Circuit board storage container

Abstract

To provide a substrate storage container which includes a valve body performing a valve opening / closing operation by external force.SOLUTION: A substrate storage container 1 includes: a container body 10 which stores a substrate; a lid body which closes an opening of the container body 10; and a valve body 40 which controls circulation of gas to the container body 10. The valve body 40 has a block member 41 which is mounted on a bottom of the container body 10 and has a valve hole 416, a valve member 42 which opens / closes the valve hole 416, and an operation member 43 which is connected to the valve member 42 and has a gas passage. When external force in a direction for opening the valve hole 416 is not applied to the operation member 43, the block member 41 and the operation member 43 are separated from each other and are not brought into contact with each other and a valve closing state is made. When external force in a direction for opening the valve hole 416 is applied to the operation member 43, the block member 41 is brought into contact with the operation member 43, and thereby a valve opening state in which gas can be circulated between the passage and the valve hole 416 is made.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2A

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a substrate storage container provided with a valve body that controls the flow of gas to a container body.

Background Art

[0002] A substrate storage container for storing substrates includes a container body, a lid body that closes an opening of the container body, and a valve body that controls the flow of gas to the container body. This valve body has a check valve function and includes a valve element and a metal elastic member that opens and closes the valve element (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).

[0003] By the way, in order to store the substrate in an airtight state, gas is supplied from the valve body and discharged through the valve body in the substrate storage container. However, during the processing of the stored substrate, residual substances attached to the substrate may also be discharged together with the supplied gas. Therefore, the metal elastic member of the valve body or the like may be corroded by the residual substances.

[0004] [[ID=1⑨]] Therefore, the inventors of the present invention proposed a valve body using an elastic valve element that opens and closes a gas passage without using a metal member (see Patent Document 3). This valve body has a valve opening / closing mechanism that closes a valve opening formed in the elastic valve element by its own elastic force and opens it with a gas pressure exceeding the elastic force.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] However, in the valve body described in Patent Document 3, the valve opens and closes depending on the pressure of the supplied or discharged gas. If the gas pressure does not reach the specified value, or if the specified value is extremely low, or even if the gas pressure reaches the specified value, if the specified value changes due to deterioration or sticking of the valve body (e.g., valve body, elastic member) over time, there is a risk that the valve will not open at the specified pressure.

[0007] Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and aims to provide a substrate housing container equipped with a valve body that performs valve opening and closing operations by an external force other than gas pressure. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] (1) One aspect of the present invention is a substrate storage container comprising a container body for storing substrates, a lid for closing the opening of the container body, and a valve body for controlling the flow of gas to the container body, wherein the valve body is mounted on the bottom of the container body and includes a block member having a valve hole, a valve member for opening and closing the valve hole, and an operating member connected to the valve member and having a gas passage, wherein when no external force is applied to the operating member in the direction of opening the valve hole, the block member and the operating member are separated and do not come into contact, resulting in a valve closed state, and when an external force is applied to the operating member in the direction of opening the valve hole, the block member and the operating member come into contact, resulting in a valve open state in which gas can flow between the passage and the valve hole. (2) In the embodiment of (1) above, the operating member may be supported by a bottom plate attached to the bottom of the container body. (3) In the embodiment of (1) or (2) above, the valve body includes a biasing member that biases the operating member in a direction that closes the valve hole, and the biasing member is not located in the flow path through which the gas flows, but is provided outside the block member and the operating member. (4) In the embodiment of (3) above, the biasing member may be a coil spring or a leaf spring. (5) In any one embodiment of (1) to (4) above, the valve member may have an umbrella portion that closes the valve hole. (6) In any one embodiment of (1) to (5) above, the valve body may control the flow of gas from the inside to the outside of the container body. (7) In any one embodiment of (1) to (5) above, the valve body may control the flow of gas from the outside to the inside of the container body. (8) In any one embodiment of (1) to (7) above, the valve body may have a filter for filtering the gas. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a substrate housing container equipped with a valve body that performs valve opening and closing operations by an external force other than gas pressure. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is an exploded perspective view showing a substrate storage container according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2A] This is a cross-sectional view showing the area around the bottom of a substrate housing container equipped with a valve body. [Figure 2B] This is a cross-sectional view showing the valve body. [Figure 2C] This is a cross-sectional view showing the valve body in the open position. [Figure 2D] This is a cross-sectional view showing the gas flow in the valve body during air supply. [Figure 2E] This is a cross-sectional view showing the gas flow in the valve body during exhaust. [Figure 3] This is a cross-sectional view showing the flow of the cleaning fluid during cleaning of the substrate housing container. [Figure 4] This is a cross-sectional view showing a valve body having a leaf spring as a biasing member in the second embodiment. [Figure 5] This is a cross-sectional view showing a valve body without a biasing member according to the third embodiment.

