Substrate storage container and gas jetting nozzle part

Abstract

A substrate storage container 1 comprises: a container body 2; a lid 3; ventilation paths 98, 99 capable of connecting a substrate storage space 27 with a space outside the container body 2; and a gas jetting nozzle part 8 having a plurality of openings 841 for supplying gas that flowed into the ventilation paths 98, 99 to the substrate storage space 27. The plurality of openings 841 are formed at positions corresponding to, among a plurality of substrates W that are supported by a substrate lateral-support part 5 and are arranged in parallel, substrates from the lowermost substrate W in the parallel direction to a substrate W on the lower side from the uppermost substrate W.

Description

Substrate storage container and gas ejection nozzle

[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.

[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-T-2016-538732 A JP-A-2017-17264 JP-A-2016-004949

[0006] In a substrate storage container having a scavenging hole, which is a vent hole that connects the substrate storage space with the outside of the substrate storage container, clean dry air (CDA) or nitrogen (N ２) is used as a purge gas, and the purge gas is supplied from a load port outside the substrate storage container through through-holes from the bottom (outer surface) of the container body to a gas ejection nozzle unit installed on the inner surface of the substrate storage container. This is how gas purging is performed. At this time, to ensure that the purge gas is replaced by the purge gas through gas purging, it is necessary that the purge gas be supplied uniformly from multiple openings in the gas ejection nozzle unit.

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a substrate storage container that can uniformly supply gas into a substrate storage space from a plurality of openings of a gas ejection nozzle portion.

[0008] (1) The present invention provides a container body having an opening periphery at one end where a container body opening is formed and a cylindrical wall portion having a closed other end, the inner surface of the wall portion forming a substrate storage space capable of storing 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; side substrate support portions that are provided on the container body so as to form a pair within the substrate storage space and that can support edges of the plurality of substrates when the container body opening is not closed by the lid body, with adjacent substrates among the plurality of substrates arranged in parallel and spaced apart from each other at a predetermined interval in the vertical direction; an air passage that can communicate the substrate storage space with a space outside the container body; and a gas that flows into the air passage to supply the substrate storage space. and a gas flow rate equalization unit that allows gas to be discharged at a uniform flow rate from the plurality of openings, wherein the gas flow rate equalization unit has a gas retention chamber, a pre-gas-outflow holding chamber, and an inter-chamber partition that blocks linear communication between the gas retention chamber and the pre-gas-outflow holding chamber and forms an inter-chamber flow path that communicates the gas retention chamber and the pre-gas-outflow holding chamber, wherein the inter-chamber flow path opens in a direction opposite to a direction toward the plurality of openings in the pre-gas-outflow holding chamber, and the plurality of openings are formed at positions corresponding to the plurality of substrates that are supported and arranged in a row by the side substrate support units, from the lowest substrate in the row direction to a substrate that is below the uppermost substrate.

[0009] (2) In (1), it is preferable that the upper end of the gas ejection nozzle portion is located below the uppermost substrate.

[0010] (3) Also, in (1), it is preferable that the plurality of openings are formed at positions corresponding to each of the substrates arranged in parallel and supported by the lateral substrate support portions, from the lowest substrate in the parallel direction, including the lowest substrate, up to the thirteenth substrate and below.

[0011] (4) In (3), it is preferable that the upper end of the gas ejection nozzle portion is located below the fourteenth substrate from the bottom, including the bottom substrate.

[0012] (5) In addition, in (1), it is preferable that the gas flow rate equalizing section has a partition wall that partitions the pre-gas outflow holding chamber into a plurality of pre-gas outflow holding sub-chambers.

[0013] (6) In (5), it is preferable that the plurality of pre-gas-outflow holding chambers have a uniform volume.

[0014] (7) In the device (5) or (6), the gas retention chamber is preferably divided into a plurality of gas retention compartments by compartment partitions.

[0015] (8) In addition, in (7), it is preferable that a gas supply flow path is formed in communication with all of the gas retention chambers.

[0016] (9) In addition, in (5) to (8), it is preferable that the gas ejection nozzle portion has a nozzle chamber communicating with an opening, and the nozzle chamber communicates with the pre-gas outflow holding chamber via a hydrophobic membrane.

[0017] (10) In addition, in (9), it is preferable that the nozzle chamber communicates with all the openings and all the pre-gas-outflow holding chambers.

[0018] (11) In addition, in any of (1) to (10), the gas ejection nozzle portion preferably has a predetermined direction outlet portion that causes the gas to flow out from the opening in a predetermined direction.

