Substrate storage container and filter unit

Abstract

A substrate storage container 1 comprising a container body, a lid body, a seal member, and a filter unit 80 which includes: a ventilating path 801 providing communication between a substrate storage space and a space outside the container body; a filter 85 disposed in the ventilating path 801; and housings 81, 82, 83, 84 forming the ventilating path 801, the filter unit 80 being disposed in the container body and allowing passage of a gas via the filter 85 between the space outside the container body and the substrate storage space. A housing 93 accommodates: a valve body 99 capable of moving between a closing position and an opening position in an outer opening portion 903, the closing position closing the outer opening portion 903 and the opening position opening the outer opening portion 903; a biased member 96 having a tubular shape and connected to the valve body 99, the biased member 96 supported by the housing 93 so as to be movable in the housing 93 and guiding the movement of the valve body 99 so as to move integrally with the valve body 99; and a biasing member 97 biasing the biased member 96 so that the valve body 99 moves to the closing position.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a substrate storage container used for storing, preserving, transporting, and shipping substrates such as semiconductor wafers, and a filter unit provided in the substrate storage container. [Background technology]

[0002] BACKGROUND ART Substrate storage containers for storing substrates made of semiconductor wafers and transporting them in processes within a factory have conventionally been known that include a container body and a lid (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 to 6).

[0003] One end of the container body has an opening periphery where a container body opening is formed. The other end of the container body has a closed cylindrical wall. A substrate storage space is formed within the container body. The substrate storage space is surrounded by the wall and is capable of storing substrates. The lid is detachable from the opening periphery and is capable of closing the container body opening. The side substrate support portions are provided on the wall portions in pairs within the substrate storage space. When the container body opening is not closed by the lid, the side substrate support portions are capable of supporting the edges of adjacent substrates in a state where they are arranged side by side and spaced a predetermined distance apart.

[0004] A front retainer is provided on a portion of the lid that faces the substrate storage space when the container body opening is closed. The front retainer is capable of supporting the edge of the substrate when the container body opening is closed by the lid. A rear-side substrate support portion is provided on the wall portion so as to form a pair with the front retainer. The rear-side substrate support portion is capable of supporting the edge of the substrate. When the container body opening is closed by the lid, the rear-side substrate support portion cooperates with the front retainer to support the substrate, thereby holding the substrates in a state where adjacent substrates are spaced apart and aligned in parallel at a predetermined distance.

[0005] The container body is also provided with a check valve. Gas purging is performed through the check valve with an inert gas such as nitrogen or dry air with moisture removed (1% or less) (hereinafter referred to as purge gas) from outside the container body into the substrate storage space. The check valve prevents the gas filled into the substrate storage space by gas purging from leaking out. The check valve is also provided with a filter, which removes particles, organic matter, moisture, etc. contained in the gas flowing in from outside the container body through the filter.

[0006] The vent port equipped with a check valve is used as both an injection port and an exhaust port, and the role of the exhaust port is important for efficiently replacing the injected purge gas. However, at present, purge gas sometimes leaks from the sealing member (gasket) attached to the lid that engages with the opening of the container body, and from safety and environmental standpoints, how to discharge the injected purge gas from the exhaust port has become an important issue.

[0007] Conventional valve units, which are check valves on the exhaust port side, have a structure that opens when the internal pressure of the substrate storage container is applied. Because a spring is used to open and close the valve, the pressure that contracts the spring creates resistance when exhausting gas, which is one of the causes of purge gas leaking from the seal member installed on the lid. For this reason, the spring used on the exhaust side is required to operate at low pressure.

[0008] Furthermore, when the substrate storage container is used in a factory, the substrate storage container is cleaned. The valve seal of the valve unit is located on the inner surface of the cylindrical container inside the unit. A spring expansion space is required on the outside air side of the seal, but cleaning water can enter the spring expansion space from the opening on the outside air side, resulting in water remaining in the spring expansion space without being able to dry completely. Conventional techniques for addressing this problem are described in Patent Documents 5 and 6. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0009] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-021717 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-188609 [Patent Document 3] Special Publication No. 2018-505546 [Patent Document 4] Patent No. 4859065 [Patent Document 5] Special Publication No. 2002-521189 [Patent Document 6] Patent No. 4201583 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0010] The filter section that constitutes the check valve is an air intake filter section and an exhaust filter section. The substrate storage container has multiple access communication sections that connect the outside of the container with the inside of the container to inject gas from outside the container. The access communication sections are fitted with the filter housing of the filter section, and a check valve and an elastic member (spring) are arranged inside the housing to control the flow of gas in one direction.

[0011] In order to efficiently inject and exhaust purge gas in the filter section, the check valve and elastic member are required to minimize resistance to gas flow. On the other hand, because contaminants and particles adhere to the inside of the container, a cleaning device is used periodically to clean the substrate storage container with cleaning water in order to maintain cleanliness and performance. However, a side effect of eliminating the resistance of the check valve and elastic member as described above is that the water pressure during container cleaning and the air pressure during drying after cleaning can cause cleaning liquid to seep into the injection hole, resulting in the problem of long drying times.

[0012] Furthermore, in conventional filter sections, the valve element opens slightly, then immediately closes due to the pressure difference at the boundary of the valve element, which repeats this cycle over a short period of time, resulting in the problem of chattering noise.

[0013] In addition, the role of the exhaust filter is important for efficient gas purging using the purge gas injected into the container storage space. Also, from the viewpoint of safety and environmental protection in the factory, it is important to reliably recover the purge gas injected into the container storage space from the exhaust filter.

[0014] When a substrate storage container equipped with such an exhaust filter unit is used in a factory, the substrate storage container is cleaned with cleaning water, but with conventional exhaust filter units, the cleaning water easily seeps into the filter unit through the opening, resulting in the problem that the cleaning water remains inside the filter unit after cleaning without being completely dried. Furthermore, in order to dry the exhaust filter unit sufficiently, it is necessary to remove the exhaust filter unit from the container body, which is a time-consuming process.

[0015] Furthermore, in the structure described in Patent Document 5, when the valve is repeatedly opened and closed, the valve element that constitutes the valve may shake, causing the axis of the valve element to shift, which may result in poor sealing and leakage.

[0016] Furthermore, the structure described in Patent Document 6 is less likely to cause sealing defects due to misalignment of the axis, but there is a possibility that cleaning water may easily seep in from the opening on the outside air side. Also, because it is necessary to crush the O-ring on a flat surface, it is necessary to select a spring with a relatively high spring constant as the elastic body, which may result in a problem of poor efficiency in exhausting the purge gas.

[0017] The present invention aims to provide a substrate storage container and filter unit that are equipped with a filter unit that makes it difficult for cleaning water to enter the inside of the filter unit and that can suppress the generation of so-called rattle noises, or a substrate storage container and filter unit that are equipped with a filter unit that can efficiently perform gas purging using purge gas injected into the container storage space, or a substrate storage container and filter unit that can suppress purge gas leakage and prevent the efficiency of purge gas exhaust from decreasing. [Means for solving the problem]

[0018] The present invention provides a container body having an opening periphery at one end where a container body opening is formed and a cylindrical wall portion having a closed other end, the inner surface of the wall portion forming a substrate storage space capable of storing substrates and communicating with the container body opening; a lid body that is detachable from the opening periphery and can close the container body opening in a position surrounded by the opening periphery; and a seal that is attached to the lid body and can abut against the lid body and the opening periphery, and is interposed between the opening periphery and the lid body to abut tightly against the opening periphery and the lid body, thereby closing the container body opening together with the lid body. the housing has an outer opening that opens toward the space outside the container body, and the housing accommodates a valve body that is inserted into the outer opening to close the outer opening and that is removed from the outer opening to open the outer opening.

[0019] It is also preferable that the opening area of the opening end of the ventilation path that opens toward the space outside the container body is larger than the opening area of the outer opening into which the valve body is inserted.

[0020] It is also preferable that the housing comprises an outer housing portion and an inner housing portion arranged inside the outer housing portion and supported on the outer housing portion so as to be movable relative to the outer housing portion, and that the inner housing portion has the outer opening.

[0021] Preferably, the valve body has a valve body main body portion and a protrusion protruding from the valve body main body portion and inserted into the outer opening portion.

[0022] It is also preferable that the portion of the valve body main body around the convex portion constitutes a sealing portion, the inner housing portion has a cylindrical portion having an inner sliding surface along which the valve body main body slides to support the valve body main body, and the portion of the inner housing portion around the outer opening constitutes a valve seat against which the sealing portion abuts.

[0023] It is also preferable that the height of the protrusion in the protruding direction is the same as or greater than the length of the outer opening in the penetrating direction.

[0024] Preferably, the valve body main body is provided with a rib-like portion that slides in direct contact with the inner peripheral sliding surface.

[0025] Preferably, the filter section includes a biasing member that biases the valve body in a direction to insert the valve body into the outer opening.

[0026] The present invention also provides a container body having an opening periphery at one end where a container body opening is formed and a cylindrical wall portion having a closed other end, the inner surface of the wall portion forming a substrate storage space capable of storing substrates and communicating with the container body opening; a lid body that is detachable from the opening periphery and can close the container body opening in a position surrounded by the opening periphery; and a cylinder that is attached to the lid body and can abut against the lid body and the opening periphery, and is interposed between the opening periphery and the lid body to abut tightly against the opening periphery and the lid body, thereby closing the container body opening together with the lid body. and a filter section disposed in the container body of a substrate storage container having a filter member disposed in an air passage that can communicate the substrate storage space with a space outside the container body, and a housing that forms the air passage, the housing having an outer opening that opens toward the space outside the container body, the housing accommodating a valve body that is inserted into the outer opening to close the outer opening and that is removed from the outer opening to open the outer opening, and the filter section allows gas to pass between the space outside the container body and the substrate storage space through the filter.

[0027] It is also preferable that the opening area at the opening end of the outer opening that opens toward the space outside the container body is larger than the opening area of the outer opening into which the valve body is inserted.

[0028] It is also preferable that the housing comprises an outer housing portion and an inner housing portion arranged inside the outer housing portion and supported on the outer housing portion so as to be movable relative to the outer housing portion, and that the inner housing portion has the outer opening.

[0029] Preferably, the valve body has a valve body main body portion and a protrusion protruding from the valve body main body portion and inserted into the outer opening portion.

[0030] It is also preferable that the portion of the valve body main body around the convex portion constitutes a sealing portion, the inner housing portion has a cylindrical portion having an inner sliding surface along which the valve body main body slides to support the valve body main body, and the portion of the inner housing portion around the outer opening constitutes a valve seat against which the sealing portion abuts.

[0031] It is also preferable that the height of the protrusion in the protruding direction is the same as or greater than the length of the outer opening in the penetrating direction.

[0032] Preferably, the valve body main body is provided with a rib-like portion that slides in direct contact with the inner peripheral sliding surface.

[0033] Preferably, the filter section includes a biasing member that biases the valve body in a direction to insert the valve body into the outer opening.

[0034] The present invention also provides a container body having a cylindrical wall portion having an opening periphery at one end where a container body opening is formed and a substrate storage space communicating with the container body opening is formed by the inner surface of the wall portion, the container body opening being capable of storing a substrate; a lid body that is detachable from the opening periphery and capable of closing the container body opening in a positional relationship surrounded by the opening periphery; and a seal member that is attached to the lid body and can abut against the lid body and the opening periphery, and is interposed between the opening periphery and the lid body to abut tightly against the opening periphery and the lid body, thereby closing the container body opening together with the lid body; and a filter portion that has an air passage that can communicate the substrate storage space with a space outside the container body, a filter arranged in the air passage, and a housing that forms the air passage, and is arranged in the container body, and allows gas to pass between the space outside the container body and the substrate storage space through the filter; the filter section has an exhaust filter section that allows gas to circulate from the substrate storage space to the space outside the container body, and an air intake filter section that allows gas to circulate from the space outside the container body to the substrate storage space, the housing of the exhaust filter section has an outer opening that opens toward the space outside the container body, and the housing of the exhaust filter section accommodates a valve body that is inserted into the outer opening and is movable between a closed position in the outer opening that closes the outer opening and an open position that opens the outer opening, a biased member that is connected to the valve body and is supported by the housing of the exhaust filter section so as to be movable inside the housing of the exhaust filter section and that guides the movement of the valve body, and a biasing member that biases the biased member so that the valve body moves to the closed position, and the effective area of the filter of the exhaust filter section is larger than the effective area of the filter of the air intake filter section.

