Substrate storage container and seal member

The substrate storage container with a sealing member having fitting ribs and a support rib addresses sealing failures under internal pressure variations, ensuring airtightness and reducing leakage.

WO2025203192A1PCT designated stage Publication Date: 2025-10-02SHIN ETSU POLYMER CO LTD
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Patent Information

Application Number
PCT/JP2024/011766
Authority / Receiving Office
WO · WO
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2024-03-25
Publication Date
2025-10-02

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing sealing members for substrate storage containers fail to maintain effective sealing performance when subjected to positive internal pressure or liquid pressure, leading to potential leakage.

Method used

A substrate storage container design featuring a sealing member with a frame body and sealing lip, incorporating first and second fitting ribs and a support rib, which ensures secure fitting and uniform stress distribution, enhancing sealing performance under varying pressures.

Benefits of technology

The design improves sealing performance by preventing deformation of the sealing lip, maintaining airtightness under both positive and negative pressures, and reducing leakage risks.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

The present invention is a substrate storage container (1) comprising an annular or frame-form seal member (30) provided between a container body (10) and a lid body (20). The seal member (30) has a frame body (31) that is mounted in a mounting groove (21) of U-shaped cross-section provided to the lid body (20), and a seal lip (32) that extends outward from the frame body (31) and forms a seal region. The frame body (31) includes a first fitting rib (311) that fits into the container-body (10) side of the mounting groove (21), and second fitting ribs (312) fitted to the lid-body (20) side of the mounting groove (21). A support rib (313) that has a C-shaped cross-section and that is larger than the second fitting ribs (312) is included on the seal member (30) on the lid-body side of the mounting groove (21). The end surface of the support rib (313) on the bottom side of the mounting groove (21) is positioned within a range of 3 mm or less on the outer side of a plane forming the opening end of the mounting groove (21) to 1 mm or less on the bottom side of the plane. This makes it possible to improve sealing performance against internal pressure.
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Description

Substrate storage container and sealing member

[0001] The present invention relates to a substrate storage container capable of storing substrates and a sealing member.

[0002] The substrate storage container comprises a container body capable of storing substrates, a lid body that closes the opening of the container body, and an annular sealing member (packing or gasket) that is provided between the container body and the lid body, allowing the substrates to be stored in an airtight state.

[0003] Known examples of this type of sealing member include those in which the sealing lip is formed so as to form an approximately acute angle between its extension line and the sealing surface, those in which the sealing lip contacts the sealing surface and curves outward from the substrate storage container, and those in which the sealing lip is bent outward from the front of the opening (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).

[0004] These sealing members are designed to provide good sealing properties when the inside of the substrate storage container is under negative pressure (negative pressure), in other words, when the external pressure is high, because the sealing lip deforms in a direction that presses it against the sealing surface of the container body.

[0005] JP 2017-092229 A JP 2017-103418 A

[0006] However, when a purge gas such as an inert gas is supplied into the inside of the substrate storage container, that is, when the inside of the substrate storage container becomes positive pressure, the seal lip deforms in a direction that causes it to peel away from the sealing surface, which may result in a decrease in sealing performance.

[0007] Furthermore, when evaluating the cleanliness of a substrate storage container, pure water or an acid solution may be sealed inside the container and stirred. In this case, the liquid pressure is applied to the sealing member from the inside to the outside of the substrate storage container, which may cause the sealing lip to deform in a direction that peels it away from the sealing surface, resulting in leakage of the liquid inside.

[0008] Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a substrate storage container and a sealing member that improve the sealing performance against internal pressure.