Embodiments for Carrying out the Invention

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the embodiments of this specification, the same members are denoted by the same reference numerals throughout.

[0012] FIG. 1 is a schematic exploded perspective view showing a substrate storage container 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. It includes a container body 10 for storing a substrate, a lid body 20 for closing an opening 11 of the container body 10, and an annular gasket 30 provided between the container body 10 and the lid body 20.

[0013] The container body 10 is a box-shaped body with an opening 11 formed on the front surface. This opening 11 is bent with a step so as to spread outward, and the surface of the step portion is formed as a seal surface 12 with which the gasket 30 contacts, on the inner peripheral edge of the front surface of the opening 11. Note that the container body 10 is preferably of a front-open type because it is easy to perform an insertion operation of a substrate with a diameter of 300 mm or 45 mm.

[0014] On both the left and right sides inside the container body 10, supports 13 are arranged. The supports 13 have a function of placing and positioning the substrate. A plurality of grooves are formed in the height direction on the supports 13 to constitute so-called groove teeth. Then, the substrate is placed on the groove teeth at two locations on the left and right at the same height. The material of the supports 13 may be the same as that of the container body 10, but different materials may be used to enhance the cleaning property and slidability.

[0015] Also, a rear retainer (not shown) is disposed at the rear (inner side) inside the container body 10. The rear retainer forms a pair with the front retainer described later to hold the substrate when the lid body 20 is closed. However, without providing a rear retainer as in this embodiment, the support 13 may have, for example, a substrate holding portion in the shape of a "く" character or a straight line on the inner side of the groove teeth, and the front retainer and the substrate holding portion may hold the substrate. These supports 13 and rear retainers may be provided in the container body 10 by insert molding, fitting, or the like.

[0016] The substrate is supported by the support 13 and stored in the container body 10. As an example of the substrate, a silicon wafer can be mentioned, but it is not particularly limited, and for example, a quartz wafer, a gallium arsenide wafer, or the like may also be used.

[0017] A robotic flange 14 is detachably provided at the center of the ceiling of the container body 10. The substrate storage container 1 that hermetically stores the substrate in a clean state is gripped by the robotic flange 14 by a transport robot in the factory and transported to a processing apparatus for each process of processing the substrate.

[0018] Also, manual handles 15 to be gripped by an operator are each detachably attached to the central portions of the outer surfaces on both sides of the container body 10.

[0019] And, an air supply portion 16 and an exhaust portion 17 are provided on the bottom surface inside the container body 10, and a valve body 40 described later is attached to the bottom surface outside the container body 10. These supply an inert gas such as nitrogen gas or dry air from the air supply portion 16 into the substrate storage container 1 closed by the lid body 20, and discharge it from the exhaust portion 17 as necessary, thereby replacing the gas inside the substrate storage container 1, maintaining a low-humidity airtight state, or blowing off impurities on the substrate, so as to keep the inside of the substrate storage container 1 clean. Note that not only is gas supplied from the air supply portion 16, but the exhaust portion 17 may also be connected to a negative pressure (vacuum) generating device to forcibly discharge gas from the exhaust portion 17.

[0020] Furthermore, by detecting the gas exhausted from the exhaust section 17, it is possible to confirm whether the inside of the substrate storage container 1 has been replaced with the introduced gas. While it is preferable that the air supply section 16 and exhaust section 17 are located away from the position where the substrate is projected onto the bottom surface, the number and location of the air supply section 16 and exhaust section 17 are not limited to those shown in the illustration; they may be located at the four corners of the bottom surface of the container body 10. Additionally, the air supply section 16 and exhaust section 17 may be attached to the side of the lid 20.

[0021] Furthermore, a bottom plate 50 for placing the substrate storage container 1 on a load port (not shown) is attached to the bottom surface of the outer part of the container body 10 by fitting or fastening.

