Substrate storage container

Abstract

A substrate storage container 1 comprises: a container body 2 including a cylindrical wall part 20 that has one end part on the front side in which a container body opening 21 is formed, and the other end part on the rear side which is closed by a back wall 22, the inner surface of the wall part 20 forming a substrate storage space 27 in which a plurality of substrates W can be stored and which communicates with the container body opening 21; and a lid body 3 which can be attached to and detached from the container body opening 21 and can close the container body opening 21. At least one of the container body 2 and the lid body 3 is composed of a member 5, 7. When released from a mold for molding the member 5, 7, the member 5, 7 is pushed out by a push-out pin. A convex part 522, 711 is formed on a portion of the member 5, 7 that abuts the push-out pin.

Description

Substrate storage container

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

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, substrate storage containers for storing various types of substrates have been known that include a container body and a lid (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

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

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

[0005] JP 2016-004949 A

[0006] In a conventional substrate storage container, when components are removed from a mold after being molded using a mold, they are pushed out by an ejector pin. At this time, a step is created in the part of the component where the ejector pin abuts, due to the ejector pin leaving a protrusion or resin fragments as a result of the ejector pin's trace, and dirt and dust generated by friction can accumulate in the step as the ejector pin slides against the component.

[0007] To provide a substrate storage container capable of suppressing the accumulation of dirt and dust on protrusions caused by the marks of ejection pins and steps caused by resin pieces on parts constituting the substrate storage container that come into contact with the ejection pins.

[0008] The present invention relates to a substrate storage container comprising: a container body having a container body opening formed at one end on the front side and a cylindrical wall portion whose other end on the rear side is closed by a back wall, 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; and a lid body that is detachable from the container body opening and can close the container body opening, wherein a convex portion is formed on the portion of the member that abuts against an ejector pin that pushes out the member when the member constituting at least one of the container body and the lid body is released from a mold that forms the member.

[0009] Preferably, the protrusion is disposed on a portion of the member that is always spaced apart from the edge of the substrate without contacting the edge of the substrate, and preferably protrudes in at least one direction away from the substrate or toward the substrate.

[0010] Furthermore, it is preferable that the members are provided in the container body so as to form a pair within the substrate storage space, and have lateral substrate support portions that can support the edges of the plurality of substrates while adjacent substrates among the plurality of substrates are arranged side by side and spaced a predetermined distance apart when the container body opening is not blocked by the lid body.

[0011] Preferably, the plurality of protrusions are formed, and the plurality of protrusions are disposed at least at one of the front end portion of the side substrate support portion, the rear end portion of the side substrate support portion, and the central portion of the side substrate support portion in the front-to-rear direction. Also, it is preferable that the protrusions are disposed at the portions of the side substrate support portions facing the container body.

[0012] Furthermore, it is preferable that the member has a lid-side substrate support portion that is arranged in a portion of the lid that faces the substrate accommodating space when the container body opening is closed by the lid, and that is capable of supporting edges of the plurality of substrates when the container body opening is closed by the lid. It is also preferable that a plurality of the protrusions are formed, and that the plurality of protrusions are arranged in a straight line.

[0013] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a substrate storage container that can prevent dirt and dust from accumulating on protrusions caused by the marks of the ejection pin and steps caused by resin pieces that are generated on the parts that make up the substrate storage container and that come into contact with the ejection pin.

[0014] 6 is an exploded perspective view showing a state in which a plurality of substrates W are stored in a substrate storage container 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is an upper perspective view showing a container body 2 of a substrate storage container 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a lower perspective view showing the container body 2 of a substrate storage container 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a side cross-sectional view showing the container body 2 taken along line A-A in FIG. 3. FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view showing an upper part of a front portion of a substrate supporting plate-shaped part 5 shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is a left side view showing a substrate supporting plate-shaped part 5 of a substrate storage container 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view showing an upper part of a rear portion of a substrate supporting plate-shaped part 5 shown in FIG.

[0015] [Overall Configuration of Substrate Storage Container 1] The substrate storage container 1 according to this embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. For ease of explanation, the direction from the container body 2 (described below) 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. These directions are collectively defined as the front-to-rear direction D1. Furthermore, the direction from the lower wall 24 (described below) 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. These directions are collectively defined as the up-down direction D2. Furthermore, the direction from the second side wall 26 (described below) 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. These directions are collectively defined as the left-right direction D3. Arrows indicating these directions are shown in the main drawings.

[0016] The substrates W (see FIG. 1) stored in the substrate storage container 1 are disc-shaped silicon wafers, glass wafers, sapphire wafers, etc., and are thin wafers used in industry. In this embodiment, the substrates W are silicon wafers with a diameter of 300 mm.

[0017] 1 to 4, substrate storage container 1 is used to store substrates W made of silicon wafers as described above and transport them in processes within a factory, or as a shipping container for transporting substrates by land, air, sea, or other transportation means, and is composed of a container body 2 and a lid 3. Container body 2 includes substrate support plate-shaped portions 5 serving as side substrate support portions, and a rear substrate support portion 6. Lid 3 includes a front retainer 7 serving as a lid-side substrate support portion.

[0018] The container body 2 has a cylindrical wall portion 20 with a container body opening 21 formed at one end and a closed other end. A substrate storage space 27 is formed within the container body 2. The substrate storage space 27 is surrounded by the wall portion 20. A substrate support plate-shaped portion 5 is disposed in the portion of the wall portion 20 that forms the substrate storage space 27. As shown in FIG. 1 , the substrate storage space 27 can store a plurality of substrates W.

[0019] The substrate support plate-shaped parts 5 are interior components arranged in a pair within the substrate storage space 27, and are removably fixed to the wall part 20. When the container body opening 21 is not closed by the lid body 3, the substrate support plate-shaped parts 5 abut against the edges of the plurality of substrates W, thereby supporting the edges of the plurality of substrates W while arranging adjacent substrates W in parallel with a predetermined distance between them. A rear-side substrate support part 6 is provided at the rear side of the substrate support plate-shaped part 5 and is molded integrally with the substrate support plate-shaped part 5.

[0020] The rear substrate support portion 6 is provided on the wall portion 20 so as to form a pair with a front retainer 7 (described later) within the substrate storage space 27. The rear substrate support portion 6 can support the rear portions of the edges of the plurality of substrates W by abutting against the edges of the plurality of substrates W.

[0021] 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 is disposed inside the substrate storage space 27 so as to form a pair with the rear substrate support part 6.

[0022] When the container body opening 21 is closed by the lid 3, the front retainer can support the front portions of the edges of the substrates W by abutting against the edges of the substrates W. When the container body opening 21 is closed by the lid 3, the front retainer supports the substrates W in cooperation with the rear substrate support portion 6, thereby holding adjacent substrates W in a parallel arrangement with a predetermined distance between them.

[0023] The substrate storage container 1 is made of a resin such as a plastic material, and unless otherwise specified, examples of the resin material include thermoplastic resins such as polycarbonate, cycloolefin polymer, polyetherimide, polyetherketone, polybutylene terephthalate, polyetheretherketone, and liquid crystal polymer, as well as alloys of these. To impart conductivity to these molding material resins, conductive materials such as carbon fiber, carbon powder, carbon nanotubes, and conductive polymers are selectively added. Glass fiber, carbon fiber, and the like can also be added to increase rigidity.

[0024] 1 to 4, the wall portion 20 of the container body 2 has a rear wall 22, an upper wall 23, a lower wall 24, a first side wall 25, and a second side wall 26. The rear wall 22, the upper wall 23, the lower wall 24, the first side wall 25, and the second side wall 26 are made of the above-mentioned materials and are integrally molded.

[0025] The first side wall 25 and the second side wall 26 face each other, and the upper wall 23 and the lower wall 24 face each other. The rear end of the upper wall 23, the rear end of the lower wall 24, the rear end of the first side wall 25, and the rear end of the second side wall 26 are all connected to the rear wall 22. The front end of the upper wall 23, the front end of the lower wall 24, the front end of the first side wall 25, and the front end of the second side wall 26 form an opening periphery 28 that defines the container body opening 21, which has a substantially rectangular shape.

[0026] 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.

[0027] 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.

[0028] Ribs 235 are formed integrally with the upper wall 23 on the outer surface of the upper wall 23. The ribs 235 increase the rigidity of the container body 2. A top flange 236 is fixed to the center of the upper wall 23. The top flange 236 is a member that is hung on and suspended from the substrate storage container 1 when the substrate storage container 1 is suspended in an AMHS (automated wafer transport system), PGV (wafer substrate transport vehicle), or the like.

[0029] A bottom plate 244 is fixed to the lower wall 24. The bottom plate 244 has a plate shape and is arranged opposite to substantially the entire lower surface that constitutes the outer surface of the lower wall 24, and is fixed to the lower wall 24.

[0030] Two types of through-holes, air supply holes 242 and exhaust holes 243, are formed near the four corners of the bottom wall 24. In this embodiment, the two through-holes in the front part of the bottom wall 24 are exhaust holes 243 for discharging gas from inside the container body 2, and the two through-holes in the rear part are air supply holes 242 for supplying gas into the container body 2.