[0009] (1) One aspect of the present invention is a substrate storage container comprising a container body capable of storing substrates, a lid body that closes the opening of the container body, and an annular sealing member that is provided between the container body and the lid body, wherein the sealing member has a frame body that is attached to a mounting groove that is U-shaped in cross section and provided in the lid body, and a sealing lip that extends outward from the frame body and forms a sealing area, and the frame body includes a first fitting rib that fits on the container body side of the mounting groove that is provided in the lid body, a second fitting rib that fits on the lid body side of the mounting groove, and a support rib that has a C-shaped cross section and is larger than the second fitting rib and fits on the lid body side of the mounting groove, and wherein the end face of the support rib on the rear side of the mounting groove is located within a range from within 3 mm outside to within 1 mm inside of the plane that forms the opening end of the mounting groove. (2) In the above aspect (1), the thickness of the frame on the outer side of the opening end of the mounting groove may be 75% or less of the thickness of the inner side of the opening end of the mounting groove, and a space may be formed between the frame and the lid. (3) In the above aspect (1) or (2), the sealing member may include at least one first fitting rib and at least two second fitting ribs in any cross section of the entire circumference, and the support ribs may be formed over a range of 80% or more of the entire circumference of the sealing member. (4) In the above aspect (3), the sealing member may be a rectangular frame, and the support ribs may be missing at four corners. (5) Another aspect of the present invention is an annular sealing member provided between a container body and a lid body of a substrate storage container, the sealing member having a frame body that is mounted in a mounting groove that is U-shaped in cross section provided in the lid body, and a sealing lip that extends outward from the frame body and forms a sealing area, the frame body including a first mating rib on one side, a second mating rib on the other side, and a support rib on the other side that is C-shaped in cross section and larger than the second mating rib, the support rib being formed so that the end face on the rear side of the mounting groove is located within a range from within 3 mm outside to within 1 mm inside of a plane that forms the opening end of the mounting groove.

[0010] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a substrate storage container and a sealing member that improve the sealing performance against internal pressure.

[0011] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a substrate storage container according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a sealing member according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a plan view showing an enlarged side portion of the sealing member according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing an enlarged side portion of the sealing member according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a side view showing an enlarged corner portion of the sealing member according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a plan view showing an enlarged corner portion of the sealing member according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing an enlarged corner portion of the sealing member according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing an enlarged sealed state between a lid body fitted with a sealing member according to an embodiment of the present invention and a container body. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing an enlarged sealed state between a lid body fitted with a conventional sealing member and a container body.

[0012] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the embodiments of this specification, the same components are designated by the same reference numerals throughout.

[0013] 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a substrate storage container 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 1, the substrate storage container 1 includes a container body 10 for storing substrates, a lid 20 for closing an opening 11 of the container body 10, and an annular sealing member 30 provided between the container body 10 and the lid 20.

[0014] The container body 10 is a box-shaped body into which a plurality of substrates can be inserted, and is a front-open type with a frame-shaped opening 11 formed on the front. The opening 11 is formed to bend with a step so that it widens outward, and the surface of the step is formed on the inner peripheral edge of the front of the opening 11 as a sealing surface 12 with which the sealing member 30 comes into contact. Note that although the container body 10 of the embodiment is a front-open type, it may also be a bottom-open type in which the opening 11 is formed on the bottom surface.

[0015] Support bodies 13 are arranged on both the left and right sides of the interior of the container body 10. The support bodies 13 have the function of placing and positioning the substrate. The support bodies 13 have multiple grooves formed in the height direction, constituting so-called grooved teeth. The substrate is placed on the two grooved teeth on the left and right at the same height. The material of the support bodies 13 may be the same as that of the container body 10, but a different material may be used to improve cleanability and slidability.

[0016] A rear retainer (not shown) is disposed at the rear (deep side) inside the container body 10. The rear retainer pairs with a front retainer (described later) to hold the substrate when the opening of the opening 11 of the container body 10 is closed by the lid 20. The support body 13 and rear retainer are provided in the container body 10 by insert molding, fitting, or the like.

[0017] The substrate is supported by this support 13 and housed in the container body 10. An example of the substrate is a silicon wafer having a diameter of 300 mm or 450 mm, but is not particularly limited thereto, and may be, for example, a quartz wafer, a gallium arsenide wafer, or the like.

[0018] A robotic flange 14 is detachably provided at the center of the ceiling of the container body 10. The substrate storage container 1, which stores substrates in a clean state, is gripped by the robotic flange 14 by a transport robot in the factory and transported to a processing device for each process that processes the substrates.

[0019] Further, manual handles 15 to be gripped by an operator are detachably attached to the center of the outer surface of both sides of the container body 10.

[0020] The bottom surface of the container body 10 is provided with, for example, an air intake valve 18 and an exhaust valve 19 which have a filter for filtering gas and also function as a check valve. These valves supply an inert gas such as nitrogen gas or dry air from the air intake valve 18 to the inside of the substrate storage container 1 which is sealed and closed by the lid 20, and exhaust the gas from the exhaust valve 19 as needed, thereby replacing the gas inside the substrate storage container 1 and maintaining an airtight state. Note that the number and positions of the air intake valves 18 and exhaust valves 19 are not limited to those shown in the figure.

