JPH0572106B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a wafer transport case that protects semiconductor wafers from damage and contamination during transport. [Prior Art] Semiconductor wafers are transported in a case with one side mirror-polished. The transport case must have a structure that prevents the wafer from being damaged by vibrations during transport. Furthermore, if the mirror surface of the wafer comes into contact with the case, it will be contaminated with particles from the plastic material that makes up the case, so it must be held in a non-contact state. 2. Description of the Related Art A conventional wafer transport case is one in which a large number of wafers are housed in a parallel standing state in a basket, and the basket is housed in a box and covered with a lid. A plurality of spacing ribs are provided facing each other on both inner surfaces of the side walls of the basket to position each wafer, and a wafer retainer is provided on the inner surface of the lid so that each wafer can be positioned with the lid closed. It is supported so that it does not move vertically and horizontally, and so that it does not come into contact with the spacing ribs. There are two types of wafer presses: a saw-shaped continuous type that supports a large number of wafers at the same time, and a comb-shaped non-continuous type that holds wafers individually. When using a continuous type, when the number of wafers stored is small,
If the presser is not applied uniformly to each wafer, there is a risk that the wafer will move and be damaged due to vibrations during transportation, or that the mirror surface may be contaminated. works, so the wafer holding effect is excellent. [Problems to be Solved by the Invention] In a conventional wafer transport case, when a discontinuous wafer holder is provided on the inner surface of the lid, the wafer may fall into the gap between the wafer holders due to positioning problems when closing the lid. There is a problem that the area is too narrow and no supporting effect can be obtained. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to protect wafers from contamination and damage during transportation by ensuring that wafers are supported within the case in a wafer transportation case. [Means for Solving the Problems] Specific examples of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The wafer transport case of the present invention is comprised of a box 1 , a basket 2 , and a lid 4 , as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 1b, the top and bottom surfaces 21 of the car 2 are open, and a pair of opposing side walls 22, 2
3 is curved inward on the bottom surface 21 side, the left and right peripheral ends of the side walls 22 and 23 are connected by end walls 24 and 25, and a plurality of spacing ribs 26, 27 are provided facing each other, and the side walls 22, 2
A flexible support mechanism 28 is provided at the end of the bottom surface 21 side of the
29 are provided. Flexible support mechanism 28,2
9 are disposed discontinuously in each of the gaps between the spacing ribs 26 and 27. [Operation] The wafers are inserted from the open top of the cage 2 shown in FIG. It is supported by sexual support mechanisms 28 and 29. Note that one end wall 25 of the basket 2 is open for taking out wafers with an automatic machine or vacuum tweezers, and an indexing bar 30 extends in the middle. The basket 2 supporting the wafers is guided by the guide 11 shown in FIG. 1a and inserted into the box 1 , and the lid 4 shown in FIG. , 13, and the car 2 is fixed by the guide 11 inside the box 1 and the presser 41 inside the lid 4 . The state in which the basket 2 supporting the wafers W is accommodated in the box 1 and the lid 4 is closed is shown in FIG.
As shown in the partial sectional view corresponding to view A), the wafer W is fixed in the vertical direction by flexible support mechanisms 28 and 29 (29 is not shown) and a wafer holder 42 inside the lid 4 . Since the flexible support mechanisms 28 and 29 are provided at the end portions of the bottom surfaces of the side walls 22 and 23, the charged wafer W is caught between the gaps between the flexible support mechanisms 28 that are discontinuously provided. It will definitely be supported. In addition, since each wafer W is individually supported by each flexible support mechanism 28, 29 provided discontinuously, there may be a portion where no wafer W is loaded, as shown in FIG. However, it is not affected by it. In addition, as shown in FIG. 3, the flexible support mechanism 2
If the grooves 31 of 8 and 29 are shifted from the center line of the gap between the spacing ribs 26 and 27, the wafer W can always be tilted in a constant direction without the lid 4 attached. The mirror surface is also prevented from coming into contact with the spacing ribs 26 and 27 when taking it in and out. This effect can be more reliably achieved by tilting the spacing ribs 26 and 27 toward the side on which the wafer W is desired to be tilted. Therefore, when using the basket 2 having such a structure, during the process of processing wafers W, the lid 4 is not attached.
Alternatively, even when the basket 2 is transported after being removed from the box 1 , the mirror surface of the wafer W can be maintained in a non-contact state. [Effects of the Invention] By using the wafer transport case of the present invention, each wafer can be reliably and easily set on the support mechanism when loading the wafers, and there will be no wafer space in the case during transport. However, since each wafer is individually supported, it does not move freely.
Damage and contamination are reliably prevented.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the overall structure of the case of the present invention, and FIGS. 2 and 3 are diagrams showing a partial cross section of the case of the present invention. 1 : Box, 11: Guide, 12, 13: Engagement recess, 2 : Basket, 21: Bottom surface, 22, 23: Side wall,
24, 25: End wall, 26, 27: Spacing rib, 2
8, 29: Flexible support mechanism, 30: Index bar, 31: Groove, 4 : Lid, 41: Holder, 42:
Wafer presser, 43, 44: Engagement convex portion.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Consisting of a basket for holding wafers, a box for housing the basket, and a lid, the top and bottom surfaces of the basket are open, and a pair of opposing side walls are curved inward on the bottom side, The left and right ends of the side wall are connected by an end wall, a plurality of spacing ribs are provided facing each other on both inner surfaces of the side wall, and a discontinuous flexible support mechanism is provided at the end of the bottom side of the side wall. A wafer transport case characterized by: