Substrate storage container

Abstract

A substrate storage container 1 comprises: a container body 2; a lid body 3; a lid-body-side substrate support part 73 capable of supporting an edge part of a plurality of substrates W; and a back-side substrate support part 6 which is disposed so as to form a pair with the lid-body-side substrate support part 73 and which supports the edge part of the plurality of substrates W in cooperation with the lid-body-side substrate support part 73 when a container body opening part 21 is closed by the lid body 3. The lid-body-side substrate support part 73 has an upper-side inclined surface 76 and a lower-side inclined surface 77 that form a V-shaped groove 74, which is a recessed groove depressed away from the center of a substrate storage space 27. A frontmost part of the upper-side inclined surface 76 and the lower-side inclined surface 77 functions as a holding part 78 for holding the edge part of the plurality of substrates W. The lower-side inclined surface 77 has a holding surface 775 forming the holding part 78 and a guide surface 8 which is located rearward D12 from the holding surface 775 and which guides the substrates W to the holding part 78 while causing the substrates W to slide. A guide inclination angle θ, by which the guide surface 8 is inclined with respect to a front direction D11, decreases in multiple stages.

Description

Substrate storage container

[0001] The present invention relates to a substrate storage container used for storing, preserving, transporting, and transporting substrates such as semiconductor wafers.

[0002] BACKGROUND ART Substrate storage containers for storing and transporting substrates made of semiconductor wafers have been known which are configured to include a container body and a lid (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] One end of the container body has an opening periphery where a container body opening is formed. The other end of the container body has a closed cylindrical wall. A substrate storage space is formed within the container body. The substrate storage space is surrounded by the wall and is capable of storing multiple substrates. The lid is detachable from the opening periphery and is capable of closing the container body opening. The side substrate support portions are provided on the wall in pairs in the left-right direction within the substrate storage space. When the container body opening is not closed by the lid, the side substrate support portions are capable of supporting the edges of multiple substrates while arranging adjacent substrates in parallel in the vertical direction with a predetermined distance between them.

[0004] A front retainer is provided on a portion of the lid that faces the substrate storage space when the container body opening is closed. The front retainer has a lid-side substrate support portion that directly contacts the substrate to support it, and a lid-side leg portion that supports the lid-side substrate support portion, and is capable of supporting the edges of multiple substrates when the container body opening is closed by the lid. In addition, a rear-side substrate support portion is provided on the wall portion so as to form a pair with the front retainer. The rear-side substrate support portion is capable of supporting the edges of multiple substrates. When the container body opening is closed by the lid, the rear-side substrate support portion cooperates with the front retainer to support the multiple substrates, thereby holding the multiple substrates in a state where adjacent substrates in the vertical direction are spaced apart at a predetermined interval and aligned in parallel.

[0005] The cover-side substrate support portion has upper and lower inclined surfaces that form a V-shaped groove that is recessed (toward the front) away from the center of the substrate storage space. The frontmost portions of the upper and lower inclined surfaces function as clamping portions that clamp the edges of multiple substrates.

[0006] Special table 2013-540372 publication

[0007] When the lid is used to close the opening of the container body, the substrate is likely to be poorly guided into the clamping portion of the V-shaped groove in the lid-side substrate support portion. Specifically, with the container body positioned horizontally (with the lower inclined surface of the lid-side substrate support portion positioned downward), the edge of the substrate is supported by the side substrate support portion. Then, as the lid is moved closer to the opening of the container body, the substrate strikes the lower inclined surface of the lid-side substrate support portion, then rises up the lower inclined surface and is guided (introduced) into the clamping portion of the V-shaped groove.

[0008] However, due to various variations such as the position and angle (relative to the lid-side substrate support portion) of the substrate supported by the lateral substrate support portion, and the deflection of the substrate due to its thickness and weight, the substrate may not smoothly rise up the lower inclined surface of the lid-side substrate support portion and may not be smoothly guided into the clamping portion of the V-shaped groove.

[0009] An object of the present invention is to provide a substrate storage container that can suppress the occurrence of substrate guide failures in the lid-side substrate support portion.

