Load port

Abstract

A load port comprises: a mounting table on which a container where a substrate is accommodated is mounted; a storage part that is disposed below the mounting table; a port door that is capable of holding a door part of the container; a bolt plate that is disposed between the port door and the mounting table and storage part, is capable of being opened and closed by the port door, and has an opening through which the substrate can be taken in and out; a drive mechanism that is accommodated in the storage part; and an arm member that is connected to the port door through a slit formed in the bolt plate and is raised / lowered by the drive mechanism. The load port furthermore comprises: a moving means that raises and lowers the port door relative to the opening; and a passage-forming member that forms an exhaust passage. The exhaust passage opens toward the slit and is provided with an outlet and an inlet into which gas within the storage part flows. The passage-forming member is disposed closer to the bolt plate than the port door.

Description

Load port

[0001] The present invention relates to a load port.

[0002] Containers such as FOUPs for accommodating substrates such as semiconductor wafers are known. Such containers are opened and closed at a load port provided in a substrate transfer device, and the substrates inside the containers are taken in and out. When particles in the load port enter the substrate transfer device, the particles may adhere to the substrate. Also, when a corrosive gas exists in the substrate transfer device, if the corrosive gas enters the load port, the inside of the load port may be corroded. Patent Document 1 discloses an apparatus that solves such problems by providing an exhaust duct and a fan on a bolt plate.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-135016

[0004] When the gas exhausted from the storage section that stores the mechanism system for raising and lowering the port door contacts the door section, particles generated from the mechanism system may adhere to the door section. When the container is closed by this door section, there is a risk that the particles adhering to the door section may adhere to the substrate inside the container.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a load port capable of suppressing the contact of the gas exhausted from the storage section with the door section.

[0006] According to the present invention, a load port is provided comprising: a mounting base on which a container containing a substrate is placed; a storage section disposed below the mounting base; a port door capable of holding the door portion of the container; a bolt plate disposed between the mounting base, the storage section, and the port door, which is openable and closable by the port door and has an opening through which the substrate can be inserted and removed; a drive mechanism housed in the storage section; an arm member connected to the port door through a slit formed in the bolt plate and raised and lowered by the drive mechanism, and a means for raising and lowering the port door relative to the opening; and a passage forming member that forms an exhaust passage, wherein the exhaust passage opens toward the slit and has an inlet into which gas from the storage section flows in, and an outlet through which the gas that has flowed into the exhaust passage flows out, and the passage forming member is disposed on the bolt plate side of the port door.

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a load port that can suppress contact between the gas exhausted from the storage compartment and the door.

[0008] External view of a load port according to one embodiment of the present invention installed in a substrate transport device. Diagram showing the internal mechanism of the load port and substrate transport device in Figure 1. Plan view of the advance / return mechanism. Operational diagram of the load port in Figure 1. Operational diagram of the load port in Figure 1. Diagram showing the configuration of the back side of the bolt plate. Cross-sectional view along line A-A in Figure 6. Perspective view of the passage forming member. Diagram showing the configuration of the back side of the bolt plate in another configuration example. Cross-sectional view along line B-B in Figure 9. Exploded view of the configuration example in Figure 9. Explanatory diagram of yet another configuration example. Explanatory diagram of another configuration example of the entrance and lateral passage. Perspective view of the passage forming member in another example. Exploded perspective view of the example in Figure 14. Explanatory diagram of yet another configuration example.

[0009] The embodiments will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the invention as defined in the claims, and not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are essential to the invention. Two or more features from the multiple features described in the embodiments may be combined arbitrarily. Furthermore, identical or similar configurations will be given the same reference numeral, and redundant descriptions will be omitted.

[0010] <First Embodiment> <Overview of the Apparatus> Figure 1 is an external view of a load port 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention, showing how it is installed on a substrate transport device 100. Figure 2 is a diagram showing the internal mechanisms of the load port 1 and the substrate transport device 100, and is a schematic cross-sectional view when a container 200 is placed on the load port 1. In each figure, arrows X and Y indicate mutually orthogonal horizontal directions, and arrow Z indicates the vertical direction.

