Integral Container Door Seal to Reduce Particle Contamination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing semiconductor substrate containers face contamination issues due to particle generation during the assembly of seal members, which can introduce unwanted fluids and compromise the cleanliness of the substrates.
Innovation Solution
The integration of a polymeric seal member directly formed with the door body of the container using insert molding, eliminating the need for physical insertion and reducing particle generation, thereby enhancing the sealing effectiveness and preventing contamination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If seal members are physically inserted into the door body, then the sealing function is achieved, but particle generation occurs during assembly which contaminates the substrates
Solution Approach 1:
The seal member is integrally formed with the door body as a single unified structure, eliminating the separate assembly step where particles are generated. The molding process creates an integral connection between the door body and seal member, ensuring sealing effectiveness while preventing contamination from physical insertion.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal member is pre-formed as an integral part of the door body during the molding process, before any assembly operations. This preliminary formation eliminates subsequent handling and insertion operations that would generate particles, thereby preventing substrate contamination while maintaining sealing reliability.
2Ease of manufacture
If seal members are separately assembled, then manufacturing flexibility is maintained, but the assembly process introduces unwanted fluids and particles
Solution Approach 1:
The door body and seal member are merged into a single molded component, eliminating the need for separate assembly operations. This integration prevents contamination from assembly lubricants and particles while maintaining manufacturing efficiency through a single molding process.
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful assembly process is extracted and eliminated entirely by forming the seal member integrally with the door body. This removes the source of contamination (unwanted fluids and particles from assembly) while preserving the essential sealing function through the integral structure.
3Ease of repair
If multiple components are used for door and seal, then ease of replacement is achieved, but complexity increases and contamination risk rises
Solution Approach 1:
The door body and seal member are combined into a single integral component, reducing the total number of parts and eliminating assembly complexity. While this reduces ease of replacement, it significantly decreases contamination risk and overall system complexity, achieving a different balance of repairability.
Data Source
AI summary
An article includes a substrate container for holding one or more substrates or reticles. The substrate container has a housing including one or more sidewalls, a closed end, an open end, and an interior space defined by the one or more side walls and the closed end. The container further has a door configured to close the open end of the housing. The door includes a door body having a seal coupling portion. The door body is formed of a door body polymer. The door further includes a seal member integrally formed with the seal coupling portion of the door body.