[0035] The valve body is preferably made of an elastically deformable material. The valve body is preferably detachably fixed to the biased member. The biased member is preferably formed with a gas flow passage through which gas can flow. The biasing member is preferably made of a spring, and the diameter of the spring is preferably larger than the diameter of the outer opening.

[0036] It is also preferable that the housing comprises an outer housing portion and an inner housing portion arranged inside the outer housing portion and supported on the outer housing portion so as to be movable relative to the outer housing portion, and that the inner housing portion has the outer opening.

[0037] It is also preferable that the forceable member comprises a forceable member main body portion having a valve body fixing portion to which the valve body is fixed, and the inner housing portion comprises a tubular portion having an inner sliding surface along which the forceable member main body portion slides and is supported, and an outer opening forming portion integrally molded with the tubular portion.

[0038] Furthermore, it is preferable that the outer opening has a tapered shape with a diameter increasing toward the space outside the container body, the valve body has a through hole blocking portion that blocks the outer opening in the blocking position, the outer surface of the through hole blocking portion has a tapered shape with a diameter increasing toward the space outside the container body, and the taper ratio of the outer surface of the through hole blocking portion per unit length in the axial direction of the through hole blocking portion is greater than the taper ratio of the outer opening per unit length in the axial direction of the outer opening.

[0039] The present invention also provides a container body comprising: a container body having an opening periphery at one end where a container body opening is formed; a cylindrical wall having a closed other end; an inner surface of the wall forming a substrate storage space capable of storing substrates and communicating with the container body opening; a lid that is detachable from the opening periphery and capable of closing the container body opening in a position surrounded by the opening periphery; and a seal member that is attached to the lid and can abut against the lid and the opening periphery, and is interposed between the opening periphery and the lid to abut tightly against the opening periphery and the lid, thereby closing the container body opening together with the lid; an air passage that can communicate the substrate storage space with a space outside the container body; a filter disposed in the air passage; and a seal member that forms the air passage. and a filter section that is disposed in the container body and allows gas to pass through the filter between the space outside the container body and the substrate storage space, the housing having an outer opening that opens toward the space outside the container body, and the housing accommodates: a valve element that is inserted into the outer opening and is movable between a closed position at the outer opening that closes the outer opening and an open position at the outer opening that opens the outer opening; a biased member that is cylindrical and connected to the valve element, is supported and guided by the housing so as to be movable inside the housing, and guides movement of the valve element so as to move integrally with the valve element; and a biasing member that biases the biased member so as to move the valve element to the closed position.

[0040] It is also preferable that the valve body is made of an elastically deformable material. It is also preferable that an O-ring is provided on the peripheral edge of the valve body. It is also preferable that the valve body is detachably fixed to the biased member. It is also preferable that the biased member has a gas flow passage through which gas can flow. It is also preferable that the biasing member is made of a spring, and the diameter of the spring is larger than the diameter of the outer opening.

[0041] It is also preferable that the housing comprises an outer housing portion and an inner housing portion arranged inside the outer housing portion and supported on the outer housing portion so as to be movable relative to the outer housing portion, and that the inner housing portion has the outer opening.

[0042] It is also preferable that the forceable member comprises a forceable member main body portion having a valve body fixing portion to which the valve body is fixed, and the inner housing portion comprises a tubular portion having an inner sliding surface along which the forceable member main body portion slides and is supported, and an outer opening forming portion integrally molded with the tubular portion.

[0043] Furthermore, it is preferable that the outer opening has a tapered shape with a diameter increasing toward the space outside the container body, the valve body has a through hole blocking portion that blocks the outer opening in the blocking position, the outer surface of the through hole blocking portion has a tapered shape with a diameter increasing toward the space outside the container body, and the taper ratio of the outer surface of the through hole blocking portion per unit length in the axial direction of the through hole blocking portion is greater than the taper ratio of the outer opening per unit length in the axial direction of the outer opening.

[0044] The present invention also provides a filter unit disposed in the container body of a substrate storage container, the filter unit comprising: a container body having an opening periphery at one end where a container body opening is formed and a cylindrical wall portion having a closed other end, wherein an inner surface of the wall portion forms a substrate storage space capable of storing substrates and communicating with the container body opening; a lid body that is detachable from the opening periphery and capable of closing the container body opening in a positional relationship surrounded by the opening periphery; and a seal member that is attached to the lid body and can abut against the lid body and the opening periphery, and is interposed between the opening periphery and the lid body to abut tightly against the opening periphery and the lid body, thereby closing the container body opening together with the lid body, the filter section includes a filter disposed in an air passage that can communicate a space outside the container body with the space outside the container body, and a housing that forms the air passage, the housing having an outer opening that opens toward the space outside the container body, and the housing accommodating a valve body that is inserted into the outer opening and is movable between a closed position in the outer opening that closes the outer opening and an open position that opens the outer opening, a tubular, connected to the valve body, supported and guided by the housing so as to be movable inside the housing, and guiding the movement of the valve body so as to move integrally with the valve body, and a biasing member that biases the biased member so as to move the valve body to the closed position.

[0045] It is also preferable that the valve body is made of an elastically deformable material. It is also preferable that an O-ring is provided on the peripheral edge of the valve body. It is also preferable that the valve body is detachably fixed to the biased member. It is also preferable that the biased member has a gas flow passage through which gas can flow. It is also preferable that the biasing member is made of a spring, and the diameter of the spring is larger than the diameter of the outer opening.

[0046] It is also preferable that the housing comprises an outer housing portion and an inner housing portion arranged inside the outer housing portion and supported on the outer housing portion so as to be movable relative to the outer housing portion, and that the inner housing portion has the outer opening.

[0047] It is also preferable that the forceable member comprises a forceable member main body portion having a valve body fixing portion to which the valve body is fixed, and the inner housing portion comprises a tubular portion having an inner sliding surface along which the forceable member main body portion slides and is supported, and an outer opening forming portion integrally molded with the tubular portion.

[0048] Furthermore, it is preferable that the outer opening has a tapered shape with a diameter increasing toward the space outside the container body, the valve body has a through hole blocking portion that blocks the outer opening in the blocking position, the outer surface of the through hole blocking portion has a tapered shape with a diameter increasing toward the space outside the container body, and the taper ratio of the outer surface of the through hole blocking portion per unit length in the axial direction of the through hole blocking portion is greater than the taper ratio of the outer opening per unit length in the axial direction of the outer opening. [Effects of the Invention]

[0049] According to the present invention, it is an object to provide a substrate storage container and filter unit having a filter unit that makes it difficult for cleaning water to enter the interior of the filter unit, or a substrate storage container having a filter unit that can efficiently perform gas purging using purge gas injected into the container storage space, or a substrate storage container and filter unit that can suppress purge gas leakage and prevent the efficiency of purge gas exhaust from decreasing. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0050] [Figure 1] 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a state in which a plurality of substrates W are stored in a substrate storing container 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2]1 is a top perspective view showing a container body 2 of a substrate storing container 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] 1 is a bottom perspective view showing a container body 2 of a substrate storing container 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 1 is a side cross-sectional view showing a container body 2 of a substrate storage container 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] 1 is a side cross-sectional view showing an air supply filter portion 80 of a substrate storing container 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view showing an air supply filter portion 80 of the substrate storage container 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] 1 is an exploded perspective view showing an air supply filter portion 80 of a substrate storing container 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] 1 is a side cross-sectional view showing an exhaust filter portion 90 of a substrate storage container 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing an exhaust filter portion 90 of the substrate storage container 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a side cross-sectional view showing an air supply filter portion 80A of a substrate storing container 1 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a bottom perspective view showing an air supply filter portion 80A of a substrate storing container 1 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view showing an air supply filter portion 80A of a substrate storing container 1 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a side cross-sectional view showing an exhaust filter portion 90B of a substrate storing container 1 according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a side cross-sectional view showing an exhaust filter portion 90C of a substrate storage container 1 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0051] Hereinafter, a substrate storage container 1 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a state in which a plurality of substrates W are stored in a substrate storage container 1. Fig. 2 is an upper perspective view showing a container body 2 of the substrate storage container 1. Fig. 3 is a lower perspective view showing the container body 2 of the substrate storage container 1. Fig. 4 is a side cross-sectional view showing the container body 2 of the substrate storage container 1.

[0052] For ease of explanation, the direction from the container body 2 to the lid 3 (described later) (the direction from the upper right to the lower left in FIG. 1) is defined as the front direction D11, and the opposite direction is defined as the rear direction D12, and these are collectively defined as the front-rear direction D1. Furthermore, the direction from the lower wall 24 to the upper wall 23 (described later) (the upward direction in FIG. 1) is defined as the upward direction D21, and the opposite direction is defined as the downward direction D22, and these are collectively defined as the up-down direction D2. Furthermore, the direction from the second side wall 26 to the first side wall 25 (described later) (the direction from the lower right to the upper left in FIG. 1) is defined as the leftward direction D31, and the opposite direction is defined as the rightward direction D32, and these are collectively defined as the left-right direction D3. Arrows indicating these directions are shown in the main drawings.

[0053] The substrates W (see FIG. 1) stored in the substrate storage container 1 are disc-shaped silicon wafers, glass wafers, sapphire wafers, etc., and are thin wafers used in industry. In this embodiment, the substrates W are silicon wafers with a diameter of 300 mm.

[0054] As shown in Fig. 1, substrate storage container 1 is used to store substrates W made of silicon wafers as described above and to transport them in processes within a factory, or as a shipping container for transporting substrates by land, air, sea, or other transportation means, and is composed of a container body 2 and a lid 3. Container body 2 has substrate support plate-shaped portions 5 and a rear-side substrate support portion 6 (see Fig. 2, etc.) as side substrate support portions, and lid 3 has a front retainer (not shown) as a lid-side substrate support portion.

[0055] The container body 2 has a cylindrical wall portion 20 with a container body opening 21 formed at one end and a closed other end. A substrate storage space 27 is formed within the container body 2. The substrate storage space 27 is surrounded by the wall portion 20. A substrate support plate-shaped portion 5 is disposed in the portion of the wall portion 20 that forms the substrate storage space 27. As shown in FIG. 1 , the substrate storage space 27 can store a plurality of substrates W.

[0056] The substrate support plate portions 5 are provided on the wall portion 20 so as to form a pair within the substrate storage space 27. When the container body opening 21 is not closed by the lid 3, the substrate support plate portions 5 abut against the edges of the plurality of substrates W, thereby supporting the edges of the plurality of substrates W while arranging adjacent substrates W in parallel with a predetermined distance between them. A rear-side substrate support portion 6 is provided on the rear side of the substrate support plate portion 5 and is molded integrally with the substrate support plate portion 5.

[0057] The rear substrate support portion 6 (see FIG. 2, etc.) is provided on the wall portion 20 so as to form a pair with a front retainer (not shown) described later within the substrate storage space 27. When the container body opening 21 is closed by the lid body 3, the rear substrate support portion 6 abuts against the edges of the plurality of substrates W, thereby being able to support the rear portions of the edges of the plurality of substrates W.

[0058] The lid body 3 is detachable from an opening periphery 28 (see FIG. 1, etc.) that forms the container body opening 21, and is capable of closing the container body opening 21. A front retainer (not shown) is provided on the lid body 3 at a portion that faces the substrate storage space 27 when the container body opening 21 is closed by the lid body 3. The front retainer is arranged inside the substrate storage space 27 so as to form a pair with the rear substrate support part 6.

