pin hole (fastening hole), 52...side wall part (wall part), 54...locking piece, 72...screw (fastening member), 73...pin (fastening member, another fastening member).

Claims

1. a container body for storing the panel; a carrying handle provided on a side wall of the container body; a fastening member for fixing the handle to the side wall, the fastening member extending in the left-right direction across the handle and the side wall; A panel storage container comprising:

2. The handle includes a handle body extending in the front-rear direction, a support portion extending downward from the handle body, and a fixing portion provided at a lower end of the support portion and fixed to the side wall in the left-right direction, the side wall has a receiving portion that receives the fixing portion, The panel storage container according to claim 1 , wherein the fixing portion is fixed to the side wall by the fastening member while being housed in the housing portion.

3. The fixing portion protrudes further in the front-rear direction than the support portion, The storage section is a pair of walls extending in the vertical direction and spaced apart from each other in the front-rear direction so as to be able to accommodate the fixing portion; a pair of locking pieces provided on upper ends of the pair of wall portions and protruding toward each other in the front-rear direction; a base portion provided between the pair of wall portions and having a fastening hole into which the fastening member is inserted; and The panel storage container according to claim 2 , wherein a distance between the tips of the pair of locking pieces in the front-rear direction is longer than a length of the support portion in the front-rear direction and shorter than a length of the fixing portion in the front-rear direction.

4. the container body has a flange defining an opening for inserting and removing the panel from the container body; 4. The panel storage container according to claim 2, wherein the storage portion stores the fixing portion so that an outer edge of the handle is positioned at the same position as or inside an outer edge of the flange in the left-right direction.

5. The vehicle further includes another fastening member that fixes the handle to the side wall, the another fastening member extending in the left-right direction across the handle and the side wall, the fastening member is a screw, The panel storage container according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the other fastening member is a pin.

6. The panel storage container according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the handle is an integrally molded product.

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