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Substrate storage containerRelated Patent Categories: Special Receptacle Or Package, Holder For A Removable Electrical Component, For A Semiconductor Wafer, Having Plural Grooves For Retaining WafersSubstrate storage container description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070187287, Substrate storage container. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention relates generally to a substrate storage container that stores substrates, such as semiconductor wafers made of silicon, mask glass plates made of glass, etc., for transport between plants and for conveyance or storage in process steps, and more particularly, to a substrate storage container with a locking means of a mounting member attached to the substrate storage container. BACKGROUND ART [0002] In recent years, miniaturization of semiconductor components and reduction in wiring pitch have been increasingly progressing. A substrate storage container is fabricated to have a high sealing property and is handled in an automated manner to eliminate contamination due to human activity so as not to contaminate stored substrates. [0003] In response to such a tendency of the industry, a substrate storage container disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-306988 has been proposed, which stores semiconductor wafers inside for conveyance and storage in a production plant of semi-conductor components. [0004] As shown in FIG. 1, such a substrate storage container is basically constituted by a container body 1 provided with an opening at the front thereof and including support portions 9 provided on opposed side wall surfaces thereof to support a plurality of substrates at certain intervals within the container, a lid 2 that closes the opening, and a seal member 11 interposed between the container body 1 and the lid 2. [0005] A top surface of the container body 1 has attached thereto a robotic flange 4 for overhead conveyance of the substrate storage container, and opposite outer side walls of the container body 1 have attached thereto a pair of manual handles 5 necessary for conveyance of the substrate storage container, a pair of side rails 6, etc., using threaded members 3. On a bottom surface of the container body 1, a bottom plate 8 is attached to a fixing portion (not shown) provided on the bottom of the container body 1 by the threaded members 3, which bottom plate 8 includes positioning members 7 for positioning and fixing the substrate storage container precisely to a substrate processing apparatus. [0006] The plant in which the substrate storage containers are used employs a mini-environment production system and includes a highly cleaned interior space demarcated from the exterior space, wherein a plurality of substrate processing apparatuses are disposed in the interior space to perform various processes with respect to the substrates. [0007] The substrate storage container is docked with such a substrate processing apparatus through positioning members 7, and thereafter an opening/closing operation is performed with latch mechanisms 10 disposed within the lid 2 to remove the lid 2 from the container body 1. Thus, a substrate is taken out from the opening and is supplied to the substrate processing apparatus. After the process is completed, the substrate is inserted into the substrate storage container again, and the lid 2 is mounted to the container body 1, followed by locking with the latch mechanisms 10 to close the opening. Then, the substrate storage container is automatically conveyed to the next process step. By repeating such operations, a semiconductor chip is formed on the surface of the substrate. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION Problem to be Solved by the Invention [0008] At each time of automated conveyance as described above, the substrate storage container is conveyed to the next process step while the automatic conveyance apparatus grips, supports and fixes the mounting members for conveyance, which are attached to the substrate storage container, to thereby perform processing. [0009] Since the number of steps reaches 600 in production of semiconductor components, the conveyance frequency of the substrate storage container is increased considerably. Since such conveyance is performed at high speed to increase the number of cycles and a weight of the container storing substrates is as heavy as about 8 kg, a remarkable load is applied to the mounting members for conveyance at each time of conveyance. [0010] In order to maintain cleanliness in the container, a washing process is performed periodically for the substrate storage container, and after water drops adhering to the substrate storage container are removed thoroughly in a subsequent drying step, the substrate storage container is reused. [0011] At the drying step, since the substrate storage container is dried and processed at a high temperature of about 90.degree. C., the container itself is expanded and contracted by heating and the threaded members 3 fixing the mounting members to the substrate storage container may loosen. [0012] The present invention has been made to solve the above problems. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a substrate storage container which can convey, fix and store substrates safely, and which ensures threaded members fixing a mounting member are not loosened by a load applied to the mounting member of the substrate storage container and by a heating process at the time of washing and drying the substrate storage container when the substrate storage container stores and conveys the substrate and when the substrate storage container is fixed to the substrate processing apparatus. Means for Solving Problem [0013] According to the present invention, a substrate storage container comprises a container body, a lid, a mounting member attached to the container body or the lid, and a threaded member fixing the mounting member to the container body or the lid, the mounting member and the threaded member including respective surfaces cooperating with each other when the mounting member is fixed to the container body or the lid by the threaded member, and the substrate storage container is characterized in that: a locking means for preventing loosening of the threaded member is interposed between said surfaces of the threaded member and the mounting member. [0014] The locking means preferably includes a projection provided on one of said surfaces of the threaded member and the mounting member and a recess provided on the other one of said surfaces so as to engage with the projection. [0015] The locking means may include a washer interposed between said surfaces of the mounting member and the threaded member, wherein the washer includes contact surfaces each being in contact with a respective one of said surfaces of the mounting member and the threaded member, and wherein the washer is provided on at least one of the contact surfaces thereof with a protrusion engaging with the recess provided on the other one of said surfaces of the threaded member and the mounting member. [0016] The recess may include inner side surfaces formed asymmetrically relative to a rotation direction of the threaded member, wherein one of the inner side surfaces abuts against the projection provided on the one of said surfaces of the threaded member and the mounting member or abuts against the protrusion of the washer in the case of the rotation of the threaded member in a loosening direction, to thereby prevent the rotation of the threaded member. [0017] In this case, both of the inner side surfaces of the recess are preferably formed as inclined surfaces and the inclination of the one inner side surface is preferably greater than the inclination of the other inner side surface. In this case, the inclination of the one inner side surface is preferably 70.degree. to 90.degree. and the inclination of the other inner side surface is preferably 10.degree. to 30.degree.. [0018] The washer may be provided on the other contact surface thereof with a second recess or second protrusion engaging with the projection provided on the one of said surfaces of the threaded member and the mounting member. [0019] The protrusion of the washer is preferably formed to be a semicircular shape in cross section, wherein one of the inner side surfaces of the recess is formed as a circular arc surface having a cross-sectional shape which meshes with the semicircular cross section of the protrusion, and the other of the inner side surfaces is formed as a gently inclined surface. Continue reading about Substrate storage container... Full patent description for Substrate storage container Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Substrate storage container patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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