[0059] When the container body opening 21 is closed by the lid 3, the front retainer can support the front portions of the edges of the substrates W by abutting against the edges of the substrates W. When the container body opening 21 is closed by the lid 3, the front retainer supports the substrates W in cooperation with the rear substrate support portion 6, thereby holding adjacent substrates W in a parallel arrangement with a predetermined distance between them.

[0060] The substrate storage container 1 is made of a resin such as a plastic material, and unless otherwise specified, examples of the resin material include thermoplastic resins such as polycarbonate, cycloolefin polymer, polyetherimide, polyetherketone, polybutylene terephthalate, polyetheretherketone, and liquid crystal polymer, as well as alloys of these. To impart conductivity to these molding material resins, conductive materials such as carbon fiber, carbon powder, carbon nanotubes, and conductive polymers are selectively added. Glass fiber, carbon fiber, and the like can also be added to increase rigidity.

[0061] Each part will be described in detail below. Fig. 5 is a side cross-sectional view showing the air supply filter section 80 of the substrate storage container 1. Fig. 6 is a bottom perspective view showing the air supply filter section 80 of the substrate storage container 1. Fig. 7 is an exploded perspective view showing the air supply filter section 80 of the substrate storage container 1. Fig. 8 is a side cross-sectional view showing the exhaust filter section 90 of the substrate storage container 1. Fig. 9 is an exploded perspective view showing the exhaust filter section 90 of the substrate storage container 1.

[0062] 1, the wall portion 20 of the container body 2 has a rear wall 22, an upper wall 23, a lower wall 24, a first side wall 25, and a second side wall 26. The rear wall 22, the upper wall 23, the lower wall 24, the first side wall 25, and the second side wall 26 are made of the above-mentioned materials and are integrally molded.

[0063] The first side wall 25 and the second side wall 26 face each other, and the upper wall 23 and the lower wall 24 face each other. The rear end of the upper wall 23, the rear end of the lower wall 24, the rear end of the first side wall 25, and the rear end of the second side wall 26 are all connected to the rear wall 22. The front end of the upper wall 23, the front end of the lower wall 24, the front end of the first side wall 25, and the front end of the second side wall 26 form an opening periphery 28 that forms the container body opening 21, which has a substantially rectangular shape.

[0064] The opening periphery 28 is provided at one end of the container body 2, and the rear wall 22 is located at the other end of the container body 2. The container body 2 has a box-like outer shape formed by the outer surfaces of the wall 20. The inner surfaces of the wall 20, i.e., the inner surface of the rear wall 22, the inner surface of the upper wall 23, the inner surface of the lower wall 24, the inner surface of the first side wall 25, and the inner surface of the second side wall 26, form a substrate storage space 27 surrounded thereby. The container body opening 21 formed in the opening periphery 28 is surrounded by the wall 20 and communicates with the substrate storage space 27 formed inside the container body 2. A maximum of 25 substrates W can be stored in the substrate storage space 27.

[0065] 1, latch engagement recesses 231A, 231B, 241A, and 241B recessed outward from the board storage space 27 are formed in the upper wall 23 and the lower wall 24 near the opening periphery 28. A total of four latch engagement recesses 231A, 231B, 241A, and 241B are formed, one near each of the left and right ends of the upper wall 23 and the lower wall 24.

[0066] 1, ribs 235 are formed integrally with the upper wall 23 on the outer surface of the upper wall 23. The ribs 235 increase the rigidity of the container body 2. Furthermore, a top flange 236 is fixed to the center of the upper wall 23. The top flange 236 is a member that is hung on and suspended from the substrate storage container 1 when suspending the substrate storage container 1 in an AMHS (automated wafer transport system), PGV (wafer substrate transport vehicle), or the like.

[0067] 3, a bottom plate 244 is fixed to the lower wall 24. The bottom plate 244 has a substantially rectangular plate shape and is arranged opposite to substantially the entire lower surface that constitutes the outer surface of the lower wall 24.

[0068] 3, two types of through-holes, that is, air supply holes 242 and exhaust holes 243, are formed in the four corners of the bottom wall 24. In this embodiment, the two through-holes in the front part of the bottom wall 24 are exhaust holes 243 for discharging gas from inside the container body 2, and the two through-holes in the rear part are air supply holes 242 for supplying gas into the container body 2.

[0069] An air intake filter unit 80 serving as an additional component is disposed in the through-hole serving as the air intake hole 242, and an air exhaust filter unit 90 is disposed in the through-hole serving as the air exhaust hole 243. That is, the gas flow paths inside the air intake filter unit 80 and the air exhaust filter unit 90 form part of an air passage that can communicate between the substrate storage space 27 and the space outside the container body 2. The air intake filter unit 80 and the air exhaust filter unit 90 are disposed on the wall 20, and gas can pass between the space outside the container body 2 and the substrate storage space 27 through the air intake filter unit 80 and the air exhaust filter unit 90. The air intake filter unit 80 communicates with the internal space of the gas ejection nozzle unit 8, and the purge gas supplied to the air intake filter unit 80 is configured to be supplied to the substrate storage space 27 through the internal space of the gas ejection nozzle unit 8.

[0070] 5 to 7, the air supply filter section 80 includes an inner opening forming section 81, a first housing section 82, a nozzle section 83, and a second housing section 84 as a filter section housing, a filter 85, a valve body 86, a spring 87 as a biasing member, and a contact pad 88. The inner opening forming section 81, the first housing section 82, the nozzle section 83, and the second housing section 84 are each configured as separate bodies made up of separate, independent parts. Therefore, the inner opening forming section 81, the first housing section 82, and the second housing section 84 are configured as separate bodies from the nozzle section 83. The filter section housing, which is configured by the inner opening forming section 81, the first housing section 82, the nozzle section 83, and the second housing section 84, also forms an air passage 801 having a valve body accommodating chamber 804 that accommodates the valve body 86, and which can communicate between the substrate accommodating space 27 and the space outside the container body 2. In the air supply filter section 80 , gas can pass through the filter 85 from the space outside the container body 2 to the substrate storage space 27 .

[0071] As shown in Fig. 7, the inner opening forming portion 81 has a disk shape. As shown in Fig. 5, a central portion of the inner opening forming portion 81 has a circular protruding portion 811 that protrudes in the upward direction D21. A peripheral portion of the inner opening forming portion 81 has a flat, annular peripheral portion 812. As shown in Fig. 7, the circular protruding portion 811 has a large number of through holes 806 formed radially from the center of the circular protruding portion 811. The large number of through holes 806 form an air passage 801. Openings at the upper ends of the large number of through holes 806 open into the substrate storage space 27 and form substrate storage space-side openings 807 connected to the substrate storage space 27. Therefore, the air passage 801 has the substrate storage space-side openings 807.

[0072] As shown in FIG. 5, the first housing portion 82 has a tubular portion 821, an end flange portion 822, and an end plate portion 823. The tubular portion 821 has a cylindrical shape, and a disk-shaped end plate portion 823 is integrally molded and connected to the upper end of the tubular portion 821. A male screw portion is threaded on the side surface (outer peripheral surface) of the tubular portion 821. A small flange portion 824 is integrally molded with the tubular portion 821 on a portion of the side surface of the tubular portion 821 above the male screw portion. The end flange portion 822 is integrally molded with the tubular portion 821 at the upper end of the tubular portion 821 above the portion of the tubular portion 821 where the small flange portion 824 is located. The end flange portion 822 has a protrusion 825 extending upward D21. The protrusion 825 and the portion of the annular circumferential edge 812 where the recess 815 is formed in the inner opening forming portion 81 are welded together, thereby fixing the end flange portion 822 to the annular circumferential edge 812. As a result, the first housing portion 82 is connected to the inner opening forming portion 81 in a coaxial positional relationship with the inner opening forming portion 81.

[0073] As shown in FIG. 5, the nozzle portion 83 has a tubular portion 831 and an external protrusion 832. The tubular portion 831 has a cylindrical shape. The inner circumferential surface of the tubular portion 831 constitutes an inner circumferential sliding surface on which the outer circumferential surface of a valve body main body 860 of the valve body 86 (described later) slides. The lower portion of the outer circumferential surface of the tubular portion 831 has a large outer diameter portion 833 having a large outer diameter. The lower end of the large outer diameter portion 833 is integrally molded and connected to a large diameter portion bottom portion 834, which is provided so as to reduce the inner diameter of the lower end of the large outer diameter portion 833, and the large diameter portion bottom portion 834 and the external protrusion 832 are connected by integral molding. The outer diameter of the upper part of large outer diameter portion 833 is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of cylindrical portion 821 of first housing portion 82, and although not shown in Fig. 5, a gap is formed between the outer peripheral surface of the upper part of large outer diameter portion 833 and the inner peripheral surface of cylindrical portion 821. This allows nozzle portion 83 to move slightly relative to cylindrical portion 821 in a direction perpendicular to the axis of nozzle portion 83 and cylindrical portion 821 (the left-right direction in Fig. 5 and the direction connecting the back and front sides of the page) while maintaining a positional relationship in which the axes of nozzle portion 83 and cylindrical portion 821 are parallel to each other. A cylindrical through-hole is formed in the center of large diameter portion bottom portion 834, and this through-hole constitutes external space-side storage chamber opening 803 as an outer opening. The upper surface of the large diameter portion bottom portion 834 and the portion of the nozzle portion 83 that forms the exterior space side storage chamber opening 803 constitute a valve seat against which the sealing wall 861 and the protruding portion 8611 as the sealing portion come into contact.

[0074] The external protruding portion 832 has a cylindrical shape with a short axial length. The outer diameter and inner diameter of the external protruding portion 832 are smaller than the outer diameter and inner diameter of the large outer diameter portion 833, respectively. An opening at the lower end of the external protruding portion 832 forms the external space side opening 802. The external space side opening 802 forms the ventilation path 801. Therefore, the ventilation path 801 has the external space side opening 802.

[0075] 5, the second housing portion 84 has a tubular portion 841, an end inward protruding portion 842, and an end axial protruding portion 843. The tubular portion 841 has a cylindrical shape. The inner diameter of the tubular portion 841 is larger than the outer diameter of the tubular portion 821 of the first housing portion 82. As a result, the first housing portion 82 is disposed in a space formed by the inner circumferential surface of the tubular portion 841 of the second housing portion 84, in a coaxial positional relationship with the tubular portion 841 of the second housing portion 84.

[0076] A female thread is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 841. A male thread of the cylindrical portion 821 of the first housing portion 82 is threadedly engaged with the female thread. This fixes the second housing portion 84 to the first housing portion 82. The end inward protrusion 842 is integrally molded with the lower end of the cylindrical portion 841. The end inward protrusion 842 protrudes radially inward from the lower end of the cylindrical portion 841 and has an annular plate shape. The end axial protrusion 843 protrudes downward in the direction D22 from the lower surface of the end inward protrusion 842 and has an annular shape. In addition, as shown in FIG. 6 and other figures, ribs 846 are provided that protrude outward from the end axial protrusion 843 of the cylindrical portion 841. Four ribs 846 are formed at equal intervals around the circumference of the cylindrical portion 841.

[0077] The portion of the nozzle portion 83 surrounding the exterior space side opening 802, i.e., the lower end of the exterior protrusion 832, protrudes downward in direction D22, which is the direction in which the air passage 801 opens at the exterior space side opening 802. The lower end of the exterior protrusion 832 and the end axial protrusion 843 form a U-shaped portion that opens downward, and an adhesion pad 88 is fitted into this U-shaped portion.

