FOUP door wet cleaning method

Abstract

This provides a wet cleaning method for FOUP doors. [Solution] The wet cleaning method for a FOUP door according to the present invention includes the steps of positioning the door horizontally, exposing the inner surface of the door having an annular airtight rubber ring facing upward, exposing the outer surface having a plurality of functional slots facing downward, and supplying a cleaning solution to clean the inner surface and the airtight rubber ring of the door from top to bottom. The cleaning path of the cleaning solution is designed to prevent it from passing through the outer surface and the functional slots, thereby preventing the cleaning solution from flowing into the interior of the door and forming a liquid pool that cannot be easily removed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a cleaning technology for a FOUP (Front Opening Unified Pod), and more particularly, to a wet cleaning method for the door of a FOUP.

Background Art

[0002] The FOUP according to the present invention refers to a front-opening type FOUP (FOUP) commonly used in factories, and the FOUP is configured to lock a door with a hollow shell. In a semiconductor process, the FOUP is often used to accommodate wafers, filled with a special gas, and then transported to each processing station by an overhead hoist (OHT) to perform a process on the semiconductor wafer. In addition, the FOUP has also been used to accommodate substrates, panels, or other precision elements, and can be transported to each processing station using a hoist to perform necessary process operations.

[0003] Taking semiconductor processes as an example, the basic structure and specifications of the FOUP are already standardized and limited. Figures 1a to 1c show the structure of the FOUP 10, which includes a shell 11 and a door 12. Figure 1a shows the shell 11 and the door 12 lock as a single unit. Figure 1b shows the door 12 being unlocked from the shell 11 and then separated from each other. The shell 11 has a substantially hollow quadrilateral shape and is enclosed within a case body to form a storage chamber 16, and an opening 13 that communicates with the storage chamber 16 and is open to the outside. The storage chamber 16 is enclosed by an inner wall 110, which has multilayer slots 111 for positioning chips, and one end wall of the shell 11 has a flange 15 (commonly known as a mushroom head) for a crane to grasp. The door 12 has a substantially quadrilateral shape and is covered to lock into the opening 13 of the shell 11. As shown in both Figures 1b and 1c, the door 12 has an outer surface 121 that is exposed to the outside of the shell 11, an inner surface 122 located at the opposite end of the outer surface 121 and housed within the shell, and an end wall 123 that extends from the four sides of the inner surface 122 and is formed to enclose it, with the end wall 123 enclosing the four sides of the outer surface 121.

[0004] More specifically, as shown in Figure 1b, the end wall 123 has a plurality of engaging projections 17 that are positioned to protrude and used to engage the door 12 with the shell 11. Each of the engaging projections 17 is assembled within a hole 171 and is movable to extend and retract within the end wall 123. Furthermore, between the outer surface 121 and the inner surface 122, there is an inner chamber 125 for housing a lock release mechanism (not shown), and an interlocking relationship is configured between the lock release mechanism and the engaging projections 17 to control the extension and retraction of the engaging projections 17 within the end wall 123. Also, as further shown in Figure 1b, the outer surface 121 has a plurality of functional slots A that communicate with the inner chamber 125, and each of the functional slots A is provided with a pair of keyholes A1, a pair of positioning holes A2, and a plurality of drainage holes A3. The end wall is provided with a plurality of holes that communicate with the inner chamber, and each of the holes has an engaging projection that protrudes outward to engage with the shell.

[0005] The paired keyhole A1 is used to insert a paired external key, which, in conjunction with the unlocking mechanism, causes the engaging projection 17 of the hole 171 to retract into the end wall 123, thereby opening the door 12 of the shell 11. Relatively, the door 12 can engage with the opening 13 of the shell 11 in a locking manner by extending the engaging projection 17. The hole 171 is in communication with the inner chamber 125, which allows the engaging projection 17 to be linked with the unlocking mechanism.

[0006] Furthermore, the pair of positioning holes A2 are used to position the door 12 on the workbench of the machining process, or to position the FOUP 10 of the locked shell 11 and the door 12. Multiple drainage holes A3 are connected to the inner chamber 125 to drain any liquid accumulation within the inner chamber 125 (details will be described later). Additionally, some conventional doors 12 have additional slot holes (not shown) in the end wall 123 that communicate with the inner chamber 125.

[0007] More specifically, as shown in Figure 1c, the inner surface 122 has an annular airtight rubber ring 14 for maintaining an airtight seal when the door 12 and the shell 11 are locked and joined together. The inner surface 122 of the door 12 also has a plurality of slots 124 that form a corresponding layer to the slots 111 in the storage chamber 16 and are capable of positioning the chip.

[0008] The FOUP 10 needs to undergo a cleaning process after being used for a certain period of time. The cleaning process includes, in sequence, washing, dewatering, and drying steps, and is used to remove harmful substances accumulated or remaining on the shell 11 and door 12. The harmful substances include particulate matter, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), sulfur dioxide (SO2), amines, acids, ammonia (NH3), etc. The FOUP can have the harmful substances removed through the cleaning process, thereby maintaining the yield in the processing process of the elements (e.g., wafers) of the process. In this way, in the process of transporting the elements of the FOUP 10 to the processing station, there is often a dedicated cleaning station provided for cleaning the FOUP 10, which is used to perform the cleaning steps of the FOUP 10.