[0010] (1) A first aspect of the present invention is a container body including a cylindrical wall portion having a container body opening formed at one end on the front side and a closed other end on the rear side, the inner surface of the wall portion forming a substrate storage space capable of storing a plurality of substrates and communicating with the container body opening; a lid body that is detachable from the container body opening and capable of closing the container body opening; a lid body-side substrate support portion that is disposed in a portion of the lid body that faces the substrate storage space when the container body opening is closed by the lid body and that is capable of supporting edges of the plurality of substrates when the container body opening is closed by the lid body; and a lid body-side substrate support portion that is disposed in the substrate storage space so as to form a pair with the lid body-side substrate support portion and is capable of supporting edges of the plurality of substrates, the lid body being attached to the substrate storage space. Therefore, when the container body opening is closed, the container body is provided with a rear substrate support portion that cooperates with the lid body side substrate support portion to support the plurality of substrates with the edges of the plurality of substrates aligned in the vertical direction, the lid body side substrate support portion having upper and lower inclined surfaces that form a V-shaped groove that is a recessed groove that is spaced apart from the center of the substrate storage space, the front-most portions of the upper and lower inclined surfaces function as a clamping portion that clamps the edges of the plurality of substrates, the lower inclined surface having a clamping surface that forms the clamping portion, and a guide surface that is located behind the clamping surface and guides the substrates while sliding them toward the clamping portion, the guide inclination angle of the guide surface that is inclined toward the forward direction is reduced in multiple stages.

[0011] (2) A second aspect of the present invention is a substrate storage container according to (1), in which the guide surface has a first guide surface on the rear side and a second guide surface located in front of the first guide surface, and the length of the second guide surface is longer than the length of the first guide surface in the front-to-rear direction.

[0012] (3) A third aspect of the present invention is the substrate storage container according to (2), wherein the area of ​​the second guide surface is larger than the area of ​​the first guide surface.

[0013] (4) A fourth aspect of the present invention is a substrate storage container according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein, in the lid-side substrate support portions adjacent in the vertical direction, an imaginary plane perpendicular to the vertical direction passes through one or both of the lid-side substrate support portion located on the upper side and the lid-side substrate support portion located on the lower side.

[0014] (5) The fifth invention is a substrate storage container according to any one of (1) to (4), in which, in the lid-side substrate support portions adjacent in the vertical direction, when viewed from the front, the lower edge of the lower inclined surface of the lid-side substrate support portion located on the upper side and the upper edge of the upper inclined surface of the lid-side substrate support portion located on the lower side are parallel to each other with a gap between them, and are inclined downward as they move inward in the horizontal direction.

[0015] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a substrate storage container that can suppress the occurrence of substrate guide failures in the lid body side substrate support portion.

[0016] 4A is an exploded perspective view showing substrates W stored in a substrate storage container 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4B is a perspective view showing a container body 2 in which substrates W are not stored. FIG. 4C is a perspective view showing a lid body 3 in a state in which a front retainer 7 is attached. FIG. 4D is a partial front view (viewed in the front direction D11) showing a lid body side substrate support portion 73 of the front retainer 7. FIG. 4E is an enlarged partial view of FIG. 4A. FIG. 4F is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A in FIG. 4A.

[0017] A substrate storage container 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a state in which substrates W are stored in a substrate storage container 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a container body 2 in which no substrates W are stored. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a lid 3 in a state in which a front retainer 7 is attached. FIG. 4A is a partial front view (viewed in the front direction D11) showing a lid-side substrate support portion 73 of the front retainer 7. FIG. 4B is a partial enlarged view of FIG. 4A. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in FIG. 4A.

[0018] For ease of explanation, the direction from the container body 2 (described later) toward the lid 3 (the direction from the upper right to the lower left in FIG. 1 ) is defined as the front direction D11, and the opposite direction is defined as the rear direction D12, and these are defined as the front-to-rear direction D1. Furthermore, the direction from the lower wall 24 (described later) toward the upper wall 23 (the upward direction in FIG. 1 ) is defined as the upward direction D21, and the opposite direction is defined as the downward direction D22, and these are defined as the up-down direction D2. Furthermore, the direction from the second side wall 26 (described later) toward the first side wall 25 (the direction from the lower right to the upper left in FIG. 1 ) is defined as the leftward direction D31, and the opposite direction is defined as the rightward direction D32, and these are defined as the left-right direction D3 or the lateral direction D3. The word "direction" may also be referred to as "side."