[0078] The contact pad 88 is formed in an annular shape coaxially with the exterior-space-side opening 802, and the surface of the outward tip of the contact pad 88 (the bottom surface of the contact pad 88 in FIG. 7) is located lower than the outward tip of the second housing part 84 (the bottom end of the second housing part 84 in FIG. 5). The outward tip of the contact pad 88 (the bottom surface of the contact pad 88 in FIG. 5) forms a sealing surface that comes into contact with a purge port (gas injection port) described below. The contact pad 88 prevents gas leakage between the purge port (not shown) and the sealing surface.

[0079] The nozzle portion 83 is made of polycarbonate, which generates little outgas. Other than polycarbonate, resins such as cycloolefin polymer, polyetherimide, and polyetheretherketone can be used. Furthermore, the contact pad 88 can be made of, for example, resins such as polybutylene terephthalate and polyethylene, elastomers such as polyethylene elastomer and polyolefin elastomer, or rubber materials such as silicone rubber and fluororubber. The lower end surface of the contact pad 88 is textured and roughened.

[0080] The first housing part 82 is fixed to the bottom wall 24 via an O-ring 89 fitted in a groove formed in the side surface of the first housing part 82. When the first housing part 82 is fixed to the bottom wall 24, the O-ring 89 is used between the first housing part 82 and the bottom wall 24 to seal the gap between the bottom wall 24 and the nozzle part 93.

[0081] In the air supply filter section 80, an air passage 801 is formed by an inner opening forming section 81, a first housing section 82, a nozzle section 83, and a second housing section 84 that constitute the filter section housing. More specifically, the air passage 801 continues from an opening 807 on the substrate accommodating space side of the through hole 806 in the inner opening forming section 81, through the valve body accommodating chamber 804, to an opening 802 on the external space side of the nozzle section 83.

[0082] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 7 , the valve element 86 is made of an elastically deformable material. Specifically, it may be made of various elastically deformable thermoplastic elastomers, such as polyesters and polyolefins, fluororubber, silicone rubber, or the like. In this embodiment, polypropylene is preferably used. The valve element 86 has a substantially cylindrical valve element main body 860 and a protruding portion 8611. One end of the valve element 86 is closed by a sealing wall 861, which serves as a sealing portion constituting the valve element main body 860. The outer surface of the sealing wall 861 forms a sealing surface 862. As shown in FIG. 5 and other figures, the sealing wall 861 has a protruding portion 8611 protruding from the sealing wall 861. The protruding portion 8611 is integrally molded with the sealing wall 861 and has a cylindrical shape and dimensions that fit into the exterior-space-side storage chamber opening 803. As shown in Fig. 5, the protrusion 8611 is inserted into and fitted into the external space-side storage chamber opening 803, thereby closing the external space-side storage chamber opening 803, and the protrusion 8611 is removed from the external space-side storage chamber opening 803, thereby opening the external space-side storage chamber opening 803. The height h1 in the protruding direction of the protrusion 8611 is the same as the length h2 in the penetration direction of the external space-side storage chamber opening 803 as an outer opening. As shown in Fig. 5, the external space-side opening 802 is configured to be wider than the external space-side storage chamber opening 803, and therefore the opening area of the external space-side opening 802 is larger than the opening area of the external space-side storage chamber opening 803.

[0083] As shown in Fig. 7, a notch 863 is formed in a portion of the valve disc 86 that extends from the central position of the valve disc 86 in the axial direction to the other end. Two notches 863 are formed at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the valve disc 86. A side surface protrusion 864 is provided on the side surface of the valve disc 86 as a rib-like portion that protrudes semicircularly from the side surface of the valve disc 86 outward from the valve disc 86. The side surface protrusion 864 extends from one end to the other end of the valve disc 86 on the side surface of the valve disc 86. The side surface protrusion 864 is located between adjacent notches 863 on the side surface of the valve disc 86.

[0084] The overall length of the valve element 86 in the axial direction of the valve element 86 is shorter than the distance in the vertical direction D2 from the upper end of the tubular portion 831 of the nozzle portion 83 to the upper end of the large outer diameter portion 833 of the nozzle portion 83. The protruding end of the side convex portion 864 is slidable in the axial direction of the tubular portion 831 of the nozzle portion 83 relative to the inner circumferential surface of the tubular portion 831 of the nozzle portion 83. This sliding movement allows the valve element 86 to move between a position (blocking position) where the seal surface 862 abuts against the large diameter portion bottom portion 834 to close the exterior-space-side accommodation chamber opening 803, and a position (uppermost position) where the upper end of the valve element 86 abuts against the end plate portion 823 of the first housing portion 82. Therefore, the valve body 86 is movable between a communication position in the valve body accommodating chamber 804 that connects the substrate storage space 27 to the space outside the container body 2, and a communication blocking position in the valve body accommodating chamber 804 that blocks communication between the substrate storage space 27 and the space outside the container body 2.

[0085] Furthermore, because the side surface protrusion 864 is formed, a space that forms an air passage is secured between the side surface of the valve body 86 and the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion 831 of the nozzle portion 83. Furthermore, because the valve body 86 has a notch 863, a space that forms the air passage 801 is secured even when the upper end portion of the valve body 86 abuts against the end plate portion 823 of the first housing portion 82.

[0086] The filter 85 has a disk shape. The peripheral edge of the filter 85 is fixed to the end flange portion 822 of the first housing portion 82 and the annular peripheral portion 812 in a positional relationship such that the filter 85 is sandwiched between the end flange portion 822 and the annular peripheral portion 812 of the inner opening forming portion 81. As a result, the filter 85 is disposed in the ventilation path 801. Therefore, the valve body accommodating chamber 804 is located in a portion of the ventilation path 801 that is closer to the space outside the container body 2 than the filter 85. The filter 85 prevents particles and the like from passing through the through hole 806 of the inner opening forming portion 81.

[0087] The spring 87 serving as the biasing member is a compression spring. The lower end of the spring 87 abuts against the inner surface of the seal wall 861 of the valve body 86. The upper end of the spring 87 abuts against the end plate portion 823 of the first housing portion 82.

[0088] Therefore, when the valve body 86 is in a position blocking the air passage 801, the spring 87 urges the valve body 86 so that the protrusion 8611 of the valve body 86 is inserted into the external space side storage chamber opening 803 and the sealing surface 862 of the valve body 86 blocks the external space side storage chamber opening 803, thereby preventing gas from flowing into the valve body storage chamber 804 from the external space side storage chamber opening 803.

[0089] 8 and 9 , the exhaust filter section 90 includes an inner opening forming section 91 serving as a filter section housing, a first housing section 92, a nozzle section 93, and a second housing section 94, a filter 95, a spring seat 96, a spring 97 serving as a biasing member, a contact pad 98, and a valve body 99. The inner opening forming section 91, the first housing section 92, the nozzle section 93, and the second housing section 94 are each configured as separate bodies formed from separate, independent parts. Therefore, the inner opening forming section 91, the first housing section 92, and the second housing section 94 are configured as separate bodies from the nozzle section 93. The filter section housing, which is configured by the inner opening forming section 91, the first housing section 92, the nozzle section 93, and the second housing section 94, also forms an air passage 901 having a valve body accommodating chamber 904 that accommodates the spring seat 96, and which can communicate between the substrate storage space 27 and the space outside the container body 2. In the exhaust filter section 90 , gas can pass through the filter 95 from the substrate storage space 27 to the space outside the container body 2 .

[0090] As shown in Fig. 8, the inner opening forming portion 91 has a disk shape. A central portion of the inner opening forming portion 91 has a circular protruding portion 911 that protrudes in the upward direction D21. A peripheral portion of the inner opening forming portion 91 has a flat, annular peripheral portion 912. As shown in Fig. 9, the circular protruding portion 911 has a large number of through holes 906 formed radially from the center of the circular protruding portion 911. The large number of through holes 906 form an air passage 901. Openings at the upper ends of the large number of through holes 906 open into the substrate storage space 27 and form substrate storage space-side openings 907 connected to the substrate storage space 27. Therefore, the air passage 901 has the substrate storage space-side openings 907.

[0091] As shown in FIG. 8 , the first housing portion 92 has a tubular portion 921, an end flange portion 922, and an end plate portion 923. The tubular portion 921 has a cylindrical shape, and a disk-shaped end plate portion 923 is integrally molded and connected to the upper end of the tubular portion 921. A male thread is threaded on the side surface (outer peripheral surface) of the tubular portion 921. A small flange portion 924 is integrally molded with the tubular portion 921 on a portion of the side surface of the tubular portion 921 above the male thread portion. The end flange portion 922 is integrally molded with the tubular portion 921 at the upper end of the tubular portion 921 above the portion of the tubular portion 921 where the small flange portion 924 is located. The end flange portion 922 has a protrusion 925 extending upward D21. The protrusion 925 and the portion of the annular circumferential edge 912 where the recess 915 is formed in the inner opening forming portion 91 are welded together, whereby the end flange portion 922 is fixed to the annular circumferential edge 912. As a result, the first housing portion 92 is connected to the inner opening forming portion 91 in a coaxial positional relationship with the inner opening forming portion 91.

[0092] As shown in FIG. 8, the nozzle portion 93 has a tubular portion 931 and an external protrusion 932. The tubular portion 931 has a cylindrical shape. The inner circumferential surface of the tubular portion 931 forms an inner circumferential sliding surface on which the outer circumferential surface of a spring seat main body 960 of the spring seat 96 (described later) slides. The lower portion of the tubular portion 931 is integrally molded and connected to a bottom portion 934, and the bottom portion 934 and the external protrusion 932 are also integrally molded and connected. The outer diameter of the upper portion of the tubular portion 931 is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the tubular portion 921 of the first housing portion 92, and as shown in FIG. 8, a gap is formed between the outer circumferential surface of the upper portion of the tubular portion 931 and the inner circumferential surface of the tubular portion 921. This allows the nozzle portion 93 to move slightly relative to the cylindrical portion 921 in directions (left and right directions in FIG. 8 and directions connecting the back and front sides of the page) that are perpendicular to the axes of the nozzle portion 93 and the cylindrical portion 921. A cylindrical through-hole is formed in the center of the bottom portion 934, and this through-hole constitutes the external space side storage chamber opening 903.

[0093] The external protruding portion 932 has a cylindrical shape with a short axial length. The outer diameter and inner diameter of the external protruding portion 932 are respectively smaller than the outer diameter and inner diameter of the cylindrical portion 931. As shown in Fig. 8 , the inner circumferential surface of the external protruding portion 932 of the nozzle portion 93 that forms the external space-side storage chamber opening 903 has a tapered shape whose diameter increases toward the space outside the container body 2, and this portion forms a valve seat against which the valve body main body 991 serving as a seal portion abuts.

[0094] The opening at the lower end of the external protruding portion 932 constitutes an external space side opening 902. The external space side opening 902 constitutes an air passage 901. Therefore, the air passage 901 has the external space side opening 902.

[0095] 8, the second housing part 94 has a tubular part 941, an end inward protruding part 942, and an end axial protruding part 943. The tubular part 941 has a cylindrical shape. The inner diameter of the tubular part 941 is larger than the outer diameter of the tubular part 921 of the first housing part 92. As a result, the first housing part 92 is disposed in a space formed by the inner circumferential surface of the tubular part 941 of the second housing part 94, in a coaxial positional relationship with the tubular part 941 of the second housing part 94.

[0096] A female thread is threaded on the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion 941. A male thread of the cylindrical portion 921 of the first housing portion 92 is threadedly engaged with the female thread. This fixes the second housing portion 94 to the first housing portion 92. The end inward protrusion 942 is integrally molded with the lower end of the cylindrical portion 941. The end inward protrusion 942 protrudes radially inward from the lower end of the cylindrical portion 941 and has an annular plate shape. The end axial protrusion 943 protrudes downward in the direction D22 from the lower surface of the end inward protrusion 942 and has an annular shape. In addition, as shown in FIG. 9 and other figures, ribs 946 are provided that protrude outward from the end axial protrusion 943 of the cylindrical portion 941. Four ribs 946 are formed at equal intervals around the circumference of the cylindrical portion 941.