[0019] (12) Furthermore, in (1) to (11), it is preferable that the container further includes a columnar protrusion having the gas ejection nozzle portion and the gas flow rate equalization portion, and that the base of the protrusion is inserted into a hole formed in the wall portion of the container body, which hole forms the air passage and is provided with a sealing member, and that the tip portion of the protrusion is fixed to the wall portion of the container body, thereby fixing the protrusion to the container body.

[0020] (13) The present invention also provides a substrate storage container comprising: a container body having an opening periphery at one end where a container body opening is formed and a cylindrical wall portion having a closed other end, the inner surface of which forms a substrate storage space capable of storing 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; side substrate support portions that are provided on the container body so as to form a pair within the substrate storage space and that can support edges of the plurality of substrates when adjacent substrates among the plurality of substrates are arranged in parallel and spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction when the container body opening is not closed by the lid body; and an air passage that can communicate the substrate storage space with a space outside the container body, wherein gas that flows into the air passage is circulated through the substrates. a gas ejection nozzle section having a plurality of openings that supply gas into a plate storage space, the gas flow rate equalizing section including a gas flow rate equalizer that allows gas to be ejected from the plurality of openings at a uniform flow rate, the gas flow rate equalizing section including a gas retention chamber, a pre-gas outflow holding chamber, and an inter-chamber partition that blocks linear communication between the gas retention chamber and the pre-gas outflow holding chamber and forms an inter-chamber flow path that communicates the gas retention chamber and the pre-gas outflow holding chamber, the inter-chamber flow path opening in the pre-gas outflow holding chamber in a direction opposite to the direction toward the plurality of openings, and the plurality of openings are formed at positions corresponding to each of the substrates supported on the side substrate support sections and arranged in a row, from the lowest substrate in the row direction to a substrate below the topmost substrate.

[0021] (14) In addition, in (13), it is preferable that the upper end of the gas ejection nozzle portion is located below the uppermost substrate.

[0022] (15) Also, in (13), it is preferable that the plurality of openings are formed at positions corresponding to each of the substrates arranged in parallel and supported by the lateral substrate support portions, from the lowest substrate in the parallel direction, including the lowest substrate, up to the thirteenth substrate and below.

[0023] (16) In (15), it is preferable that the upper end of the gas ejection nozzle portion is located below the fourteenth substrate from the bottom, including the bottom substrate.

[0024] (17) In addition, in (13), it is preferable that the gas flow rate equalizing section has a partition wall that partitions the pre-gas outflow holding chamber into a plurality of pre-gas outflow holding sub-chambers.

[0025] (18) In addition, in (17), it is preferable that the plurality of pre-gas-outflow holding chambers have a uniform volume.

[0026] (19) In addition, in (17) or (18), it is preferable that the gas retention chamber is divided into a plurality of gas retention compartments by compartment partitions.

[0027] (20) In addition, in (19), it is preferable that a gas supply flow path is formed that communicates with all of the gas retention chambers.

[0028] (21) Also, in (17) to (20), it is preferable that the gas ejection nozzle portion has a nozzle chamber communicating with an opening, and the nozzle chamber communicates with the pre-gas outflow holding chamber via a hydrophobic membrane.

[0029] (22) In addition, in (21), it is preferable that the nozzle chamber communicates with all the openings and all the pre-gas-outflow holding chambers.

[0030] (23) In addition, in any of (13) to (22), the gas ejection nozzle preferably has a predetermined direction outlet portion that causes the gas to flow out from the opening in a predetermined direction.

[0031] (24) Furthermore, in (13) to (23), it is preferable that the container further includes a columnar protrusion having the gas ejection nozzle portion and the gas flow rate equalization portion, and that the base of the protrusion is inserted into a hole formed in the wall portion of the container body, which hole forms the air passage and is provided with a sealing member, and that the tip portion of the protrusion is fixed to the wall portion of the container body, thereby fixing the protrusion to the container body.

[0032] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a substrate storage container that can uniformly supply gas into a substrate storage space from a plurality of openings of a gas ejection nozzle portion.

[0033] 1 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. 2 is an upper perspective view showing a container body 2 of the substrate storage container 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view showing the container body 2 of the substrate storage container 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a side cross-sectional view showing the container body 2 taken along line A-A in FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a protrusion 8 of the substrate storage container 1. FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view showing the flow of purge gas inside a protrusion main body 81 that constitutes the protrusion 8 of the substrate storage container 1. FIG. 7 is a rear perspective cross-sectional view showing the protrusion 8 of the substrate storage container 1. FIG. 8 is a front perspective cross-sectional view showing the protrusion 8 of the substrate storage container 1. FIG. 9 is a side view showing a nozzle chamber forming portion 84 that constitutes the protrusion 8 of the substrate storage container 1. FIG. 10 is a side view showing a nozzle chamber forming portion 84 that constitutes a modified version of the protrusion 8 of the substrate storage container 1.

