Single thin plate storage container

Abstract

A single thin plate storage container is provided so that a housed semiconductor wafer is capable of easy insertion and removal. The single thin plate storage container includes a container body which houses a single semiconductor wafer therein and a lid unit attached to the container body. The container body includes a bottom plate on which the semiconductor wafer is placed and a peripheral wall portion formed around the bottom plate, and the bottom plate is formed by protruding up to a position higher than the peripheral wall portion. The bottom plate of the container body is provided with a plurality of thin plate supporting convex strips for supporting the semiconductor wafer in a state where a space is provided between the semiconductor wafer and the bottom plate. The inner side surface of the top plate of the lid unit is provided with a plurality of retainers which support a peripheral portion of the semiconductor wafer placed on the bottom plate of the container body.

1 . A single thin plate storage container, comprising: 
 a container body which houses a single thin plate therein; and    a lid unit attached to the container body,    wherein the container body includes: a bottom plate on which the thin plate is placed; and a peripheral wall portion formed around the bottom plate, the bottom plate formed by protruding up to a position higher than the peripheral wall portion, and    the lid unit includes: a top plate which covers, from a upper side, the thin plate placed on the bottom plate of the container body; and a peripheral wall portion formed around the top plate, the peripheral wall portion forming a space in which houses the thin plate.    
   
   
       2 . The single thin plate storage container according to  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of thin plate supporting convex strips, provided on the bottom plate of the container body, for supporting the thin plate in a state where a space is provided between the thin plate and the bottom plate.  
   
   
       3 . The single thin plate storage container according to  claim 2 , wherein the thin plate supporting convex strips are formed so that the container body is inclined low in a center side and high in a peripheral side.  
   
   
       4 . The single thin plate storage container according to  claim 2 , wherein the thin plate supporting convex strips are formed by extending radially.  
   
   
       5 . The single thin plate storage container according to  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of thin plate supporting convex strips, arranged in parallel as one set, are formed by extending radially.  
   
   
       6 . The single thin plate storage container according to  claim 2 , wherein the container body includes locking pieces which come into contact with a peripheral portion of the thin plate placed on the thin plate supporting convex strips to prevent lateral slipping of the thin plate.  
   
   
       7 . The single thin plate storage container according to  claim 6 , wherein the locking pieces are disposed on a circumferential position slightly larger than an outer diameter of the thin plate placed on the thin plate supporting convex strips.  
   
   
       8 . The single thin plate storage container according to  claim 6 , wherein a contact surface of the locking pieces is curved along the peripheral portion of the thin plate.  
   
   
       9 . The single thin plate storage container according to  claim 1 , wherein an inner side surface of the top plate of the lid unit is provided with a plurality of retainers which support a peripheral portion of the thin plate placed on the bottom plate.  
   
   
       10 . The single thin plate storage container according to  claim 9 , wherein the retainers are formed of an elastic member and the inner side surface of the top plate of the lid unit includes a retainer fitting portion on which the retainers are attached.  
   
   
       11 . The single thin plate storage container according to  claim 10 , wherein the retainers include: a base portion fitted in the retainer fitting portion; and a flexible piece formed by extending from the base portion to the thin plate, the flexible piece coming into contact with the peripheral portion of the thin plate to elastically press the thin plate radially inward and downward.  
   
   
       12 . The single thin plate storage container according to  claim 2 , wherein the thin plate supporting convex strips come into point, line, or surface contact with the peripheral portion of the thin plate by a minimum area.  
   
   
       13 . The single thin plate storage container according to  claim 2 , wherein a sectional shape of the thin plate supporting convex strips is formed to be narrower toward a contact portion with the thin plate.  
   
   
       14 . The single thin plate storage container according to  claim 1 , wherein the container body and the lid unit are connected by a hinge, and fixed by a hook.  
   
   
       15 . The single thin plate storage container according to  claim 14 , further comprising a sealing member provided between the container body and the lid unit, the sealing member hermetically sealing an inside in a state where the container body and the lid unit are connected by the hinge and fixed by the hook.  
   
   
       16 . The single thin plate storage container according to  claim 14 , wherein the lid unit connected to the container body by the hinge is separated from the container body at open angles of 90 to 180 degrees.  
   
   
       17 . The single thin plate storage container according to  claim 1 , wherein the container body and the lid unit are formed in substantially an identical shape, and the container body of an upper single thin plate storage container fits into the lid unit while the lid unit is closed, so that the single thin plate storage container is stackable in several stages.  
   
   
       18 . The single thin plate storage container according to  claim 1 , wherein the container body and the lid unit, formed in substantially an identical shape, whose matching portion is flush while the container body and the lid unit are closed each other.  
   
   
       19 . The single thin plate storage container according to  claim 1 , further comprising a lid unit guide provided to one of or both the lid unit and the container body so as to oppose a counter part, the lid unit guide guiding the lid unit and the container body so as to prevent deviation when the lid unit is covered on the container body.  
   
   
       20 . The single thin plate storage container according to  claim 1 , wherein one of or both the container body and lid unit are formed of antistatic high polymer material, and at least the lid unit is formed of transparent high polymer material.  
   
   
       21 . The single thin plate storage container according to  claim 1 , further comprising a locking flange for carrying provided on a peripheral portion of the lid unit.  
   
   
       22 . The single thin plate storage container according to  claim 1 , wherein one of or both the bottom plate of the container body and the top plate of the lid unit have a center thicker than the peripheral portion.