[0097] The portion of the nozzle portion 93 surrounding the exterior space side opening 902, i.e., the lower end of the exterior protrusion 932, protrudes in the downward direction D22, which is the direction in which the air passage 901 opens at the exterior space side opening 902. The lower end of the exterior protrusion 932 and the end axial protrusion 943 form a U-shaped portion that opens downward, and an adhesion pad 98 is fitted into this U-shaped portion.

[0098] The contact pad 98 is formed in an annular shape coaxially with the exterior-space-side opening 902, and the surface of the outermost tip of the contact pad 98 (the bottom surface of the contact pad 98 in FIG. 8) is located lower than the outermost tip of the second housing portion 94 facing the storage space 27 (the bottom end of the second housing portion 94 in FIG. 8) and the outermost tip of the external protrusion 932 of the nozzle portion 93 facing the storage space 27 (the bottom end of the external protrusion 932 in FIG. 8). The outermost tip of the contact pad 98 facing the storage space 27 (the bottom surface of the contact pad 98 in FIG. 8) forms a sealing surface that comes into contact with a purge port (gas injection port) described below. The contact pad 98 prevents gas leakage between the purge port (not shown) and the sealing surface.

[0099] The nozzle portion 93 is made of polycarbonate, which generates little outgas. Other than polycarbonate, resins such as cycloolefin polymer, polyetherimide, and polyetheretherketone can be used. The contact pad 98 can be made of resins such as polybutylene terephthalate and polyethylene, elastomers such as polyethylene elastomer and polyolefin elastomer, or rubber materials such as silicone rubber and fluororubber. The lower end surface of the contact pad 98 is textured and roughened.

[0100] The first housing part 92 is fixed to the bottom wall 24 via an O-ring (not shown) attached to a groove 927 formed in the side surface of the first housing part 92. When the first housing part 92 is fixed to the bottom wall 24, an O-ring (not shown) is used between the first housing part 92 and the bottom wall 24 to seal the gap between the bottom wall 24 and the nozzle part 93.

[0101] In the exhaust filter section 90, an air passage 901 is formed by an inner opening forming section 91, a first housing section 92, a nozzle section 93, and a second housing section 94 that constitute the filter section housing. More specifically, the air passage 901 continues from an opening 907 on the substrate accommodating space side of the through hole 906 of the inner opening forming section 91, through the valve body accommodating chamber 904, to an opening 902 on the external space side of the nozzle section 93.

[0102] As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the spring seat 96 is supported by the nozzle portion 93 and constitutes a biased member that guides the movement of the valve body 99. The spring seat 96 has a substantially cylindrical spring seat main body 960 and a central cylindrical protrusion 963. One end of the spring seat 96 is closed by an end wall 961 that constitutes the spring seat main body 960. The spring seat main body 960 constitutes the biased member main body.

[0103] As shown in FIG. 8 and other figures, a central cylindrical protrusion 963 is provided at the center of the end wall 961, protruding downward from the end wall 961. As shown in FIG. 9, a plurality of through holes 9613 are formed in the portion of the end wall 961 surrounding the central cylindrical protrusion 963, serving as gas flow passages through which gas can flow. The central cylindrical protrusion 963 is formed integrally with the end wall 961, and a through hole that penetrates in the axial direction of the spring seat 96 is formed in the center of the central cylindrical protrusion 963. The protruding end of the central cylindrical protrusion 963 protrudes slightly radially inward from the spring seat 96. The central cylindrical protrusion 963 constitutes a valve body fixing portion.

[0104] The valve body 99 has a valve body main body 991 and a valve body shaft portion 992. The valve body main body 991 has a tapered shape with a tapered surface 9911 that widens in diameter toward the space outside the container body 2, and is trapezoidal in the cross-sectional view shown in Fig. 8. The edge of the bottom of the trapezoid has dimensions that allow it to fit into the external-space-side storage chamber opening 903. As shown in Fig. 8, when the valve body main body 991 fits into the external-space-side storage chamber opening 903, the external-space-side storage chamber opening 903 can be closed by the valve body main body 991, and when the valve body main body 991 is removed from the external-space-side storage chamber opening 903, the external-space-side storage chamber opening 903 is opened.

[0105] The valve body 991 constitutes a through-hole closing portion as a seal portion of the valve body 99 that closes the external space-side storage chamber opening 903. As shown in Fig. 8, the taper ratio of the outer peripheral surface of the valve body 991 per unit length in the axial direction of the valve body 991 is greater than the taper ratio of a tapered surface 9321 of the inner peripheral surface of a portion of the external protruding portion 932 that forms the external space-side opening 902 and the external space-side storage chamber opening 903 per unit length in the axial direction of the external space-side opening 902 and the external space-side storage chamber opening 903. That is, as shown in Fig. 8, the inclination angle a1 of the taper of the outer peripheral surface of the valve body 991 with respect to the axial direction of the valve body 991 is greater than the inclination angle a2 of the taper of the inner peripheral surface of the portion of the external protruding portion 932 that forms the external space-side opening 902 and the external space-side storage chamber opening 903 with respect to the axial direction of the portion of the external protruding portion 932.

[0106] The lower end of the valve disc shaft portion 992 is integrally molded and connected to the valve disc main body 991. The upper part of the valve disc shaft portion 992 has a lower protrusion 9921 that protrudes radially outward from the valve disc shaft portion 992 and an upper protrusion 9923 that protrudes radially outward from the valve disc shaft portion 992 above the lower protrusion 9921 and at a position away from the lower protrusion 9921, the lower protrusion 9921 being configured to protrude more than the upper protrusion 9923. The portion of the valve disc shaft portion 992 that is closer to the upper end than the lower protrusion 9921 is inserted into the through-hole of the central cylindrical protrusion 963, and the protruding end of the central cylindrical protrusion 963 fits between the lower protrusion 9921 and the upper protrusion 9923, so that the upper end of the valve disc shaft portion 992 is detachably fixed and connected to the central cylindrical protrusion 963 of the spring seat 96. This allows the spring seat 96 and the valve body 99 to move together in the axial direction.

[0107] The valve body 99 is made of an elastically deformable material, specifically, any of various elastically deformable thermoplastic elastomers such as polyesters and polyolefins, fluororubber, silicone rubber, etc., and in this embodiment, for example, polypropylene is used as a desirable material.

[0108] 9, a side surface protrusion 964 is provided on the side surface of the spring seat 96 as a rib-like portion that protrudes semicircularly from the side surface of the spring seat 96 outward from the spring seat 96. The side surface protrusion 964 extends on the side surface of the spring seat 96 from one end to the other end of the spring seat 96. A plurality of side surface protrusions 964 are provided on the side surface of the spring seat 96 in the circumferential direction of the spring seat 96.

[0109] The axial length of the substantially cylindrical spring seat main body 960 of the spring seat 96 in the axial direction of the spring seat 96 is shorter than the length of the tubular portion 931 of the nozzle portion 93 in the up-down direction D2. Therefore, the spring seat 96 is slidable in the axial direction of the tubular portion 931 of the nozzle portion 93 relative to the inner circumferential surface of the tubular portion 931. This sliding movement allows the spring seat 96 to move between a position (closing position) in which the valve body main body 991 abuts against the inner circumferential surface of the external protrusion 932 of the nozzle portion 93 and closes the external-space-side storage chamber opening 903, and a position (opening position) in which the valve body main body 991 moves downward from the position shown in FIG. 8 and separates from the inner circumferential surface of the external protrusion 932 of the nozzle portion 93 and opens the external-space-side storage chamber opening 903.

[0110] Furthermore, since the side convex portion 964 is formed, a space that forms an air passage is secured between the side surface of the spring seat 96 and the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 931 of the nozzle portion 93.

[0111] The filter 95 has a disk shape. The peripheral edge of the filter 95 is fixed to the end flange portion 922 of the first housing portion 92 and the annular peripheral portion 912 of the inner opening forming portion 91 in a positional relationship such that the filter 95 is sandwiched between the end flange portion 922 and the annular peripheral portion 912. As a result, the filter 95 is disposed in the ventilation path 901. Therefore, the valve body accommodating chamber 904 is located in a portion of the ventilation path 901 that is closer to the space outside the container body 2 than the filter 95. The filter 95 prevents particles and the like from passing through the through hole 906 of the inner opening forming portion 91.

[0112] The effective area of the filter 95 of the exhaust filter section 90 is configured to be larger than the effective area of the filter 85 of the intake filter section 80. Specifically, the effective area of the filter 95 of the exhaust filter section 90 is preferably 1.5 times or more the effective area of the filter 85 of the intake filter section 80, and in this embodiment, it is 2 times or more. The reason for making it 1.5 times or more is that if it is 1.5 times or less, efficient gas purging cannot be performed and gas purging takes a long time. By making it 2 times or more, efficient gas purging can be reliably performed.

[0113] The spring 97 serving as the biasing member is a compression spring. The upper end of the spring 97 abuts against the inner surface (lower surface) of the end wall 961 of the spring seat 96. The lower end of the spring 97 abuts against the bottom 934 of the nozzle portion 93.

[0114] Therefore, when the valve body 99 is in a position to close the air passage 901, the spring 97 urges the end wall 961 of the spring seat 96 toward the filter 95 (upward in FIG. 8 ) so as to prevent gas from flowing out to the external space from the external space-side storage chamber opening 903. That is, the spring 97 urges the valve body 99 to move to the closing position. As shown in FIG. 8 , the diameter of the spring 97 is configured to be larger than the diameter of the external space-side opening 902, which is the portion of the external space-side storage chamber opening 903 that has the largest diameter.

[0115] 2 and other figures, the substrate support plate-shaped portions 5 are provided on the first side wall 25 and the second side wall 26, respectively, and are provided in pairs in the left-right direction D3 in the container body 2 within the substrate storage space 27. Specifically, as shown in FIG.

[0116] The plate portions 51 have a generally arcuate plate shape. A total of 50 plate portions 51 are provided, 25 on each of the first side wall 25 and the second side wall 26, in the vertical direction D2. Adjacent plate portions 51 are spaced apart from each other at intervals of 10 mm to 12 mm in the vertical direction D2 and are arranged in a parallel positional relationship.

[0117] The 25 plate portions 51 provided on the first side wall 25 and the 25 plate portions 51 provided on the second side wall 26 are positioned opposite each other in the left-right direction D3. Protrusions 511 and 512 are provided on the upper surfaces of the plate portions 51. The substrate W supported by the plate portions 51 comes into contact only with the protruding ends of the protrusions 511 and 512, and does not come into contact with the plate portions 51 on their surfaces.

[0118] The substrate support plate-shaped portion 5 having such a configuration can support the edges of multiple substrates W while keeping adjacent substrates W spaced apart at a predetermined distance and parallel to each other.

[0119] 4, the rear substrate support portion 6 has a rear edge support portion 60. The rear edge support portion 60 is configured by being integrally molded with the container body 2 at the rear end of the plate portion 51 of the substrate support plate portion 5.

[0120] The number of rear edge support portions 60 provided corresponds to the number of substrates W that can be stored in the substrate storage space 27, specifically 25. The rear edge support portions 60 arranged on the first side wall 25 and the second side wall 26 are positioned in a positional relationship in the front-to-rear direction D1 so as to form pairs with front retainers, which will be described later. When a substrate W is stored in the substrate storage space 27 and the lid 3 is closed, the rear edge support portions 60 clamp and support the edge of the substrate W.

[0121] 1, the lid body 3 has a generally rectangular shape that generally matches the shape of the opening periphery 28 of the container body 2. The lid body 3 is detachable from the opening periphery 28 of the container body 2, and by attaching the lid body 3 to the opening periphery 28, the lid body 3 can close the container body opening 21 in a positional relationship in which it is surrounded by the opening periphery 28.