[0031] An air supply filter 98 serving as an additional component is disposed in the through-hole serving as the air supply hole 242, and an exhaust filter 99 is disposed in the through-hole serving as the exhaust hole 243. That is, the gas flow paths inside the air supply filter 98 and the exhaust filter 99 form part of an air passage that can communicate between the substrate storage space 27 and the space outside the container body 2. The air supply filter 98 and the exhaust filter 99 are disposed on the wall 20, and gas can pass through the air supply filter 98 and the exhaust filter 99 between the space outside the container body 2 and the substrate storage space 27 via a filter (not shown). Purge gas supplied to the air supply filter 98 is configured to be supplied to the substrate storage space 27. The exhaust filter 99 is configured to allow gas to pass from the substrate storage space 27 to the space outside the container body 2.

[0032] [Protrusions 8] The rear wall 22 has protrusions 8 serving as gas ejection nozzles. Two protrusions 8 are provided in pairs. Two protrusions 8 are fixed to the bottom wall 24 of the container body 2 by inserting them, one at a time, into holes formed in the bottom wall 24 of the container body 2 near the two air inlet holes 242 so that the bases of the protrusions are airtightly connected to the air passage inside the air supply filter section 98. In addition, the upper part of the protrusion 8, which is the tip side of the protrusion 8, is fixed to the rear wall 22 constituting the wall section 20 by snap fitting, welding, or the like.

[0033] With this configuration, the pair of protrusions 8 protrude in a rib-like manner toward the container body opening 21 and extend parallel to each other from the upper end to the lower end of the back wall 22. The protrusions 8 have a hollow columnar shape.

[0034] The protrusion 8 supplies gas that has flowed into the air passage, which is a gas flow path inside the air supply filter section 98 and which can connect the substrate storage space 27 to the space outside the container body 2, to the substrate storage space 27.

[0035] [Board Support Plate Portions 5] The board support plate portions 5 are provided on the first side wall 25 and the second side wall 26, respectively, and are interior components arranged in pairs in the left-right direction D3 within the board storage space 27. Specifically, as shown in Figure 4, the board support plate portions 5 have a plate portion 51 and a support wall 52 as a plate portion support portion. The plate portion 51 and the support wall 52 are formed by integrally molding a resin material, and the plate portion 51 is supported by the support wall 52.

[0036] The plate portions 51 have a generally arc-shaped plate shape. 25 plate portions 51 are provided on each of the first side wall 25 and the second side wall 26 in the vertical direction D2, for a total of 50 plate portions 51. Adjacent plate portions 51 are arranged in a parallel positional relationship and spaced apart from each other by 10 mm to 12 mm in the vertical direction D2. Note that above the uppermost plate portion 51, another plate-like member 59 is arranged parallel to the plate portion 51. This member is located at the top and serves as a guide for the substrate W being inserted into the substrate storage space 27.

[0037] The 25 plate portions 51 provided on the first side wall 25 and the 25 plate portions 51 provided on the second side wall 26 are positioned opposite each other in the left-right direction D3. The 50 plate portions 51 and the plate-shaped guide members 59 parallel to the plate portions 51 are positioned parallel to the inner surface of the bottom wall 24. Protrusions 511 and 512 are provided on the upper surfaces of the plate portions 51. The substrate W supported by the plate portions 51 comes into contact only with the protruding ends of the protrusions 511 and 512, and does not come into contact with the plate portions 51 at their surfaces.

[0038] The support walls 52 have a plate shape extending in the up-down direction D2 and approximately in the front-rear direction D1. As shown in Figure 4 and other figures, the support walls 52 each have a predetermined length in the longitudinal direction of the plate portion 51, and include a support wall 52-1 at the front end of the board support plate portion 5, a support wall 52-2 at a portion slightly forward of the center, and a support wall 52-3 at the rear end of the board support plate portion 5, and are connected to the side edges of the plate portion 51. The plate-shaped support walls 52 curve toward the board storage space 27 along the outer edge of the plate portion 51.

[0039] That is, the 25 plate portions 51 provided on the first side wall 25 are connected to the support wall 52 provided on the first side wall 25 side. Similarly, the 25 plate portions 51 provided on the second side wall 26 are connected to the support wall 52 provided on the second side wall 26 side. The support wall 52 is fixed to the first side wall 25 and the second side wall 26, respectively.

[0040] A substrate support plate-like portion 5 configured in this manner is capable of supporting the edges of multiple substrates W while keeping adjacent substrates W spaced apart at a predetermined distance and parallel to each other.