[0022] On the other hand, the lid 20 is roughly rectangular in shape and is attached to the front of the opening 11 of the container body 10. The lid 20 has a locking mechanism (not shown), and is locked when a locking piece is fitted into a locking hole (not shown) formed in the container body 10.

[0023] Furthermore, the lid 20 has an elastic front retainer (not shown) attached to its central part by fitting or other means to detachably hold the front edge of the substrate horizontally, or it is integrally formed by insert molding or other means. Since this front retainer, like the groove teeth and substrate holding portion of the support 13, is a part that the wafer directly contacts, a material with good cleanability and sliding properties is used.

[0024] Furthermore, the lid 20 has a mounting groove 21 for attaching the gasket 30. For example, on the surface of the lid 20 facing the container body 10, a protrusion 22 smaller than the stepped portion of the opening 11 is formed in an annular shape, thereby forming a mounting groove 21 with a roughly U-shaped cross-section. This protrusion 22 is designed to recede further than the stepped portion of the opening 11 when the lid 20 is attached to the container body 10.

[0025] Examples of materials for these container bodies 10 and lids 20 include thermoplastic resins such as polycarbonate, cycloolefin polymer, polyetheretherketone, and liquid crystal polymer. Conductive agents such as conductive carbon, conductive fibers, metal fibers, and conductive polymers, various antistatic agents, and ultraviolet absorbers may be appropriately added to these thermoplastic resins.

[0026] Next, the gasket 30 is annular in shape corresponding to the front shape of the lid 20 (and the shape of the opening 11 of the container body 10), and in this embodiment, it is rectangular in shape. However, the annular gasket 30 may be ring-shaped before being attached to the lid 20.

[0027] The gasket 30 is positioned between the sealing surface 12 of the container body 10 and the lid 20. When the lid 20 is attached to the container body 10, it tightly seals against the sealing surface 12 and the lid 20, ensuring the airtightness of the substrate storage container 1. This reduces the intrusion of dust, moisture, and other external elements into the substrate storage container 1, as well as reducing gas leakage from the inside to the outside.

[0028] The gasket 30 may be formed using an elastic material such as a thermoplastic elastomer consisting of polyester elastomers, polyolefin elastomers, fluorine elastomers, urethane elastomers, fluororubber, ethylene propylene rubber, or silicone rubber. Various additives may be added to these materials to provide other functions.

[0029] Next, the valve body 40 will be described. Figure 2A is a cross-sectional view showing the area around the bottom of the substrate housing container 1 equipped with the valve body 40; Figure 2B is a cross-sectional view showing the valve body 40; Figure 2C is a cross-sectional view showing the valve body 40 in the open state; Figure 2D is a cross-sectional view showing the gas flow in the valve body 40 in the supply state; and Figure 2E is a cross-sectional view showing the gas flow in the valve body 40 in the exhaust state. Note that only in Figure 2B the valve body 40 is shown as a separate unit.

[0030] The air supply valve body 40 controls the flow of gas from the outside to the inside of the container body 10, and when attached to the container body 10, it communicates with the air supply section 16 via a gas flow passage (not shown). On the other hand, the exhaust valve body 40 controls the flow of gas to the container body 10, and when attached to the container body 10, it communicates with the exhaust section 17 via a gas flow passage (not shown).

[0031] In this embodiment, the valve body 40 does not have a different structure for supplying air and for exhausting air; rather, the direction of gas flow to the valve body 40 is determined by an external device (supply and exhaust equipment) such as a load port on which the substrate housing container 1 is placed.

[0032] As shown in Figure 2A, the valve body 40 is fitted into a through hole 18 formed by ribs on the bottom surface of the container body 10 (or a bottom plate attached to the bottom surface of the container body 10). Multiple ventilation ribs 19 are formed at the base end of the through hole 18 to ensure the flow of gas to the container body 10.

[0033] The block member 41 is a roughly two-tiered cylindrical shape consisting of a large-diameter portion 411 on the container body 10 side and a small-diameter portion 412 on the load port side (see Figure 2B).

[0034] The large-diameter portion 411 has an outer circumference that tapers toward the container body 10 and has one or more annular ribs 411a. The annular ribs 411a ensure airtightness between the block member 41 and the through hole 18 when the block member 41 is inserted into the through hole 18 of the container body 10, and also have the function of fixing the block member 41 by fitting into the through hole 18 (see Figure 2A). Alternatively, a separate sealing member such as an O-ring may be attached instead of the annular ribs 411a.