[0009] The washing station generally contains at least one washing machine for performing the washing steps in the washing process, and the same washing machine is capable of performing wet washing, dewatering, and drying steps. The washing machine has a washing chamber for placing the FOUP 10 to be washed, and further has a fluid conduit for supplying washing liquid and ejecting gas, and a heating element for supplying thermal energy for drying.

[0010] To explain in more detail, before cleaning, the door 12 and shell 11 of the FOUP 10 are first unlocked and separated, then transported into the cleaning machine by an automated device such as a robotic arm, and cleaned with the cleaning solution, gas, and heating element.

[0011] In the present invention, we explored the prior art, which involves wet cleaning of the door 12 and shell 11 using a cleaning fluid within the cleaning machine. In other words, according to the prior art, the door 12 and shell 11 are placed in the cleaning chamber of the same cleaning machine and cleaned simultaneously with a fluid, or the door 12 and shell 11 are separated and cleaned individually using the cleaning chambers of multiple cleaning machines.

[0012] Furthermore, the factory's process operators require a high level of cleanliness for the walls and surfaces surrounding the storage chamber 16 in order to maintain the process quality of the processed goods (e.g., wafers). In other words, to prevent the processed goods contained within the storage chamber 16 from being contaminated by the hazardous substances, the cleanliness requirements for the inner surface 122 of the door 12 (including the slot 124) and the airtight rubber ring 14, as well as the inner wall 110 of the shell 11 (including the slot 111), are higher than those for the outer surface 122 of the door 12 and the outer wall of the shell 11.

[0013] As shown in Figure 2a, a conventional type of FOUP cleaning machine 21 can be positioned in the cleaning chamber 210 with the opening 13 of the shell 11 facing downwards, and the door 12 is positioned at a distance from one side of the shell 11 so as to be upright, with the inner surface 122 of the door 12 close to the shell 11 and the outer surface 121 spaced apart from the shell 11. Furthermore, multiple nozzles 211, 212, and 213 are laid in the cleaning chamber 210 between the inner surface 122 and the outer wall 11 of the shell 11, around the outer wall 11 of the shell 11, and inside the storage chamber 16, respectively, and cleaning fluid is supplied synchronously to clean the door 12 and the shell 11. [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0014] However, some of the nozzles 211 of the multiple nozzles are distributed between the inner surface 122 and the shell 11, and can simultaneously clean the inner surface 122, the airtight rubber ring 14 above it, and the outer wall 11 of the shell 11 in a lateral direction, where high cleanliness is required. However, in the wet cleaning process, the cleaning liquid is scattered in all directions within the cleaning chamber 210, and the inner surface 122 and airtight rubber ring 14 of the door 12, where high cleanliness is required, are cleaned adjacent to the outer wall 11 of the shell 11. Therefore, in the cleaning process, the inner surface 122 and airtight rubber ring 14 were prone to cross-contamination by the cleaning liquid splashed from the outer wall 11 of the shell. Furthermore, since the outer surfaces 121 of the multiple functional slots A (see Figure 1b) are exposed and facing outwards, the cleaning fluid does not directly come into contact with them. However, the cleaning fluid that splashes in all directions within the cleaning chamber 210 flows into the inner chamber 125 and accumulates through the keyhole A1 and drain hole A3 of the outer surface 121 shown in Figure 1b, and the holes 171 or other through-holes in the end wall 123. Also, because the door 12 is cleaned in an upright manner, it is inconvenient to discharge the cleaning fluid accumulated in the inner chamber 125 through the holes 171. Moreover, when a large amount of cleaning fluid accumulates in the inner chamber 125, the cleaning time becomes longer when the door undergoes sequential blow-drying and drying by a heating element after cleaning. This results in a lack of cleaning efficiency for the door 12, or the cleaning time for the door 12 being too long, and improvements were strongly desired.

[0015] As shown in Figure 2b, another conventional type of FOUP cleaning machine 22 differs from the cleaning machine shown in Figure 2a in that, within the cleaning chamber 220, the door 12 is positioned horizontally above the shell 11, the inner surface 122 of the door 12 is facing downwards and the outer surface 121 is facing upwards, and some of the nozzles 221 of the multiple nozzles 221 and 222 are used to spray cleaning fluid from bottom to top to clean the inner surface 122 and the airtight rubber ring 14, where a high level of cleanliness is required.

[0016] However, the inner surface 122 and airtight rubber ring 14 of the door 12, which require high cleanliness, are cleaned adjacent to the outer wall 11 of the shell 11 facing downwards. Therefore, during the cleaning process, the inner surface 122 and airtight rubber ring 14 were easily cross-contaminated by cleaning fluid splashed from the outer wall 11 of the shell. In addition, although the outer surfaces 121 of the multiple functional slots A (see Figure 1b) are exposed and facing upwards, preventing direct contact with the cleaning fluid, the cleaning fluid that splashes in all directions within the cleaning chamber 210 flows into the inner chamber 125 through the keyhole A1, drain hole A3 of the outer surface 121, and the holes 171 or other through holes of the end wall 123 and accumulates. Furthermore, since both the drain hole A3 and keyhole A1 are facing upwards, it becomes even more difficult to discharge the cleaning fluid accumulated in the inner chamber 125. Furthermore, if a large amount of cleaning fluid accumulates in the inner chamber 125, the cleaning process is followed by blow-drying and drying with a heating element, but the time required for cleaning increases. Consequently, the cleaning efficiency of the door 12 does not improve, and there is a problem that cleaning the door 12 takes too long, and improvements are needed.

[0017] This invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and one of its objectives is to solve the problems described above. Specifically, the present invention aims to provide a wet cleaning method for FOUP doors. In other words, in the process of cleaning a FOUP door with a cleaning solution as shown in Figures 1a to 1c, the present invention overcomes the technical problem of minimizing the amount of cleaning solution accumulated inside the door, or smoothly discharging the cleaning solution accumulated inside the door to the outside through the drain hole. [Means for solving the problem]

[0018] To achieve the above objective, a wet cleaning method for a FOUP door according to one aspect of the present invention includes the steps of: positioning the door horizontally, exposing the inner surface having the annular airtight rubber ring upward, and exposing the outer surface having the functional slot downward; defining a door cleaning path from top to bottom, and supplying a cleaning fluid to clean the inner surface and the airtight rubber ring of the door along the door cleaning path. The door cleaning path excludes passing through the outer surface and the functional slot, and the door is positioned on a pair of fasteners so as to be cleaned by the cleaning fluid, the fasteners shielding the engaging projection and the hole so as not to come into contact with the cleaning fluid.

[0019] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the door cleaning path is defined to include at least one of the vertical and diagonal directions, running from top to bottom.

[0020] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the wet cleaning method is carried out in a cleaning chamber, and the cleaning fluid supplied to the door cleaning path is supplied from a plurality of door nozzles arranged in the cleaning chamber. The cleaning chamber has a support frame for arranging the door, and the fasteners are arranged around the four sides of the horizontal plane of the support frame.

[0021] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the fastener is engaged with the door in such a way that it flips over when subjected to gravity as the door is positioned. When the gravity that caused the door to be positioned is released, the fastener automatically flips over to its original position due to the torque generated by the weight of the fastener itself, thereby releasing the door.

[0022] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the fastener can be replaced by a holder that does not generally obstruct the engaging projection and the hole, as long as it generates an engagement action when the door is positioned.

[0023] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the steps include: positioning the shell horizontally so that the shell opens downwards to an opening that locks the door and positions the shell below the door; defining an inner wall cleaning path for the shell from inside out, defining an outer wall cleaning path for the shell from outside in, supplying cleaning fluid to clean the inner wall of the shell along the inner wall cleaning path, and supplying cleaning fluid to clean the outer wall of the shell along the outer wall cleaning path, such that the outer wall of the shell is adjacent to the outer surface of the door and spaced apart from the inner surface of the door. Furthermore, the cleaning fluid supplied to the door cleaning path, the inner wall cleaning path for the shell, and the outer wall cleaning path for the shell is supplied from a plurality of nozzles arranged around the four sides of the cleaning chamber. In a further embodiment, the cleaning chamber has a support frame for layering the door and the shell, and the fasteners are arranged around the four sides of the horizontal plane of the support frame. [Effects of the Invention]

[0024] As the present invention is configured as described above, it produces the following effects. 1. The inner surface and airtight rubber ring of the door, which require a high level of cleanliness, are directly cleaned from top to bottom with a cleaning solution while facing upwards, and the cleaning solution is kept away from the outer wall of the shell, where it is prone to splashing, thereby preventing cross-contamination of the inner surface and airtight rubber ring of the door by the cleaning solution. 2. By orienting the outer surface of the door having the functional slot downwards, the door facilitates the discharge of cleaning fluid that has unnecessarily flowed into the interior of the door, thereby improving the problem that the blow-drying and heat-drying processes performed after wet cleaning of the door are time-consuming. 3. The fastener has the ability to open and close the opening by swinging under its own weight, contributing to the simplification of the fastener's structure in a wet cleaning environment. 4. The fasteners are capable of blocking the cleaning fluid and, after the door is in place, can laterally block the cleaning fluid from flowing into the interior through holes in the end wall of the door or other through-holes.