[0019] The substrates W stored in the substrate storage container 1 are thin, disc-shaped silicon wafers, glass wafers, sapphire wafers, etc., which are used in industry. The substrates W in this embodiment are silicon wafers with a diameter of 200 mm to 450 mm.

[0020] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the substrate storage container 1 is for storing substrates W made of silicon wafers as described above, and has a container body 2, a lid 3, side substrate support portions 5, a rear substrate support portion 6, and a front retainer 7 having a lid side substrate support portion 73.

[0021] 1 and 2, the container body 2 has a container body opening 21 formed at one end on the front side D11 and a cylindrical wall portion 20 that is closed at the other end on the rear side D12. A substrate storage space 27 is formed within the container body 2. The substrate storage space 27 is surrounded by the wall portion 20. Side substrate support portions 5 are arranged in the portion of the wall portion 20 that forms the substrate storage space 27. The substrate storage space 27 is capable of storing multiple substrates W.

[0022] The side substrate support portions 5 are provided on the wall portion 20 in pairs in the left-right direction D3 within the substrate storage space 27. When the container body opening 21 is not closed by the lid 3, the side substrate support portions 5 abut against the side portions of the edges of the plurality of substrates W, thereby supporting the side portions of the edges of the plurality of substrates W while arranging adjacent substrates W in parallel in the up-down direction D2 at a predetermined distance from each other. A back substrate support portion 6 is provided on the back side (rear side D12) within the container body 2.

[0023] The rear substrate support portion 6 is provided on the wall portion 20 so as to form a pair with the front retainer 7 inside the substrate storage space 27. When the container body opening 21 is closed by the lid body 3, the rear substrate support portion 6 can support the rear portions of the edges of the plurality of substrates W by abutting against the rear portions of the edges of the plurality of substrates W.

[0024] The lid 3 is detachable from the opening periphery 28 that forms the container body opening 21, and is capable of closing the container body opening 21. The front retainer 7 is provided on the lid 3 at a portion that faces the substrate storage space 27 when the container body opening 21 is closed by the lid 3. The front retainer 7 is disposed inside the substrate storage space 27 so as to form a pair with the rear substrate support part 6 in the front-to-rear direction D1.

[0025] The front retainer 7 is capable of supporting the front edges of the substrates W by abutting against the edges of the substrates W when the container body opening 21 is closed by the lid 3. When the container body opening 21 is closed by the lid 3, the front retainer 7 cooperates with the rear substrate support portion 6 to support the substrates W, thereby holding the substrates W in a state in which adjacent substrates W in the vertical direction D2 are spaced apart at a predetermined interval and arranged side by side. Each portion will be described in detail below. The substrate storage container 1 is basically left-right symmetrical, and a description of one side applies to or is cited as the other side.

[0026] 1 and other figures, the wall portion 20 of the container body 2 has a back wall 22, an upper wall 23, a lower wall 24, a first side wall 25, and a second side wall 26. The back wall 22, the upper wall 23, the lower wall 24, the first side wall 25, and the second side wall 26 are made of a plastic material or the like, and in this embodiment, are integrally molded from polycarbonate.

[0027] The first side wall 25 and the second side wall 26 face each other in the left-right direction D3, and the upper wall 23 and the lower wall 24 face each other in the up-down direction D2. The rear end of the upper wall 23, the rear end of the lower wall 24, the rear end of the first side wall 25, and the rear end of the second side wall 26 are all connected to the rear wall 22. The front end of the upper wall 23, the front end of the lower wall 24, the front end of the first side wall 25, and the front end of the second side wall 26 are positioned opposite the rear wall 22 and constitute an opening periphery 28 that forms the substantially rectangular container body opening 21.

[0028] The opening periphery 28 is provided at one end of the container body 2, and the rear wall 22 is located at the other end of the container body 2. The container body 2 has a box-like outer shape formed by the outer surfaces of the walls 20. The inner surfaces of the walls 20, i.e., the inner surfaces of the rear wall 22, the upper wall 23, the lower wall 24, the first side wall 25, and the second side wall 26, form a substrate storage space 27 surrounded thereby. The container body opening 21 formed in the opening periphery 28 is surrounded by the walls 20 and communicates with the substrate storage space 27 formed inside the container body 2. A maximum of 25 substrates W can be stored in the substrate storage space 27.

[0029] 1 and 2, latch engagement recesses 231A, 231B, 241A, and 241B recessed outward from the board storage space 27 are formed in the upper wall 23 and the lower wall 24 near the opening periphery 28. A total of four latch engagement recesses 231A, 231B, 241A, and 241B are formed, one near each of the left and right ends of the upper wall 23 and the lower wall 24.

[0030] 1 and 2 , a flange fixing portion (not shown) and ribs 235A, 235B are integrally formed with the upper wall 23 on the outer surface of the upper wall 23. The flange fixing portion (not shown) is disposed in the center of the upper wall 23. A top flange 236 is fixed to the flange fixing portion (not shown). The top flange 236 is disposed in the center of the upper wall 23. The top flange 236 is a member that is hung on and suspended from the substrate storage container 1 when suspending the substrate storage container 1 in an AMHS (automated wafer transport system), PGV (wafer substrate transport vehicle), or the like.

[0031] A plurality of ribs 235A extend from the top flange 236 generally in the left direction D31 and a plurality of ribs 235B extend from the top flange 236 generally in the right direction D32. A plurality of ribs 235B extend from the top flange 236 generally in the front direction D11 and a plurality of ribs 235B extend from the top flange 236 generally in the rear direction D12.

[0032] A latch mechanism is provided in the lid 3. The latch mechanism is provided near both left and right ends of the lid 3, and as shown in Figures 1 to 3, includes two upper latch portions 32A that can protrude in an upward direction D21 from the upper edge of the lid 3, and two lower latch portions 32B that can protrude in a downward direction D22 from the lower edge of the lid 3. The two upper latch portions 32A are located near both left and right ends of the upper edge of the lid 3, and the two lower latch portions 32B are located near both left and right ends of the lower edge of the lid 3.

[0033] An operating portion 33 is provided on the outer surface of the lid 3. By operating the operating portion 33 from the front side of the lid 3, the upper latch portion 32A and the lower latch portion 32B can be made to protrude from the upper and lower edges of the lid 3, or can be made not to protrude from the upper and lower edges. The upper latch portion 32A protrudes in the upward direction D21 from the upper edge of the lid 3 and engages with the latch engagement recesses 231A and 231B of the container body 2, and the lower latch portion 32B protrudes in the downward direction D22 from the lower edge of the lid 3 and engages with the latch engagement recesses 241A and 241B of the container body 2, thereby fixing the lid 3 to the opening peripheral edge 28 of the container body 2.

[0034] A recess 34 is formed on the inside (rear side D12) of the lid body 30, recessed toward the outside (front side D11) of the board storage space 27. The front retainer 7 is fixed to the recess 34.

[0035] As shown in Fig. 3, the lid 3 has a generally rectangular shape that generally matches the shape of the opening peripheral edge 28 of the container body 2. The lid 3 is detachable from the opening peripheral edge 28 of the container body 2, and when the lid 3 is attached to the opening peripheral edge 28, the lid 3 can close the container body opening 21. An annular sealing member 4 is attached to the inner surface of the lid 3 (the back surface of the lid 3 shown in Fig. 1), the surface facing a stepped portion (sealing surface 281) formed in a position immediately rearward in the direction D12 from the opening edge of the opening peripheral edge 28 when the lid 3 is closing the container body opening 21.

[0036] When the lid 3 is attached to the opening periphery 28, the sealing member 4 is sandwiched between the sealing surface 281 and the opposing peripheral edge portion that forms the inner surface of the lid 3 and elastically deforms, and the lid 3 hermetically closes the container body opening 21. When the lid 3 is removed from the opening periphery 28, the substrates W can be taken in and out of the substrate storage space 27 inside the container body 2.

[0037] 3 to 5, the front retainer 7 has lid body side substrate support parts 73, legs 72, and vertical frames 71. The lid body side substrate support parts 73 corresponding to the same substrate W are connected in the left-right direction D3 via the legs 72.

[0038] Two lid-side board support portions 73 are arranged in pairs, spaced a predetermined distance apart in the left-right direction D3. These pairs of lid-side board support portions 73 are arranged in parallel in the up-down direction D2, totaling 25 pairs, and are supported by elastically deformable legs 72. The legs 72 connect the two lid-side board support portions 73, 73 arranged in the horizontal direction D3. The legs 72 extend outward in the horizontal direction D3 from each pair of lid-side board support portions 73, 73, spaced apart from each other. Vertical frames 71 extending parallel to the vertical direction D2 are integrally molded with the legs 72 at the outer ends of the legs 72 in the horizontal direction D3. When a substrate W is stored in the substrate storage space 27 and the lid body 3 is closed, the lid body side substrate support portion 73 clamps and supports the front edge of the substrate W while urging it toward the center of the substrate storage space 27 due to the elastic force of the leg portion 72.

[0039] 4A to 5, the cover-side substrate support portion 73 has an upper inclined surface 76 and a lower inclined surface 77 that form a V-shaped groove 74 that is a recessed groove that is spaced apart from the center of the substrate storage space 27. Figures 4B and 5 show the cover-side substrate support portion 73 on the right side D32.

[0040] The upper inclined surface 76 abuts against the edge of the front surface (upper surface) of the substrate W when the container body opening 21 is closed by the lid 3. The lower inclined surface 77 abuts against the edge of the back surface (lower surface) of the substrate W. Specifically, the upper inclined surface 76 is configured as an inclined surface that extends at an angle so as to approach the center of the substrate storage space 27 in the front-to-rear direction D1 as it progresses in the upward direction D21. From another perspective, the upper inclined surface 76 is configured as an inclined surface that extends at an angle so as to approach the downward direction D22 as it progresses in the forward direction D11.

[0041] The lower inclined surface 77 is configured as an inclined surface that extends at an angle so as to move away from the center of the substrate storage space 27 in the front-to-rear direction D1 as it progresses in the upward direction D21. From another perspective, the lower inclined surface 77 is configured as an inclined surface that extends at an angle so as to move toward the upward direction D21 as it progresses in the forward direction D11. The upper inclined surface 76 and the lower inclined surface 77 form a V-shaped groove 74 that is a recessed groove that is recessed so as to move away from the center of the substrate storage space 27. When the container body opening 21 is closed by the lid 3, the upper inclined surface 76 and the lower inclined surface 77 are abutted by the edges of the front and back surfaces of the substrates W, respectively.

[0042] 5, the front portions of the upper inclined surface 76 and the lower inclined surface 77 function as a clamping portion 78 that clamps the edges of a plurality of substrates W. From the viewpoint of ensuring the function of clamping the substrates W, it is preferable that the angle formed by the upper inclined surface 76 and the lower inclined surface 77 in the clamping portion 78 and the angle θ (guided inclination angle) of the lower inclined surface 77 with respect to an imaginary plane P7 (also referred to as the "horizontal plane P7") that is perpendicular to the up-down direction D2, are small.

[0043] The lower inclined surface 77 has a clamping surface 775 that forms the clamping section 78, and a guide surface 8 that is located rearward D12 from the clamping surface 775 and guides the substrate W while sliding it toward the clamping section 78. If the function of transferring the substrate W to the V-shaped groove 74 is emphasized, it is preferable that the guide inclination angle θ of the guide surface 8 be large, while if the ability of the substrate W to rise up on the guide surface 8 is emphasized, it is preferable that the guide inclination angle θ of the guide surface 8 be small (details will be described later). The guide inclination angle θ (θ81, θ82) of the guide surface 8 that is inclined with respect to the forward direction D11 (horizontal plane P7) decreases in multiple stages.

[0044] The guide surface 8 has a first guide surface 81 on the rear side D12, a second guide surface 82 located on the front side D11 of the first guide surface 81, and a transition portion 83 located between the first guide surface 81 and the second guide surface 82. In this embodiment, the first guide surface 81, the second guide surface 82, and the clamping surface 775 are all perpendicular planes. The transition portion 83 preferably has a shape that smoothly connects the first guide surface 81 and the second guide surface 82. The angle θ82 that the second guide surface 82 forms with respect to the horizontal plane P7 is smaller than the angle θ81 that the first guide surface 81 forms with respect to the horizontal plane P7. In other words, in this embodiment, the guide inclination angle θ of the guide surface 8 with respect to the forward direction D11 (horizontal plane P7) decreases in two stages (θ82<θ81). The angle θ775 formed by the clamping surface 775 with respect to the horizontal plane P7 is smaller than the angle θ82 formed by the second guide surface 82 with respect to the horizontal plane P7 (θ775<θ82).

[0045] The angle θ81 formed by the first guide surface 81 is, for example, 50 to 80 degrees. The angle θ82 formed by the second guide surface 82 is, for example, 30 to 45 degrees. The angle difference (θ81-θ82) between the angle θ81 formed by the first guide surface 81 and the angle θ82 formed by the second guide surface 82 is 5 to 50 degrees.

[0046] In the front-rear direction D1, the length t82 of the second guide surface 82 is longer than the length t81 of the first guide surface 81. The length t82 of the second guide surface 82 is, for example, 2 to 3.3 mm. The length t81 of the first guide surface 81 is, for example, 0.3 to 1 mm. The difference between the length t82 of the second guide surface 82 and the length t81 of the first guide surface 81 (t82 - t81) is, for example, 1 to 3 mm. The length t83 of the transition portion 83 is, for example, 0.3 to 0.8 mm.

[0047] 4B, in a rear view seen from the rear side D12 in the forward direction D11, the area S82 of the second guide surface 82 is larger than the area S81 of the first guide surface 81. The difference between the area S82 of the second guide surface 82 and the area S81 of the first guide surface 81 (S82-S81) is, for example, 10 to 40 mm ２ is.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 4B , for lid body side substrate support portions 73 adjacent in the vertical direction D2, an imaginary plane P7 (horizontal plane P7) perpendicular to the vertical direction D2 passes through one or both of the lid body side substrate support portions 73 located on the upper side D21 and the lid body side substrate support portions 73 located on the lower side D22. The imaginary plane P7 can also be referred to as the (reference direction of) the direction in which the substrate W unfolds (extends). In FIG. 4B , the imaginary plane P7 passing only through the lid body side substrate support portions 73 located on the upper side D21 is shown as imaginary plane P71. The imaginary plane P7 passing only through the lid body side substrate support portions 73 located on the lower side D22 is shown as imaginary plane P72. The imaginary plane P7 passing through both the lid body side substrate support portions 73 located on the upper side D21 and the lid body side substrate support portions 73 located on the lower side D22 is shown as imaginary plane P70.

[0049] As shown in Figures 4A and 4B, in the lid body side substrate support portions 73 adjacent to each other in the vertical direction D2, when viewed in the forward direction D11, the lower edge 772 of the lower inclined surface 77 of the lid body side substrate support portion 73 located on the upper side D21 and the upper edge 761 of the upper inclined surface 76 of the lid body side substrate support portion 73 located on the lower side D22 are parallel to each other with a gap between them. The lower edge 772 of the lower inclined surface 77 of the lid side substrate support portion 73 located on the upper side D21 and the upper edge 761 of the upper inclined surface 76 of the lid side substrate support portion 73 located on the lower side D22 are inclined toward the downward direction D22 as they proceed inward in the lateral direction D3. More specifically, the lower edge 772 of the lower inclined surface 77 of the lid side substrate support portion 73 located on the upper side D21 and the upper edge 761 of the upper inclined surface 76 of the lid side substrate support portion 73 located on the lower side D22 are approximately parallel to the lateral direction D3 on both sides of the lateral direction D3, and are inclined toward the downward direction D22 at the center of the lateral direction D3 as they proceed inward in the lateral direction D3.

[0050] According to the substrate storing container 1 according to the embodiment configured as above, the following effects can be obtained.

[0051] The substrate storage container 1 of the embodiment includes a cylindrical wall portion 20 having a container body opening 21 formed at one end on the front side D11 and the other end on the rear side D12 closed, and a container body 2 having a substrate storage space 27 formed by the inner surface of the wall portion 20 that can store a plurality of substrates W and that communicates with the container body opening 21; a lid body 3 that is detachable from the container body opening 21 and can close the container body opening 21; and a portion of the lid body 3 that is detachable from the container body opening 21 and that communicates with the substrate storage space 27 when the container body opening 21 is closed by the lid body 3. and a rear-side substrate support portion 6 arranged in a position facing the container body opening 21 and capable of supporting the edges of the plurality of substrates W when the container body opening 21 is closed by the lid 3. The rear-side substrate support portion 6 is arranged in the substrate storage space 27 to form a pair with the lid-side substrate support portion 73 and is capable of supporting the edges of the plurality of substrates W, and cooperates with the lid-side substrate support portion 73 to support the plurality of substrates W with their edges aligned in the vertical direction D2 when the container body opening 21 is closed by the lid 3. The lid-side substrate support portion 73 has an upper inclined surface 76 and a lower inclined surface 77 that form a V-shaped groove 74 that is a recessed groove spaced apart from the center of the substrate storage space 27, and the frontmost portions of the upper inclined surface 76 and the lower inclined surface 77 function as clamping portions 78 that clamp the edges of the plurality of substrates W. The lower inclined surface 77 has a clamping surface 775 that forms the clamping portion 78, and a guide surface 8 that is located rearward D12 from the clamping surface 775 and guides the substrate W while sliding it toward the clamping portion 78, and the guide inclination angle θ of the guide surface 8 that is inclined relative to the forward direction D11 decreases in multiple stages.

[0052] If the function of transferring the substrate W to the V-shaped groove 74 is emphasized, it is preferable that the position of the lower end of the rear side D12 of the lower inclined surface 77 is located as close to the lower side D22 as possible. However, if the position of the lower end of the rear side D12 of the lower inclined surface 77 is located on the lower side D22, the dimension of the lower inclined surface 77 in the up-down direction D2 increases, and the guide inclination angle θ at which the guide surface 8 is inclined with respect to the forward direction D11 increases. If the guide inclination angle θ of the guide surface 8 is large, the tendency for the substrate W to rise up on the guide surface 8 decreases. In contrast, according to the embodiment, the guide inclination angle θ at which the guide surface 8 is inclined with respect to the forward direction D11 decreases in multiple stages. Therefore, by increasing the guide inclination angle θ (θ81) of the rear side D12 of the guide surface 8 and positioning the lower end of the rear side D12 of the lower inclined surface 77 as close to the lower side D22 as possible, the function of transferring the substrate W to the V-shaped groove 74 can be improved, while the guide inclination angle θ of the front side D11 of the guide surface 8 can be reduced (θ82<θ81) to improve the ability of the substrate W to rise up on the guide surface 8. In other words, it is possible to achieve both the function of transferring the substrate W to the V-shaped groove 74 and the ability of the substrate W to rise up on the guide surface 8.

[0053] In the substrate storing container 1 of the embodiment, the guide surface 8 has a first guide surface 81 on the rear side D12 and a second guide surface 82 located on the front side D11 of the first guide surface 81, and in the front-rear direction D1, the length t82 of the second guide surface 82 is longer than the length t81 of the first guide surface 81. Therefore, according to the embodiment, the long length t82 of the second guide surface 82 can improve the sliding property of the substrates W on the guide surface 8.

[0054] In the substrate storing container 1 of the embodiment, the area S82 of the second guide surface 82 is larger than the area S81 of the first guide surface 81. Therefore, according to the embodiment, the large area S82 of the second guide surface 82 can improve the ability of the substrates W to slide up on the guide surface 8.

[0055] In the substrate storage container 1 of the embodiment, for the lid body side substrate support portions 73 adjacent in the up-down direction D2, the imaginary plane P7 perpendicular to the up-down direction D2 passes through one or both of the lid body side substrate support portions 73 located on the upper side D21 and the lid body side substrate support portions 73 located on the lower side D22. Therefore, according to the embodiment, it is possible to prevent the substrate W from being inserted between the lower edge 772 of the lower inclined surface 77 of the lid body side substrate support portion 73 located on the upper side D21 and the upper edge 761 of the upper inclined surface 76 of the lid body side substrate support portion 73 located on the lower side D22, which would make it impossible for the lid body side substrate support portions 73 to support the substrate W.

[0056] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and modifications are possible within the technical scope defined in the claims.

[0057] For example, in the embodiment, the guide inclination angle θ of the guide surface 8 relative to the forward direction D11 is reduced in two stages (θ81>θ82). However, the guide inclination angle θ may be reduced in three stages or more, for example, in three to five stages.

[0058] The shapes of the container body 2 and the lid body 3, and the number and dimensions of the substrates W that can be stored in the container body 2 are not limited to the shapes of the container body 2 and the lid body 3, and the number and dimensions of the substrates W that can be stored in the container body 2 in this embodiment.

[0059] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 substrate storage container 2 container body 3 lid 5 lateral substrate support portion 6 rear substrate support portion 7 front retainer 8 guide surface 20 wall portion 21 container body opening 27 substrate storage space 28 opening periphery 73 lid side substrate support portion 74 V-shaped groove 76 upper inclined surface 77 lower inclined surface 78 clamping portion 81 first guide surface 82 second guide surface 761 upper edge 772 lower edge 775 clamping surface

Claims

1. A container body having a cylindrical wall portion with a container body opening at one end on the front and a closed end on the rear, and a container body having a substrate storage space formed on the inner surface of the wall portion that can accommodate multiple substrates and communicates with the container body opening, A lid that is detachable from the opening of the container body and capable of closing the opening of the container body, A portion of the lid that is positioned facing the substrate storage space when the container body opening is closed by the lid, and a lid-side substrate support portion that can support the edges of the plurality of substrates when the container body opening is closed by the lid, The device comprises a rear-side substrate support portion, which is positioned in the substrate storage space in a pair with the lid-side substrate support portion and capable of supporting the edges of the plurality of substrates, and which cooperates with the lid-side substrate support portion to support the plurality of substrates in a state in which the edges of the plurality of substrates are arranged in parallel in the vertical direction when the opening of the container body is closed by the lid, The lid-side substrate support portion has an upper inclined surface and a lower inclined surface that form a V-shaped groove, which is a recessed groove spaced apart from the center of the substrate storage space. The foremost portions of the upper and lower inclined surfaces function as clamping portions that grip the edges of the multiple substrates. The lower inclined surface has a clamping surface that forms the clamping portion and a guiding surface that is located behind the clamping surface and guides the substrate to slide towards the clamping portion. The angle that the clamping surface makes with respect to the forward direction is smaller than the angle that the guiding surface makes with respect to the forward direction. A substrate housing container in which the inclination angle of the inclined surface relative to the forward direction is reduced in multiple stages.

2. The aforementioned guiding surface has a first guiding surface on the rear side and a second guiding surface located in front of the first guiding surface. The substrate storage container according to claim 1, wherein the length of the second guide surface is longer than the length of the first guide surface in the front-to-back direction.

3. The substrate storage container according to claim 2, wherein the area of ​​the second induction surface is larger than the area of ​​the first induction surface.

4. A substrate storage container according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, in the lid-side substrate support portions adjacent in the vertical direction, a virtual plane perpendicular to the vertical direction passes through either or both of the lid-side substrate support portion located on the upper side or the lid-side substrate support portion located on the lower side.

5. A substrate storage container according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, in the lid-side substrate support portions adjacent to each other in the vertical direction, when viewed in the forward direction, the lower edge of the lower inclined surface of the lid-side substrate support portion located on the upper side and the upper edge of the upper inclined surface of the lid-side substrate support portion located on the lower side are spaced apart and parallel to each other, and are inclined downward as they move inward in the lateral direction.