[0021] Of these, the replacement of the internal gas is performed for the purposes of blowing away impurities on the stored substrates and lowering the internal humidity, thereby maintaining the cleanliness of the inside of the substrate storage container 1 during transport. Note that when the internal gas is replaced or when the lid 20 is attached to the container body 10 and closed, the inside of the substrate storage container 1 becomes positive pressure, and conversely, when the lid 20 is removed from the container body 10, the inside of the substrate storage container 1 may become negative pressure.

[0022] Next, the lid 20 is a generally rectangular shaped lid that is attached to the front of the opening 11 of the container body 10. The lid 20 has a locking mechanism (not shown) that is locked by fitting a locking claw into a locking hole (not shown) formed in the container body 10. In addition, the lid 20 has a resilient front retainer (not shown) detachably attached to or integrally formed with the center of the lid 20, which holds the front peripheral edge of the substrate horizontally.

[0023] This front retainer is made of a material that is easy to clean and has good sliding properties because it is a part that comes into direct contact with the substrate, just like the grooved teeth and substrate holding portion of the support body 13. The front retainer can also be provided in the lid body 20 by insert molding or fitting.

[0024] Furthermore, a mounting groove 21 for mounting the seal member 30 is formed on the surface of the lid 20 facing the container body 10 (see FIG. 1). More specifically, a ring-shaped protrusion 22 that is smaller than the step of the opening 11 is formed on the surface of the lid 20 facing the container body 10, thereby forming the mounting groove 21 with a generally U-shaped cross section (see FIG. 3). This protrusion 22 is designed to fit deeper than the step of the opening 11 when the lid 20 is attached to the container body 10.

[0025] Examples of materials for the container body 10 and lid 20 include thermoplastic resins such as polycarbonate, cycloolefin polymer, polyetherimide, polyethersulfone, polyetheretherketone, and liquid crystal polymer. These thermoplastic resins may further contain, as appropriate, conductive agents such as conductive carbon, conductive fiber, metal fiber, and conductive polymer, various antistatic agents, and ultraviolet absorbers.

[0026] Next, the sealing member 30 will be described. Figures 2A to 2F show the sealing member 30 according to an embodiment of the present invention, with Figure 2A being a plan view, Figure 2B being a plan view of the side portion 30L, Figure 2C being a cross-sectional view of the side portion 30L, Figure 2D being a side view of the corner portion 30C, Figure 2E being a plan view of the corner portion 30C, and Figure 2F being a perspective view of the corner portion 30C. Figure 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the sealed state between the lid 20 and the container body 10 to which the sealing member 30 according to the embodiment is attached.

[0027] 1, the sealing member 30 is disposed between the sealing surface 12 of the container body 10 and the lid 20, and when the lid 20 is attached to the container body 10, it comes into close contact with the sealing surface 12 and the lid 20 to ensure the airtightness of the substrate storage container 1, reduce the intrusion of dust, moisture, etc. into the substrate storage container 1 from the outside, and reduce the leakage of gas or liquid from the inside to the outside (see also FIG. 3). The sealing member 30 is sometimes called a packing in FOUP applications and a gasket in FOSB applications.

[0028] The sealing member 30 is annular in shape corresponding to the front shape of the lid 20 (and the shape of the opening 11 of the container body 10), and in this embodiment, is a substantially rectangular frame-like shape consisting of four sides (straight lines) 30L and four corners 30C (see FIG. 2A ). However, the annular sealing member 30 may also be substantially circular, substantially elliptical (with four curved sides 30L), or substantially oval (with two opposing curved sides 30L) before being attached to the lid 20.

[0029] If the seal member 30 is loose when fitted into the mounting groove 21, variations will occur in the sealing area of ​​the seal lip 32, so the inner periphery of the frame 31 of the seal member 30 is formed to be slightly (approximately 1% to 5%) smaller than the annular circumferential surface at the back of the mounting groove 21. When the seal member 30 is fitted into the mounting groove 21 of the lid 20, the seal member 30 is stretched so as to exceed the protrusion 22.

[0030] The seal member 30 is molded using elastic materials such as thermoplastic elastomers, such as polyester-based elastomers, polyolefin-based elastomers, fluorine-based elastomers, and urethane-based elastomers, as well as fluororubber, ethylene propylene rubber, and silicone-based rubber. To improve adhesion, these materials may be selectively supplemented with a predetermined amount of fillers, such as carbon, glass fiber, mica, talc, silica, and calcium carbonate, or resins, such as polyethylene, polyamide, polyacetal, fluorine-based resins, and silicone resins. Furthermore, to impart conductivity and antistatic properties, carbon fiber, metal fiber, metal oxides, and various antistatic agents may be appropriately added. The hardness of the seal member 30 is preferably 40 to 90 degrees Shore A, and more preferably 60 to 90 degrees Shore A.