[0025] From the descriptions in the following specification and drawings, at least the following matters will become clear.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0026] [Figure 1a] It is an external perspective view showing a FOUP according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 1b] It is an exploded view showing the FOUP shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 1c] It is a schematic view of the door of the FOUP shown in FIG. 1b turned over. [Figure 2a] It is a cross-sectional view of cleaning the box frame and door of the FOUP with a conventional (first-generation) cleaning machine. [Figure 2b] It is a cross-sectional view of cleaning the box frame and door of the FOUP with a conventional (next-generation) cleaning machine. [Figure 3] It is a flowchart showing the implementation of a wet cleaning method for the door of a FOUP according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4a] FIG. 3 is an operation explanatory view of the cleaning machine used. [Figure 4b] FIG. 3 is an operation explanatory view of the cleaning machine used. [Figure 4c] FIG. 3 is an operation explanatory view of the cleaning machine used. [Figure 5a] It is an inclined view showing a preferred embodiment of the holder (fastening fitting) shown in FIG. 4a. [Figure 5b] It is an explanatory view of the usage state of the holder (fastening fitting) shown in FIG. 5a. [Figure 5c] It is an explanatory view of the usage state of the holder (fastening fitting) shown in FIG. 5a. [Figure 5d] It is an explanatory view of the usage state of the holder (fastening fitting) shown in FIG. 5a. [Figure 6] It is a flowchart showing the implementation of a wet cleaning method for the door of a FOUP according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7a] FIG. 6 is an exploded view of the cleaning machine used. [Figure 7b]Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the washing machine used. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0027] Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and various modifications are possible within the scope described. Embodiments obtained by appropriately combining the technical means disclosed in different embodiments are also included within the technical scope of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 3 shows a preferred execution process of the wet cleaning method that the present invention performs on the door 12 of the FOUP 10 shown in Figures 1a to 1c. Figures 4a to 4c further illustrate the details of the implementation of the wet cleaning process shown in Figure 3.

[0029] As shown in Figure 4a, the washing machine 30 according to the present invention is dedicated to performing a washing process on the FOUP (FOUP). The washing process includes wet washing, dewatering, and drying steps. In the present invention, the step in which the washing machine 30 performs wet washing on the FOUP 10 shown in Figure 1b will be described. Before performing wet washing on the FOUP 10, the lock is released and the door 12 and the shell 11 are separated. As shown in Figure 4a, the washing machine 30 is mainly used to perform wet washing on the door 12 alone.

[0030] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4a, the washing machine 30 is configured to have a washing chamber 31 enclosed by a case, the washing chamber 31 is in communication with the outside air and houses a hollow support frame 32 on which the door 12 is mounted, and the support frame 32 has a horizontal surface S for housing the door 12. In an applicable embodiment, the washing machine 30 is equipped with a hatch that can open and close the washing chamber 31, the support frame 32 is driven by a lifting mechanism to move in and out of the hatch and the washing chamber 31, and the support frame 32 is equipped with a hatch door for closing the hatch when the support frame 32 enters the washing chamber 31. Furthermore, a plurality of door nozzles 33 capable of supplying the cleaning fluid are fixed at intervals on the upper layer of the cleaning chamber 31, and the support frame 32 is driven by a transmission device to rotate within the cleaning chamber 31, which drives the door 12 inside the support frame 32 to rotate, and the door 12 is thoroughly cleaned by the cleaning fluid ejected from the door nozzles 33. In addition, the door nozzles 33 are attached to the support frame 32 and rotate within the cleaning chamber 31 following the support frame 32, while ejecting cleaning fluid to clean the door 12.

[0031] Figures 4b to 4c sequentially disclose the implementation details of steps S10 to S20 shown in Figure 3, and include the following steps. <Step S10>: Position the door horizontally. As shown in Figures 4b to 4c, this step involves transporting the door 12 using an automated device such as a robotic arm, and exposing the inner surface 122 of the door 12 having the airtight rubber ring 14 facing upwards, thereby positioning the door 12 horizontally on the horizontal plane S of the support frame 32. The door 12 extends from the support frame 32 to the outside of the hatch of the washing machine 30, or when the hatch is opened to expose the horizontal plane S of the support frame 32, the door 12 is inserted into the horizontal plane S and positioned horizontally on the support frame 32.

[0032] More specifically, the horizontal plane S is formed by a plurality of pairs of holders 40 arranged at intervals around the support frame 32, enclosing the door. Alternatively, the plurality of pairs of holders 40 are arranged at intervals around the support frame 32 and enclose the door, based on relative positions on the end wall 123 of the door 12 having the engaging projection 17 and its hole 171, or relative positions on the end wall 123 having other through holes communicating with the inner chamber 125, thereby forming the horizontal plane S, which allows the door 12 to be peacefully placed on the plurality of holders 40 and stably maintained to remain stationary horizontally. The term "horizontal" refers to the general range of the horizontal plane of the ground surface.

[0033] The holder 40 can be implemented to have a calibrated horizontal reference plane and to have a groove shape with corresponding positions for arranging the door 12, as well as for fitting the end wall 123 and / or outer surface 121 of the door 12, thereby achieving the effect of horizontal arrangement. In another preferred embodiment, the holder 40 can be implemented as a fastener with a waterproof function.

[0034] As shown in Figures 5a to 5c, the holder 40 is implemented as a preferred embodiment that has a waterproof function, that is, the holder 40 is a swingable fastener. As shown in Figures 5a and 5b, the fastener (i.e., the holder 40) is formed so that the engaging arm 41 and the base arm 42 are integrally extended in such a manner that the gripping angle θ approximates or is equal to 90°, and the fastener 40 has an L-shaped slot block shape. A stopper surface 410 is formed on one side of the engaging arm 41, and a support surface 420 is formed on one side of the base arm 42, the gripping angle θ is formed between the stopper surface 410 and the support surface 420, and an L-shaped opening 44 is formed between the stopper surface 410 and the support surface 420. Furthermore, the stopper surface 410 of the engaging arm 41 may have a accommodating space 45 for accommodating an engaging projection 17 that protrudes from the end wall 123 of the door 12, and the frame area of ​​the stopper surface 410 is larger than the hole 171 or other shielding through-hole. In a convertible embodiment, the stopper surface 410 may be formed in one of the following forms: gate-shaped, pi-shaped, inverted U-shaped, or straight-line, and the accommodating space 45 is enclosed inside or at the bottom of the stopper surface 410.

