Wafer storage container cleaning device

Abstract

To provide a wafer housing container washing device that effectively washes a wafer housing container.SOLUTION: A wafer housing container washing device 100 comprises: a washing tank 3 that washes a wafer housing container 200 having a container main body 201 that includes an open part on one surface and has a gripped part (a flange 203) on another surface crossing to a surface having the open part, and a door 202 that can be attached to / detached from the open part; and a gripping mechanism (a robot hand 1b) that individually grips the container main body and the door part, and includes a conveyance robot 1 that individually conveys the container main body and the door to / out of the washing tank. The gripping mechanism includes a body gripping part that has a pair of first gripping claws that can get close and away along a first straight line, and grips the gripped part by using the pair of first gripping claws, and a dor gripping part that has a pair of second gripping claws that can get close and away along a second straight line crossing the first straight line in an upper surface view, and grips the door by using the pair of second gripping claws.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to a wafer storage container cleaning apparatus. [Background Art]

[0002] As a semiconductor wafer storage container used in the manufacturing process of semiconductor wafers, FOUP (Front Opening Unified Pod) is known. A FOUP includes a shell (FOUP body, container body) having an opening and a door (opening / closing lid) attached to the opening of the shell. The interior of the shell is a storage space formed with a plurality of shelves so as to hold a plurality of wafers.

[0003] Such a FOUP is used when moving semiconductor wafers, on which semiconductor elements are formed through various processing steps (e.g., resist coating, exposure / development, etching (film formation), resist stripping, cleaning, etc.), between processing steps. That is, semiconductor wafers are transported while being held in the FOUP when moving between processing steps.

[0004] When a FOUP is used repeatedly, particles and chemical contaminants may adhere to the inner wall of the FOUP (the wall defining the wafer storage space). If these contaminants adhere to the semiconductor wafers stored in the FOUP, there is a risk that the yield of semiconductor elements will decrease. For this reason, after the FOUP has been repeated several times, cleaning of the FOUP is performed to restore the FOUP to a clean state.

[0005] As a technique for cleaning FOUPs, for example, a wafer storage container cleaning apparatus that individually cleans the shell and the door in a single cleaning tank has been proposed.

[0006] Further, a transfer robot carries the shell and the door into the cleaning tank and unloads the shell and the door from the cleaning tank. [Prior Art Literature] [Patent Literature]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2005-109523 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0008] In such wafer storage container cleaning equipment, there is a need to improve throughput so as not to hinder the production efficiency of semiconductor devices. The same applies to wafer storage container cleaning equipment that cleans wafer storage containers other than FOUPs (e.g., FOSB (Front Opening Shipping Box)).

[0009] The present invention was made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and its objective is to provide a wafer storage container cleaning apparatus that can efficiently clean wafer storage containers. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] To solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the objective, a wafer storage container cleaning apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention includes a cleaning tank for cleaning a wafer storage container having a container body that has a hexahedral shape, an opening on one face, and a gripping portion on another face intersecting the face having the opening, and a door portion that can be attached to the opening, and a transport robot that has a gripping mechanism for individually gripping the container body and the door portion, and for individually loading the container body and the door portion into the cleaning tank and individually unloading the container body and the door portion from the cleaning tank, A control unit for controlling the transport robot, The gripping mechanism comprises a pair of first gripping claws that are capable of moving closer together and further apart along a first straight line, and the pair of first gripping claws When they are in close proximityThe washing tank comprises a main body gripping portion for gripping the portion to be gripped, and a door gripping portion having a pair of second gripping claws that are capable of moving closer to and further away from each other along a second straight line that intersects the first straight line when viewed from above, and which grips the door portion using the pair of second gripping claws, wherein the washing tank washes the container body with the opening facing downwards. death , The control unit controls the transport robot to transport the container body into the washing tank with the opening facing downwards, while gripping the part to be gripped with the pair of first gripping claws, such that the direction along the first straight line is perpendicular to the surface having the opening, and to transport the container body into the washing tank and then transport it out of the washing tank. . [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to one aspect of the present invention, a wafer storage container cleaning apparatus can be provided that can efficiently clean wafer storage containers. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a plan view showing an example of a schematic configuration of a wafer storage container cleaning apparatus according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XX of the wafer storage container cleaning apparatus according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of a transport robot according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the internal configuration of a robot hand according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view along the YY line in Figure 4. [Figure 6] Figure 6 shows an example of a substrate according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] Figure 7 shows an example of the state in which the robot hand according to the first embodiment is gripping the flange. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the internal configuration of a robot hand according to the first embodiment. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a diagram illustrating the door and gripping claw in the first and second embodiments. [Figure 10]FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining a door and gripping claws in the first embodiment and the second embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining a door and gripping claws in the first embodiment and the second embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining a door and gripping claws in the first embodiment and the second embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining a door and gripping claws in the first embodiment and the second embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating an example of a state where a pair of gripping claws grip the door when a projection is provided on an outer circumferential surface of the door. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a gripping claw according to a modification. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating an example of a case where a pair of gripping claws grip a door. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating an example of a case where a pair of gripping claws grip a door. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating an example of a case where a pair of gripping claws grip a door. [Figure 19] FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating an example of a state where a pair of gripping claws grip the door when a projection is provided on an outer circumferential surface of the door. DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0013] Hereinafter, embodiments of a wafer storage container cleaning apparatus disclosed in the present application will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The wafer storage container cleaning apparatus disclosed in the present application is not limited to the following embodiments. Furthermore, each embodiment and each modification can be appropriately combined within a range where no contradiction occurs. In the present embodiment, a case where at least four processing tanks included in the wafer storage container cleaning apparatus are cleaning tanks (cleaning processing tanks) will be described as an example.

[0014] First Embodiment Figure 1 is a plan view showing an example of the schematic configuration of a wafer storage container cleaning apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment. Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XX of Figure 1. The wafer storage container cleaning apparatus 100 is installed, for example, in a factory that manufactures semiconductor wafers, and cleans wafer storage containers. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the wafer storage container cleaning apparatus 100 includes a transport robot 1, a disassembly / combination stage (buffer) 2, a cleaning tank 3, a housing 6, a vacuum processing tank 7, a control unit 8, a first loading / unloading port 9a, a second loading / unloading port 9b, a third loading / unloading port 9c, and an input interface 10.