[0035] Furthermore, the inner cavity of the large-diameter portion 411 is formed from the container body 10 side by a first stage portion 411b and a second stage portion 411c which has a smaller diameter than the first stage portion 411b.

[0036] On the other hand, the small-diameter portion 412 has a diameter that decreases towards the load port side on its outer circumference, and a cavity is formed on its inside.

[0037] When the valve body 40 is for air supply, the cavity in the small-diameter section 412 becomes the inlet passage 414, and the cavity in the large-diameter section 411 becomes the outlet passage 418. In addition, a part of the bottom surface of the second stage section 411c in the large-diameter section 411 becomes the valve seat 417 on which the valve member 42 (described later) sits, and the boundary between the inlet passage 414 and the outlet passage 418 becomes the valve hole 416.

[0038] The cross-sectional areas of the inlet passage 414 and outlet passage 418 are appropriately designed according to the gas flow rate and pressure, or according to the maximum opening amount and Cv value of the valve hole 416. Furthermore, it is preferable that the opening area of ​​the valve hole 416 be larger than the opening area of ​​the air supply nozzle 160 and exhaust nozzle 170, which will be described later.

[0039] Such block members 41 may be formed using various types of rubber or thermoplastic resins. Examples of these rubbers and resins include rubbers such as fluororubber and ethylene propylene rubber, thermoplastic elastomers such as polyester elastomers, polyolefin elastomers, fluorine elastomers, and urethane elastomers, and resins such as polyether ether ketone, polybutylene terephthalate, and polycarbonate.

[0040] A bonnet 46 is positioned on the first stage portion 411b of the block member 41. The bonnet 46 includes an annular main body portion 461 and a cylindrical guide portion 463 hanging down from the center of the main body portion 461, and is formed in a roughly T-shape in cross-section (see Figure 2B).

[0041] The main body 461 has multiple compartment ribs 462 on its inside, allowing gas to pass between the compartment ribs 462. The guide portion 463 guides the vertical movement of the valve member 42, which will be described later.

[0042] Then, one or more filters 44 are positioned on the upper surface of the bonnet 46 (the upper surface of the compartment rib 462) so as to be sandwiched between the bonnet 46 and the ventilation rib 19 of the container body 10 (see Figure 2A). However, the filters 44 may be attached to the container body 10, block member 41, or bonnet 46 by means of adhesive or welding, for example.

[0043] This filter 44 filters the supplied or discharged gas and is selected from porous membranes made of polytetrafluoroethylene, polyester fibers, fluororesin, etc., molecular filtration filters made of glass fibers, etc., and chemical filters in which a chemical adsorbent is supported on a filter material such as activated carbon fibers.

[0044] When using multiple filters 44, they may be of the same type, but it is preferable to combine filters with different properties, as this can prevent contamination by organic matter in addition to particles. For example, when cleaning the container body 10, one of the filters 44 may be made of a hydrophobic or hydrophilic material to suppress liquid permeation, as it also serves to suppress the retention of liquids such as water or cleaning solution, or to suppress the passage of liquids.

[0045] Next, the valve member 42 will be described.

[0046] The valve member 42 opens and closes the valve hole 416 and is formed of a cylindrical body portion 421 having a tip portion 422 at one end and an umbrella portion 423 at the other end (see Figure 2B).

[0047] The tip portion 422 has a ring groove 422a to which an operating member 43, described later, is detachably connected. The main body portion 421 has a guide hole 421a formed from the umbrella portion 423 towards the tip portion 422.

[0048] The guide hole 421a is into which a pin-shaped guide portion 463 is inserted, guiding the vertical movement of the valve member 42.

[0049] As the valve member 45 moves up and down, the umbrella portion 423 sits on the valve seat 417 of the block member 41, thereby opening and closing the valve hole 416.

[0050] The operating member 43 is formed of an inverted hat-shaped main body portion 431 having a cavity and a connecting portion 433 connected to the valve member 42 (see Figure 2B).

[0051] The main body portion 431 has a ring-shaped convex sealing portion 432 protruding from the portion that extends toward the container body 10. Furthermore, the ring-shaped flange portion of the main body portion 431 is formed to be larger in diameter than the circular opening 51 of the bottom plate 50.