[0031] The seal member 30 has a frame 31 that is fitted and fixed in the mounting groove 21, and a seal lip 32 that extends outward from the frame 31 (see FIG. 2C).

[0032] The frame 31 is formed in the same annular shape as the mounting groove 21 of the lid 20, and its cross section is a similar shape, generally rectangular or generally trapezoidal, so that it corresponds to the cross-sectional shape of the mounting groove 21. The frame 31 has a side surface of a stepped portion 34 that serves as an extension base on the side of the lid 20 from which the seal lip 32 extends, so that the seal member 30 can be pressed into the bottom side of the mounting groove 21.

[0033] The frame 31 also includes a first fitting rib 311 located on the container body 10 side and at the rear of the mounting groove 21 (inside the opening), and a second fitting rib 312 located on the lid 20 side and at the rear of the mounting groove 21. The first fitting rib 311 and the second fitting rib 312 are each formed in a tapered wedge shape, and are elastically deformed (squeezed) within the mounting groove 21 to form a tight fit (see FIG. 3). The height of the first fitting rib 311 and the second fitting rib 312 is preferably 0.1 mm or more and 0.5 mm or less.

[0034] In any cross section of the entire circumference, the seal member 30 includes at least one first fitting rib 311 on one side of the frame 31 and at least two second fitting ribs 312 on the other side. In addition, as shown in Fig. 2B, the seal member 30 also has recessed portions formed at appropriate locations on the inner side of the frame 31 that correspond to the gate portions of the injection molding die.

[0035] Note that the "engagement" of the first and second engaging ribs 311 and 312 with the mounting groove 21 does not mean that the first and second engaging ribs 311 and 312 are fixed to the forming surface of the mounting groove 21 by mechanical bonding, but rather that they are fixed by frictional bonding due to contact or pressure with the forming surface of the mounting groove 21. In other words, "engagement" does not mean that the first and second engaging ribs 311 and 312 are fitted into the mounting groove 21, but rather that the seal member 30 is fitted into the mounting groove 21.

[0036] On the other hand, the seal lip 32 extends from the frame 31 and is curved so as to be convex toward the container body 10 in the closing direction of the lid 20. The seal lip 32 contacts the seal surface 12 of the container body 10 to form a sealing area (see FIG. 3). The thickness T2 of the seal lip 32 is preferably 0.2 mm or more and 0.5 mm or less (see FIG. 2C).

[0037] The seal member 30 has a support rib 313 in addition to the first fitting rib 311 and the second fitting rib 312. The support rib 313 is formed on the same side as the second fitting rib 312 and has a larger cross section than the second fitting rib 312. Specifically, the support rib 313 has a substantially C- (or U-) shaped cross section, such as a substantially square, substantially trapezoid, or semicircular shape, and preferably has a width of 0.5 mm to 3.0 mm and a height of 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm.

[0038] The support rib 313 may be formed continuously around the entire circumference of the seal member 30, but in this embodiment, it is formed discontinuously over a range of 80% to less than 100% of the entire circumference. That is, the support rib 313 is missing at some point around the entire circumference as a missing portion 33 (see FIGS. 2D to 2F). Note that the four corners 30C of the rectangular frame 31 are preferred as the missing portions of the support rib 313.

[0039] Furthermore, the support rib 313 is formed so that its end face on the rear side of the mounting groove 21 is located within a range from within 3 mm outside to within 1 mm inside the plane that forms the opening end of the mounting groove 21 (see FIG. 3). Therefore, if the support rib 313 contacts the surface of the mounting groove 21 that is formed on the lid body 20 side more than 1 mm inside the plane that forms the opening end of the mounting groove 21, the seal member 30 is pushed too far into the mounting groove 21, causing the step portion 34 to deform even in an unsealed state and the seal lip 32 of the side portion 30L to become wavy.