[0015] In this embodiment, the wafer storage container 200 is, for example, a FOUP or FOSB, and comprises a container body (shell) 201 and a lid (door) 202. The container body 201 has a hexahedral shape. The container body 201 has a rectangular opening on one of its faces. The container body 201 also has a storage space for storing semiconductor wafers. The storage space is located inside the opening and communicates with the opening. The door 202 can be detached from and connected to the container body 201, and when connected to the container body 201, it is attached in a state that allows it to be opened and closed relative to the opening. Thus, the door 202 has a rectangular shape corresponding to the size of the opening of the container body 201 and is detachable from the opening. The door 202 is, for example, an example of a door part. The container body 201 is also provided with a flange 203. For example, the container body 201 has a flange 203 on another face that is perpendicular (intersecting) to the face having the opening. The flange 203 is the part that is gripped (held) when the wafer storage container 200 is transported by an OHT (Overhead Hoist Transport) or a transport robot 1, and is formed in the shape of a rectangular plate. The flange 203 is, for example, an example of a part to be gripped.

[0016] The transport robot 1, disassembly / connection stage 2, cleaning tank 3, maintenance area 4, cover section 5, vacuum processing tank 7, and control unit 8 are located inside the housing 6. On the other hand, the first loading / unloading port 9a, the second loading / unloading port 9b, and the third loading / unloading port 9c are located both inside and outside the housing 6.

[0017] The first loading / unloading port 9a loads the wafer storage container 200 to be cleaned, which is placed on the external part of the housing 6 of the first loading / unloading port 9a, into the housing 6.

[0018] For example, a wafer storage container 200, which has been transported with its flange 203 gripped by the OHT, is placed on the external portion of the housing 6 at the first loading / unloading port 9a. For example, as shown in Figure 1, the wafer storage container 200 is placed at the first loading / unloading port 9a such that its door 202 faces the housing 6. Once the wafer storage container 200 is placed at the first loading / unloading port 9a in this manner, a shutter provided at the opening 6a of the housing 6 rises. This makes it possible to load the wafer storage container 200 into the housing 6 through the opening 6a. Then, the wafer storage container 200 is slid inward by the sliding device of the first loading / unloading port 9a and loaded into the housing 6.

[0019] Furthermore, the first loading / unloading port 9a unloads the cleaned and vacuum-dried wafer storage container 200, which has been placed inside the housing 6 of the first loading / unloading port 9a by the transport robot 1, to the outside of the housing 6.

[0020] For example, inside the housing 6 of the first loading / unloading port 9a, a wafer storage container 200, whose container body 201 and door 202 are connected in the disassembly / connection stage 2 after vacuum drying, is transported and placed by a transport robot 1. When the wafer storage container 200 is placed in the first loading / unloading port 9a in this way, a shutter provided in the opening 6a of the housing 6 rises. This makes the wafer storage container 200 ready to be unloaded from the opening 6a to the outside of the housing 6. Then, the wafer storage container 200 is slid outwards by the sliding device of the first loading / unloading port 9a and unloaded from the housing 6.

[0021] The second loading / unloading port 9b, like the first loading / unloading port 9a, can load and unload wafer storage containers 200 through the opening 6b of the housing 6. The third loading / unloading port 9c can also be configured to load and unload wafer storage containers 200 through the opening 6c of the housing 6, similar to the first loading / unloading port 9a.

[0022] The transport robot 1 is a vertical articulated robot that transports the wafer storage container 200 to various parts while gripping the flange 203 of the wafer storage container 200. Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of the transport robot 1 according to the first embodiment. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the transport robot 1 comprises a robot arm 1a, a robot hand 1b, a base part 1c, a moving device 1d, and a wrist part 1e. The transport robot 1 has the robot arm 1a supported by the base part 1c, and while the flange 203 is gripped by the robot hand 1b provided at the tip of the robot arm 1a, the transport robot 1 transports the wafer storage container 200 to various parts by extending and retracting or rotating the robot arm 1a.

[0023] The moving device 1d includes a servo motor (not shown) and a ball screw mechanism, and can move the base portion 1c in the forward / backward direction (up / down direction in the figure) within the movement region R3 shown in Figure 1.

[0024] As shown in the example in Figure 3, the robot arm 1a of the transport robot 1 comprises a rotating support member 1a1, a first arm 1a2, and a second arm 1a3.

[0025] The rotating support member 1a1 is rotatable around a vertically extending axis (vertical axis) 11, and its lower end is supported by the upper part of the base part 1c. The first arm 1a2 is rotatable around a horizontally extending axis (horizontal axis) 12, and one end of the first arm 1a2 is connected to the upper end of the rotating support member 1a1. The second arm 1a3 is rotatable around a horizontal axis 13, and one end of the second arm 1a3 is connected to the other end of the first arm 1a2. The wrist part 1e is rotatable around a horizontal axis 15, and is connected to the other end of the second arm 1a3. The robot hand 1b is connected to the tip of the wrist part 1e, and is rotatable around an axis 14 perpendicular to the horizontal axis 15. With the above configuration, the transport robot 1 can move the robot hand 1b to various positions.

[0026] In the disassembly / connection stage 2, a disassembly process is performed to separate the wafer storage container 200 into a container body 201 and a door 202, and a connection process is performed to connect the container body 201 and the door 202. A latch key is provided on the disassembly / connection stage 2, and the disassembly and connection processes of the wafer storage container 200 are executed when the latch key is inserted into a keyhole formed in the door 202 of the wafer storage container 200 and rotated. For example, in the disassembly / connection stage 2, the wafer storage container 200, which has been brought into the housing 6, is transported by the transport robot 1, and the disassembly process is executed in the disassembly / connection stage 2. Then, the transport robot 1 transports the container body 201 and the door 202 individually into the cleaning tank 3. After the preliminary drying of the wafer storage container 200 is completed in the cleaning tank 3, the transport robot 1 transports the container body 201 and the door 202 individually out of the cleaning tank 3 and transports the container body 201 and the door 202 individually into the vacuum processing tank 7. In the disassembly / connection stage 2, the vacuum-dried container body 201 and door 202 are transported by the transport robot 1, and the connection process is performed.