[0035] Furthermore, the fastening fitting 40 may have a pivot 43 and a stopper portion 46 formed thereon, and the pivot 43 has a pivot hole or pivot shape, so that the fastening fitting 40 can be pivotally attached to the support frame 32 by the pivot 43. Moreover, the pivot 43 may be installed at the location where the engaging arm 41 and the base arm 42 are connected, or at a location close to the base arm 42, so that arms of force are formed between the centers of mass of the engaging arm 41 and the base arm 42 and the pivot 43. Incidentally, due to the action of atmospheric pressure, the engaging arm 41 and the base arm 42 each generate torque around the pivot 43. In the present invention, the torque M1 generated by the engaging arm 41 is designed to be greater than the torque M2 generated by the base arm 42, so that the fastener 40, under the influence of atmospheric pressure and in the absence of other external forces, can automatically swing due to its own weight and form an opening 44 that faces upward (see Figure 5b). By designing the volumetric weight of the engaging arm 41 and the base arm 42 and the length of the force arm between their respective centers of mass and the pivot 43, it is possible to achieve an effect in which the torque M1 of the engaging arm 41 is greater than the torque M2 of the base arm 42.

[0036] Furthermore, the stopper portion 46 protrudes from one side of the fastening fitting 40, and a stopper 35 is installed on the support frame 32 that extends near the fastening fitting 40. The stopper 35 can limit the swing inclination angle of the fastening fitting 40 when the fastening fitting 40 swings back and forth.

[0037] Specifically, when the torque M1 generated by the weight of the engaging arm 41 is greater than the torque M2 generated by the weight of the base arm 42, and the fastener 40 swings under its own weight so that the placement opening 44 opens upward (see Figure 5b), the stopper 35 contacts the outer wall on one side of the engaging arm 41 and is used to limit the swing angle of the fastener 40. The placement opening 44, which is open upward, is used to place the door 12, and the weight (mg) of the door 12 itself presses against the support surface 420 of the base arm 42, causing the fastener 40 to swing. The stopper portion 46 is locked by the stopper 35 and can limit the swing angle of the fastener 40, and is used to maintain the door 12 in a horizontal position after placement (see Figure 5c). Furthermore, after cleaning, when the automatic device removes the door 12 from the cleaning chamber 31, the fastener 40 swings automatically due to the gravity of the door 12, releasing the door 12. The fastener 40 swings automatically back to its original position as shown in Figure 5b because the torque M1 generated by the weight of the engaging arm 41 is greater than the torque M2 generated by the weight of the base arm 42.

[0038] Then, in the state shown in Figure 5c, the door 12 is positioned on the fastening bracket 40, the fastening bracket 40 is locked to the end wall 123 of the door 12 by the stopper surface 410 and fitted onto the outer surface 121 of the door 12 by the support surface 420. The stopper surface 410 can completely cover the hole 171 in the end wall 123 of the door 12, or other through holes in the end wall 123 that communicate with the inner chamber 125, and the engaging projection 17 can be accommodated in the housing space 45, so that the door 12 is positioned horizontally (see Figure 4b) at the positioning opening 44 of the fastening bracket 40 located around the horizontal plane S of the support frame 32 (see Figures 4c and 5c). The fastening bracket 40 not only allows the door 12 to be positioned horizontally, but also has the function of blocking the cleaning fluid from flowing into the inner chamber 125 through the hole 171 in the end wall 123 of the door 12 and accumulating therein. The fastening bracket 40 also has the additional function of shielding the engaging projection 171 and its hole 171 from contact with the cleaning fluid. Figure 5d shows another embodiment of the fastening bracket 40, in which a cushion 50 is placed on the stopper surface 410 adjacent to the positioning opening 44, and the cushion 50 is fixed by adhesive or fitting. The cushion 50 exhibits suitable anti-slip and waterproof properties when the end wall 123 of the door 12 is locked.

[0039] <Step S20>: Clean the inside of the door from top to bottom. As shown in Figure 4c, the multiple door nozzles 33 laid on the upper layer of the cleaning chamber 31 spray cleaning fluid from top to bottom, following the direction of gravity, and this is defined as the door cleaning path L1, which is the path through which the multiple door nozzles 33 spray cleaning fluid from top to bottom. The direction of the door cleaning path L1 may include at least one of the vertical and diagonal directions. Since the inner surface 122 and airtight rubber ring 14 of the door 12, which require high cleanliness, are both facing upward, the inner surface 122 and airtight rubber ring 14 are less likely to be cross-contaminated by the cleaning fluid by being spaced apart from the outer wall 112 of the shell 11, where the cleaning fluid is likely to splash. Furthermore, the inner surface 122 and the end wall 123 can be directly cleaned by the cleaning fluid sprayed along the door cleaning path L1 to remove harmful substances adhering to the inner surface 122 and airtight rubber ring 14.