[0040] Conversely, if the support rib 313 contacts the surface of the lid 20 more than 3 mm outside the plane that forms the opening end of the mounting groove 21, the seal member 30 will not be pressed sufficiently into the mounting groove 21, and the frame 31 will not be sufficiently fixed to the mounting groove 21. As a result, the sealing area between the seal lip 32 and the seal surface 12 will not be stable, resulting in a decrease in sealing performance. Note that Figure 3 exaggerates the fitted state of the seal member 30; in reality, the first fitting rib 311, the second fitting rib 312, and the support rib 313 are almost crushed, and there is not enough clearance.

[0041] The seal member 30 also has a step 34 at the base of the frame 31 from which the seal lip 32 extends, and a space G is formed between the step 34 and the cover 20. The step 34 makes the thickness T4 of the step 34 located on the outer side of the opening end of the mounting groove 21 25% to 75% of the thickness T1 of the rear side of the opening end of the mounting groove 21. However, the thickness T4 of the step 34 is never thinner than the thickness T2 of the seal lip 32.

[0042] Therefore, the step portion 34 bends integrally with the seal lip 32 that contacts the seal surface 12. Furthermore, when the seal member 30 is attached to the lid body 20, the step portion 34 is pressed, so that the seal member 30 can be easily pushed into the attachment groove 21 to an appropriate position.

[0043] 3, such a seal member 30 seals by deforming and bending about 1 mm in the closing direction after the seal lip 32 comes into contact with the seal surface 12. Then, by positioning the support rib 313 near the opening surface of the mounting groove 21, the frame 31 is fitted and fixed in a fixed position within the mounting groove 21, and the height of the seal lip 32 becomes constant.

[0044] This also makes it possible to suppress waviness of the seal lip 32. Furthermore, by reducing the waviness of the seal lip 32, the contact pressure of the seal lip 32 with the seal surface 12 becomes uniform over the entire circumference, thereby improving sealing performance.

[0045] 4 does not have the support rib 313, which makes it difficult to position the seal member relative to the mounting groove and prevents it from being fitted and fixed uniformly. Also, because the seal member of the prior art does not have the step portion 34, stress is concentrated at the base of the seal lip.

[0046] As described above, the substrate storage container 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention is a substrate storage container 1 including a container body 10 capable of storing substrates, a lid body 20 that closes the opening of the container body 10, and an annular or frame-shaped sealing member 30 provided between the container body 10 and the lid body 20, and the sealing member 30 includes a frame body 31 that is attached to an attachment groove 21 that is U-shaped in cross section and provided in the lid body 20, and a sealing lip 32 that extends outward from the frame body 31 and forms a sealing area. , and the frame 31 includes a first fitting rib 311 that fits into the container body 10 side of the mounting groove 21, a second fitting rib 312 that fits into the lid body 20 side of the mounting groove 21, and a support rib 313 that fits into the lid body side of the mounting groove 21 and has a C-shaped cross section that is larger than the second fitting rib 312, and the end face of the support rib 313 on the back side of the mounting groove 21 is located in a range from within 3 mm outside to within 1 mm inside with respect to the plane that forms the opening end of the mounting groove 21.

[0047] Furthermore, the sealing member 30 of an embodiment of the present invention is an annular sealing member 30 provided between the container body 10 and the lid body 20 of the substrate storage container 1, and has a frame body 31 that is attached to a mounting groove 21 that has a U-shaped cross section provided in the lid body 20, and a sealing lip 32 that extends outward from the frame body 31 and forms a sealing area, and the frame body 31 includes a first mating rib 311 on one side, a second mating rib 312 on the other side, and a support rib 313 on the other side that has a C-shaped cross section that is larger than the second mating rib 312, and the support rib 313 is formed so that the end face on the rear side of the mounting groove 21 is located within a range from within 3 mm outside to within 1 mm inside with respect to the plane that forms the opening end of the mounting groove 21.

[0048] As a result, the support rib 313 of the seal member 30 is located near the opening of the mounting groove 21 of the lid body 20, preventing the seal member 30 from being pushed too far into the mounting groove 21 when it is fitted into the mounting groove 21. Furthermore, by fitting the seal member 30 at three or more locations, including the support rib 313, the first fitting rib 311, and the second fitting rib 312, the fitting force of the frame body 31 into the mounting groove 21 can be increased, the fitting posture of the frame body 31 can be kept constant, and deformation of the seal lip 32 can be prevented. Furthermore, the sealing performance of the seal lip 32 does not deteriorate even during long-term storage.

[0049] Such a sealing member 30 can also withstand pressure from inside the substrate storage container 1, and can therefore prevent leakage of gas or liquid from the inside and the intrusion of dust from the outside, thereby ensuring safety in, for example, evaluating the cleanliness of the substrate storage container 1.