[0027] In the wafer storage container cleaning apparatus 100 according to this embodiment, the disassembly / connection stage 2 is provided on a plate-shaped support member that is positioned higher than the installation surface of the cleaning tank 3, vacuum processing tank 7, etc., within the housing 6.

[0028] The cleaning tank 3 is a tank for cleaning the wafer storage container 200. For example, the container body 201 and the door 202 are transported separately to the cleaning tank 3 by the transport robot 1. The cleaning tank 3 then performs a cleaning process on the wafer storage container 200 while holding the container body 201 and the door 202 separately. For example, as shown in Figure 2, the cleaning tank 3 comprises a cleaning tank body 30a having an opening on its top surface, a top lid 30b that can open and close the opening of the cleaning tank body 30a, and a top lid opening and closing drive mechanism 30c for opening and closing the top lid 30b. In the cleaning tank 3, the top lid 30b holds the door 202, and the container body 201 is placed on a rotating table (not shown) provided on the cleaning tank body 30a. In the cleaning tank 3, the wafer storage container 200 is cleaned by rotating the container body 201 and the door 202 using a rotating mechanism (not shown) and discharging cleaning solution (e.g., pure water) from cleaning solution nozzles to each of the container body 201 and the door 202. Inside the cleaning tank 3, the container body 201 is positioned with its opening facing downwards to allow for efficient discharge of the cleaning solution, but the orientation of the container body 201 is not limited to this.

[0029] Once the cleaning of the wafer storage container 200 is complete in the cleaning tank 3, the cleaning tank 3 then rotates the container body 201 and door 202 within the cleaning tank 3 and blows dry air onto the container body 201 and door 202 to dry them. The drying in the cleaning tank 3 at this stage is a process to roughly dry the cleaning solution adhering to the wafer storage container 200 (pre-drying). Once the pre-drying of the wafer storage container 200 is complete in the cleaning tank 3, the transport robot 1 transports the container body 201 and door 202 separately to the vacuum processing tank 7.

[0030] As shown in Figure 1, the wafer storage container cleaning apparatus 100 has four cleaning tanks 3, two of which are located in the first region R1 and two in the second region R2.

[0031] The vacuum processing tank 7 is a tank for vacuum drying (final drying) of the wafer storage container 200. For example, the vacuum processing tank 7 comprises a vacuum tank body, an opening / closing lid, a heater, and a depressurization device that can evacuate the inside of the vacuum processing tank 7. In the vacuum processing tank 7, the container body 201 and the door 202 are loaded into the vacuum tank body by a transport robot 1, and with the opening of the vacuum tank body closed by the opening / closing lid, the container body 201 and the door 202 are vacuum dried by heating with the heater while evacuating with the depressurization device.

[0032] The control unit 8 controls the operation of the entire wafer storage container cleaning apparatus 100. For example, the control unit 8 controls the transport robot 1, the disassembly / combination stage 2, the cleaning tank 3, the vacuum processing tank 7, the first loading / unloading port 9a, the second loading / unloading port 9b, and the third loading / unloading port 9c, thereby operating the transport robot 1, the disassembly / combination stage 2, the cleaning tank 3, the vacuum processing tank 7, the first loading / unloading port 9a, the second loading / unloading port 9b, and the third loading / unloading port 9c as described above.

[0033] For example, the control unit 8 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), HDD (Hard Disk Drive), and a communication interface. These are connected via an internal bus.

[0034] The CPU executes various processes while using the RAM memory area as a temporary storage area for data used in various operations. The ROM and HDD store programs for executing these processes, as well as various databases and tables used when executing these processes.

[0035] The communication interface is an interface for communicating with the various parts of the wafer storage container cleaning apparatus 100 as described above, as well as for communicating with external devices connected to the wafer storage container cleaning apparatus 100 via a network. For example, the communication interface is a network interface card.

[0036] The input interface 10 receives various instructions and input operations for various information from the worker P. Specifically, the input interface 10 is connected to the control unit 8 and transmits the input operations received from the worker P to the control unit 8. For example, the input interface 10 may be a mouse, keyboard, or touch panel.

[0037] Next, an example of the robot hand 1b according to this embodiment will be described. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the internal configuration of the robot hand 1b according to the first embodiment. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the YY line in Figure 4.

[0038] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the robot hand 1b comprises a base 90, a gripping drive mechanism 101, a container body gripping part 104, and a door gripping part 105. The gripping drive mechanism 101, the container body gripping part 104, and the door gripping part 105 are each arranged on the base 90. In this embodiment, the robot hand 1b grips the container body 201 and the door 202 individually. The robot hand 1b is, for example, an example of a gripping mechanism.

[0039] The container body gripping section 104 grips the rectangular flange 203 of the container body 201. The container body gripping section 104 comprises a pair of gripping claws 104a1, 104b1 and a pair of arm blocks 104a, 104b. A gripping claw 104a1 is provided at one end of arm block 104a, and a gripping claw 104b1 is provided at one end of arm block 104b. The container body gripping section 104 grips the flange 203 using the pair of gripping claws 104a1, 104b1. Specifically, the pair of gripping claws 104a1, 104b1 grip the flange 203 by sandwiching it. The gripping claws 104a1, 104b1 are formed to be approximately the same length as the side of the flange 203 that is to be gripped. The container body gripping portion 104 is, for example, an example of a main body gripping portion.

[0040] The door grip 105 grips a rectangular door 202 that is larger than the flange 203. The door grip 105 comprises a pair of gripping claws 105a1, 105b1 and a pair of arm blocks 105a, 105b. A gripping claw 105a1 is provided at one end of arm block 105a, and a gripping claw 105b1 is provided at one end of arm block 105b. The door grip 105 grips the door 202 using the pair of gripping claws 105a1, 105b1. Specifically, the pair of gripping claws 105a1, 105b1 grip the door 202 by sandwiching it. The gripping claws 105a1, 105b1 are formed to be shorter than the gripping claws 104a1, 104b1, for example, to hold only the central portion of the door 202. Furthermore, since a pair of gripping claws 105a1, 105b1 can grip a rectangular door 202 that is larger than the flange 203, the distance between a pair of gripping claws 105a1, 105b1 is wider than the distance between a pair of gripping claws 104a1, 104b1.