[0011] The load port 1 is a device for opening and closing a container 200 such as a FOUP. The container 200 has a box-shaped container body 201 with an opening 201a on the side for loading and unloading substrates W such as semiconductor wafers, and a door portion 202 that is detachably attached to the opening 201a and closes the opening 201a, and houses the substrates W. Figure 2 shows the state in which the door portion 202 has been removed from the container body 201 by the load port 1, and the substrate transport robot 110 can access the substrates W inside the container 200.

[0012] The load port 1 is attached to a substrate transport device 100, which has a substrate transport robot 110 inside that transports substrates W. The substrate transport device 100 has a housing 102 that houses the substrate transport robot 110. The load port 1 is attached to the front wall portion 102a of the housing 102. In the example in Figure 1, two load ports 1 are attached to the front wall portion 102a. The substrate transport robot 110 loads substrates W into and out of a container 200 placed on the load port 1.

[0013] The substrate transport robot 110 includes an end effector 111 for holding the substrate W, a multi-joint arm 112 that holds the end effector 111 so that it can move forward and backward at least, and a drive unit 113 that rotates and raises the multi-joint arm 112. The substrate transport robot 110 further includes a travel unit 114 that moves the substrate transport robot 110 back and forth in the Y direction. As shown by the dashed line in Figure 2, the substrate W is unloaded and loaded by moving the end effector 111 of the substrate transport robot 110 into the container body 201, which has an opening 201a on the substrate transport device 100 side.

[0014] The load port 1 includes a mounting base 2 on which the container 200 is placed, a bolt plate 3, a port door 4, a storage section 5 positioned below the mounting base 2 and supporting the mounting base 2, and an exhaust unit 6. The bolt plate 3 is a plate-shaped wall extending in the Z direction and includes a front surface 3a on the mounting base 2 side and a rear surface 3b on the substrate transport device 100 side. The bolt plate 3 closes the opening formed in the front wall portion 102a and, together with the front wall portion 102a, separates the external space on the mounting base 2 side from the substrate transport space 101 of the substrate W inside the substrate transport device 100. In terms of being a partition wall, the bolt plate 3 can also be said to be a component that constitutes part of the front wall portion 102a. The bolt plate 3 includes an opening 30 through which the removed door portion 202 and end effector 111 can pass in the X direction.

[0015] The mounting base 2 includes a dock plate 20 on which the container 200 is placed. The dock plate 20 is equipped with a plurality of positioning pins (kinematic pins) that position and support the container 200, an occupancy sensor for detecting the presence of the container 200, and a locking mechanism for locking the container 200 placed on the dock plate 20 to the dock plate 20. The mounting base 2 also incorporates a displacement mechanism 21 that displaces the dock plate 20 in the X direction.

[0016] The storage unit 5 is a hollow body in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped. The storage unit 5 is provided with a moving unit 50 that moves the port door 4. The moving unit 50 comprises a drive mechanism 51 housed in the storage unit 5 and a pair of arm members 52 connected to the port door 4 and moved by the drive mechanism 51.

[0017] The drive mechanism 51 includes a lifting mechanism 7 that raises and lowers the port door 4 relative to the opening 30, and a reciprocating mechanism 8 that moves the port door 4 in the forward and backward direction (in this embodiment, the X direction) relative to the opening 30. In this embodiment, the port door 4 is supported by the reciprocating mechanism 8 via an arm member 52, and the lifting mechanism 7 raises and lowers the port door 4 by raising and lowering the reciprocating mechanism 8.

[0018] In this embodiment, the lifting mechanism 7 is a ball screw mechanism. However, other drive mechanisms may be used. The lifting mechanism 7 includes a ball screw shaft 71, a slider 72, a motor 73 which is a drive source, and a belt drive mechanism 74. The ball screw shaft 71 extends in the Z direction and is rotatably supported on the bolt plate 3. The ball screw shaft 71 is connected to the belt drive mechanism 74 at its lower end. The slider 72 has an engaging portion that engages with the rail member 32 and is reciprocable in the Z direction guided by the rail member 32. The rail member 32 extends in the Z direction and is supported on the front surface 3a of the bolt plate 3.