[0034] [Overall Configuration of Substrate Storage Container 1] The substrate storage container 1 according to this embodiment will now be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a state in which a plurality of substrates W are stored in the substrate storage container 1. Fig. 2 is an upper perspective view showing the container body 2 of the substrate storage container 1. Fig. 3 is a lower perspective view showing the container body 2 of the substrate storage container 1. Fig. 4 is a side cross-sectional view showing the container body 2 taken along line A-A in Fig. 3.

[0035] 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, and these 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, and these 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, and these are collectively defined as the left-right direction D3. Arrows indicating these directions are shown in the main drawings.

[0036] 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.

[0037] 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 (not shown) serving as a lid-side substrate support portion.

[0038] 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.

[0039] The substrate support plate parts 5 are interior components arranged in pairs within the substrate storage space 27, and are removably fixed to the wall part 20. The substrate support plate parts 5 abut against the edges of the substrates W, thereby supporting the edges of the substrates W while arranging adjacent substrates W in parallel with a predetermined distance between them. A rear substrate support part 6 is provided on the rear side of the substrate support plate part 5 and is molded integrally with the substrate support plate part 5.

[0040] The rear substrate support portion 6 is provided on the wall portion 20 so as to form a pair with a front retainer (not shown) 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.

[0041] 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. A front retainer (not shown) 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 portion 6.

[0042] 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.

[0043] 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.

[0044] 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.

[0045] 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.

[0046] 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.

[0047] 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.

[0048] 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.

[0049] A bottom plate 244 is fixed to the lower wall 24. The bottom plate 244 has a substantially rectangular plate shape and is arranged facing substantially the entire lower surface that constitutes the outer surface of the lower wall 24, and is fixed to the lower wall 24.

[0050] 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.

[0051] 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.

[0052] 2 and other figures, the substrate support plate portions 5 are provided on the first side wall 25 and the second side wall 26, respectively, and are provided in pairs in the left-right direction D3 in the container body 2 within the substrate storage space 27. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4 and other figures, the substrate support plate portions 5 have a plate portion 51.

[0053] The plate portions 51 have a generally arcuate plate shape. 25 plate portions 51 are provided on each of the first side walls 25 and the second side walls 26 in the vertical direction D2, for a total of 50 plate portions 51. Adjacent plate portions 51 are arranged parallel to each other and spaced apart by 10 mm to 12 mm in the vertical direction D2. Above the topmost plate portion 51, another plate-like member is arranged parallel to the plate portion 51. This plate-like member is located at the top and serves as a guide for the substrate W being inserted into the substrate storage space 27.

[0054] 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 substrate W supported on the plate portions 51 comes into contact only with the protruding ends of the convex portions provided on the upper surfaces of the plate portions 51, and does not come into contact with the plate portions 51 on their surfaces.

[0055] [Protrusion 8] The rear wall 22 has a protrusion 8 (see FIG. 5) that serves as a gas ejection nozzle. As shown in FIG. 6, the protrusion 8 has a protrusion main body 81, an inner wall 82, a hydrophobic membrane 83, and a nozzle chamber forming portion 84, which are fixed to each other in this order to form the protrusion 8.

[0056] Two protrusions 8 are provided as a pair. The base 819 of the protrusion main body 81, which has an annular groove 8191 formed therein and an O-ring, which is a sealing member (not shown), fitted into the groove 8191, is fixed to the bottom wall 24 of the container main body 2 by being inserted into holes formed in the bottom wall 24 of the container main body 2 near the two air intake holes 242, one each, using an insertion structure so as to airtightly communicate with the air passage inside the air intake filter section 98. A sealing member (not shown) that seals the base 819 is also provided in the holes formed in the bottom wall 24 of the container main body 2. 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 that constitutes the wall section 20 by snap fitting, welding, or the like.

[0057] 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 in the upward direction D21 from the lower end of the back wall 22. The protrusions 8 have a hollow columnar shape.

[0058] The protrusion 8 has a plurality of openings 841 that supply gas that has flowed into the air passage, which is a gas flow path inside the air supply filter section 98 and can connect the substrate storage space 27 to the space outside the container body 2, to the substrate storage space 27, and a gas flow rate equalization section that allows gas to flow out from the plurality of openings 841 at a uniform flow rate.