[0040] Furthermore, because the outer surface 121 of the positioned door 12 is facing downwards, the multiple functional slots A (see Figure 1b) exposed on the outer surface 121 are open downwards and are not cleaned by the cleaning fluid ejected from the door cleaning path L1. In this way, the door cleaning path L1 is defined that excludes passage through the outer surface 121 and the functional slots A. In addition, because the inner chamber 125 of the door 12 has multiple partial functional slots A that are open downwards, in the cleaning chamber 31, partial cleaning fluid that is sprayed or scattered in other directions does not flow into the inner chamber 125 via the functional slots A and the holes 171, and the cleaning fluid is smoothly discharged due to the characteristic of the inner chamber 125 being open downwards. In addition, the fastening fitting 40 further has the additional function of shielding the engaging projection 17 and the hole 171 so that the cleaning fluid does not come into contact with them. Therefore, the present invention can prevent the cleaning fluid from accumulating in the inner chamber 125 of the door 12, and the problem of requiring time for subsequent blow-drying and heat-drying does not occur.

[0041] In the above description, the fastening fitting 40 is an optional addition. In other words, for example, using the holder without the fastening fitting 40, which does not swing under its own weight and does not obstruct the engaging projection 17 and the hole 171, is also included within the scope of application envisioned by the present invention.

[0042] Furthermore, the fastener 40 does not only shield the engaging projection 17 and the hole 171 on the end wall 123 of the door 12. In other words, for example, even if the end wall 123 of the door 12 has through holes for other decoration or functions that require waterproofing, the fastener 40 can position the door 12 while shielding the through holes with such decoration or functions. Naturally, the fastener 40 may be positioned in a location that does not shield the through holes for such decoration or functions in the end wall 123, and its sole function of positioning the door 12 is also within the scope of applications envisioned by the present invention.

[0043] Next, Figure 6 is a flowchart illustrating a wet cleaning method for the door of a FOUP according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention. Then, Figure 7a is an exploded view of the cleaning machine used in Figure 6. Figure 7b is a cross-sectional view of the cleaning machine used in Figure 6. As shown in Figures 7a and 7b, another cleaning machine 300 is used to wet clean the door 12 and the shell 11 of the FOUP 10 simultaneously.

[0044] The washing machine 300 shown in Figure 7a differs from the washing machine 30 shown in Figures 4a to 4c in that the hollow support frame 320 housed within the washing chamber 310 can accommodate both the door 12 and the shell 11. Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, the door 12 can be housed using the upper space of the support frame 320, and the shell 11 can be housed using the lower space of the support frame 320. In this way, as shown in Figure 4a, the horizontal plane S and the holder 40 (or fastener) can be positioned in the upper space of the support frame 320, and multiple pairs of holders 400 (or fasteners) (see Figure 7a) suitable for arranging the shell 11 can be simultaneously positioned in the lower space of the support frame 320.

[0045] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 7b, multiple door nozzles 33 capable of supplying cleaning fluid to the upper space are installed in the cleaning chamber 310, and multiple shell nozzles 34 capable of supplying cleaning fluid are further installed in the lower space of the cleaning chamber 310. The shell nozzles 34 consist of multiple outer shell nozzles 341 distributed around the lower space of the cleaning chamber 310, and multiple inner shell nozzles 342 distributed in the center of the lower space of the cleaning chamber 310. In addition, the implementation of the cleaning machine 300 shown in Figures 7a and 7b is substantially the same as the implementation of the cleaning machine 30 shown in Figures 4a to 4c.

[0046] As shown in Figures 7a and 7b, the present invention provides a washing machine that sequentially performs the actions of steps S100 to S300 shown in Figure 6. The invention comprises the following steps.

[0047] <Step S100>: Position the shell horizontally. This step involves, for example, using an automated device such as a robotic arm to transport the shell 11 and positioning it in a pair of holders 400 located in the lower space of the support frame 320 such that the shell 11 opens with the opening 13 facing downwards. The holders 400 have the function of stably maintaining the shell 11 so that it rests horizontally on the bottom edge, and the remaining details refer to the description of the prior embodiment shown in Figure 4a.

[0048] After positioning the shell 11, the shell nozzles 34 are positioned around the inside and outside of the shell 11. The outer wall nozzle 341 of the shell is positioned adjacent to the outer perimeter of the outer wall 112 of the shell 11, and the inner wall nozzle 342 of the shell is insertable into the storage chamber 16 of the shell 11 and corresponds to the inner wall 110 of the shell 11.

[0049] <Step S200>: Position the door horizontally. This step is substantially the same as step 10 of the above embodiment, but differs from step 10 of the above embodiment in that an automated device such as a robot arm can transport and place the shell 11 into the holder 400 in the lower space of the support frame 320 (i.e., after step S100 is completed), and then transport and place the door 12 into the fastener 40 in the upper space of the support frame 320. The implementation of placing the door 12 is the same as in step S10 of the above embodiment.

[0050] Incidentally, the order in which steps S100 and S200 described above are performed may be reversed or performed simultaneously. More specifically, the technical focus of the present invention is not on the structure and function of conventional automated devices such as robot arms, however, the shell 11 and the door 12 may be transported simultaneously or in multiple stages by the conventional gripping and transporting functions of automated devices such as robot arms, and the shell 11 and the door 12 may be positioned simultaneously or in multiple stages, and all of these are also included within the convertible application range of the present invention.

[0051] By positioning both the door 12 and the shell 11 in accordance with the above description, the shell 11 can be positioned below the door 12, the outer wall 112 of the shell 11 can be positioned adjacent to the outer surface 121 of the door 12, and spaced apart from the inner surface 122 of the door 12 (see Figure 7b).

[0052] <Step S300>: Clean the exterior and interior walls of the shell, and the inside of the door. As shown in Figure 7b, the shell inner wall nozzle 342 can define a shell inner wall cleaning path L2 from the inside out, and the shell outer wall nozzle 341 can define a shell outer wall cleaning path L3 from the outside in, the shell inner wall nozzle 342 can supply cleaning fluid to clean the inner wall 110 of the shell 11 along the shell inner wall cleaning path L2, and the shell outer wall nozzle 341 can supply cleaning fluid to clean the outer wall 112 of the shell 11 along the shell outer wall cleaning path L3.

[0053] Furthermore, the inner surface 121 of the door 12 is cleaned by a plurality of door nozzles 33 spraying cleaning fluid from top to bottom along the door cleaning path L1, and the details of this are the same as in step 20 of the above embodiment.

[0054] The door nozzle 33 and shell nozzle 34 can be connected in series to a cleaning fluid supply pipeline, and the cleaning fluid can be supplied synchronously or in a reverse order to clean designated parts of the shell 11 and door 12.

[0055] In the configuration of the embodiment shown in Figures 7a to 7b, the cleaning fluid sprayed from the outer wall nozzles 34 of the shell surrounding the cleaning chamber 310 is sprayed onto the outer surface 121 and the plurality of functional slots A that are exposed downwards of the door 12 (see Figure 1b). However, the inner chamber 125 is able to smoothly discharge the cleaning fluid due to the characteristic that the functional slots A are open downwards, further preventing the accumulation of cleaning fluid in the inner chamber 125 of the door 12.

[0056] In summary, compared to the prior art, the present invention has the advantage of reducing the time required for subsequent blow-drying and heat-drying. In the above description, the terms top, bottom, inside, and outside are defined based on the positive direction of the article shown in each drawing.

[0057] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to these embodiments, and design modifications and the like are also included within the scope of the gist of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0058] 10 FOUP 11 Shells 110 Inner wall 111 slots 124 slots 112 Exterior Wall 12 doors 121 Exterior 122 Inner self 123 End wall 125 Inner room 13 Opening 14. Airtight rubber ring 15 Flange 16 Storage Room 17 Engagement protrusion 171 Hole 21 FOUP washing machine 22 FOUP washing machine 210 Washing Room 220 Washing Room 211 Nozzles 212 nozzles 213 Nozzles 221 Nozzles 222 nozzles 30 Washing machines 300 washing machines 31 Washing Room 310 Washing Room 32 Support Frame 320 Support Frame 33 Door Nozzle 34 Shell Nozzle 341 Shell exterior nozzle 342 Shell inner wall nozzle 35 Stopper 40 Holder (fastener) 400 Holder (fastener) 41 Engagement Arm 410 Stopper surface 42 Base Arm 420 Support surface 43 Pivot 44 Placement port 45 storage spaces 46 Stopper part 50 cushions A Function Slot A1 Keyhole A2 Positioning hole A3 drain hole L1 Door Cleaning Route L2 Shell Inner Wall Cleaning Route L3 Shell exterior wall cleaning route M1 Torque M2 Torque S horizontal plane S10 Step S20 Step S100 Step S200 Step S300 Step Θ inclusion angle

Claims

1. A wet cleaning method for the door of a FOUP, wherein the FOUP comprises a door and a shell for locking the door, the door having an inner chamber, an outer surface exposed to the outside of the shell, an inner surface located at the opposite end of the outer surface and housed within the shell, and end walls enclosing the outer surface and the inner surface on all four sides, wherein the outer surface has a plurality of functional slots communicating with the inner chamber, the inner surface has an annular airtight rubber ring that is airtightly coupled to the shell, the end walls have a plurality of holes communicating with the inner chamber, each of which has an engaging projection that protrudes outward for engaging with the shell, and the door is unlocked and separated from the shell, The steps include: positioning the door horizontally, exposing the inner surface having the airtight rubber ring upwards, and exposing the outer surface having the functional slot downwards; The wet cleaning method is performed, which includes the steps of defining a door cleaning path from top to bottom and supplying a cleaning solution to clean the inner surface of the door and the airtight rubber ring along the door cleaning path. A wet cleaning method for a FOUP door, characterized in that the door cleaning path excludes passing through the outer surface and the functional slot, the door is positioned on a pair of fasteners so that it is cleaned by a cleaning solution, and the fasteners shield the engaging projection and the hole so that the cleaning solution does not come into contact with them.