[0050] In the embodiment, the frame 31 has a thickness T4 on the outside of the opening end of the mounting groove 21 that is 75% or less of the thickness T1 on the rear side of the opening end of the mounting groove 21, and a space G is formed between the frame 31 and the lid 20. As a result, the stress applied to the seal lip 32 when the opening of the container body 10 is closed with the lid 20 is distributed to the step portion 34 of the frame 31, which is thinner than the thickness of the end portion on the rear side of the mounting groove 21 of the frame 31, and it is possible to cause not only the seal lip 32 but also the step portion 34 of the frame 31 to flex.

[0051] Therefore, stress is not concentrated at the base (proximal portion) of the seal lip as in the prior art, and the stress at the base of the seal lip 32 is alleviated, so that permanent deformation of the seal lip 32 can be prevented even after long-term use.

[0052] The seal member 30 of this embodiment includes at least one first fitting rib 311 and at least two second fitting ribs 312 in any cross section of the entire circumference, and the support ribs 313 are formed over an area of ​​80% or more of the entire circumference of the seal member 30. This increases the overall shape stability of the seal member 30, including the side portion 30L, and also increases the fitting force when fitted into the mounting groove 21.

[0053] The sealing member 30 of the embodiment has a rectangular frame shape, and the support ribs 313 are missing from four corners 30C. As a result, the corners 30C are corners formed by two side portions 30L, so the shape stability at those locations is high to begin with, and even if the support ribs 313 are missing, the seal lip 32 is less likely to deform, and the sealing performance is not reduced. Furthermore, even if the cleaning liquid enters the mounting groove 21 during cleaning of the substrate storage container 1, it can be discharged from the missing portions 33 where the support ribs 313 are missing, such as the corners 30C, so no cleaning liquid remains.

[0054] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the gist of the present invention as set forth in the claims.

[0055] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Substrate storage container 10 Container body, 11 Opening, 12 Sealing surface, 13 Support, 14 Robotic flange, 15 Manual handle, 18 Air intake valve, 19 Exhaust valve 20 Lid, 21 Mounting groove, 22 Convex portion 30 Sealing member, 30C Corner portion, 30L Side portion 31 Frame, 311 First fitting rib, 312 Second fitting rib, 313 Support rib, 32 Seal lip, 33 Missing portion, 34 Step portion T Thickness G Space

Claims

1. A substrate storage container comprising: a container body capable of storing substrates; a lid body that closes the opening of the container body; and an annular sealing member that is provided between the container body and the lid body, wherein the sealing member has a frame body that is attached to a mounting groove that is provided in the lid body and has a U-shaped cross section, and a sealing lip that extends outward from the frame body and forms a sealing area, wherein the frame body includes a first fitting rib that fits into the container body side of the mounting groove that is provided in the lid body, a second fitting rib that fits into the lid body side of the mounting groove, and a support rib that has a C-shaped cross section and is larger than the second fitting rib and fits into the lid body side of the mounting groove, wherein the end face of the support rib on the far side of the mounting groove is located within a range from within 3 mm outside to within 1 mm toward the far side of the plane that forms the opening end of the mounting groove.

2. A substrate storage container according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the frame on the outer side of the opening end of the mounting groove is 75% or less of the thickness of the innermost side of the opening end of the mounting groove, and a space is formed between the frame and the lid.

3. A substrate storage container as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the sealing member includes at least one first engaging rib and at least two second engaging ribs in any cross section around the entire circumference, and the support ribs are formed over an area of ​​80% or more of the entire circumference of the sealing member.

4. The substrate storage container according to claim 3, wherein the sealing member is rectangular frame-shaped, and the support ribs are missing at four corners.

5. A sealing member for a substrate storage container, characterized in that it is an annular sealing member provided between the container body and lid of a substrate storage container, comprising: a frame body that is attached to a mounting groove that is provided in the lid body and has a U-shaped cross section; and a sealing lip that extends outward from the frame body and forms a sealing area, wherein the frame body includes a first fitting rib on one side, a second fitting rib on the other side, and a support rib on the other side that has a C-shaped cross section and is larger than the second fitting rib, and wherein the end face of the support rib on the far side of the mounting groove is positioned within a range from within 3 mm outside to within 1 mm inside with respect to a plane that forms the opening end of the mounting groove.

Citation Information

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