[0059] Specifically, the gas flow rate equalizing section is located between the opening 841 and an air passage (a gas flow path inside the air supply filter section 98) that can communicate between the substrate storage space 27 and the space outside the container body 2. The gas flow rate equalizing section has a gas retention chamber 801, a pre-gas-outflow holding chamber 804, inter-chamber partitions (a main body-side partition 812 and an inner wall-side partition 822) that form an inter-chamber flow path 806 that communicates the gas retention chamber 801 and the pre-gas-outflow holding chamber 804 by blocking linear communication between the gas retention chamber 801 and the pre-gas-outflow holding chamber 804, and a nozzle chamber 803.

[0060] 8 and 9 , the gas retention chamber 801 is defined by a space surrounded by the protrusion main body 81, the inner wall 82, and chamber partitions (the main body partition 812 and the inner wall partition 822). The pre-gas outflow holding chamber 804 is defined by a space surrounded by the protrusion main body 81, the inner wall 82, a hydrophobic film 83 provided to block the through-hole formed in the inner wall 82, and the chamber partitions (the main body partition 812 and the inner wall partition 822). The nozzle chamber 803 is defined by a space surrounded by the inner wall 82, the hydrophobic film 83 provided to block the through-hole formed in the inner wall 82, and the nozzle chamber forming portion 84.

[0061] 6 and 7 , the gas retention chamber 801 is divided into a plurality of gas retention chambers by inter-chamber partitions 811 provided at predetermined intervals in the vertical direction. The inter-chamber partitions 811 do not completely separate the gas retention chamber 801, thereby preventing the purge gas from flowing between the plurality of gas retention chambers, but form a gas flow space 8011 between the partitions 811 and the internal wall portion 82. This allows the purge gas to flow between vertically adjacent gas retention chambers.

[0062] In the gas flow space 8011, the gas retention chambers 801 are not linearly connected in the vertical direction from the bottom to the top of the protruding portion 8. Specifically, an inter-chamber partition 823 extending from the inner wall portion 82 toward the inside of the gas retention chamber 801 is provided on the inner wall portion 82. Therefore, the purge gas that flows into the gas retention chamber 801 from the air passage of the air supply filter portion 98 passes through the portion of the gas retention chamber 801 that is connected to all of the gas retention chambers, which is formed as a crank-shaped gas supply flow path 8011 by the inter-chamber partitions 811 and 823, and flows from the bottom to the top of the gas retention chamber 801.

[0063] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the pre-gas-outflow holding chamber 804 is divided into multiple pre-gas-outflow holding chambers by partition walls 813 provided at predetermined intervals in the vertical direction. The partition walls 813 completely divide the pre-gas-outflow holding chamber 804, preventing the purge gas from flowing between the multiple pre-gas-outflow holding chambers. Therefore, the purge gas that has flowed into each pre-gas-outflow holding chamber flows into the nozzle chamber 803 through the hydrophobic membrane 83. As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the multiple pre-gas-outflow holding chambers divided by the partition walls 813 have a uniform volume.

[0064] The hydrophobic film 83 is fixed in a state where it is fitted into a recess formed on the front side of the inner wall 82 around a plurality of through holes 821 formed in the inner wall 82. The hydrophobic film 83 is made of a hydrophobic film that does not change its flow resistance even when it gets wet when cleaning the container body 2 of the substrate storage container 1. Specifically, the hydrophobic film 83 is made of a porous film or sheet that is breathable and hydrophobic, or a coated product with hydrophobic properties, and in this embodiment, a PTFE film is used.

[0065] No partitions or partition walls are provided inside the nozzle chamber 803. Therefore, it is formed as a single chamber that continues continuously from the lower end to the upper end. As shown in FIG. 10 , a plurality of openings 841 are formed in the front side of the nozzle chamber forming section 84 in which the nozzle chamber 803 is formed. The number of openings 841 corresponds to the number of substrates W that can be stored in the substrate storage space 27; specifically, 25 openings 841 are formed. The nozzle chamber 803 communicates with all of the openings 841 and, via the hydrophobic membrane 83, communicates with all of the pre-gas-outlet holding chambers that are partitioned by the partition walls 813.

[0066] As shown in Fig. 10 , above the opening 841, inclined eaves 842 are provided, each inclined in the downward direction D22 as it progresses in the forward direction D11, so as to protrude further in the forward direction D11 than the lower side of the opening 841. The inclined eaves 842 extend parallel to each other. When cleaning the container body 2, the inclined eaves 842 prevent the cleaning liquid from flowing from the opening 841 into the nozzle chamber 803. The inclined eaves 842 also constitute a predetermined direction outflow portion that allows gas to flow from the opening 841 in the downward direction D22.