[0041] 4 to 7, the support wall 52 is formed with a recess 521 and a protrusion 522. The recess 521 is formed in a portion of the support wall 52 that abuts against an ejector pin (not shown) that pushes out the support wall 52 of the plate-shaped substrate support portion 5 when the molded plate-shaped substrate support portion 5 is released from a mold (not shown) that molds the plate-shaped substrate support portion 5, and is also formed in a portion of the support wall 52 that abuts against an edge of the substrate W when the substrate W is inserted into or removed from the substrate storage space 27.

[0042] Specifically, the recess 521 is formed to be recessed outward from the container body 2, that is, in a direction away from the substrates W stored in the substrate storage space 27. A plurality of recesses 521 are formed, and are arranged side by side in the up-down direction D2 on the support wall 52-1 forward of the protrusion 511 and on the support wall 52-2 in a portion slightly forward of the center.

[0043] The recesses 521 (recesses 521-1, 521-2) are arranged one by one between adjacent plate portions 51 in the up-down direction D2, or between the plate portion 51 and the plate-like member 59. The recesses 521 (521-1) formed at the front end of the support wall 52 are arranged in a zigzag pattern from front to back, and the recesses 521 (521-2) formed in the support wall 52-2 are arranged in a straight line. In this way, by arranging the recesses in a zigzag pattern and in a straight line, it is possible to make it easier for the ejection pin to eject the recesses compared to when only one of the two is arranged.

[0044] The portion where this recess 521 is formed is a portion that abuts against the left and right sides of the substrate W to guide the substrate W when the substrate W is inserted into or removed from the container body 2, and therefore is a portion of the container body 2 that cannot be designed not to come into contact with the substrate W. In other words, this is because it is a portion that needs to be positioned as close as possible to the substrate W. For this reason, the opening of the recess 521 is formed in a chamfered shape so as not to damage the substrate W when it abuts against it and to prevent burrs (edges) from being created during mold release.

[0045] The recess 521 has a cylindrical shape whose axial length is shorter than its diameter. The diameter of the recess 521 is larger than the diameter of the ejector pin (not shown) that pushes out the support wall 52. The depth of the recess 521 is 0.05 mm or more and 0.2 mm or less. The reason for specifying the depth as 0.05 mm or more is that if the depth is less than 0.05 mm, a step caused by a protrusion or resin piece generated on the support wall 52 when the support wall 52 abuts against the ejector pin (not shown) that pushes out the support wall 52 would be larger, and the effect of preventing the step from abutting against the substrate W would not be obtained. The reason for specifying the depth as 0.2 mm or less is that it is unlikely that a step caused by a protrusion or resin piece generated on the support wall 52 when the support wall 52 abuts against the ejector pin (not shown) that pushes out the support wall 52 would exceed 0.2 mm, and the recess would be deeper than necessary to achieve the effect of preventing the step from abutting against the substrate W.

[0046] The convex portion 522 is a portion of the support wall 52 that abuts against an ejection pin (not shown) that pushes out the support wall 52 of the substrate support plate portion 5 when the molded substrate support plate portion 5 is released from a mold (not shown) that molds the substrate support plate portion 5, and is formed in a portion of the support wall 52 that does not abut against the edge of the substrate W and is always spaced apart from the edge of the substrate W.

[0047] Specifically, the convex portion 522 (see FIG. 4 ) on the substrate storage space 27 side (hereinafter referred to as the “inside of the support wall 52”), which is the side closer to the center of the container body 2, is formed to protrude inward of the container body 2, that is, in the direction approaching the substrates W stored in the substrate storage space 27. The convex portion 522 (see FIG. 6 ) on the outer side of the substrate storage space 27 (hereinafter referred to as the “outside of the support wall 52”), which is the side closer to the wall portion 20 of the container body 2, is formed to protrude outward of the container body 2, that is, in the direction away from the substrates W stored in the substrate storage space 27.

[0048] A plurality of protrusions 522 are formed, and the protrusions 522 (522-1) on the inside of the support wall 52 are arranged in a straight line in the vertical direction D2 at the rear end of the support wall 52-3 rearward of the rear-side substrate support portion 6, as shown in Figure 4. In the vertical direction D2, the multiple protrusions 522-1 are arranged at predetermined intervals so that one is arranged for every two to three substrates W stored in the substrate storage space 27, and so that the numbers of protrusions 522-1 differ between the upper half and the lower half of the support wall 52-3. Furthermore, on the inside of the support wall 52, the protrusions 522 (522-2) are also arranged in a part of the rear extension extending rearward from the rear end of the support wall 52.