[0041] The base body 90 is provided with a gripping drive mechanism 101. Figure 6 shows an example of the base body 90 according to the first embodiment. As shown in Figure 6, the base body 90 is formed in a shape (convex shape) with notches 90a in which two adjacent corners of a rectangle are cut out in a square shape when viewed from above. For example, if the container body 201 is transported to the disassembly / connection stage 2 with the notches 90a facing downwards, interference between the robot hand 1b and the disassembly / connection stage 2 can be suppressed. In addition, interference between the robot hand 1b and the washing tank 3 can be suppressed not only when transporting the container body 201 to the disassembly / connection stage 2, but also when placing (loading) the container body 201 into the washing tank 3 or removing (unloading) it from the washing tank 3.

[0042] The gripping drive mechanism 101 drives the container body gripping part 104 to grip the flange 203 of the container body 201, or drives the door gripping part 105 to grip the door 202. The gripping drive mechanism 101 includes linear guides 102a, 102b, 103a, 103b, a support shaft 115, a rotating member 116, four connecting members 106a, 106b, 107a, 107b, an air cylinder 110, a rod portion 111, and a connecting portion 112.

[0043] Each of the linear guides 102a and 102b supports each of the arm blocks 104a and 104b so that each of the arm blocks 104a and 104b can move toward and toward each other along a first straight line L1, which is a virtual line. This allows a pair of gripping claws 104a1 and 104b1 provided on the two arm blocks 104a and 104b to move toward and toward each other as indicated by the double arrow L11. In this way, the linear guides 102a and 102b support the pair of gripping claws 104a1 and 104b1 so that they can move in a direction along the first straight line L1. The linear guides 102a and 102b are, for example, examples of first guide members. The gripping claws 104a1 and 104b1 are, for example, examples of first gripping claws.

[0044] Each of the linear guides 103a and 103b supports each of the arm blocks 105a and 105b so that each of the arm blocks 105a and 105b can move toward and toward each other along a second straight line L2, which is an imaginary line perpendicular to the first straight line L1 when viewed from above. This allows a pair of gripping claws 105a1 and 105b1 provided on the two arm blocks 105a and 105b to move toward and toward each other as indicated by the double arrow L21. In this way, the linear guides 103a and 103b support the pair of gripping claws 105a1 and 105b1 so that they can move in the direction along the second straight line L2. The linear guides 103a and 103b are, for example, examples of second guide members. Also, the gripping claws 105a1 and 105b1 are, for example, examples of second gripping claws.

[0045] Although the example given was for the case where the second line L2 is perpendicular to the first line L1 in a top view, the example is not limited to the case where the second line L2 is perpendicular to the first line L1 in a top view; the second line L2 may also intersect the first line L1 in a top view.

[0046] As shown in Figure 5, in this embodiment, the first straight line L1 and the second straight line L2 intersect at the pivot axis 115 when viewed from above. Therefore, the container body gripping portion 104 and the door gripping portion 105 are arranged so as to intersect with respect to the pivot axis 115.

[0047] The air cylinder 110, under the control of the control unit 8, drives the rod portion 111 to move back and forth (reciprocate) along the second straight line L2. As a result, the rod portion 111 moves along the second straight line L2 in the two directions indicated by the double arrow 111a. The directions along the second straight line L2, the two directions indicated by the double arrow L21, and the two directions indicated by the double arrow 111a are parallel.

[0048] The connecting part 112 is a member that connects the rod portion 111 and the arm block 105a. Connection partSince it is connected to the arm block 105a via 112, when the rod portion 111 moves as described above, the arm block 105a moves in conjunction with the movement of the rod portion 111 in a direction along the second straight line L2.

[0049] The pivot shaft 115 is located approximately in the center of the base body 90, at position P where the first straight line L1 and the second straight line L2 intersect in a top view, and is an axis extending in a direction perpendicular to both the first straight line L1 and the second straight line L2. The rotating member 116 is supported by the pivot shaft 115 so as to be able to rotate around the pivot shaft 115. That is, in a top view, position P coincides with the rotation center C. Thus, the rotating member 116 is provided so as to be able to rotate around the pivot shaft 115, which is perpendicular to both the first straight line L1 and the second straight line L2, at position P where the first straight line L1 and the second straight line L2 intersect in a top view. The pivot shaft 115 is, for example, an example of an axis. In this embodiment, the rotating member 116 is a disc-shaped member, but it may be a member of other shapes.

[0050] The four (or more) connecting members 106a, 106b, 107a, and 107b each connect to the rotating member 116 in a rotatable manner to each of the pairs of gripping claws 104a1 and 104b1, and each of the pairs of gripping claws 105a1 and 105b1. Specifically, one end portion 106a1 of connecting member 106a is connected to the rotating member 116 in a rotatable manner, while the other end portion 106a2 of connecting member 106a is connected to the arm block 104a in a rotatable manner. Similarly, one end portion 106b1 of connecting member 106b is connected to the rotating member 116 in a rotatable manner, while the other end portion 106b2 of connecting member 106b is connected to the arm block 104b in a rotatable manner.

[0051] One end portion 107a1 of the connecting member 107a is connected to the rotating member 116 in a rotatable state, and the other end portion 107a2 of the connecting member 107a is connected to the arm block 105a in a rotatable state. In addition, one end portion 107b1 of the connecting member 107b is connected to the rotating member 116 in a rotatable state, and the other end portion 107b2 of the connecting member 107b is connected to the arm block 105b in a rotatable state.

[0052] The positions of the pair of ends 106a1 and 106b1 on the rotating member 116 side of the pair of connecting members 106a and 106b connected to the pair of gripping claws 104a1 and 104b1 are symmetrical with respect to the rotation center C of the rotating member 116. Similarly, the positions of the pair of ends 107a1 and 107b1 on the rotating member 116 side of the pair of connecting members 107a and 107b connected to the pair of gripping claws 105a1 and 105b1 are symmetrical with respect to the rotation center C of the rotating member 116. rotate It is positioned symmetrically with respect to the center C.