2. The wet cleaning method for a FOUP door according to claim 1, characterized in that the door cleaning path is defined to include at least one of a vertical direction and a diagonal direction from top to bottom.

3. A wet cleaning method for the door of a FOUP according to claim 1, characterized in that the cleaning is performed in a cleaning chamber and the cleaning fluid supplied to the door cleaning path is supplied from a plurality of door nozzles located in the cleaning chamber.

4. The method for wet cleaning a door of a FOUP according to claim 3, characterized in that the cleaning chamber has a support frame for arranging the door, and the fasteners are arranged around the four sides of the horizontal plane of the support frame.

5. The method for wet cleaning a door of a FOUP according to claim 1, characterized in that the fastener is engaged with the door in such a way that it flips over when subjected to gravity when the door is positioned, and when the gravity when the door is positioned is released, the fastener automatically flips over to its original position due to the torque generated by the weight of the fastener itself, thereby releasing the door.

6. The wet cleaning method for a FOUP door according to claim 1, wherein the end wall further has at least one through hole communicating with the interior chamber, and the fastener further shields the through hole so that the cleaning fluid does not come into contact with it.

7. The steps include positioning the shell horizontally so that the shell opens downwards to the opening that locks the door, and positioning the shell below the door, A wet cleaning method for a FOUP door according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of defining an inner wall cleaning path for the shell from the inside out, defining an outer wall cleaning path for the shell from the outside in, supplying a cleaning fluid to clean the inner wall of the shell along the inner wall cleaning path for the shell, and supplying a cleaning fluid to clean the outer wall of the shell along the outer wall cleaning path for the shell, wherein the outer wall of the shell is adjacent to the outer surface of the door and spaced apart from the inner surface of the door.

8. A wet cleaning method for a door of a FOUP according to claim 7, characterized in that the shell is positioned first, and then the door is positioned.

9. A wet cleaning method for the door of a FOUP according to claim 7, characterized in that the cleaning fluid, which is carried out in the cleaning chamber and supplied to the door cleaning path, the shell inner wall cleaning path, and the shell outer wall cleaning path, is supplied from a plurality of nozzles arranged around the four sides of the cleaning chamber.

10. The method for wet cleaning a door of a FOUP according to claim 9, wherein the cleaning chamber has a support frame on which the door and the shell are arranged in layers, and the fasteners are arranged on all four sides of the horizontal plane of the support frame.

11. A wet cleaning method for the door of a FOUP, wherein the FOUP comprises the door and a shell for locking the door, the door having an outer surface exposed to the outside of the shell and an inner surface located at the opposite end of the outer surface and residable within the shell, the outer surface having a plurality of functional slots, the inner surface having an annular airtight rubber ring that is airtightly coupled to the shell, and the door being unlocked and separated from the shell, The steps include: positioning the door horizontally, exposing the inner surface having the airtight rubber ring upwards, and exposing the outer surface having the functional slot downwards; A wet cleaning method for a FOUP door, characterized by performing the wet cleaning method, which includes the steps of defining a door cleaning path from top to bottom, supplying cleaning fluid to clean the inner surface and airtight rubber ring of the door along the door cleaning path, and ensuring that the door cleaning path does not pass through the outer surface and the functional slot.

12. The wet cleaning method for a FOUP door according to claim 11, characterized in that the door cleaning path is defined to include at least one of a vertical direction and a diagonal direction from top to bottom.

13. A wet cleaning method for a FOUP door according to claim 11, characterized in that the cleaning is performed in a cleaning chamber and the cleaning fluid supplied to the door cleaning path is supplied from a plurality of nozzles located in the cleaning chamber.

14. The wet cleaning method for a FOUP door according to claim 13, characterized in that the cleaning chamber has a support frame for arranging the door.

15. The steps include: positioning the shell horizontally, so that the shell opens downwards to the opening that locks the door, and positioning the shell below the door; A wet cleaning method for a FOUP door according to claim 11, further comprising the steps of defining an inner wall cleaning path for the shell from the inside out, defining an outer wall cleaning path for the shell from the outside in, supplying a cleaning fluid to clean the inner wall of the shell along the inner wall cleaning path for the shell, and supplying a cleaning fluid to clean the outer wall of the shell along the outer wall cleaning path for the shell, wherein the outer wall of the shell is adjacent to the outer surface of the door and spaced apart from the inner surface of the door.

16. A wet cleaning method for a door of a FOUP according to claim 15, characterized in that the shell is positioned first, and then the door is positioned.

17. A wet cleaning method for the door of a FOUP according to claim 15, characterized in that the cleaning fluid, which is carried out in the cleaning chamber and supplied to the door cleaning path, the shell inner wall cleaning path, and the shell outer wall cleaning path, is supplied from a plurality of door nozzles arranged around the four sides of the cleaning chamber.

18. The wet cleaning method for a FOUP door according to claim 17, characterized in that the cleaning chamber has a support frame for arranging the door and the shell in separate layers.

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