초록 ▼

The substrate storage pod includes a pod case for housing a substrate, and an opening, a lid member which closes and seals the opening, a buffer space which is defined in the lid member, an air-supply port for supplying a replacement gas into the buffer space; and multiple holes which are arranged s

The substrate storage pod includes a pod case for housing a substrate, and an opening, a lid member which closes and seals the opening, a buffer space which is defined in the lid member, an air-supply port for supplying a replacement gas into the buffer space; and multiple holes which are arranged so as to establish communication between the buffer space and an inner plate of the lid member in a state of being fit-inserted to the opening of the pod case, for sending out the replacement gas into the hollow inner space, the replacement gas having been supplied into the buffer space, the inner plate facing the hollow inner space of the pod case. With this, pressure variation of the replacement gas in supply pipes is blocked, and hence replacement-gas flow in a stable laminar state free from disturbance can be obtained.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A substrate storage pod, comprising: a pod case which comprises an opening and a hollow inner space for housing one or more substrates in a state where surfaces of the one or more substrates are positioned in a direction perpendicular to the opening;a lid member which is fit-inserted to the openi

1. A substrate storage pod, comprising: a pod case which comprises an opening and a hollow inner space for housing one or more substrates in a state where surfaces of the one or more substrates are positioned in a direction perpendicular to the opening;a lid member which is fit-inserted to the opening so as to be capable of sealing the opening, the lid member having inner and outer plates, the inner plate facing to an atmosphere in the hollow inner space in the pod case and the outer plate facing to an exterior atmosphere when the lid member is fit-inserted to the opening;a buffer space having a certain volume defined between the inner and outer plates in the lid member between the inner and outer plates;an air-supply port provided on the outer plate of said lid member, for supplying a replacement gas into the buffer space; anda plurality of holes provided on a whole area of the inner plate of said lid member so as to establish fluidically communication between said buffer space and the hollow inner space in a state where said lid member is fit-inserted into the opening of said pod case, for flowing the replacement gas supplied in the buffer space, into the hollow inner space from the buffer space along the surfaces of the one or more substrates,wherein the certain volume of the buffer space is sufficiently large to reduce fluctuation of an internal pressure of the buffer space, andwherein the air-supply port includes an air-supply valve member capable of introducing the replacement gas into the buffer space at an angle with respect to directions toward the plurality of holes. 2. A substrate storage pod according to claim 1, wherein the inner plate of the lid member forms a part of a wall portion of the buffer space. 3. A substrate storage pod according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of holes are provided in two directions orthogonal to each other through the inner plate of the lid member in the state of being fit-inserted to the opening of the pod case. 4. A substrate storage pod according to claim 3, wherein the two directions orthogonal to each other are respectively a vertical direction and a horizontal direction in the lid member in the state of being fit-inserted to the opening of the pod case. 5. A substrate storage pod according to claim 1, wherein the hollow inner space of the pod case comprises a shelf provided with multiple stages, each of which is capable of holding a substrate, andwherein the plurality of holes are partially or entirely positioned at portions corresponding to spaces between each of the multiple stages. 6. A substrate storage pod according to claim 1, wherein the inner plate of the lid member comprises a filter arranged so as to cover the plurality of holes. 7. A lid member for a substrate storage pod comprising a pod case which comprises an opening and a hollow inner space for housing one or more substrates in a state where surfaces of the one or more substrates are positioned in a direction perpendicular to the opening, the lid member being fit-inserted to the opening so as to be capable of sealing the opening, wherein the lid member comprises: inner and outer plates, the inner plate facing to an atmosphere in the hollow inner space in the pod case and the outer plate facing to an exterior atmosphere when the lid member is fit-inserted to the opening;a buffer space having a certain volume defined between the inner and outer plates in the lid member;an air-supply port provided on the outer plate of said lid member, for supplying a replacement gas into the buffer space; anda plurality of holes provided on a whole area of the inner plate of said lid member so as to establish communication between the buffer space and the hollow inner space in a state of being fit-inserted to the opening of the pod case, for flowing the replacement gas supplied into the buffer space, into the hollow inner space from the buffer space along the surfaces of the one or more substrates,wherein the certain volume of the buffer space is sufficiently large to reduce fluctuation of an internal pressure of the buffer space, andwherein the air-supply port includes an air-supply valve member capable of introducing the replacement gas into the buffer space at an angle with respect to directions toward the plurality of holes. 8. A lid member for a substrate storage pod according to claim 7, wherein the buffer space comprises a wall portion forming a part of a wall of the inner plate of the lid member in the state of being fit-inserted to the opening of the pod case. 9. A lid member for a substrate storage pod according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of holes are provided in two directions orthogonal to each other through the inner plate of the lid member in the state of being fit-inserted to the opening of the pod case. 10. A lid member for a substrate storage pod according to claim 9, wherein the two directions orthogonal to each other are respectively a vertical direction and a horizontal direction in the lid member in the state of being fit-inserted to the opening of the pod case. 11. A lid member for a substrate storage pod according to claim 7, wherein the hollow inner space of the pod case comprises a shelf provided with multiple stages, each of which is capable of holding a substrate, andwherein the plurality of holes are partially or entirely positioned at portions corresponding to spaces between each of the multiple stages when the lid member closes the opening of the substrate storage pod. 12. A lid member for a substrate storage pod according to claim 7, wherein the inner plate of the lid member comprises a filter arranged so as to cover the plurality of holes.