[0053] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the four distances—the distance between the end 106a1 of the connecting member 106a and the rotation center C, the distance between the end 106b1 of the connecting member 106b and the rotation center C, the distance between the end 107a1 of the connecting member 107a and the rotation center C, and the distance between the end 107b1 of the connecting member 107b and the rotation center C—are all the same.

[0054] Based on these considerations, in the first embodiment, the stroke (opening / closing amount, movement amount) of one pair of gripping claws 104a1, 104b1 is the same as the stroke of one pair of gripping claws 105a1, 105b1.

[0055] Next, an example of the operation of the gripping drive mechanism 101 when the container body gripping part 104 grips the flange 203 of the container body 201, or when the door gripping part 105 grips the door 202, will be described. For example, the control unit 8 controls the transport robot 1 to approach the flange 203 or door 202 to a position where the robot hand 1b can grip the flange 203 or door 202. As a result, the robot hand 1b approaches the flange 203 or door 202 to a position where it can grip the flange 203 or door 202.

[0056] Then, in the state shown in Figure 5, the control unit 8 controls the air cylinder 110 to retract the rod portion 111 towards the air cylinder 110. As a result, the rod portion 111 moves along the second straight line L2 in the right direction in Figure 5, one of the two directions indicated by the double arrow 111a. As the rod portion 111 moves in this way, the arm block 105a moves in conjunction with the movement of the rod portion 111, along the second straight line L2, in the right direction in Figure 5 (towards the support shaft 115).

[0057] When the arm block 105a moves to the right in Figure 5, the rotating member 116, which is connected to the arm block 105a by the connecting member 107a, rotates clockwise in Figure 5. As the rotating member 116 rotates clockwise, the arm blocks 104a, 104b, and 105b, which are connected by the connecting members 106a, 106b, and 107b respectively, also move toward the pivot shaft 115. In this case, the pair of arm blocks 104a and 104b move closer together. The pair of arm blocks 105a and 105b also move closer together. When the pair of arm blocks 104a and 104b move closer together, the pair of gripping claws 104a1 and 104b1 move closer together as the pair of arm blocks 104a and 104b move toward each other. Similarly, the pair of gripping claws 105a1 and 105b1 also move closer together. Then, either a pair of gripping claws 104a1, 104b1 grip the flange 203 by sandwiching it, or a pair of gripping claws 105a1, 105b1 grip the door 202 by sandwiching it.

[0058] Furthermore, if the container body gripping portion 104, which grips the flange 203 of the container body 201, releases the flange 203, or if the door gripping portion 105, which grips the door 202, releases the door 202, the gripping portion drive mechanism 101 should perform the reverse operation of the above-described operation. For example, the control unit 8 controls the air cylinder 110 so that the rod portion 111 protrudes from the air cylinder 110 (returning it to the state shown in Figure 5). As a result, the rod portion 111 moves along the second straight line L2 in the left direction in Figure 5 (away from the support shaft 115), one of the two directions indicated by the double arrow 111a. As the rod portion 111 moves in this way, the arm block 105a moves to the left in Figure 5.

[0059] When the arm block 105a moves to the left in Figure 5, the rotating member 116 rotates counterclockwise in Figure 5 in conjunction with the movement of the arm block 105a. When the rotating member 116 rotates counterclockwise, the arm blocks 104a, 104b, and 105b also move away from the support shaft 115. In this case, the pair of arm blocks 104a and 104b move apart. The pair of arm blocks 105a and 105b also move apart. When the pair of arm blocks 104a and 104b move apart, the pair of gripping claws 104a1 and 104b1 move apart in conjunction with the movement of the pair of arm blocks 104a and 104b. Similarly, the pair of gripping claws 105a1 and 105b1 also move apart. As a result, one pair of gripping claws 104a1, 104b1 releases the flange 203, or one pair of gripping claws 105a1, 105b1 releases the door 202.

[0060] As described above, the air cylinder 110 moves all of the gripping claws of the pair 104a1, 104b1 and the pair 105a1, 105b1 by moving one of the gripping claws 105a1 from the pair 104a1, 104b1 and the pair 105a1, 105b1. Note that the gripping claw moved by the air cylinder 110 is not limited to gripping claw 105a1, but may be any of the other gripping claws 104a1, 104b1, or 105b1. The air cylinder 110 is, for example, an example of a moving member.

[0061] Figure 7 shows an example of the state in which the robot hand 1b according to the first embodiment grips the flange 203. In the example in Figure 7, the flange 203 is gripped by a pair of gripping claws 104a1 and 104b1 sandwiching the flange 203 in the vertical direction.

[0062] Here, when a pair of gripping claws 104a1, 104b1 grip the flange 203 by clamping it horizontally, there is a risk that the flange 203 may slip off the pair of gripping claws 104a1, 104b1. For this reason, the pair of gripping claws 104a1, 104b1 are required to grip the flange 203 with a relatively strong force. On the other hand, when a pair of gripping claws 104a1, 104b1 grip the flange 203 by clamping it vertically, the lower gripping claw of the pair (gripping claw 104b1 in the example of Figure 7) supports the flange 203. Therefore, the force required when a pair of gripping claws 104a1, 104b1 grips the flange 203 in the vertical direction is smaller than the force required when gripping the flange 203 in the horizontal direction. Consequently, when a pair of gripping claws 104a1, 104b1 grips the flange 203 in the vertical direction, the force applied to the flange 203 can be reduced, thereby suppressing damage to the flange 203 and the gripping claws 104a1, 104b1. In addition, the air cylinder 110 can be made smaller by reducing the force applied to the flange 203, and the robot hand 1b can be made lighter.

[0063] Therefore, when the transport robot 1 is transporting the container body 201 into the washing tank 3, the control unit 8 may control the transport robot 1 so that the pair of first gripping claws 104a1 and 104b1 grip the flange 203 from above and below, and transport the container body 201 into the washing tank 3 with the opening facing downwards.

[0064] Next, we will describe the case in which the transport robot 1 removes the container body 201 from the washing tank 3. In this case, the container body 201 is placed in the washing tank 3 with its opening facing downwards. Therefore, the control unit 8 may control the transport robot 1 so that the pair of first gripping claws 104a1 and 104b1 grip the flange 203 from above and below, and remove the container body 201 from the washing tank 3 with its opening facing downwards.