[0019] The belt drive mechanism 74 includes a driven pulley connected to the ball screw shaft 71, a drive pulley connected to the output shaft of the motor 73, and an endless belt wound around them. The rotational force of the motor 73 is transmitted to the ball screw shaft 71 via the belt drive mechanism 74, causing the ball screw shaft 71 to rotate. The slider 72 is provided with a ball nut that screws onto the ball screw shaft 71. The slider 72 moves up and down as the ball screw shaft 71 rotates.

[0020] The reciprocating mechanism 8 will be described with reference to Figure 3 in addition to Figure 2. Figure 3 is a plan view of the reciprocating mechanism 8 and corresponds to a horizontal cross-sectional view of a portion of the slit 31 in the Z direction. The reciprocating mechanism 8 is located below the mounting base 2 and includes a main frame 80, a linear guide 81, and a cam mechanism 83. The main frame 80 includes a pair of side plates 80a spaced apart in the Y direction, an end plate 80b on the bolt plate 3 side connecting the pair of side plates 80a, and a bottom plate 80c connecting the pair of side plates 80a. The end plate 80b is fixed to a slider 72, and the reciprocating mechanism 8 moves up and down as the slider 72 moves up and down.

[0021] The pair of arm members 52 are plate-shaped members that extend in the X direction through a pair of slits 31 formed in the bolt plate 3. One end of each arm member 52 is located in the storage section 5, and the other end is located in the transport space 101. Each slit 31 extends in the Z direction and is an opening that penetrates the bolt plate 3, and the pair of slits 31 are spaced apart in the Y direction. The bolt plate 3 has an inner wall portion 311 that defines the slits 31. The inner wall portion 311 includes a pair of vertical wall portions 311a extending in the Z direction, and a pair of horizontal wall portions 311b that connect the upper and lower ends of the pair of vertical wall portions 311a, respectively.

[0022] Supports 41 of the port door 4 are fixed to the X-direction ends of a pair of arm members 52. Each arm member 52 is supported by a corresponding side plate 80a via a linear guide 81 and is displaceable in the X direction. The linear guide 81 includes a rail member 81a fixed to the arm member 52 and a plurality of sliders 81b fixed to the side plate 80a. The plurality of sliders 81b engage with the rail member 81a which extends in the X direction. The rail member 81a is reciprocable in the X direction guided by the sliders 81b.

[0023] The cam mechanism 83 is provided on the bottom plate 80c and moves a pair of arm members 52 in the X direction. The cam mechanism 83 includes a motor 84 which is a drive source, a rotating shaft 85, an arm member 86, a roller 87, and a cam member 88. The rotating shaft 85 is a shaft member that extends in the Z direction and is connected to the output shaft of the motor 84 via a transmission mechanism (not shown, for example, a belt drive mechanism), and rotates around the Z axis by the driving force of the motor 84. The arm member 86 is fixed to the rotating shaft 85 at one end and rotates around the rotating shaft 85 as the rotation of the rotating shaft 85. A roller 87 that is rotatable around the Z axis is supported at the other end of the arm member 86.

[0024] The cam member 88 is an L-shaped member with one end fixed to one of the pair of arm members 52, and a cam hole 89 is formed at the other end. The cam hole 89 is an oval-shaped opening. A roller 87 is inserted into the cam hole 89, and the circumferential surface of the roller 87 contacts the inner surface of the cam hole 89. By rotating the motor 84, the arm member 86 rotates, and the roller 87 performs circular motion around the rotation axis 85. As the roller 87 contacts the inner surface of the cam hole 89, the relative position of the roller 87 and the cam hole 89 in the Y direction changes, causing the arm member 52 to move in the X direction. As a result, the port door 4 moves forward and backward in the X direction.

[0025] The bolt plate 3 is equipped with an exhaust unit 6. The exhaust unit 6 exhausts the gas inside the storage section 5 to the outside of the storage section 5 and the transport space 101 (for example, to the room where the load port 1 etc. is installed, or to the space below where the substrate transport device 100 is installed). Details of the exhaust unit 6 will be described later.

