Substrate Storing Container Protective Grooves
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional substrate storing containers face issues with particle generation and cross slot formation during impact, as substrates' edges often come into contact with the rear retainer, leading to damage and misalignment.
Innovation Solution
A substrate storing container design featuring a lid body with protective grooves that allow substrate edges to be inserted in a non-contact state, supported by both front and rear retainers, and a substrate support plate-like portion to maintain parallel alignment, reducing contact and enhancing impact absorption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the rear retainer is used to support substrate edges, then substrate positioning is improved, but particle generation increases due to contact during conveyance and impact
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a protective groove as an intermediary structure between the substrate edge and the rear retainer. The groove receives the substrate edge without requiring direct contact with the retainer surface, thereby maintaining positioning function while eliminating particle-generating contact. The groove acts as a mediator that decouples the positioning function from the harmful contact interaction.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a one-dimensional contact support model (substrate edge directly on retainer surface) to a three-dimensional groove structure. The substrate edge is positioned within the groove volume rather than on a flat surface, creating spatial separation and eliminating contact while maintaining positional constraint.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the substrate edge contacts the rear retainer for support, then substrate stability is improved, but damage risk increases during impact
Solution Approach 1:
The protective groove serves as a pre-configured cushioning structure that absorbs impact energy before it reaches the substrate edge. The groove geometry provides a compliant interface that mitigates shock loads during conveyance impacts, protecting the substrate from damage while maintaining stability during normal operation.
3Manufacturing precision
If the rear retainer holds substrates in parallel alignment, then substrate arrangement precision is improved, but cross slot formation occurs during impact
Solution Approach 1:
The protective groove acts as an intermediary that maintains substrate alignment without requiring rigid contact constraints. The groove geometry guides and centers the substrate edge, maintaining parallel arrangement precision while allowing sufficient compliance to prevent cross-slot formation during impact events.
4Reliability
If continuous contact between substrate and rear retainer is maintained, then substrate support function is improved, but particle generation increases during conveyance
Solution Approach 1:
The protective groove serves as a continuous intermediary interface that maintains substrate support functionality throughout conveyance. The groove structure provides uninterrupted guidance and support while eliminating the direct contact mechanism that generates particles, achieving both reliability and cleanliness.
Data Source
AI summary
The plurality of protective grooves 225 has openings 2231 wider than thicknesses of the edge portions of the substrates W to allow the edge portions of the substrates W to be inserted. The edge portions of the substrates W are inserted into the protective grooves 225 in a non-contact state in which a space is formed between the edge portions of the substrates W and a groove forming surface 2221 of the substrate edge portion protective portion 222 on which the protective grooves 225 are formed when the container main body opening portion is closed by the lid body and the edge portions of the substrates W are not in contact with the groove forming surface 2221.