[0122] An annular sealing member 4 is attached to the inner surface of the lid 3 (the back surface of the lid 3 shown in FIG. 1), which faces the surface of a step (sealing surface 281) formed in a position in the rear direction D12 immediately behind the opening peripheral edge 28 when the lid 3 is closing the container body opening 21, so as to go around the outer periphery of the lid 3. The sealing member 4 is arranged so as to go around the lid 3. The sealing member 4 is made of various thermoplastic elastomers such as elastically deformable polyesters and polyolefins, fluororubber, silicone rubber, etc.

[0123] When the lid 3 is attached to the opening periphery 28, the sealing member 4 is sandwiched between the sealing surface 281 (see FIG. 1) of the container body 2 and the inner surface of the lid 3 and elastically deforms. That is, with the sealing member 4 interposed between the lid 3 and the container body 2, the lid 3 can close the container body opening 21 while the lid 3 and the opening periphery 28 are spaced apart without coming into contact with each other. When the lid 3 is removed from the opening periphery 28, the substrate W can be inserted into and removed from the substrate storage space 27 inside the container body 2.

[0124] A latch mechanism is provided in the cover 3. The latch mechanism is provided near both left and right ends of the cover 3, and as shown in Fig. 1, includes two upper latch portions 32A, 32A that can protrude upward from the upper edge of the cover 3, and two lower latch portions 32B, 32B that can protrude downward from the lower edge of the cover 3. The two upper latch portions 32A, 32A are located near both left and right ends of the upper edge of the cover 3, and the two lower latch portions 32B, 32B are located near both left and right ends of the lower edge of the cover 3.

[0125] An operating portion 33 is provided on the outer surface of the lid body 3. By operating the operating portion 33 from the front side of the lid body 3, the upper latch portions 32A, 32A and the lower latch portions 32B, 32B can be made to protrude from the upper and lower edges of the lid body 3, or can be made not to protrude from the upper and lower edges. The upper latch portions 32A, 32A protrude upward from the upper edge of the lid body 3 and engage with the latch engagement recesses 231A, 231B of the container body 2, and the lower latch portions 32B, 32B protrude downward from the lower edge of the lid body 3 and engage with the latch engagement recesses 241A, 241B of the container body 2, thereby fixing the lid body 3 to the opening periphery 31 of the container body 2.

[0126] A recess (not shown) is formed on the inside of the lid 3 (the rearward D12 side of the lid 3 in FIG. 1) so as to be recessed outward (in the forward direction D11) from the storage space 27. A front retainer (not shown) is fixed to the recess (not shown) and to the part of the lid 3 outside the recess.

[0127] The front retainer (not shown) has a front retainer board receiving portion (not shown). The front retainer board receiving portions (not shown) are arranged in pairs, two apart at a predetermined interval in the left-right direction. 25 pairs of front retainer board receiving portions are arranged in parallel in the up-down direction. When a board W is stored in the storage space 27 and the lid 3 is closed, the front retainer board receiving portions clamp and support the edge of the board W.

[0128] According to the substrate storage container 1 according to this embodiment having the above configuration, the following effects can be obtained. As described above, the filter section housing of the air supply filter section 80, which is composed of the first housing section 82, the nozzle section 83, and the second housing section 84, contains a valve body 86 that is inserted into the external space side storage chamber opening 803, which serves as an outer opening, to close the external space side storage chamber opening 803, and that is removed from the external space side storage chamber opening 803 to open the external space side storage chamber opening 803.

[0129] With the above configuration, when contaminants and particles adhering to the inside of the container are periodically cleaned with cleaning water using a cleaning device, the external space-side storage chamber opening 803 is closed by inserting the protrusion 8611 of the valve body 86 into the external space-side storage chamber opening 803, making it possible to prevent the cleaning water from entering the part of the ventilation path that is located more inside the filter unit housing than the external space-side storage chamber opening 803. As a result, it is possible to significantly shorten the time required to dry the ventilation path inside the filter unit housing.

[0130] 5, the protrusion 8611 of the valve body 86 remains inserted into the external-space-side storage chamber opening 803, and the external-space-side storage chamber opening 803 remains closed. When the distance between the lower surface of the sealing wall 861 and the upper surface of the large-diameter portion bottom 834 of the nozzle portion reaches a predetermined distance, the protrusion 8611 disengages from the external-space-side storage chamber opening 803, and the ventilation path is opened. This makes it possible to prevent the occurrence of so-called rattle noise, which occurs when the valve body repeatedly opens slightly and then closes immediately within a short period of time, as occurs with conventional valve bodies.

[0131] Furthermore, the opening area of the external space side opening 802 that opens toward the space outside the container body 2 is larger than the opening area of the external space side storage chamber opening 803 into which the valve body 86 is inserted. With this configuration, the flow of gas that flows in from the external space side opening 802, which has a larger opening area, makes it easy to change the state in which the convex portion 8611 of the valve body 86 is inserted into the external space side storage chamber opening 803 to a state in which the convex portion 8611 is not inserted, and gas purging can be performed more quickly.

[0132] Furthermore, the nozzle portion 83 constituting the inner housing portion has an exterior space-side storage chamber opening 803 as an outer opening. With this configuration, it is possible to configure the valve body 86 to have a protrusion 8611 that fits into the exterior space-side storage chamber opening 803 of the nozzle portion 83.

[0133] Moreover, the valve body 86 has a valve body main body portion 860 and a protrusion 8611 that protrudes from the valve body main body portion 860 and is inserted into the external space side storage chamber opening 803. With this configuration, it is possible to easily realize a valve body 86 that closes the external space side storage chamber opening 803 when inserted into the external space side storage chamber opening 803, and opens the external space side storage chamber opening 803 when removed from the external space side storage chamber opening 803.

[0134] Furthermore, the portion of the valve body main body 860 around the protrusion 8611 constitutes a seal portion, the nozzle portion 83 serving as an inner housing portion includes a tubular portion 831 having an inner circumferential sliding surface on which the valve body main body 860 is supported as the valve body main body 860 slides, and the portion of the nozzle portion 83 around the external space-side housing chamber opening 803 constitutes a valve seat against which the seal portion abuts. With this configuration, it is possible to easily form a valve seat against which the seal portion of the valve body 86 abuts, the valve body 86 closing the external space-side housing chamber opening 803 when inserted into the external space-side housing chamber opening 803 serving as an outer opening, and opening the external space-side housing chamber opening 803 when removed from the external space-side housing chamber opening 803.

[0135] Furthermore, the valve body main body 860 is provided with side protrusions 864 as rib-like portions that directly contact and slide against the inner circumferential sliding surface of the cylindrical portion 831. With this configuration, it is possible to suppress sliding noise and rattle noise of the side protrusions 864 against the inner circumferential sliding surface of the cylindrical portion 831.

[0136] The air supply filter section 80 also includes a spring 87 as a biasing member that biases the valve body 86 in a direction to insert it into the exterior space side storage chamber opening 803. With this configuration, by setting the spring constant of the spring 87 to an appropriate value, it becomes possible for the valve body 86 to reliably close the air passage when the pressure of the gas is equal to or lower than a predetermined pressure.

[0137] Furthermore, the substrate storage container 1 according to the present embodiment having the above-described configuration can provide the following effects: The filter housing of the exhaust filter section 90 accommodates a valve element 99 that is inserted into the external space-side storage chamber opening 903 as an outer opening and is movable between a closed position at the external space-side storage chamber opening 903 that closes the external space-side storage chamber opening 903 and an open position that opens the external space-side storage chamber opening 903, a spring seat 96 that is connected to the valve element 99 and supported by the filter housing of the exhaust filter section 90 so as to be movable inside the filter housing of the exhaust filter section 90 and serves as a biased member that guides movement of the valve element 99, and a spring 97 that serves as a biasing member that biases the spring seat 96 that is a biased member so as to move the valve element 99 to the closed position, and the effective area of the filter 95 of the exhaust filter section 90 is larger than the effective area of the filter 85 of the intake filter section 80.

[0138] With this configuration, the effective area of the filter 95 of the exhaust filter section 90 is larger than the effective area of the filter 85 of the intake filter section 80, making it possible to easily exhaust gas from the substrate storage space 27 in the exhaust filter section 90, and enabling efficient replacement by the purge gas injected into the substrate storage space 27 of the container body 2.

[0139] Furthermore, the filter housing of the exhaust filter section 90 accommodates a valve element 99, a spring seat 96 as a biased member connected to the valve element 99, supported by the filter housing of the exhaust filter section 90 so as to be movable inside the filter housing of the exhaust filter section 90 and guiding the movement of the valve element 99, and a spring 97 as a biasing member that biases the spring seat 96 as a biased member so as to move the valve element 99 to the closed position. Therefore, when the substrate storage container is cleaned with cleaning water, the valve element 99 is in the closed position, and the external space-side storage chamber opening 903 is closed by the valve element 99, making it possible to prevent the cleaning water from entering the part of the ventilation path that is located more inside the filter housing than the external space-side storage chamber opening 903. As a result, it is possible to significantly shorten the time required to dry the ventilation path inside the filter housing.

[0140] Furthermore, the valve element is made of an elastically deformable material. This configuration allows the valve element 99 to reliably close the exterior space side storage chamber opening 903.

[0141] Furthermore, the valve element 99 is detachably fixed to the spring seat 96, which serves as a biased member. With this configuration, even if the sealing performance of the valve element 99 deteriorates after long-term use, the valve element 99 can be easily removed from the spring seat 96 and replaced with a new valve element 99.

[0142] Furthermore, spring seat 96 as a biased member has through-holes 9613 formed therein as gas flow paths through which gas can flow. With this configuration, gas can flow through spring seat 96.

[0143] The biasing member is formed of a spring 97, and the diameter of the spring 97 is larger than the diameter of the exterior space side storage chamber opening 903. This configuration makes it possible to minimize the spring constant, allowing the valve body 99 to move to the open position with weak pressure.

[0144] Furthermore, the nozzle portion 93 as the inner housing portion has an exterior-space-side storage chamber opening 903 as an outer opening. With this configuration, it is possible to easily realize a configuration having a valve body 99 having a valve body main body 991 that closes the exterior-space-side storage chamber opening 903 of the nozzle portion 93.

[0145] Furthermore, the spring seat 96 as the biased member includes a spring seat main body 960 as the biased member main body having a central cylindrical protrusion 963 as a valve body fixing portion to which the valve body 99 is fixed, and the nozzle portion 93 as the inner housing portion includes a cylindrical portion 931 as a cylindrical portion having an inner sliding surface on which the spring seat main body 960 slides and is supported, and an external space-side storage chamber opening 903 molded integrally with the cylindrical portion 931. This configuration makes it possible to easily realize a configuration having a valve body 99 that closes the external space-side storage chamber opening 903 of the nozzle portion 93.

[0146] As shown in FIG. 8, the external space side storage chamber opening 903 has a tapered shape with a diameter increasing toward the space outside the container body 2, and the valve body 99 has a valve body main body 991 as a through-hole blocking portion that blocks the external space side storage chamber opening 903 in the blocked position, and the outer peripheral surface of the valve body main body 991 has a tapered shape with a diameter increasing toward the space outside the container body 2, and the taper ratio of the outer peripheral surface of the valve body main body 991 per unit length in the axial direction of the valve body main body 991 is greater than the taper ratio of the inner peripheral surface of the external space side storage chamber opening 903 per unit length in the axial direction of the external space side storage chamber opening 903.

[0147] This configuration enables the lower end of the valve body main body 991 to strongly and reliably abut against the inner peripheral surface of the exterior-space-side storage chamber opening 903, and enables the valve body main body 991 to reliably close the exterior-space-side storage chamber opening 903. As a result, it becomes possible to reliably prevent cleaning water from entering the part of the air passage that is located more inside the filter unit housing than the exterior-space-side storage chamber opening 903.