[0026] Referring to Figure 2, the load port 1 is provided with a control unit 10. The control unit 10 is an electronic circuit that controls the load port 1. The control unit 10 includes, for example, a processing unit represented by a CPU, a storage unit such as RAM and ROM, an input / output interface between the processing unit and an external device, and a communication interface that communicates with a computer such as a host computer and peripheral devices (such as a board transport robot 110) via a communication line. The control unit 10, for example, acquires detection results from various sensors and controls various drive sources. Various sensors include, for example, an occupancy sensor on the dock plate 20, a sensor provided on the lifting mechanism 7, and a sensor provided on the forward / backward mechanism 8. Various drive sources include the motor 73, motor 84, the drive source for the drive mechanism 21, and the drive source for the holding unit 40. The various drive sources may also include the drive source for the exhaust unit 6.

[0027] <Control Example> An example of control of the load port 1 by the control unit 10 will be described. Figures 4 and 5 show an example of the operation of the load port 1 under the control of the control unit 10, and in particular show the opening operation of the container 200.

[0028] Refer to Figure 4. State ST1 shows the stage before the container 200 is placed on the mounting base 2. The dock plate 20 is located away from the bolt plate 3. The port door 4 is in the forward position Pf when it is in the detachable position Pu. The opening 30 is closed by the retaining part 40.

[0029] State ST2 indicates the stage in which the container 200 is placed on the dock plate 20 of the mounting platform 2. The position of the port door 4 is the same as in state ST1. State ST3 indicates the stage in which the dock plate 20 moves forward relative to the bolt plate 3 and the door portion 202 of the container 200 is connected to the holding portion 40 of the port door 4. The position of the port door 4 is the same as in state ST1. The holding portion 40 holds the door portion 202 from the side of the transport space 101, and the lock of the door portion 202 on the container 200 is released.

[0030] Refer to Figure 5. State ST4 indicates the stage in which the door portion 202 is separated from the container body 201 of the container 200 and the container 200 is opened. The port door 4 is moved backward from the forward position Pf to the backward position Pb by the forward / backward mechanism 8. State ST5 indicates the stage in which the port door 4 is lowered to the standby position Pd by the lifting mechanism 7. The standby position Pd is the lower limit position of the port door 4 during the opening operation. When the port door 4 is in the standby position Pd, the entire opening 30 is exposed to the transport space 101.

[0031] The opening of the container 200 is then completed. After this, the substrate W is removed by the substrate transport robot 110, processed by a processing device (not shown), and the processed substrate W is placed back into the container body 201. Subsequently, the container 200 is closed. The closing operation is performed in the reverse order of the procedure shown in Figures 4 and 5, and the door portion 202 is attached to the container body 201.

[0032] <Exhaust Unit> Mechanisms such as the lifting mechanism 7 and the forward / backward mechanism 8 are housed inside the storage unit 5, making it prone to particle generation. The storage unit 5 and the transport space 101 are connected via a slit 31. If particles flow from the storage unit 5 into the transport space 101 via the slit 31, the particles may adhere to the substrate W, so it is necessary to prevent this. On the other hand, corrosive gases may be present in the transport space 101. If these corrosive gases flow from the transport space 101 into the storage unit 5 via the slit 31, it can cause corrosion inside the storage unit 5.

[0033] In this embodiment, these problems are solved by using the exhaust unit 6 to discharge the gas near the slit 31 to the outside. When the container 200 is open, as shown in state ST5 of Figure 5, the port door 4 descends to the vicinity of the slit 31, and a part of the door portion 202 faces the slit 31 in the X direction. If particles adhere to the door portion 202 due to the exhaust airflow, when the container 200 is closed, the particles that adhered to the door portion 202 remain inside the container 200, which can also be a factor in the adhesion of particles to the substrate W. The exhaust unit 6 of this embodiment can prevent particles from adhering to the door portion 202 by structurally controlling the airflow exhausted from inside the storage portion 5, as will be explained below.