[0067] The upper ends of the protrusions 8 are located below the uppermost substrate W of the 25 substrates W stored in each substrate storage space 27. Therefore, the multiple openings 841 of the protrusions 8 are formed at positions corresponding to the substrates W arranged in parallel and supported by the substrate support plate-like portion 5, from the lowermost substrate W in the vertical direction D2, which is the parallel direction, to the substrate W below the uppermost substrate W.

[0068] Specifically, when 25 substrates W are stored in the substrate storage space 27 in the vertical direction D2 as shown in Figure 4, the upper edge of the upper end of the protrusion 8 is located slightly below the 14th substrate W when counting in the upward direction D21 from the lowest row, including the lowest row, in other words, at the same position as the plate portion 51 of the 14th substrate supporting plate-like portion 5 when counting in the upward direction D21 from the lowest row, including the lowest row.

[0069] For this reason, the openings 841 of the protrusion 8 are formed at positions corresponding to the substrates W from the lowest substrate W in the arranging direction to the thirteenth substrate W and below, among the plurality of substrates W supported in parallel on the substrate support plate-like part 5. Therefore, the purge gas from each opening 841 is ejected toward the top surfaces of the thirteen substrates W one by one.

[0070] 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.

[0071] 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.

[0072] 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.

[0073] 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.

[0074] 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.

[0075] A recess (not shown) is formed on the inside of the cover 3 (the rearward direction D12 side of the cover 3 in FIG. 1 ) and recessed outward (in the forward direction D11) from the board storage space 27. A front retainer (not shown) is fixed to the recess.

[0076] The front retainer (not shown) has a front retainer board receiving portion (not shown). The front retainer board receiving portions (not shown) are arranged in pairs, two apart at a predetermined interval in the left-right direction. Twenty-five pairs of front retainer board receiving portions arranged in parallel in the up-down direction are provided. When a substrate W is stored in the substrate storage space 27 and the lid 3 is closed, the front retainer board receiving portions support the edge of the edge of the substrate W.

[0077] Effects of the embodiment The present embodiment having the above configuration can provide the following effects: In the present embodiment, the plurality of openings 841 are formed at positions corresponding to the substrates W arranged in parallel on the substrate support plate 5, from the lowest substrate W in the parallel arrangement direction to a substrate W below the uppermost substrate W.

[0078] This configuration makes it possible to shorten the length of the portion of the protrusion 8 serving as the gas ejection nozzle portion where the multiple openings 841 are formed. Therefore, compared to when the openings in the protrusion are formed all the way to the upper wall, it is possible to reduce the pressure loss of the purge gas that flows into and through the protrusion 8, and it is possible to eject gas at higher pressure from the multiple openings 841. As a result, it is possible to more uniformly eject and supply the purge gas from the multiple openings 841 of the protrusion 8.

[0079] In this embodiment, the upper end of the protrusion 8 is located below the uppermost substrate W. This makes it possible to reduce the amount of material required to manufacture the protrusion 8, and therefore the cost required to manufacture the protrusion 8.

[0080] In addition, in this embodiment, the multiple openings 841 are formed at positions corresponding to each of the multiple substrates W supported and arranged in parallel on the substrate support plate-like portion 5, from the lowest substrate W in the parallel direction, including the lowest row, up to the substrates W below the thirteenth substrate W.

[0081] This configuration allows the purge gas to be uniformly ejected from the plurality of openings 841 onto approximately the lower half of the substrate W supported on the plate-like substrate support part 5. Furthermore, nitrogen (N ２ ) is used, the purge gas uniformly sprayed onto approximately the lower half of the substrates W supported on the substrate support plate-like part 5 rises uniformly in the upward direction D21 from the periphery of the substrates W, allowing the peripheral portions of the 14th to 25th substrates W counting from the bottom row to flow toward the center, and allowing the purge gas to be uniformly distributed over all of the substrates W supported on the substrate support plate-like part 5.

[0082] In this embodiment, the upper end of the protrusion 8 is located below the fourteenth substrate from the bottom, including the bottommost substrate. This configuration makes it possible to reduce the height by about half compared to a configuration in which the protrusion extends from the bottom wall 24 to the top wall 23, and it is also possible to reduce the amount of material required to manufacture the protrusion 8 by about half, thereby enabling the cost of manufacturing the protrusion 8 to be reduced by about half.