[0148] The substrate storage container 1 also includes a filter section having an air passage 210 that can connect the substrate storage space 27 with the space outside the container body 2, and a housing (inner opening forming section 91, first housing section 92, nozzle section 93, second housing section 94) that forms the air passage 210. The housing contains a valve body 99 that is inserted into the external space side storage chamber opening 903 as an outer opening and is movable between a closed position in the external space side storage chamber opening 903 that closes the external space side storage chamber opening 903 and an open position that opens the external space side storage chamber opening 903, a spring seat 96 that is cylindrical and connected to the valve body 99, is supported and guided by the housing so that it can move inside the housing, and serves as an urged member that guides the movement of the valve body 99 so that it moves integrally with the valve body 99, and a spring 97 that serves as an urging member that urges the spring seat 96 so that the valve body 99 moves to the closed position.

[0149] This configuration makes it possible to move the valve element 99 between the closed position and the open position while keeping the axis of the valve element 99 stable. This makes it possible to prevent sealing failures caused by the valve element 99. As a result, it is possible to prevent purge gas leakage and to prevent a decrease in the efficiency of purge gas exhaust.

[0150] Furthermore, the above configuration allows the use of a spring with a low spring constant, which reduces resistance when exhausting the purge gas and increases the amount of gas exhausted from the exhaust hole 243. As a result, the increase in the amount of gas exhausted from the exhaust hole 243 makes it possible to reduce the amount of gas leaking from the seal member 4 (gasket).

[0151] Furthermore, since the filter is configured with the valve body 99, there is no need to provide a filter membrane or the like on the outside air side of the filter unit to prevent water intrusion, which minimizes resistance to the exhaust of the purge gas. Furthermore, by increasing the amount of purge gas exhausted from the exhaust hole, the purge gas is recovered in an appropriate location, making it possible to maintain a safe working environment. Furthermore, since water can be prevented from entering the filter unit during cleaning of the substrate storage container 1, there is no need to remove the filter unit for drying, which allows for shorter cleaning times.

[0152] Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 10 is a side cross-sectional view showing the air supply filter unit 80A of the substrate storage container 1. Fig. 11 is a bottom perspective view showing the air supply filter unit 80A of the substrate storage container 1. Fig. 12 is an exploded perspective view showing the air supply filter unit 80A of the substrate storage container 1.

[0153] In the second embodiment, the protruding length of the convex portion 8611A of the valve body 86A is different from the protruding length of the convex portion 8611 of the valve body 86 in the first embodiment. Since the other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment, the same members are denoted by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0154] The height h1 in the protruding direction of the protruding portion 8611A is configured to be greater than the length h2 in the penetrating direction of the external space-side storage chamber opening 803 as the outer opening. Therefore, the protruding portion 8611A protrudes downward from the external space-side storage chamber opening 803, as shown in FIGS.

[0155] 10, higher than the valve body 86 in the first embodiment, the protrusion 8611A of the valve body 86A remains inserted into the exterior-space-side storage chamber opening 803, maintaining a closed state of the exterior-space-side storage chamber opening 803. This makes it possible to more reliably prevent the occurrence of so-called rattle noise, which occurs when the valve body 86A repeatedly opens slightly and then closes immediately within a short period of time, as occurs with conventional valve bodies.

[0156] Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Figure 13 is a side cross-sectional view showing an exhaust filter portion 90B.

[0157] In the third embodiment, the configurations of a cylindrical portion 931B of a nozzle portion 93B of an exhaust filter portion 90B, an end axial protruding portion 943B of a second housing portion 94B, a central cylindrical convex portion 963B of a spring seat 96B, and a valve disc shaft portion 992B are different from the configurations of the cylindrical portion 931 of the nozzle portion 93, the end axial protruding portion 943 of a second housing portion 94, the central cylindrical convex portion 963 of a spring seat 96, and the valve disc shaft portion 992 of the first embodiment. Because the configuration other than this is the same as in the first embodiment, the same members are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof will be omitted.

[0158] An annular groove is formed around the entire circumference of cylindrical portion 931B in a portion of the outer peripheral surface of cylindrical portion 931B of nozzle portion 93B, extending approximately one-third of the total length of cylindrical portion 931B in the axial direction from the lower end of cylindrical portion 931B in FIG. 13 , and an O-ring 936B is fitted into the annular groove. O-ring 936B abuts against the inner peripheral surface of cylindrical portion 921 of first housing portion 92.

[0159] The lowermost end of the end axial protrusion 943B of the second housing part 94B in FIG. 13 has a flange part 945B whose outer diameter expands radially outward of the second housing part 94B.

[0160] A central cylindrical protrusion 963B of the spring seat 96B protrudes downward in Fig. 13 longer than the axial end of the substantially cylindrical spring seat main body 960B. The upper end of the valve element shaft 992B is inserted into the lower end of the central cylindrical protrusion 963B, and the lower end of the central cylindrical protrusion 963B engages with an annular groove 994B at the upper end of the valve element shaft 992B, thereby fixing the valve element 99B to the spring seat 96B in a coaxial positional relationship.

[0161] Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Figure 14 is a side cross-sectional view showing an exhaust filter portion 90C.

[0162] In the fourth embodiment, the configuration of a valve body 99C of an exhaust filter portion 90C is different from the configuration of the valve body 99B of the third embodiment. Since the configuration other than this is the same as that of the third embodiment, the same members are denoted by the same reference numerals and descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0163] As shown in Fig. 14, the peripheral edge of the valve body 991C of the valve body 99C has a central protrusion 9911C that protrudes radially outward at the center in the up-down direction of Fig. 14, and an annular groove is formed around the entire circumference of the central protrusion 9911C. An O-ring 9913C is fitted into the annular groove. The O-ring 9913C abuts against a tapered surface 9321C on the inner circumferential surface of the external protrusion 932C of the nozzle portion 93C.

[0164] As described above, in this embodiment, an O-ring is provided on the central protrusion 9911C on the periphery of the valve body main body 991C of the valve body 99C, thereby enabling the valve body 99C to perform sealing more reliably.

[0165] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and modifications are possible within the technical scope defined in the claims.

[0166] For example, the configurations of the substrate storage container, the air intake filter section, and the exhaust filter section are not limited to the configurations of the substrate storage container 1, the air intake filter section 80, and the exhaust filter section 90 in this embodiment.

[0167] Furthermore, the shapes of the container body and lid, and the number and dimensions of the substrates W that can be stored in the container body are not limited to the shapes of the container body 2 and lid 3, and the number and dimensions of the substrates W that can be stored in the container body 2 in this embodiment. Furthermore, although the substrates W in this embodiment are silicon wafers with a diameter of 300 mm, they are not limited to this value.

[0168] In addition, in this embodiment, the rear-side substrate support portion has the rear-side edge support portion 60 that is integrally molded with the container body 2 at the rear end of the plate portion 51 of the substrate support plate portion 5, but is not limited to this configuration. For example, the rear-side substrate support portion may not be integrally molded with the container body, but may be configured as a separate body.

[0169] In addition, in this embodiment, the two through-holes in the front part of the lower wall 24 are exhaust holes 243 for discharging gas from inside the container body 2, and the two through-holes in the rear part are air supply holes 242 for supplying gas into the container body 2, but this configuration is not limiting. For example, at least one of the two through-holes in the front part of the lower wall may also be an air supply hole for supplying gas into the container body. [Explanation of symbols]

[0170] 1. Substrate storage container 2 Container body 3 Lid 4 Sealing material 20 Wall 21 Container body opening 27 Circuit board storage space 28 Opening periphery 80 Air supply filter 81 Inner opening forming portion (housing, filter housing, outer housing portion) 82 First housing section (housing, filter section housing, outer housing section) 83 Nozzle part (housing, filter part housing, inner housing part) 84 Second housing section (housing, filter housing, outer housing section) 85, 95 filters 86 Valve body 87, 97 Spring (biasing member) 90 Exhaust filter section 91 Inner opening forming portion (housing, filter housing, outer housing portion) 92 First housing section (housing, filter housing, outer housing section) 93 Nozzle part (housing, filter part housing, inner housing part) 94 Second housing section (housing, filter housing, outer housing section) 96 Spring seat (forced member) 99 Valve body 231A, 231B, 241A, 241B Latch engagement recess 801, 901 ventilation passage 802, 902 Openings to the exterior space 803, 903 Opening of the storage chamber on the exterior space side (outer opening) 831, 931 Cylindrical part (cylindrical part) 834 Bottom of large diameter part (valve seat) 860, 860A valve body 861 Seal wall (seal part) 864 Side convex part (rib-shaped part) 960 Spring seat body (forced member body) 8611, 8611A convex part 9613 Through holes (gas passages) 991 Valve body (through hole blocking part) 9913C O-ring h1, h2 height W substrate

Claims

1. a container body having an opening periphery at one end where a container body opening is formed, and a cylindrical wall portion having a closed other end, the inner surface of the wall portion forming a substrate storage space capable of storing a substrate and communicating with the container body opening; a lid that is detachable from the opening periphery and that can close the container body opening in a position surrounded by the opening periphery; a sealing member attached to the lid body, capable of contacting the lid body and the opening peripheral edge portion, and interposed between the opening peripheral edge portion and the lid body to tightly contact the opening peripheral edge portion and the lid body, thereby closing the container body opening together with the lid body; a filter section that includes an air passage that can communicate the substrate storage space with a space outside the container body, a filter that is disposed in the air passage, and a housing that forms the air passage, and that is disposed in the container body and allows gas to pass between the space outside the container body and the substrate storage space through the filter; the housing has an outer opening that opens toward a space outside the container body, The housing includes: a valve body inserted into the outer opening and movable between a closing position at the outer opening to close the outer opening and an opening position at the outer opening to open the outer opening; a biased member having a cylindrical shape, connected to the valve element, supported and guided by the housing so as to be movable within the housing, and guiding the movement of the valve element integrally with the valve element so that the valve element moves from the open position to the closed position; a biasing member that biases the biased member so that the valve body moves to the closed position; is accommodated, A substrate storage container in which the valve body is arranged on one end side of the urging member, the urging member is arranged on the other end side of the urging member, and the inner surface of the urging member is arranged opposite the outer surface of the urging member so as to be slidable along the outer surface.

2. The substrate storage container according to claim 1 , wherein the valve body is made of an elastically deformable material.

3. 3. The substrate storage container according to claim 1, wherein an O-ring is provided on the periphery of the valve body.

4. 4. The substrate storage container according to claim 1, wherein the valve body is detachably fixed to the biased member.

5. 5. The substrate storage container according to claim 1, wherein the biased member has a gas flow passage through which a gas can flow.

6. 6. The substrate storage container according to claim 1, wherein the biasing member is formed of a spring, and the diameter of the spring is larger than the diameter of the outer opening.

7. The housing includes: an outer housing portion; an inner housing portion disposed inside the outer housing portion and supported by the outer housing portion so as to be movable relative to the outer housing portion; 7. The substrate storage container according to claim 1, wherein the inner housing portion has the outer opening.

8. the biased member includes a biased member main body having a valve body fixing portion to which the valve body is fixed, The inner housing portion a cylindrical portion having an inner peripheral sliding surface on which the main body of the urged member slides to support the main body of the urged member; The substrate storage container according to claim 7 , further comprising an outer opening forming portion integrally formed with the cylindrical portion.

9. The outer opening has a tapered shape whose diameter increases toward the space outside the container body, the valve body has a through-hole closing portion that closes the outer opening when in the closed position, and the outer peripheral surface of the through-hole closing portion has a tapered shape whose diameter increases toward the space outside the container body, A substrate storage container described in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the taper ratio of the outer surface of the through hole blocking portion per unit length in the axial direction of the through hole blocking portion is greater than the taper ratio of the outer opening per unit length in the axial direction of the outer opening.