[0065] As described above, in the wafer storage container cleaning apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment, the robot hand 1b as a gripping mechanism is a pair of gripping claws of the container body gripping section 104. 104a1, 104b1 The direction in which they move closer together and further apart (the direction along the first straight line L1) and the pair of gripping claws of the door grip 105 105a1, 105b1 The container body gripping portion 104 and the door gripping portion 105 are arranged such that, in a top view, their directions of approaching and separating (along the second straight line L2) are perpendicular to each other. With this configuration, the wafer storage container cleaning apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment has the effect of efficiently cleaning the wafer storage container for the following reasons.

[0066] As described above, inside the cleaning tank 3, the container body 201 is positioned with its opening facing downwards, as shown in Figure 7. In other words, the container body 201 is positioned with its flange 203 facing sideways. However, the container body 201 (wafer storage container 200) is brought into the wafer storage container cleaning device 100 with its opening facing sideways, that is, with its flange 203 facing upwards. Therefore, in order to move the container body 201 in and out of the cleaning tank 3, it is necessary to rotate the wrist portion 1e of the robot arm 1a by 90° to change the orientation of the container body 201.

[0067] Here, we consider the case of a robot hand equipped with a container body gripping section and a door gripping section, in which the gripping claws 104a1, 104b1 and the gripping claws 105a1, 105b1 of the door gripping section 105 are arranged in a straight line and configured to move closer to and further apart in the same direction. In the case of such a robot hand, as in Figure 7, if the flange 203 is gripped from the vertical direction, which is perpendicular to the horizontal axis 15, one of the gripping claws of the door gripping section 105 (located on the lower side) will protrude below the opening of the container body 201. In that case, if one attempts to place the container body 201 with the opening facing downwards, or to grip a container body 201 that has been placed with the opening facing downwards, the gripping claws of the door gripping section 105 may interfere with the mounting platform inside the washing tank 3. For this reason, with a robot hand configured in this way, the flange 203 cannot be gripped from the vertical direction, and it is necessary to grip it from a direction parallel to the horizontal axis 15, that is, from the side.

[0068] Now, let's consider the case where the robot hand with the aforementioned configuration grasps the flange 203 from the side and rotates the wrist portion 1e by 90° to change the orientation of the container body 201 by 90°. During this rotation, a torsional force (oscillating force) of a magnitude corresponding to the inertial force of the container body 201 acts on the main body gripping portion (its constituent components, the arm block and linear guide). Movable parts such as linear guides have a small gap to allow movement, and this gap gradually widens with use, leading to problems such as looseness, i.e., deterioration. When such movable parts are repeatedly subjected to the aforementioned force, deterioration will appear more quickly than in cases where it is not applied. In other words, their lifespan will be shortened. Therefore, in a robot hand with such a configuration, in order to prevent the lifespan of the main body gripping portion from being shortened, the rotation speed of the wrist portion 1e that changes the orientation of the container body 201 must be limited. This would increase the time required to change the orientation of the container body 201, which in turn increases the time required to clean the wafer storage container 200, thus reducing cleaning efficiency. Replacing the linear guides 102a and 102b with sufficiently wide ones or installing multiple guides in parallel might suppress the reduction in lifespan even at a higher rotation speed. However, this would increase the time required to change the orientation of the container body 201, which in turn increases the time required to clean the wafer storage container 200, thus reducing cleaning efficiency. container The weight of the main body gripping section 104, that is, the weight of the part that rotates 90 degrees, becomes heavier, which hinders the increase in rotation speed, and therefore, no improvement in efficiency can be expected.

[0069] In contrast, according to the robot hand 1b of the first embodiment, as shown in Figure 7, the flange 203 can be gripped from the vertical direction, which is perpendicular to the horizontal axis. Therefore, container This prevents torsional (oscillating) forces from acting on the main body gripping section 104 (its constituent components, the arm blocks 104a, 104b, and the linear guides 102a, 102b). Therefore, the aforementioned problems with movable parts such as the linear guides 102a, 102b are resolved. As a result, it becomes possible to quickly change the orientation of the container body 201, and the wafer storage container 200 can be cleaned efficiently.

[0070] Furthermore, according to the wafer storage container cleaning apparatus 100 of the first embodiment, the container body gripping part 104 that grips the container body 201 and the door gripping part 105 that grips the door 202 can be driven by a common gripping part driving mechanism 101, thereby simplifying the structure and reducing manufacturing costs.

[0071] (Second embodiment) As described above, the first embodiment described the case where four distances are the same: the distance between the end 106a1 of connecting member 106a and the rotation center C, the distance between the end 106b1 of connecting member 106b and the rotation center C, the distance between the end 107a1 of connecting member 107a and the rotation center C, and the distance between the end 107b1 of connecting member 107b and the rotation center C. However, the distances between the end 106a1 and the rotation center C and the distance between the end 106b1 and the rotation center C, and the distances between the end 107a1 and the rotation center C and the distance between the end 107b1 and the rotation center C, may be made different. That is, the strokes of one pair of gripping claws 104a1, 104b1 and the strokes of one pair of gripping claws 105a1, 105b1 may be made different.Therefore, such an embodiment will be described as a wafer storage container cleaning device according to the second embodiment. In the following description of the second embodiment, we will mainly explain the differences from the first embodiment, and may omit descriptions of configurations similar to those of the first embodiment.

[0072] Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the internal configuration of a robot hand according to the second embodiment. In the second embodiment, the two distances, the distance between end 106a1 and the rotation center C and the distance between end 106b1 and the rotation center C, and the two distances, the distance between end 107a1 and the rotation center C and the distance between end 107b1 and the rotation center C, are designed to be different.

[0073] As shown in Figure 8, the distance between end 106a1 and the rotation center C, and the distance between end 106b1 and the rotation center C are "D1". On the other hand, the distance between end 107a1 and the rotation center C, and the distance between end 107b1 and the rotation center C are "D2". Furthermore, distance "D2" is longer than distance "D1".