[0083] In addition, in this embodiment, the protrusion 8 is equipped with a gas flow rate equalization section (gas retention chamber 801, pre-gas outflow holding chamber 804) that allows gas to flow out at a uniform flow rate from the multiple openings 841, and the gas flow rate equalization section has the gas retention chamber 801, the pre-gas outflow holding chamber 804, and inter-chamber partitions (main body side partition 812, inner wall side partition 822) that form an inter-chamber flow path 806 that connects the gas retention chamber 801 and the pre-gas outflow holding chamber 804 by blocking linear communication between the gas retention chamber 801 and the pre-gas outflow holding chamber 804.

[0084] With this configuration, the purge gas retained in the gas retention chamber 801 flows through the inter-chamber flow path 806 into each of the plurality of pre-gas outflow holding sub-chambers of the pre-gas outflow holding chamber 804, flows into the nozzle chamber 803 where it is retained, and can be uniformly discharged from each of the plurality of openings 841 of the nozzle chamber forming portion 84. As a result, the purge gas can be uniformly supplied from the plurality of openings 841 to the substrates W stored in the substrate storage space 27.

[0085] Furthermore, according to the substrate storage container 1 of this embodiment, the gas flow rate equalizing unit has a partition wall 813 that divides the pre-gas-outflow holding chamber 804 into multiple pre-gas-outflow holding chambers. This configuration allows the purge gas that flows into the pre-gas-outflow holding chamber 804 to be divided among the multiple pre-gas-outflow holding chambers and temporarily retained therein. This allows the purge gas to be temporarily retained even if there is a difference in the amount of purge gas that flows into the multiple pre-gas-outflow holding chambers, and the purge gas that has been temporarily retained and uniformed in each pre-gas-outflow holding chamber then flows into the nozzle chamber 803. This makes it possible to prevent the purge gas that flows into the nozzle chamber 803 from strongly flowing out of the predetermined opening 841.

[0086] Furthermore, according to the substrate storage container 1 according to this embodiment, the plurality of pre-gas-outflow holding chambers have a uniform volume, which makes it possible to minimize differences in the amount of purge gas flowing from a predetermined pre-gas-outflow holding chamber through the hydrophobic membrane 83 into the nozzle chamber 803.

[0087] Furthermore, according to the substrate storage container 1 according to this embodiment, the gas retention chamber 801 is partitioned into a plurality of gas retention chambers by inter-chamber partitions 811. This configuration can prevent the purge gas that has flowed into the lower end of the gas retention chamber 801 from reaching the upper end of the gas retention chamber 801 with force. This makes it possible to prevent a large amount of purge gas from flowing to the upper end of the gas retention chamber 801.

[0088] Furthermore, according to the substrate storage container 1 of this embodiment, a gas flow space 8011 is formed as a gas supply flow path that communicates with all of the gas retention chambers. With this configuration, the purge gas that has flowed into the gas retention chamber 801 can be communicated with all of the gas retention chambers, and can flow from each gas retention chamber to each pre-gas-outlet holding chamber that constitutes the pre-gas-outlet holding chamber 804.

[0089] Furthermore, according to the substrate storage container 1 of this embodiment, the protrusion 8 serving as the gas ejection nozzle has a nozzle chamber 803 that communicates with the opening 841, and the nozzle chamber 803 communicates with the pre-gas-outflow holding chamber 804 via the hydrophobic membrane 83. With this configuration, when the container body 2 of the substrate storage container 1 is cleaned, the hydrophobic membrane 83 does not change the flow resistance and can prevent the cleaning liquid from flowing into the pre-gas-outflow holding chamber 804.

[0090] Furthermore, according to the substrate storage container 1 according to this embodiment, the nozzle chamber 803 communicates with all of the openings 841 and all of the pre-gas-outflow holding compartments that make up the pre-gas-outflow holding chamber 804. This configuration allows the purge gas that has flowed into all of the pre-gas-outflow holding compartments that make up the pre-gas-outflow holding chamber 804 to flow into the nozzle chamber 803 that communicates with all of the openings 841.

[0091] Furthermore, according to the substrate storage container 1 of this embodiment, the protrusion 8 serving as the gas ejection nozzle has an inclined eaves 842 serving as a predetermined direction outflow portion that causes gas to flow in a predetermined direction from the opening 841. With this configuration, it is possible to prevent the cleaning liquid from flowing into the nozzle chamber 803 from the opening 841 when the container body 2 is cleaned.