[0034] The structure of the exhaust unit 6 will be described with reference to Figures 2, 3, 6, and 7. Figure 6 is a view of the bolt plate 3 from the rear side 3b, showing the overall configuration of the exhaust unit 6. Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in Figure 6. In Figures 6 and 7, the dashed arrows indicate the direction of airflow.

[0035] An exhaust unit 6 is provided for each slit 31. The exhaust unit 6 comprises a passage forming member 60 and an exhaust duct 62. In this embodiment, the exhaust unit 6 further comprises a suction unit 61.

[0036] The passage forming member 60 is positioned in the X direction on the side of the bolt plate 3 that is closer to the port door 4. In this embodiment, the passage forming member 60 is fixed to the back surface 3b of the bolt plate 3. When the port door 4 is in the standby position Pd as shown in state ST5 of Figure 5, the passage forming member 60 is positioned between the port door 4 and the bolt plate 3. In particular, in this embodiment, the passage forming member 60 is positioned between a part of the door portion 202 and the bolt plate 3.

[0037] The passage forming member 60 forms an exhaust passage EP having a plurality of inlets 600 opening toward the slit 31 and a single outlet 603. The plurality of inlets 600 are located laterally to the slit 31 in the Y direction and are arranged in the Z direction along the slit 31. In particular, in this embodiment, the plurality of inlets 600 are arranged in the Z direction along the vertical wall portion 311a of the inner wall portion 311 that defines the slit 31. The outlet 603 is located below the plurality of inlets 600.

[0038] The exhaust passage EP has a plurality of horizontal passages 601 and one vertical passage 602. One end of each horizontal passage 601 forms an inlet 600, and the other end communicates with the vertical passage 602. The vertical passage 602 communicates with the outlet 603.

[0039] See also Figure 8. Figure 8 is a perspective view of the passage forming member 60, showing the passage forming member 60 on the right side in Figure 6. Note that the passage forming member 60 on the left side in Figure 6 has the same configuration as the passage forming member 60 on the right side, but has a symmetrical structure.

[0040] The passage-forming member 60 is a rectangular plate-shaped member having a surface 60a and an opposite surface 60b. Surface 60a is located on the transport space 101 side, and surface 60b is in close contact with the back surface 3b of the bolt plate 3. Multiple grooves 601a and one groove 602a are formed on the back surface 3b. The grooves 601a, together with the back surface 3b of the bolt plate 3, form a horizontal passage 601. The end 600a of the groove 601a, together with the back surface 3b of the bolt plate 3, forms an entrance 600. The groove 602a, together with the back surface 3b of the bolt plate 3, forms a vertical passage 602. An exit 603 is formed at the lower end of the groove 602a, passing through the passage-forming member 60.

[0041] In this embodiment, grooves 601a and 602a are formed in the passage-forming member 60, and the back surface 3b of the bolt plate 3 is utilized to form the entrance 600, the horizontal passage 601, and the vertical passage 602. The passage-forming member 60 can be manufactured more easily.

[0042] The suction unit 61 is a suction source that sucks gas from the storage section 5 through the exhaust passage EP, and in this embodiment, it is an electric fan that generates airflow in the X direction. In this embodiment, the suction unit 61 is fixed to the surface 60b at the lower end of the passage forming member 60, with its suction port facing the outlet 603. By integrating the passage forming member 60 and the suction unit 61, assembly and other operations can be made easier. It is also possible to connect the passage forming member 60 and the suction unit 61 via a tube, in which case the suction unit 61 can be installed in a location other than the passage forming member 60. The tube may include a mounting portion that covers the outlet 603.

[0043] The suction unit 61 is fixed to the surface 60a of the passage forming member 60, and therefore protrudes from the passage forming member 60 toward the transport space 101. However, in this embodiment, the suction unit 61 is positioned outside the range of the movement trajectory of the door portion 202, which is held and moved by the port door 4. More specifically, the suction unit 61 is positioned at the lower end of the passage forming member 60 in the Z direction so as to overlap in the X direction with the outlet 603 provided at the lower end of the passage forming member 60 in the Z direction. Therefore, as shown in state ST5 in Figure 5, when the port door 4 is at its lower limit position, the suction unit 61 is positioned below the door portion 202, and the two do not come into contact. Furthermore, by positioning the suction unit 61 to avoid the movement trajectory of the door portion 202, the load port 1 can be made more compact in the X direction.