[0052] The connecting portion 433 is provided on the upper surface (container body 10 side) of the main body portion 431 and has a connecting ring portion supported by multiple legs. This connecting ring portion is fitted into the ring groove 422a of the valve member 42, thereby connecting the valve member 42 and the operating member 43.

[0053] Furthermore, a buffer portion 47 is provided on the lower surface (load port side) of the main body portion 431 of the operating member 43 by adhesive or welding. This buffer portion 47 ensures airtightness between the valve body 40 and the air supply nozzle 160 and exhaust nozzle 170 of the load port when the substrate storage container 1 is placed on the load port, and also absorbs the impact when contact is made (see Figures 2D and 2E).

[0054] The buffer section 47 has a through hole 47a in its center, and together with the through hole 431a of the operating member 43, gas can flow through it.

[0055] Such valve members 42 and operating members 43 may be formed using various types of rubber or thermoplastic resins. Examples of these rubbers and resins include rubbers such as fluororubber and ethylene propylene rubber, thermoplastic elastomers such as polyester elastomers, polyolefin elastomers, fluorine elastomers, and urethane elastomers, and resins such as polyether ether ketone, polybutylene terephthalate, and polycarbonate. For the valve member 42, the material may be selected according to performance requirements such as prioritizing sealing (adhesion) with the valve seat 417, preventing adhesion to the valve seat 417, or ease of cleaning and drying.

[0056] Furthermore, the cushioning portion 47 may be formed using various types of rubber or thermoplastic resins depending on the desired elastic force and shock absorption capacity. Examples of these rubbers and resins include rubbers such as fluororubber and ethylene propylene rubber, thermoplastic elastomers consisting of polyester-based elastomers, polyolefin-based elastomers, fluorine-based elastomers, and urethane-based elastomers, and resins such as polyether ether ketone, polybutylene terephthalate, and polycarbonate.

[0057] A biasing member 45 is positioned between the block member 41 and the operating member 43. Specifically, the biasing member 45 is mounted so as to fit onto the outer circumferential surface of the small-diameter portion 412 of the block member 41 and the main body portion 431 of the operating member 43.

[0058] This biasing member 45 biases the block member 41 and the operating member 43 in a direction that separates them. As a result, the valve member 42 is biased to keep the valve hole 416 closed at all times when no external force is acting on the operating member 43. In this state, the block member 41 and the operating member 43 do not come into contact with each other, with a gap of about 1 mm to 2 mm (see Figure 2A).

[0059] The biasing member 45 is, for example, a resin coil spring, but since it is not exposed to the gas flowing through the passage, it may also be made of metal.

[0060] The magnitude of the external force required to move the operating member 43, that is, to open the valve hole 416, is adjusted by appropriately setting the biasing force of the biasing member 45, i.e., the elastic force (spring constant). It is also advisable to take into account the mass of the operating member 43 and other components, as the weight of the operating member 43 itself also acts as a biasing force.

[0061] By the way, the biasing member 45 can be a leaf spring, as in the second embodiment, or any other biasing means can be used, as long as it can bias the block member 41 and the operating member 43 in a direction that separates them. Figure 4 shows the valve body 240 of the second embodiment.

[0062] In the valve body 240 of the second embodiment, the biasing member 245, which is a leaf spring, is attached to the bottom plate 50 and biases the operating member 43 toward the bottom plate 50. The biasing member 245 may also be attached toward the container body 10.

[0063] The biasing member 245 may be provided with multiple (for example, three or four or more) roughly S-shaped leaf springs arranged radially.

[0064] Furthermore, without using the biasing member 45, the block member 41 and the operating member 43 may be separated by the weight of the operating member 43 (more precisely, the total mass including the mass of the valve member 42, and if the buffer portion 47 is included, the mass of the buffer portion 47 as well) as in the third embodiment. Figure 5 shows the valve body 340 of the third embodiment.

[0065] In the valve body 340 of the third embodiment, biasing members 45 and 245 are not provided, and the operating member 43 is biased toward the bottom plate 50 by the weight of the operating member 43 itself. In this case, the weight of the operating member 43 can be adjusted by appropriately setting the material, shape, and dimensions according to the magnitude of the external force that opens the valve. However, as described above, the biasing force that biases the valve member 42 downward includes not only the weight of the operating member 43, but also the weight of the valve member 42 and the weight of the buffer part 47, so it may be adjusted by at least one of these members. Furthermore, metal materials may be included inside each member so as not to be exposed to the gas passage.

[0066] Next, we will explain how the valve body 40 controls the flow of gas.

[0067] When no external force is applied to the operating member 43, the valve member 42 of the valve body 40 is in close contact with the valve seat 417, blocking the flow of gas to either side. Then, for example, when the substrate storage container 1 is placed on the load port, and the air supply nozzle 160 rises and contacts the buffer part 47, an external force is applied to the operating member 43 that pushes it upward, the valve member 42 separates from the valve seat 417 and opens the valve hole 416 (see Figure 2D). At this time, the block member 41 and the operating member 43 come into contact, forming a sealed gas passage connecting the block member 41 and the operating member 43. In this way, the gas supplied from the air supply nozzle 160 outside the container body 10 passes through the valve hole 416 and is supplied to the inside of the container body 10 (see Figure 2D).

[0068] Next, we will explain how the flow of gas is controlled when this valve body 40 is used for exhaust. In this case, it is the same as in the case of supplying air, except that the exhaust nozzle 170 comes into contact with the operating member 43, and the direction of gas flow is changed from inside the container body 10 to the outside (see Figure 2E).

[0069] By the way, the circuit board storage container 1 is sometimes cleaned with a cleaning fluid (cleaning solution) and then dried. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the flow of the cleaning fluid during cleaning of the substrate storage container 1.

[0070] During cleaning, the substrate storage container 1 may be placed so that the bottom plate 50 faces forward, as shown in Figure 3. However, since no external force is acting on the operating member 43, the valve hole 416 is closed by the valve member 42, and a gap is formed between the block member 41 and the operating member 43. Therefore, even if the cleaning fluid tries to enter the inside of the container body 10, it will not penetrate beyond the valve hole 416 and will be discharged through the gap between the block member 41 and the operating member 43.

[0071] As described above, the substrate storage container 1 of the embodiment of the present invention comprises a container body 10 for storing substrates, a lid 20 for closing the opening of the container body 10, and a valve body 40 for controlling the flow of gas to the container body 10. The valve body 40 is mounted on the bottom of the container body 10 and includes a block member 41 having a valve hole 416, a valve member 42 for opening and closing the valve hole 416, and an operating member 43 connected to the valve member 42 and having a gas passage. When no external force is applied to the operating member 43 in the direction of opening the valve hole 416, the block member 41 and the operating member 43 are separated and do not come into contact, resulting in a closed valve state. When an external force is applied to the operating member 43 in the direction of opening the valve hole 416, the block member 41 and the operating member 43 come into contact, resulting in an open valve state where gas can flow between the passage and the valve hole 416.

[0072] As a result, the operating member 43 can be moved and the valve hole 416 can be opened by applying an external force to the operating member 43, regardless of the pressure of the gas supplied to or exhausted from the substrate storage container 1 (i.e., at either low or high pressure). Then, when the external force is removed from the operating member 43, the valve hole 416 can be closed by a biasing force such as elastic force or gravity.

[0073] Furthermore, since the substrate storage container 1 is equipped with a valve body 40 that does not use metal components in the gas passage, even if there are metal-corrosive residual substances on the stored substrate, metal corrosion problems will not occur, and it is unlikely that the valve body 40 will fail to operate.

[0074] In addition, a humidity retention test was conducted using the substrate storage container 1 of the embodiment, and no significant difference was observed in the decrease in humidity over time compared to the conventional container.

[0075] In this embodiment, the movement of the operating member 43 is restricted by a bottom plate 50 attached to the bottom of the container body 10. This allows for an appropriate separation distance between the block member 41 and the operating member 43, and also prevents the operating member 43 from falling off.

[0076] The valve body 40 of this embodiment has a biasing member 45 that biases the operating member 43 in the direction of closing the valve hole 416. The biasing member 45 is not located within the gas flow path but is provided outside the block member 41 and the operating member 43. As a result, even if metal is used for the biasing member 45, it is provided outside the gas flow path, making metal corrosion less likely and preventing the valve body 40 from failing to operate.

[0077] In this embodiment, the biasing member is either a coil spring 45 or a leaf spring 245. This allows the biasing members 45 and 245 to have a simple structure.

[0078] The valve member 42 of this embodiment has an umbrella portion 423 that closes the valve hole 416. This makes it possible to increase the opening area of ​​the valve hole 416.

[0079] The valve body 40 in this embodiment controls the flow of supply gas from the outside to the inside of the container body 10, or controls the flow of exhaust gas from the inside to the outside of the container body 10. This allows for control of the flow of gas to the substrate housing container 1, respectively. Furthermore, since the valve body 40 does not open or close based on gas pressure, it is a dual-purpose structure rather than a dedicated structure for supply or exhaust air, allowing for the commonality of parts, and functions as either a supply or exhaust valve body 40 depending on the structure of the load port side.

[0080] The valve body 40 of this embodiment has a filter 44 for filtering gas. This allows the gas passing through the valve body 40 to be filtered. In addition, the filter 44 can be prevented from falling out by sandwiching it between the block member 41 (or the partition rib 462 of the bonnet 46) and the container body 10 (the ventilation rib 19 of the container body).

[0081] Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the gist of the present invention as described in the claims.

[0082] (modified version) In the above embodiment, the filter 44 may be placed separately from the valve body 40 in the gas flow path from the gas supply source to the container body 10. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0083] 1. Circuit board storage container 10 Container body 11 Opening, 12 Sealing surface, 13 Support, 14 Robotic flange, 15 Manual handle, 16 Air intake, 17 Exhaust, 18 Through hole, 19 Ventilation rib 20 Cover, 21 Mounting groove, 22 Protrusion 30 Gaskets 40 Valve body 41 Block member, 411 Large diameter section, 412 Small diameter section, 414 Inlet passage, 416 Valve hole, 417 Valve seat, 418 Outlet passage 42 Valve member, 421 Main body, 421a Guide hole, 422 Tip, 422a Ring groove, 423 Umbrella 43 Operating member, 431 Main body, 431a Through hole, 432 Seal part, 433 Connecting part 44 filters 45. Biasing member (coil spring) 46 Bonnet, 461 Main body, 462 Compartment ribs, 463 Guide section 47 buffer section, 47a through hole 50 Bottom plate, 51 Opening 240 Valve body 160 Air intake nozzles 170 Exhaust Nozzle 245 Biasing member (leaf spring) 340 Valve body

Claims

1. The main body of the container that houses the circuit board, A lid that closes the opening of the container body, A substrate housing container comprising a valve body for controlling the flow of gas to the container body, The valve body is A block member to be attached to the bottom of the container body, having a first cavity that opens toward the internal space of the container body in a first direction, a second cavity that opens toward the outside of the container body in a first direction, and a valve hole provided at the boundary between the first cavity and the second cavity, A valve member that opens and closes the valve hole, An operating member connected to the valve member, the operating member having a third cavity that opens toward the block member in the first direction, and a through hole that connects the third cavity to the outside of the container body, When no external force is applied to the operating member in the direction of opening the valve hole, the block member and the operating member are separated and not in contact, the valve is closed, and the second cavity and the third cavity communicate with the outside of the container body through the gap between the block member and the operating member. When an external force acts on the operating member in a direction that opens the valve hole, the block member and the operating member come into contact, causing the first cavity, the second cavity, and the third cavity to communicate through the valve hole, resulting in a valve open state in which a gas flow path is formed. A circuit board storage container characterized by the following features.

2. The operating member is supported by a bottom plate attached to the bottom of the container body. A substrate storage container according to feature 1.

3. The valve body includes a biasing member that biases the operating member in the direction of closing the valve hole, The biasing member is not located within the gas flow path, but is provided outside the block member and the operating member. A substrate storage container according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The biasing member is a coil spring or a leaf spring. The substrate storage container according to feature 3.

5. The valve member has an umbrella portion that closes the valve hole. A substrate storage container according to claim 1 or 2.

6. The valve body controls the flow of the gas from the internal space of the container body toward the outside. A substrate storage container according to claim 1 or 2.

7. The valve body controls the flow of the gas from the outside of the container body toward the internal space. A substrate storage container according to claim 1 or 2.

8. The valve body has a filter for filtering the gas. A substrate storage container according to claim 1 or 2.

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