[0092] Furthermore, the substrate storage container 1 according to this embodiment is provided with a columnar protrusion 8 having a gas ejection nozzle portion and a gas flow rate equalizer portion, and the base 819 of the protrusion 8 is inserted into a hole formed in the wall portion 20 of the container body 2, which hole forms an air passage and is provided with a sealing member, and the tip side portion of the protrusion 8 is fixed to the wall portion 20 of the container body 2, thereby fixing the protrusion 8 to the container body 2. With this configuration, the protrusion 8 can be fixed to the container body 2 easily and reliably.

[0093] [Modifications] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and modifications are possible within the technical scope described in the claims.

[0094] For example, in the embodiment, the configuration of the protrusion main body, internal wall, hydrophobic membrane, nozzle chamber forming portion, etc. that constitute the protrusion is not limited to the configuration of the protrusion main body 81, internal wall 82, hydrophobic membrane 83, nozzle chamber forming portion 84, etc. that constitute the protrusion 8.

[0095] For example, the inclined eaves 842 is inclined downward in the direction D22 as it advances in the forward direction D11, but is not limited to this. For example, the inclined eaves 842 may be inclined upward in the direction D21 as it advances in the forward direction D11, as shown in Fig. 11. In this case, the inclined eaves 842 causes gas to flow from the opening 841 in the upward direction D21 toward the underside W2 of the substrate W located above the opening 841.

[0096] 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.

[0097] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Substrate storage container 2 Container body 3 Lid 5 Substrate support plate-shaped portion (lateral substrate support portion) 6 Back side substrate support portion 8 Protrusion 20 Wall portion 21 Container body opening 25 First side wall (side wall) 26 Second side wall (side wall) 27 Substrate storage space 83 Hydrophobic film 801 Gas retention chamber (gas flow rate equalization portion) 803 Nozzle chamber 804 Pre-gas outflow holding chamber (gas flow rate equalization portion) 811 Partition between sub-chambers 812 Main body side partition (chamber partition) 813 Partition wall 819 Base 822 Inner wall side partition (chamber partition) 841 Opening 842 Sloped eaves (predetermined direction outflow portion) 8011 Gas circulation space W Substrate

Claims

1. A container body having a cylindrical wall with one end having an opening rim where a container body opening is formed and the other end being closed, the inner surface of the wall forming a substrate storage space capable of storing substrates and communicating with the container body opening; a lid that is detachable from the container body opening and can close the container body opening; lateral substrate support sections that are provided on the container body so as to form a pair within the substrate storage space and that can support the edges of multiple substrates in a state where adjacent substrates among the multiple substrates are arranged side by side and spaced apart a predetermined distance in the vertical direction when the container body opening is not closed by the lid; an air passage that can communicate the substrate storage space with a space outside the container body; a gas ejection nozzle section having a plurality of openings that supplies gas that has flowed into the air passage to the substrate storage space; and a gas flow rate equalizer that allows gas to flow out from the plurality of openings at a uniform flow rate. the gas flow rate equalization unit has a gas retention chamber, a pre-gas-outflow holding chamber, and an inter-chamber partition that blocks linear communication between the gas retention chamber and the pre-gas-outflow holding chamber and forms an inter-chamber flow path that connects the gas retention chamber and the pre-gas-outflow holding chamber, the inter-chamber flow path opening in the pre-gas-outflow holding chamber in a direction opposite to the direction toward the multiple openings, and the multiple openings are formed at positions corresponding to each of the multiple substrates supported and arranged in a row by the side substrate support units, from the lowest substrate in the row direction to a substrate below the topmost substrate.

2. A substrate storage container according to claim 1, wherein the upper end of the gas ejection nozzle is positioned below the uppermost substrate.

3. A substrate storage container as described in claim 1, wherein the plurality of openings are formed at positions corresponding to each of the substrates arranged in a row supported by the side substrate support parts, from the lowest substrate in the row direction up to the thirteenth substrate and below, including the lowest substrate.

4. A substrate storage container according to claim 3, wherein the upper end of the gas ejection nozzle portion is located below the fourteenth substrate from the bottom row, including the bottom row.

5. A substrate storage container according to claim 1, wherein the gas flow rate equalizing section has a partition wall that partitions the pre-gas outflow holding chamber into a plurality of pre-gas outflow holding sub-chambers.

6. A substrate storage container according to claim 5, wherein the plurality of pre-gas-outlet holding chambers have a uniform volume.

7. A substrate storage container according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the gas retention chamber is divided into a plurality of gas retention compartments by compartment partitions.

8. A substrate storage container according to claim 7, wherein a gas supply flow path is formed in communication with all of said gas retention compartments.