[0044] An exhaust duct 62 is connected to the exhaust port of the suction unit 61. The exhaust duct 62 is a pipe member extending downward from the suction unit 61, and guides the gas exhausted from the suction unit 61 to the outside below the substrate transfer device 100. The exhaust unit 6 can be easily assembled by integrally forming the exhaust duct 62 in addition to the passage forming member 60 and the suction unit 61.

[0045] In this embodiment, the suction unit 61 is disposed between the passage forming member 60 and the exhaust duct 62. However, the suction unit 61 may be omitted, the exhaust duct 62 may be connected to the passage forming member 60, and another suction unit may be provided at the downstream end of the exhaust duct 62. The other suction unit may be a collective exhaust system of the factory where the load port 1 and the substrate transfer device 100 are installed.

[0046] Also, when the exhaust port of the suction unit 61 is configured to approach the floor surface of the factory where the load port 1 and the substrate transfer device 100 are installed, the exhaust may be directly discharged from the exhaust port to under the floor. In this case, the exhaust duct 62 is unnecessary.

[0047] The operation of the exhaust unit 6 will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7. The suction unit 61 is constantly driven. By driving the suction unit 61, the gas around the suction unit is sucked at the inlet 600 of the exhaust passage EP. Therefore, the gas in the storage unit 5 passes through the slit 31, passes through the exhaust passage EP from the inlet 600, and is exhausted to the outside below the substrate transfer device 100 through the suction unit 61 and the exhaust duct 62. Therefore, the particles in the storage unit 5 are prevented from flowing into the transfer space 101.

[0048] Particularly, in the case of this embodiment, when the port door 4 is located at the standby position Pd as shown in the state ST5 of FIG. 5, the exhaust passage EP is located between a part of the door portion 202 and the bolt plate 3. When the particles flow out from the storage unit 5 through the slit 31, the particles are sucked into the exhaust passage EP from the inlet 600 of the exhaust passage EP before reaching the door portion 202. Therefore, the particles are prevented from adhering to the door portion 202.

[0049] Furthermore, if corrosive gas is present in the transport space 101, even if it attempts to flow from the transport space 101 into the storage section 5, it will be drawn into the exhaust passage EP from the inlet 600 before reaching the slit 31. Therefore, the flow of corrosive gas from the transport space 101 into the storage section 5 is also prevented.

[0050] In this way, the exhaust unit 6 of this embodiment can prevent the gas exhausted from the storage unit 5 from coming into contact with the door unit 202, and can also prevent corrosive gases from flowing into the storage unit 5 from the transport space 101.

[0051] <Second Embodiment> In order to reduce the width in the X direction between the bolt plate 3 and the passage forming member 60, a recess for installing the passage forming member 60 may be provided in the bolt plate 3. The amount by which the passage forming member 60 installed on the back surface 3b of the bolt plate 3 protrudes from the back surface 3b of the bolt plate 3 toward the transport space 101 can be reduced. Figures 9 to 11 are explanatory diagrams showing an example thereof, where Figure 9 is a view of the bolt plate 3 from the back surface 3b side, Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view along line B-B in Figure 9, and Figure 11 is an exploded view with the passage forming member 60 removed from the bolt plate 3.

[0052] A recess 33 is formed on the back surface 3b of the bolt plate 3, continuous with the slit 31. The recess 33 is a rectangular groove sized to accommodate the passage forming member 60. By fixing the passage forming member 60 in the recess 33, the width in the X direction of these components becomes smaller compared to the first embodiment. In the raising and lowering of the port door 4 from state ST4 to ST5 in Figure 5, the movement trajectory of the door portion 202 can be brought closer to the bolt plate 3, thereby making the load port 1 more compact in the X direction.