[0074] With this configuration, even with a single drive source (air cylinder 110), the gripping drive mechanism 101 can open and close two sets of gripping claws (one set of gripping claws 104a1, 104b1 and one set of gripping claws 105a1, 105b1) in different directions (orthogonal directions) with different strokes. For example, the dimensions of the flange 203 of the container body 201 are standardized and are almost the same regardless of the type (manufacturer) of the wafer storage container 200. In contrast, the external dimensions of the door 202 are not standardized, and the external dimensions and shape tend to differ depending on the type of wafer storage container 200.

[0075] In such cases, in equipment where different types of wafer storage containers 200 are mixed, it is necessary to either provide separate drive mechanisms for the container body gripping section 104 and the door gripping section 105, or to use a single drive mechanism and make the stroke of the pair of gripping claws 104a1, 104b1 larger to match the stroke of the pair of gripping claws 105a1, 105b1. However, if separate drive mechanisms are provided, the structure becomes more complex and manufacturing costs increase. Also, if the stroke of the pair of gripping claws 104a1, 104b1 is made larger to match the stroke of the pair of gripping claws 105a1, 105b1 using a single drive mechanism, it takes extra time to open and close the pair of gripping claws 104a1, 104b1, reducing efficiency.

[0076] However, in the second embodiment, there is no need for such a feature, and only the stroke of the pair of gripping claws 105a1, 105b1 of the door grip 105 can be increased. As a result, there is no extra time required to open and close the pair of gripping claws 104a1, 104b1. Therefore, according to the wafer storage container cleaning device of the second embodiment, the cleaning process can be performed more efficiently.

[0077] (Other variations) Here, the door 202 and gripping claws 105a1, 105b1 in each of the embodiments described above will be explained. Figures 9 to 13 are diagrams illustrating the door 202 and gripping claws 105a1, 105b1 in the first and second embodiments. As shown in Figure 9, the pair of gripping claws 105a1, 105b1 grip the door 202 by sandwiching it.

[0078] Figure 10 is a perspective view of the gripping claws 105a1 and 105b1. As shown in Figure 10, the gripping claws 105a1 and 105b1 have a roughly U-shaped form. 105b1 The bottom surface of the U-shape, which is the central part, is a flat surface. The central surfaces of gripping claws 105a1 and 105b1 are in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the door 202, and the pair of gripping claws 105a1 and 105b1 grip the door 202 by sandwiching it. Figures 11 to 13 are enlarged views of the area within the dashed frame 300 in Figure 9. As shown in Figure 11, there may be no protrusions on the outer circumferential surface of the door 202, or depending on the type of wafer storage container 200, there may be protrusions 202a and 202b on the outer circumferential surface of the door 202, as shown in Figures 12 and 13. Figure 14 is a diagram showing an example of the state in which the pair of gripping claws 105a1 and 105b1 grip the door 202 when there are protrusions on the outer circumferential surface of the door 202. In Figure 14, the black circles indicate the case where the gripping claws 105a1 and 105b1 are in contact with the door 202 at one point. In the example in Figure 14, the pair of gripping claws 105a1 and 105b1 are in contact with the door 202 at two points. This can occur when the central portion of the gripping claws 105a1 and 105b1 is a flat surface, while the outer surface of the door 202 may have undulations due to variations in machining accuracy, etc., and a protruding portion (projection) is positioned opposite both gripping claws 105a1 and 105b1. In this case, the grip of the door 202 is unstable, and the door 202 may shift relative to the gripping claws 105a1 and 105b1.

[0079] Therefore, instead of the gripping claws 105a1 and 105b1, the gripping claws 205a1 and 205b1 shown in Figure 15 may be used to stably grip the door 202 even if there are protrusions on the outer surface of the door 202. Figure 15 is a perspective view of the gripping claws 205a1 and 205b1 according to a modified example.

[0080] As shown in Figure 15, the gripping claws 205a1 and 205b1 comprise a first member 211, a second member 212, an elastic body 213, and a third member 214.

[0081] The first member 211 is a flat plate-shaped member, and in plan view (top view) it is a rectangular plate-shaped member having four sides.

[0082] A pair of rectangular plate-shaped second members 212 and third members 214 are provided on the surface of the first member 211, rising from each of its three sides. The pair of second members 212 are positioned opposite each other, and the third member 214 is positioned so as to be sandwiched between the pair of second members 212. When viewed from above (from the direction opposite to the surface of the first member 211), the pair of second members 212 and third member 214 form a U shape. The second member 212 has a recess 212b formed at its upper end (the end opposite to the first member 211 side) 212a. a Projections 212c are formed at both ends of the third member 214. The side surface of the upper end 212a of the projection 212c on the central side is formed as an inclined surface 212c1 that slopes toward the central side. This inclined surface 212c1 functions as a guide when the gripping claws 205a1 and 205b1 grip the door 202. An elastic body 213 is provided in the recess 212b, having the same width as the second member 212 and exhibiting a roughly cubic shape. The upper end surface 213b of this elastic body 213 is formed to be flush with the plane 212d that connects to the base end of the recess 212b (the plane that connects to the base end of the projection 212c). A groove 213a is formed at the end of the elastic body 213 opposite to the third member 214. The groove 213a is provided to accommodate a flange-shaped projection when one is formed on the outer circumference of the door 202, and to grip the tip of the projection with the bottom of the groove 213a.

[0083] The third member 214 includes a convex portion 214a that is continuous with the projection 212c of the second member 212, and a flat surface 214b that is continuous with the flat surface 212d of the second member 212. Note that the guide function can be performed by having either the convex portion 214a or the projection 212c on the third member 214 side of the second member 212, so the other may be omitted. These first to third members 211, 212, and 214 may be constructed as separate parts or as a single unit.

[0084] Furthermore, the gripping claws 205a1 and 205b1 have grooves 213a formed in them for contacting the protrusions on the outer surface of the door 202.

[0085] Figures 16-18 show examples of how a pair of gripping claws 205a1 and 205b1 grip a door 202. As shown in Figure 16, when the outer surface of the door 202 is flat and has no protrusions, one gripping claw (gripping claw 205a1 or gripping claw 205b1) will have the upper end surfaces 213b (see Figure 15) of the two elastic bodies 213 in close contact with the door 202 so as not to dislodge it. As shown in Figures 17 and 18, when there are protrusions 202a and 202b on the outer surface of the door 202, one gripping claw (gripping claw 205a1 or gripping claw 205b1) will have the two grooves 213a in contact with the protrusions 202a and 202b at two points so as not to dislodge the door 202. Note that Figure 17 shows an example of a protrusion 202a with a rectangular cross-sectional shape, and Figure 18 shows an example of a protrusion 202b with a triangular cross-sectional shape. Figure 19 shows an example of a case where a pair of gripping claws 205a1 and 205b1 grip the door 202 when the door 202 has a projection on its outer surface. In the example in Figure 19, the two black circles indicate the positions where the gripping claw 205a1 is in contact with the projection on the door 202 at two points. Also, in the example in Figure 19, the single black circle indicates the position where the gripping claw 205b1 is in contact with the projection on the door 202 at one point. In this case, since the pair of gripping claws 205a1 and 205b1 are in contact with the door 202 at three points, the grip on the door 202 is stable, and displacement of the door 202 relative to the gripping claws 205a1 and 205b1 can be suppressed.

[0086] As mentioned above, the outer circumference of the door 202 may have undulations due to variations in machining accuracy, etc. However, in the gripping claws 205a1 and 205b1 of this modified example, elastic bodies 213 are provided at the contact points with the door 202. Therefore, undulations of a certain size can be absorbed by the deformation of the elastic bodies 213, and the door 202 can be stably gripped at a total of four points, two points each, by the gripping claws 205a1 and 205b1. The gripping state shown in Figure 19 can occur when there are undulations (protrusions) on the gripping area of ​​the outer circumference of the door 202 that cannot be absorbed by the deformation of the elastic bodies 213. However, in the gripping claws 205a1 and 205b1 of this modified example, the elastic bodies 213 that contact the door 202 are arranged at two spaced-apart locations. Therefore, even if the undulations described above exist, one of the elastic bodies 213 can be reliably brought into contact with the door 202. Grasped area As long as no similar undulations exist, the pair of gripping claws 205a1 and 205b1 can securely grip the door 202 at a total of three points.

[0087] In the first embodiment described above, the wafer storage container cleaning apparatus 100 was described in a case where it has four cleaning tanks 3. However, the embodiment is not limited to this, and it may have five or more cleaning tanks.

[0088] In the first embodiment described above, a case was described in which the wafer storage container cleaning apparatus 100 has four cleaning tanks 3 and two vacuum processing tanks 7. However, the embodiment is not limited to this, and at least four processing tanks may be vacuum processing tanks 7. That is, the wafer storage container cleaning apparatus 100 may have at least four vacuum processing tanks 7, and the vacuum processing tanks 7 may be provided in the positions where the cleaning tanks 3 were provided in the first embodiment. In this case, the wafer storage container cleaning apparatus 100 may have two cleaning tanks 3, and the cleaning tanks 3 may be provided in the positions where the vacuum processing tanks 7 were provided in the first embodiment. [Explanation of symbols]

[0089] 1. Transport robot 1b Robot Hand 2. Disassembly / Connecting Stage 3. Washing tank 8 Control Unit 100 Wafer storage container cleaning device 104 Container body gripping part 105 Door grip

Claims

1. A cleaning tank for cleaning a wafer storage container, comprising a container body having a hexahedral shape, an opening on one face, and a gripping portion on another face intersecting the face having the opening, and a door portion that can be attached to the opening, A transport robot is provided with a gripping mechanism for individually gripping the container body and the door portion, for individually transporting the container body and the door portion into the washing tank, and for individually transporting the container body and the door portion out of the washing tank. A control unit for controlling the transport robot, Equipped with, The gripping mechanism is, A main body gripping portion having a pair of first gripping claws that are capable of moving closer together and further apart along a first straight line, and gripping the portion to be gripped when the pair of first gripping claws are in a close position, A door gripping portion having a pair of second gripping claws that are capable of moving closer to and further away from each other along a second straight line that intersects the first straight line when viewed from above, and gripping the door portion using the pair of second gripping claws, Equipped with, The washing tank washes the container body with the opening facing downwards. The control unit controls the transport robot to transport the container body into the washing tank with the opening facing downwards, while gripping the portion to be gripped with the pair of first gripping claws, such that the direction along the first straight line is perpendicular to the surface having the opening, and then transport the container body into the washing tank and then transport it out of the washing tank. Wafer storage container cleaning device.

2. A rotating member is provided at a position where the first straight line and the second straight line intersect in a top view, so as to be rotatable about an axis perpendicular to both the first straight line and the second straight line, A first guide member that supports the pair of first gripping claws so as to be movable in a direction along the first straight line, A second guide member that supports the pair of second gripping claws so as to be movable in a direction along the second straight line, A plurality of connecting members that individually connect each of the pair of first gripping claws and each of the pair of second gripping claws to the rotating member, A moving member moves all of the gripping claws of the pair of first gripping claws and the pair of second gripping claws by moving one of the pair of first gripping claws and the pair of second gripping claws, A wafer storage container cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, comprising:

3. The pair of connecting members connected to the pair of first gripping claws are rotatably connected to the rotating member at a position symmetrical with respect to the rotation center of the rotating member. The pair of ends of the pair of connecting members connected to the pair of second gripping claws, on the side of the rotating member, are rotatably connected to the rotating member at a position symmetrical with respect to the rotation center of the rotating member. The wafer storage container cleaning apparatus according to claim 2.

4. The wafer storage container cleaning apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the first distance between the position where the pair of ends of the connecting member on the rotating member side of the pair of connecting members connected to the pair of first gripping claws are connected to the rotating member and the center of rotation is different from the second distance between the position where the pair of ends of the connecting member on the rotating member side of the pair of connecting members connected to the pair of second gripping claws are connected to the rotating member and the center of rotation.

5. The wafer storage container cleaning apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the second distance is longer than the first distance.

6. The second gripping claw is, A rectangular first member, A second member extending upward from one side of the first member and from each side of the side opposite to the first member, the second member having a recess formed at the end opposite to the first member side, An elastic body having a groove formed in the recess formed in the second member, A wafer storage container cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, comprising:

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