[0049] 6, on the outside of the support wall 52, the protrusions 522 (522-3) are arranged in a straight line in the vertical direction D2 on the support wall 52-1. In the vertical direction D2, the multiple protrusions 522-3 are arranged at predetermined intervals so that one is located at the upper end, the lower end, a quarter of the length of the support wall 52-1 from the top in the vertical direction D2, and a quarter of the length of the support wall 52-1 from the bottom in the vertical direction D2. In addition, multiple protrusions 522 (522-3) are also arranged in a straight line in the vertical direction D2 on the support wall 52-3.

[0050] The protrusion 522 has a cylindrical shape with an axial length shorter than its diameter. The diameter of the protrusion 522 is larger than the diameter of an ejector pin (not shown) that pushes out the support wall 52, but is not limited to this and may be the same as or smaller than the diameter of the ejector pin.

[0051] The height of the protrusion 522 is 0.05 mm or more and 0.2 mm or less. The reason why it is set to 0.05 mm or more is that if it is less than 0.05 mm, the height is too low and it is difficult to check for the presence or absence of dust that may adhere to the substrate W. The reason why it is set to 0.2 mm or less is because the height is too high and may become a hindrance.

[0052] [Rear-Side Board Support Portion 6] As shown in Figure 4, the rear-side board support portion 6 has a rear-side edge support portion 60. The rear-side edge support portion 60 is formed integrally with the plate portion 51 and the support wall 52 at the rear end of the plate portion 51 of the board support plate portion 5. Therefore, the board support plate portion 5 as a side board support portion and the rear-side board support portion 6 form a single combined interior part that is fixed to the container body 2 inside the container body 2. Note that the rear-side board support portion 6 may be formed separately from the board support plate portion 5, i.e., the rear-side edge support portion 60 may be formed separately from the plate portion 51 of the board support plate portion 5.

[0053] The number of rear edge support portions 60 provided is specifically 25, corresponding to each substrate W that can be stored in the substrate storage space 27. The rear edge support portions 60 arranged on the first side wall 25 and the second side wall 26 are positioned in a positional relationship in the front-to-rear direction D1 so as to form pairs with the front retainers 7, which will be described later. When a substrate W is stored in the substrate storage space 27 and the lid 3 is closed, the rear edge support portions 60 clamp and support the edge of the substrate W.

[0054] 1 , the lid body 3 has a generally rectangular shape that generally matches the shape of the opening periphery 28 of the container body 2. The lid body 3 is detachable from the opening periphery 28 of the container body 2, and by attaching the lid body 3 to the opening periphery 28, the lid body 3 can close the container body opening 21 in a positional relationship in which it is surrounded by the opening periphery 28.

[0055] An annular sealing member 4 is attached to the inner surface of the lid 3 (the back surface of the lid 3 shown in FIG. 1 ), which faces the surface of a step (sealing surface 281) formed immediately in the rear direction D12 of the opening peripheral edge 28 when the lid 3 is closing the container body opening 21, so as to go around the outer periphery of the lid 3. The sealing member 4 is arranged so as to go around the lid 3. The sealing member 4 is made of various thermoplastic elastomers such as elastically deformable polyesters and polyolefins, fluororubber, silicone rubber, etc.

[0056] When the lid 3 is attached to the opening periphery 28, the sealing member 4 is sandwiched between the sealing surface 281 of the container body 2 and the inner surface of the lid 3 and elastically deforms. That is, with the sealing member 4 interposed between the lid 3 and the container body 2, the lid 3 can close the container body opening 21 while the lid 3 and the opening periphery 28 are spaced apart without coming into contact with each other. When the lid 3 is removed from the opening periphery 28, the substrate W can be inserted into and removed from the substrate storage space 27 within the container body 2.

[0057] 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 Fig. 1, includes two upper latch portions 32A, 32A that can protrude in an upward direction D21 from the upper edge of the lid 3, and two lower latch portions 32B, 32B that can protrude in a downward direction D22 from the lower edge of the lid 3. The two upper latch portions 32A, 32A are located near both left and right ends of the upper edge of the lid 3, and the two lower latch portions 32B, 32B are located near both left and right ends of the lower edge of the lid 3.

[0058] An operating portion 33 is provided on the outer surface of the lid body 3. By operating the operating portion 33 from the front side of the lid body 3, the upper latch portions 32A, 32A and the lower latch portions 32B, 32B can be made to protrude from the upper and lower edges of the lid body 3, or can be made to not protrude from the upper and lower edges. The upper latch portions 32A, 32A protrude in the upward direction D21 from the upper edge of the lid body 3 and engage with the latch engagement recesses 231A, 231B of the container body 2, and the lower latch portions 32B, 32B protrude in the downward direction D22 from the lower edge of the lid body 3 and engage with the latch engagement recesses 241A, 241B of the container body 2, thereby fixing the lid body 3 to the container body opening 21 of the container body 2.

[0059] A recess 34 is formed inside the lid 3, recessed outward from the board storage space 27. The recess 34 has a width that is about one-third of the width of the lid 3 in the left-right direction D3 at the center of the lid 3 in the left-right direction D3, and is formed from near the upper end to near the lower end of the lid 3 in the up-down direction D2.

[0060] A front retainer 7 is provided in the recess 34. That is, the front retainer 7 is disposed in a portion of the lid 3 that forms the substrate storage space 27 when the container body opening 21 of the container body 2 is closed, i.e., in a portion that faces the substrate storage space 27.

[0061] 9, the front retainer 7 is made up of two front retainer parts 7-1 and 7-2 that are separate and have the same shape, and has a pair of vertical frame bodies 71 extending parallel to the up-down direction D2, front retainer legs 72, and a front retainer board receiving part 73 that serves as a cover-side board support part. In each of the front retainer parts 7-1 and 7-2, the pair of vertical frame bodies 71, front retainer legs 72, and front retainer board receiving part 73 are integrally molded from resin. The front retainer board receiving part 73 constitutes the cover-side board support part.

[0062] The front retainer board receiving portions 73 are arranged in a straight line at predetermined intervals in the vertical direction D2. Twenty-five front retainer board receiving portions 73 are arranged in this manner in the vertical direction D2.

[0063] 9 and other figures, the vertical frame 71 is provided with a protrusion 711. The protrusion 711 is formed on a portion of the vertical frame 71 that abuts against an ejection pin (not shown) that pushes out the vertical frame 71 of the molded front retainer portion 7-1, 7-2 when the molded front retainer portion 7-1, 7-2 is released from a mold (not shown) that molds the board support plate portion 5.

[0064] Specifically, the convex portions 711 (see FIGS. 9 and 10) on the substrate storage space 27 side (hereinafter referred to as the "inside of the vertical frame 71"), which is the side closer to the center of the container body 2, are formed to protrude toward the inside of the container body 2, which is the direction approaching the substrates W stored in the substrate storage space 27. A plurality of convex portions 711 are formed on the vertical frame 71 and arranged in a straight line at predetermined intervals so that the number of convex portions 711 differs between the upper half and the lower half of the vertical frame 71.

[0065] Effects of the Embodiment The substrate storage container 1 according to the present embodiment having the above-described configuration can provide the following effects: In the substrate storage container 1 according to the present embodiment, when the substrate support plate 5, which is a component of the container body 2, is released from the mold that forms the substrate support plate 5, a recess 521 recessed in a direction away from the substrate W is formed in the portion of the substrate support plate 5 that abuts against the edge of the substrate W and that abuts against the ejector pin that pushes out the substrate support plate 5.

[0066] As a result, protrusions caused by ejector pin marks and steps caused by resin pieces when the ejector pins come into contact with the substrate support plate-shaped portion 5, which is a component of the substrate storage container 1, are accommodated within the recess 521 and do not protrude from the recess 521. This makes it possible to prevent the steps from coming into contact with, interfering with, or getting caught on the substrates W stored in the substrate storage space 27 when the substrates W are taken in and out of the substrate storage space 27, or when the substrate storage container 1 is transported with the substrates W stored in it. This makes it possible to eliminate damage to the substrates W, and provides a substrate storage container 1 that is capable of preventing damage to the substrates W.

[0067] Furthermore, in the substrate storage container 1 according to this embodiment, the members in which the recesses 521 are provided are provided in the container body 2 so as to form a pair within the substrate storage space 27, and have substrate support plate portions 5 as lateral substrate support portions that can support the edges of the plurality of substrates W in a state in which adjacent substrates W among the plurality of substrates W are arranged in parallel and spaced apart by a predetermined distance when the container body opening 21 is not closed by the lid 3. This makes it possible to prevent the above-mentioned step generated in the substrate support plate portions 5 from coming into contact with, interfering with, or getting caught on the substrates W stored in the substrate storage space 27.

[0068] Furthermore, in the substrate storage container 1 according to this embodiment, a plurality of recesses 521 are formed, and the recesses 521 are arranged in a straight line, which allows the substrate support plate-like portion 5 to be pushed out of the mold by the ejection pins arranged in a straight line.

[0069] Furthermore, in the substrate storage container 1 according to this embodiment, a plurality of recesses 521 are formed, and the recesses 521 are arranged in a zigzag pattern. This allows the ejection pins arranged in a zigzag pattern to ensure a wide area for the extrusion portion, and enables the substrate support plate-like portion 5 to be pushed out of the mold along two offset lines that form the zigzag pattern.

[0070] Furthermore, in the substrate storage container 1 according to this embodiment, when the substrate support plate portion 5 and the front retainer 7, which are components constituting the container body 2 and the lid body 3, are released from the molds that form them, respectively, the portions of the substrate support plate portion 5 and the front retainer 7 that abut against the ejection pins that push out the substrate support plate portion 5 and the front retainer 7, respectively, are formed with convex portions 522 and convex portions 711, respectively.

[0071] This makes it possible to prevent dirt and dust from accumulating due to friction between the ejector pins and the plate-shaped substrate support portion 5 and front retainer 7, which slide over protrusions caused by the ejector pins' marks and steps caused by resin pieces when the ejector pins come into contact with the plate-shaped substrate support portion 5 and front retainer 7, which are components of the substrate storage container 1. Furthermore, even if dust accumulates on the protruding end surfaces of the convex portions 522 and 711, it is easy to check whether or not the dust is there, and cleaning can be easily performed. As a result, a substrate storage container 1 can be provided that is capable of preventing contamination of the substrates W.

[0072] Furthermore, in the substrate storage container 1 according to this embodiment, the convex portions 522 and 711 are arranged on the portions of the substrate support plate portion 5 and the front retainer 7 that do not come into contact with the edge of the substrate W and are always spaced apart from the edge of the substrate W. This makes it possible to prevent the aforementioned dirt and dust from accumulating in the portions of the substrate support plate portion 5 and the front retainer 7 that do not always come into contact with the substrate W, and also makes them easy to clean.

[0073] Furthermore, in the substrate storing container 1 according to this embodiment, the convex portions 522-3 and 522-4 protrude in a direction away from the substrate W, and the convex portions 522-1 and 522-2 protrude in a direction approaching the substrate W. This makes it possible to provide the convex portions 522 on the inside and outside of the support wall 52 that constitutes the substrate supporting plate-shaped portion 5.

[0074] Furthermore, in the substrate storage container 1 according to this embodiment, the members on which the convex portions 522 are provided are provided on the container body 2 so as to form a pair within the substrate storage space 27, and have substrate support plate portions 5 as lateral substrate support portions that can support the edges of the plurality of substrates W in a state in which adjacent substrates W among the plurality of substrates W are arranged in parallel and spaced apart at a predetermined interval when the container body opening 21 is not closed by the lid 3. This makes it possible to prevent the accumulation of dirt and dust caused by friction on the above-mentioned step formed on the substrate support plate portions 5. Furthermore, even if dust accumulates on the convex portions 522, it can be easily cleaned.

[0075] Furthermore, in the substrate storage container 1 according to this embodiment, the protrusions 522 are disposed on the support wall 52-1 at the front end of the plate-shaped substrate support part 5 and on the support wall 52-3 at the rear end of the plate-shaped substrate support part 5. This makes it possible to prevent dirt and dust caused by friction from accumulating on the steps formed on the plate-shaped substrate support part 5 in the parts of the plate-shaped substrate support part 5 that do not come into contact with the substrate W. Furthermore, even if dust accumulates on the protrusions 522, it can be easily cleaned.

[0076] Furthermore, in the substrate storage container 1 according to this embodiment, the convex portion 522 is arranged on the portion of the substrate support plate-shaped portion 5 that faces the container body 2. This makes it possible to prevent dirt and dust generated by friction from accumulating on the step on the side of the substrate support plate-shaped portion 5 opposite the side that faces the substrate W. Furthermore, even if dust accumulates on the convex portion 522, it can be easily cleaned.

[0077] Furthermore, in the substrate storage container 1 according to this embodiment, the member on which the convex portion 711 is provided is arranged in a portion of the lid body 3 that faces the substrate storage space 27 when the container body opening 21 is closed by the lid body 3, and has a front retainer 7 as a lid body-side substrate support portion that can support the edges of multiple substrates W when the container body opening 21 is closed by the lid body 3. This makes it possible to prevent dirt and dust caused by friction from accumulating on the above-mentioned step formed in the front retainer 7. Furthermore, even if dust accumulates on the convex portion 522, it can be easily cleaned.

[0078] Furthermore, in the substrate storage container 1 according to this embodiment, a plurality of protrusions 522 and 711 are formed, and the protrusions 522 and 711 are arranged in a straight line, which allows the substrate supporting plate-like portion 5 and the front retainer 7 to be pushed out of the mold by the ejection pins arranged in a straight line.

[0079] [Modifications] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and modifications are possible within the technical scope described in the claims.

[0080] For example, the front retainer 7 is provided with the protrusion 711, but is not limited to this. For example, as shown in Fig. 11, the vertical frame 71 of the front retainer 7A may be formed with a recess 711A instead of the protrusion 711.

[0081] In this case, the recess 711A has a cylindrical shape with an axial length shorter than its diameter, similar to the recess 521. The diameter of the recess 711A is larger than the diameter of the ejection pin (not shown) that pushes out the vertical frame body 71. The depth of the recess 711A is also similar to that of the recess 521.

[0082] That is, in the modified example of the substrate storage container 1 according to the present embodiment, the member in which the recess 711A is provided is arranged in a portion of the lid 3 that faces the substrate storage space 27 when the container body opening 21 is closed by the lid 3, and has a front retainer 7A as a lid-side substrate support portion that can support the edges of multiple substrates W when the container body opening 21 is closed by the lid 3. This makes it possible to prevent the above-mentioned step generated in the front retainer 7A from coming into contact with, interfering with, or getting caught on the substrates W stored in the substrate storage space 27.

[0083] Furthermore, in the substrate storage container 1 according to this embodiment, the convex portions 522-1 and 522-2 are formed to protrude inward of the container body 2, that is, in the direction approaching the substrates W stored in the substrate storage space 27, and the convex portions 522-3 and 522-4 are formed to protrude outward of the container body 2, that is, in the direction away from the substrates W stored in the substrate storage space 27, but this is not limiting. For example, it is sufficient that the convex portions are formed to protrude in at least one of the direction away from the substrates and the direction approaching the substrates.

[0084] Furthermore, in the support wall 52, the convex portions 522-1, 522-2, 522-3, and 522-4 are provided on the support wall 52-1 at the front end of the plate-shaped substrate support portion 5 and the support wall 52-3 at the rear end of the plate-shaped substrate support portion 5, but this is not limiting. It is sufficient that the convex portions are respectively disposed on at least one of the front end portions of the side substrate support portions, the rear end portions of the side substrate support portions, and the central portions of the side substrate support portions in the front-to-rear direction.

[0085] Furthermore, although the recessed portion 521 and the protruding portion 522 are provided on the substrate support plate portion 5, and the protruding portion 711 and the recessed portion 711A are provided on the front retainer 7 and the front retainer 7A, respectively, the present invention is not limited to this. The protruding portion and the recessed portion may be provided on a member that constitutes at least one of the container body and the lid.

[0086] Furthermore, the shapes of the container body and lid body, and the number and dimensions of substrates W that can be stored in the container body are not limited to the shapes of the container body 2 and lid body 3, and the number and dimensions of substrates W that can be stored in the container body 2 in this embodiment.

[0087] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 substrate storage container 2 container body 3 lid 5 substrate support plate portion (side substrate support portion) 6 rear side substrate support portion 7 front retainer (lid side substrate support portion) 20 wall portion 21 container body opening 25 first side wall (side wall) 26 second side wall (side wall) 27 substrate storage space 522, 711 convex portion 521, 711A concave portion W substrate

Claims

1. A substrate storage container comprising: a container body having a container body opening formed at one end on the front side and a cylindrical wall portion whose other end on the rear side is closed by a back wall, 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; and a lid body that is detachable from the container body opening and can close the container body opening, wherein a convex portion is formed on a portion of the member that abuts against an ejection pin that pushes out the member when the member constituting at least one of the container body and the lid body is released from a mold that forms the member.

2. A substrate storage container according to claim 1, wherein said convex portion is disposed on a portion of said member that is always spaced apart from the edge of said substrate without coming into contact with the edge of said substrate.

3. A substrate storage container according to claim 1, wherein the convex portion protrudes in at least one of a direction away from the substrate and a direction approaching the substrate.

4. A substrate storage container as described in claim 1, wherein the members are provided in the container body so as to form a pair within the substrate storage space, and have lateral substrate support portions capable of supporting the edges of the plurality of substrates while adjacent substrates among the plurality of substrates are arranged in parallel and spaced a predetermined distance apart when the container body opening is not blocked by the lid.

5. A substrate storage container as described in claim 4, wherein a plurality of the convex portions are formed, and the plurality of convex portions are each disposed at least at one of the front end portion of the side substrate support portion, the rear end portion of the side substrate support portion, and the central portion of the side substrate support portion in the front-to-rear direction.

6. A substrate storage container according to claim 4, wherein said convex portion is disposed on a portion of said side substrate support portion facing said container body.

7. A substrate storage container as described in claim 1, wherein the member is arranged in a portion of the lid that faces the substrate storage space when the container body opening is closed by the lid, and has a lid side substrate support portion capable of supporting the edges of the multiple substrates when the container body opening is closed by the lid.

8. A substrate storage container according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein a plurality of the protruding portions are formed, and the plurality of protruding portions are arranged in a straight line.

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