[0053] <Third Embodiment> In the first embodiment, the passage forming member 60 was fixed to the back surface 3b of the bolt plate 3, but it may also be fixed to the front surface 3a. Figure 12 is an explanatory diagram showing one example, and corresponds to the plan view of Figure 3. The passage forming member 60 is fixed to the front surface 3a of the bolt plate 3, and the passage forming member 60 and the suction unit 61 are arranged inside the storage section 5. When the suction unit 61 is driven, the surrounding gas is sucked in at the inlet 600 of the exhaust passage EP, so that the gas inside the storage section 5 is sucked from the inlet 600 into the exhaust passage EP before the slit 31, and exhausted to the outside below the storage section 5 via the suction unit 61 and the exhaust duct 62. Also, even if corrosive gas tries to flow into the storage section 5 from the transport space 101, the corrosive gas in the transport space 101 is sucked in from the inlet 600 into the exhaust passage EP via the slit 31. The exhaust duct 62 extends from inside the storage section 5, for example, below the bottom of the storage section 5, and is arranged to exhaust gas to the outside of the storage section 5. Similar to the second embodiment, a configuration in which a recess is formed on the front surface 3a of the bolt plate 3 and the passage forming member 60 is fixed therein is also possible.

[0054] <Fourth Embodiment> In the first embodiment, the dimensions of the multiple entrances 600 and the multiple lateral passages 601 were the same, but the dimensions of the entrances 600 and lateral passages 601 may be different. Figure 13 shows an example of this, a front view and a left side view of the passage forming member 60A.

[0055] The illustrated passage-forming member 60A has two upper inlets 600A, two middle inlets 600B, three lower inlets 600C, and two upper horizontal passages 601A, two middle horizontal passages 601B, and three lower horizontal passages 601C that communicate with these inlets. The vertical passage 602 communicates with each of the horizontal passages 601A to 601C, and the lower end of the vertical passage 602 communicates with the outlet 603.

[0056] If the opening areas of entrances 600A to 600C are denoted as SA, SB, and SC respectively, then their relative sizes are SA > SB > SC. The same relationship holds for the cross-sectional areas (X-Z cross-sectional area) of the lateral passages 601A to 601C.

[0057] By making the opening area of ​​the upper inlet 600A larger than that of the lower inlet 600C, the particle suction capacity can be increased at the upper inlet 600A, which is closer to the door section 202. In addition, the suction capacity can be made more equal between the inlet 600A, which is farther from the suction unit 62, and the inlet 600C, which is closer, and the gas suction capacity can be made uniform in the Z direction of the passage forming member 60A.

[0058] In the example shown in Figure 13, the opening area was varied for each of the multiple inlets 600A to 600C, but the opening area may be varied for each individual inlet.

[0059] <Fifth Embodiment> In the first embodiment, the exhaust passage EP was formed by the passage forming member 60 and the back surface 3b of the bolt plate 3, but the exhaust passage EP may also be formed by the passage forming member alone. Figure 14 is a perspective view of the passage forming member 60B of this embodiment, and Figure 15 is an exploded perspective view of the passage forming member 60B.

[0060] The passage forming member 60B comprises a main body member 610 and a cover member 620. The main body member 610 has substantially the same structure as the passage forming member 60, and the same components as the passage forming member 60 are denoted by the same reference numerals in Figures 14 and 15. The cover member 620 is a member that is in close contact with the surface 60b in place of the bolt plate 3 in the first embodiment, and is a plate-shaped member that covers the grooves 601a and 602a of the main body member 610. A sealing member 611 is provided between the main body member 610 and the cover member 620 to improve the airtightness of the exhaust passage EP. In this embodiment, the sealing member 611 is inserted into and held in a groove (not shown) for the sealing member formed in the surface 60b of the main body member 61. The groove for the sealing member may also be formed in the cover member 620.

[0061] The passage forming member 60B is fixed to the bolt plate 3, for example, such that the surface 620a of the cover member 620 is in close contact with the back surface 3b of the bolt plate 3. Since the passage forming member 60 forms the exhaust passage EP on its own, the degree of freedom in placement can be improved.