10. a filter section disposed in the container body of a substrate storage container comprising: a container body having an opening periphery at one end where a container body opening is formed and a cylindrical wall portion having the other end closed, the inner surface of the wall portion forming a substrate storage space capable of storing substrates and communicating with the container body opening; a lid body that is detachable from the opening periphery and can close the container body opening in a positional relationship surrounded by the opening periphery; and a seal member that is attached to the lid body and can abut against the lid body and the opening periphery, and is interposed between the opening periphery and the lid body to abut tightly against the opening periphery and the lid body, thereby closing the container body opening together with the lid body, a filter disposed in an air passage that can communicate between the substrate storage space and a space outside the container body; a housing that forms the air passage, the housing has an outer opening that opens toward a space outside the container body, The housing includes: a valve body inserted into the outer opening and movable between a closing position at the outer opening to close the outer opening and an opening position at the outer opening to open the outer opening; a biased member having a cylindrical shape, connected to the valve element, supported and guided by the housing so as to be movable within the housing, and guiding the movement of the valve element integrally with the valve element so that the valve element moves from the open position to the closed position; a biasing member that biases the biased member so that the valve body moves to the closed position; is accommodated, The valve body is arranged on one end side of the biasing member, the biased member is arranged on the other end side of the biasing member, and the filter section is arranged so that the inner surface of the biased member faces the outer surface of the biasing member and can slide along the outer surface.

11. The filter section according to claim 10, wherein the valve body is made of an elastically deformable material.

12. The filter unit according to claim 10 or 11, wherein an O-ring is provided on the periphery of the valve body.

13. The filter section according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein the valve body is detachably fixed to the biased member.

14. The filter section according to any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein the biased member has a gas flow passage formed therein through which gas can flow.

15. The filter section according to any one of claims 10 to 14, wherein the biasing member is formed of a spring, and the diameter of the spring is larger than the diameter of the outer opening.

16. The housing includes: an outer housing portion; an inner housing portion disposed inside the outer housing portion and supported by the outer housing portion so as to be movable relative to the outer housing portion; The filter section according to any one of claims 10 to 15, wherein the inner housing section has the outer opening.

17. the biased member includes a biased member main body having a valve body fixing portion to which the valve body is fixed, The inner housing portion a cylindrical portion having an inner peripheral sliding surface on which the main body of the urged member slides to support the main body of the urged member; The filter section according to claim 16 , further comprising an outer opening forming portion integrally formed with the cylindrical portion.

18. The outer opening has a tapered shape whose diameter increases toward the space outside the container body, the valve body has a through-hole closing portion that closes the outer opening when in the closed position, and the outer peripheral surface of the through-hole closing portion has a tapered shape whose diameter increases toward the space outside the container body, A filter section described in any one of claims 10 to 17, wherein the taper ratio of the outer surface of the through-hole blocking portion per unit length in the axial direction of the through-hole blocking portion is greater than the taper ratio of the outer opening per unit length in the axial direction of the outer opening.

19. a container body having an opening periphery at one end where a container body opening is formed, and a cylindrical wall portion having a closed other end, the inner surface of the wall portion forming a substrate storage space capable of storing a substrate and communicating with the container body opening; a lid that is detachable from the opening periphery and that can close the container body opening in a position surrounded by the opening periphery; a sealing member attached to the lid body, capable of contacting the lid body and the opening peripheral edge portion, and interposed between the opening peripheral edge portion and the lid body to tightly contact the opening peripheral edge portion and the lid body, thereby closing the container body opening together with the lid body; a filter section that includes an air passage that can communicate the substrate storage space with a space outside the container body, a filter that is disposed in the air passage, and a housing that forms the air passage, and that is disposed in the container body and allows gas to pass between the space outside the container body and the substrate storage space through the filter; the filter section includes an exhaust filter section that allows gas to circulate from the substrate storage space to a space outside the container body, and an intake filter section that allows gas to circulate from the space outside the container body to the substrate storage space, the housing of the exhaust filter unit has an outer opening that opens toward a space outside the container body, The housing of the exhaust filter unit has: a valve body inserted into the outer opening and movable between a closing position at the outer opening to close the outer opening and an opening position at the outer opening to open the outer opening; a biased member having a cylindrical shape and connected to the valve body, supported and guided by the housing of the exhaust filter unit so as to be movable inside the housing of the exhaust filter unit, and guiding the movement of the valve body integrally with the valve body so that the valve body moves from the open position to the closed position; a biasing member that biases the biased member so that the valve body moves to the closed position; is accommodated, the valve body is disposed on one end side of the biasing member, the biased member is disposed on the other end side of the biasing member, and an inner circumferential surface of the biased member is disposed opposite to and slidable along an outer circumferential surface of the biasing member, A substrate storage container in which the effective area of the filter of the exhaust filter section is larger than the effective area of the filter of the intake filter section.

20. 20. The substrate storage container according to claim 19, wherein the valve body is made of an elastically deformable material.

21. The substrate storing container according to claim 19 or 20, wherein the valve body is detachably fixed to the biased member.

22. The substrate storage container according to any one of claims 19 to 21, wherein a gas flow path through which gas can flow is formed in the urged member.

23. The substrate storage container according to any one of claims 19 to 22, wherein the biasing member is constituted by a spring, and the diameter of the spring is larger than the diameter of the outer opening.

24. The housing includes: an outer housing portion; an inner housing portion disposed inside the outer housing portion and supported by the outer housing portion so as to be movable relative to the outer housing portion; The substrate storage container according to any one of claims 19 to 23, wherein the inner housing portion has the outer opening.

25. the biased member includes a biased member main body having a valve body fixing portion to which the valve body is fixed, The inner housing portion a cylindrical portion having an inner peripheral sliding surface on which the main body of the urged member slides to support the main body of the urged member; The substrate storage container according to claim 24 , further comprising an outer opening forming portion integrally formed with the cylindrical portion.

26. The outer opening has a tapered shape whose diameter increases toward the space outside the container body, the valve body has a through-hole closing portion that closes the outer opening when in the closed position, and the outer peripheral surface of the through-hole closing portion has a tapered shape whose diameter increases toward the space outside the container body, A substrate storage container described in any one of claims 19 to 25, wherein the taper ratio of the outer surface of the through hole blocking portion per unit length in the axial direction of the through hole blocking portion is greater than the taper ratio of the outer opening per unit length in the axial direction of the outer opening.

27. a container body having an opening periphery at one end where a container body opening is formed, and a cylindrical wall portion having a closed other end, the inner surface of the wall portion forming a substrate storage space capable of storing a substrate and communicating with the container body opening; a lid that is detachable from the opening periphery and that can close the container body opening in a position surrounded by the opening periphery; a sealing member attached to the lid body, capable of contacting the lid body and the opening peripheral edge portion, and interposed between the opening peripheral edge portion and the lid body to tightly contact the opening peripheral edge portion and the lid body, thereby closing the container body opening together with the lid body; a filter section that includes an air passage that can communicate the substrate storage space with a space outside the container body, a filter that is disposed in the air passage, and a housing that forms the air passage, and that is disposed in the container body and allows gas to pass between the space outside the container body and the substrate storage space through the filter; the housing has an outer opening that opens toward a space outside the container body, The housing includes a valve body that is inserted into the outer opening to close the outer opening and that is removed from the outer opening to open the outer opening, and the valve body is inserted into the outer opening and accommodated therein a valve body that is movable between a closing position at the outer opening where the valve body closes the outer opening and an opening position where the valve body opens the outer opening, a biased member that guides the movement of the valve body and has a cylindrical shape and is connected to the valve body, the biased member is supported and guided by the housing so as to be movable inside the housing, and guides the movement of the valve body so that the valve body moves integrally with the valve body from the open position to the closed position; A substrate storage container in which the valve body is arranged on one end side of the biasing member, the biased member is arranged on the other end side of the biasing member, and the inner surface of the biased member is arranged opposite the outer surface of the biasing member so as to be slidable along the outer surface.

28. 28. The substrate storage container according to claim 27, wherein an opening area of the opening end of the ventilation path that opens to a space outside the container body is larger than an opening area of the outer opening into which the valve body is inserted.

29. The housing includes: an outer housing portion; an inner housing portion disposed inside the outer housing portion and supported by the outer housing portion so as to be movable relative to the outer housing portion; 29. The substrate storage container according to claim 27 or 28, wherein the inner housing portion has the outer opening.

30. 30. The substrate storage container according to claim 29, wherein the valve body has a valve body main body portion and a convex portion that protrudes from the valve body main body portion and is inserted into the outer opening portion.

31. a portion of the valve body body around the protrusion constitutes a seal portion; the inner housing portion includes a cylindrical portion having an inner circumferential sliding surface on which the valve body main body slides to support the valve body main body, 31. The substrate storage container of claim 30, wherein a portion of the inner housing portion around the outer opening defines a valve seat against which the seal portion abuts.

32. The substrate storage container according to claim 31 , wherein a height of the convex portion in the protruding direction is the same as or greater than a length of the outer opening in the penetrating direction.

33. 33. The substrate storage container according to claim 31 or 32, wherein the valve body main body is provided with a rib-shaped portion that directly contacts and slides against the inner peripheral sliding surface.

34. The substrate storage container according to any one of claims 27 to 33, wherein the filter portion includes a biasing member that biases the valve body in a direction to insert the valve body into the outer opening portion.

35. a filter section disposed in the container body of a substrate storage container comprising: a container body having an opening periphery at one end where a container body opening is formed and a cylindrical wall portion having the other end closed, the inner surface of the wall portion forming a substrate storage space capable of storing substrates and communicating with the container body opening; a lid body that is detachable from the opening periphery and can close the container body opening in a positional relationship surrounded by the opening periphery; and a seal member that is attached to the lid body and can abut against the lid body and the opening periphery, and is interposed between the opening periphery and the lid body to abut tightly against the opening periphery and the lid body, thereby closing the container body opening together with the lid body, a filter disposed in an air passage that can communicate between the substrate storage space and a space outside the container body; a housing that forms the air passage, the housing has an outer opening that opens toward a space outside the container body, The housing includes a valve body that is inserted into the outer opening to close the outer opening and that is removed from the outer opening to open the outer opening, and the valve body is inserted into the outer opening and accommodated therein a valve body that is movable between a closing position at the outer opening where the valve body closes the outer opening and an opening position where the valve body opens the outer opening, a biased member that guides the movement of the valve body and has a cylindrical shape and is connected to the valve body, the biased member is supported and guided by the housing so as to be movable inside the housing, and guides the movement of the valve body so that the valve body moves integrally with the valve body from the open position to the closed position; the valve body is disposed on one end side of the biasing member, the biased member is disposed on the other end side of the biasing member, and an inner circumferential surface of the biased member is disposed opposite to and slidable along an outer circumferential surface of the biasing member, a filter portion through which gas can pass between the space outside the container body and the substrate storage space;

36. 36. The filter section according to claim 35, wherein an opening area at an opening end of the outer opening that opens toward the space outside the container body is larger than an opening area of the outer opening into which the valve body is inserted.

37. The housing includes: an outer housing portion; an inner housing portion disposed inside the outer housing portion and supported by the outer housing portion so as to be movable relative to the outer housing portion; 37. A filter portion according to claim 35 or claim 36, wherein the inner housing portion has the outer opening.

38. 38. The filter section according to claim 37, wherein the valve body has a valve body main body portion and a protrusion portion that protrudes from the valve body main body portion and is inserted into the outer opening portion.

39. a portion of the valve body body around the protrusion constitutes a seal portion; the inner housing portion includes a cylindrical portion having an inner circumferential sliding surface on which the valve body main body slides to support the valve body main body, 39. The filter section of claim 38, wherein a portion of the inner housing section around the outer opening defines a valve seat against which the seal section abuts.

40. The filter section according to claim 39, wherein the height of the convex portion in the protruding direction is the same as or greater than the length of the outer opening in the penetrating direction.

41. 41. The filter section according to claim 39 or 40, wherein the valve body main body is provided with a rib-shaped portion that slides in direct contact with the inner peripheral sliding surface.

42. The filter section according to any one of claims 35 to 41, further comprising a biasing member that biases the valve body in a direction of insertion into the outer opening.

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