9. A substrate storage container according to any one of claims 5 to 8, wherein the gas ejection nozzle has a nozzle chamber communicating with an opening, and the nozzle chamber communicates with the pre-gas outflow holding chamber via a hydrophobic membrane.

10. A substrate storage container according to claim 9, wherein the nozzle chamber communicates with all of the openings and all of the pre-gas-outlet holding chambers.

11. A substrate storage container according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the gas ejection nozzle portion has a predetermined direction outlet portion that causes gas to flow out from the opening in a predetermined direction.

12. A substrate storage container as described in any one of claims 1 to 11, comprising a columnar protrusion having the gas ejection nozzle portion and the gas flow rate equalization portion, wherein the base of the protrusion is inserted into a hole formed in the wall portion of the container body, forming the air passage, and having a sealing member provided therein, and wherein the tip side portion of the protrusion is fixed to the wall portion of the container body, thereby fixing the protrusion to the container body.

13. A gas ejection nozzle unit attached to a substrate storage container comprising: a container body having an opening rim at one end where a container body opening is formed and a cylindrical wall portion having a closed other end, the inner surface of which defines a substrate storage space capable of storing substrates and communicating with the container body opening; a lid body that is detachable from the container body opening and can close the container body opening; lateral substrate support units that are provided on the container body so as to form a pair within the substrate storage space and can support the edges of the plurality of substrates in a state in which adjacent substrates among the plurality of substrates are arranged in parallel and spaced apart from each other at a predetermined interval in the vertical direction when the container body opening is not closed by the lid body; and a ventilation path that can communicate the substrate storage space with a space outside the container body, the gas ejection nozzle unit having a plurality of openings that supplies gas that has flowed into the ventilation path to the substrate storage space, and a gas flow rate equalizer that allows gas to flow out from the plurality of openings at a uniform flow rate, The gas flow rate equalization unit has a gas retention chamber, a pre-gas outflow holding chamber, and an inter-chamber partition that blocks linear communication between the gas retention chamber and the pre-gas outflow holding chamber and forms an inter-chamber flow path that connects the gas retention chamber and the pre-gas outflow holding chamber, wherein the inter-chamber flow path opens in a direction opposite to the direction toward the multiple openings in the pre-gas outflow holding chamber, and the multiple openings are gas ejection nozzle units that are formed at positions corresponding to each of the multiple substrates that are supported and arranged in parallel on the side substrate support units, from the bottom substrate in the parallel direction to a substrate that is below the top substrate.

14. The gas ejection nozzle unit according to claim 13, wherein the upper end of the gas ejection nozzle unit is located below the uppermost substrate.

15. A gas ejection nozzle portion as described in claim 13, wherein the plurality of openings are formed at positions corresponding to each of the substrates arranged in a row supported by the side substrate support portion, from the lowest substrate in the row direction up to the thirteenth substrate and below, including the lowest substrate.

16. A gas ejection nozzle section according to claim 15, wherein the upper end of the gas ejection nozzle section is located below the fourteenth substrate from the bottom, including the bottommost substrate.

17. A gas ejection nozzle section according to claim 13, wherein the gas flow rate equalizing section has partition walls that divide the pre-outflow gas holding chamber into a plurality of pre-outflow gas holding sub-chambers.

18. A gas ejection nozzle section according to claim 17, wherein the plurality of pre-gas-outflow holding chambers have a uniform volume.

19. A gas ejection nozzle section as set forth in claim 17 or claim 18, wherein the gas retention chamber is divided into a plurality of gas retention compartments by compartment partitions.

20. A gas ejection nozzle section according to claim 19, wherein a gas supply flow path is formed which communicates with all of the gas retention compartments.

21. A gas ejection nozzle section according to any one of claims 17 to 20, wherein the gas ejection nozzle section has a nozzle chamber communicating with an opening, and the nozzle chamber communicates with the pre-gas outflow holding chamber via a hydrophobic membrane.

22. A gas ejection nozzle section according to claim 21, wherein the nozzle section chamber communicates with all of the openings and all of the pre-gas-outflow holding chambers.

23. A gas ejection nozzle section according to any one of claims 13 to 22, wherein the gas ejection nozzle section has a predetermined direction outlet section that causes gas to flow out of the opening in a predetermined direction.

24. A gas ejection nozzle portion according to any one of claims 13 to 23, comprising a columnar protrusion having the gas ejection nozzle portion and the gas flow rate equalization portion, wherein the base of the protrusion is inserted into a hole formed in the wall portion of the container body, forming the air passage, and having a sealing member provided therein, and the tip side portion of the protrusion is fixed to the wall portion of the container body, thereby fixing the protrusion to the container body.

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