[0062] <Sixth Embodiment> In the first embodiment, an example configuration was shown in which the entrance 600 is located to the side of the slit 31 in the Y direction. However, the passage forming member 60 may be positioned so that the entrance 600 overlaps with the slit 31 in the Y direction. Figure 16 is a cross-sectional view showing one such example, and is a cross-sectional view corresponding to the cross-sectional view along line A-A in Figure 6 (Figure 7).

[0063] Compared to the first embodiment shown in Figure 7, the position of the passage forming member 60 is shifted towards the slit 31 to the extent that it does not interfere with the arm member 52 (not shown in Figure 16), and the inlet 600 overlaps with the slit 31. With this configuration, air inside the storage section 5 flows more easily through the exhaust passage EP.

[0064] <Other Embodiments> In the first embodiment, an exhaust unit 6 was provided for each slit 31, but a structure in which one exhaust unit is shared by two slits 31 may also be provided. In this case, the passage forming member is arranged, for example, between the two slits 31 in the Y direction. The passage forming member may have an inlet 600 on one side in the Y direction corresponding to one slit 31, an inlet 600 on the other side in the Y direction corresponding to the other slit 31, and a single outlet communicating with each of these inlets 600.

[0065] Next, in the first embodiment, the outlet 603 was positioned below the multiple inlets 600. However, if the exhaust location can be selected using the exhaust duct 62, the outlet 603 may be positioned above the multiple inlets 600.

[0066] Although embodiments of the invention have been described above, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the gist of the invention.

Claims

1. A load port comprising: a mounting base on which a container containing a substrate is placed; a storage section disposed below the mounting base; a port door capable of holding the door portion of the container; a bolt plate disposed between the mounting base, the storage section, and the port door, which is openable and closable by the port door and has an opening through which the substrate can be inserted and removed; a drive mechanism housed in the storage section; an arm member connected to the port door through a slit formed in the bolt plate and raised and lowered by the drive mechanism, and a means for raising and lowering the port door relative to the opening; and a passage forming member that forms an exhaust passage, wherein the exhaust passage has an inlet that opens toward the slit and through which gas from inside the storage section flows in; and an outlet through which the gas that has flowed into the exhaust passage flows out, and the passage forming member is disposed on the side of the bolt plate that is closer to the port door.

2. A load port according to claim 1, wherein the moving means is capable of raising and lowering the port door between a first position in which the port door faces the container and a second position in which the port door faces the storage unit, and the passage forming member is located between the port door in the second position and the storage unit.

3. A load port according to claim 1, comprising a suction means for sucking gas from the storage compartment through the exhaust passage, wherein the inlet is located to the side of the slit, the outlet is located below the inlet, and the suction means is connected to the outlet.

4. A load port according to claim 1, comprising a suction means for sucking gas from the storage compartment through the exhaust passage, wherein the exhaust passage comprises a plurality of inlets, the plurality of inlets are located to the side of the slit and arranged in the vertical direction, the outlet is located below the plurality of inlets, and the suction means is connected to the outlet.

5. A load port according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of inlets each have a first inlet and a second inlet located below the first inlet, and the opening area of ​​the first inlet is larger than the opening area of ​​the second inlet.

6. A load port according to claim 1, comprising a suction means for sucking gas from inside the storage section through the exhaust passage, wherein the suction means is located outside the range of the movement trajectory of the door section that is held and moved by the port door.

7. A load port according to claim 1, wherein the bolt plate has a first surface on the port door side and a second surface on the mounting base and storage section side, and the passage forming member is a plate-shaped member fixed to the side of the first surface.

8. A load port according to claim 7, characterized in that a recess continuous with the slit is formed on the first surface, and the passage forming member is fixed in the recess.

9. A load port according to claim 1, comprising a suction means for drawing gas from the storage section through the exhaust passage, wherein the suction means is connected to the outlet, and the suction means includes an electric fan fixed to the passage forming member.

10. A load port according to claim 7, wherein the passage forming member has a third surface facing the first surface, a groove is formed on the third surface, and the exhaust passage is formed by the first surface and the groove.

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