Wafer Carrier Buffer Material Impact Absorption
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional packing structures for semiconductor wafers experience increased particle adhesion due to load variation during shipping, leading to friction and potential air-tightness issues, as the lid body moves relative to the carrier main body.
Innovation Solution
A buffer material comprising an upper and lower buffer body that absorbs load without transferring it to the lid body, featuring a pressing rib that contacts the carrier main body and shock-absorbing protrusions to mitigate impact, while maintaining air-tightness and preventing particle generation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the lid body is allowed to move relative to the carrier main body during shipping, then the buffer material can absorb impact shock, but particle adhesion increases and air-tightness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the load-bearing function from the lid body-gasket system and transfers it to the buffer material. The upper buffer body directly contacts and supports the carrier main body, removing the lid body from the load transmission path. This prevents lid body movement while maintaining impact absorption capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The buffer material acts as an intermediary between the external environment and the carrier main body. It absorbs and distributes impact forces, preventing direct transmission to the carrier and eliminating the need for lid body movement as a shock absorption mechanism.
2Strength
If the lid body moves up and down during shipping, then the buffer material absorbs impact, but friction between the gasket and carrier main body generates particles
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the lid body from the load transmission path by having the buffer material directly support the carrier main body. This eliminates relative movement between the lid body and carrier, preventing friction-induced particle generation while preserving impact absorption.
Solution Approach 2:
The buffer material creates a stable support structure that replicates the protective function previously achieved through lid body movement, but without the harmful friction effects. The pressing rib configuration provides controlled support that prevents both excessive movement and friction.
3Device complexity
If the buffer material directly contacts the lid body, then the structure is simple, but the lid body deforms under load causing air-tightness loss
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the lid body from the load-bearing path and replaces it with direct buffer material-to-carrier contact. The pressing rib configuration on the upper buffer body provides controlled support to the carrier main body without transmitting deforming loads to the lid body, maintaining both structural simplicity and air-tightness.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Prevents particle generation and maintains air-tightness by ensuring the load is absorbed by the carrier main body, reducing the risk of dust entry and wafer damage during shipping.
Implementation Method 1
the bulge portion of the buffer material is bent and formed into a bellows... expansion and contraction or bending of this bellows can alleviate the impact shock acting on the contents
Implementation Method 2
a pressing rib that is brought into contact with an upper end surface of the carrier main body and pressed against the upper end surface of the carrier main body without contacting the lid body
Data Source
AI summary
At the time of packing a wafer carrier into a container, an upper buffer body and a lower buffer body are arranged above and below the wafer carrier. The wafer carrier has: a box-like carrier main body having a frame-like step portion formed on an upper inner peripheral surface of an access opening; and a lid body that closes the access opening in an openable manner when it is accommodated in the frame-like step portion through a gasket. Further, the upper buffer body has: an upper concave portion that accommodates an upper portion of the wafer carrier therein; and a pressing rib that is brought into contact with an upper end surface of a carrier main body and pressed against the upper end surface of the carrier main body without contacting with the lid body. Furthermore, the lower buffer body has: a lower concave portion and a support portion.