IP Library › Granted Patent US 12696722
Granted Patent B2
US 12696722 · App. 18/648,652 · Granted Jul 28, 2026

Wafer container

Inventor: Wonguk Seo (Suwon-si, KR)
Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
H10P72/3404
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12696722
App. No.
18/648,652
Granted
Jul 28, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

According to various example embodiments, there may be provided a wafer container comprising a housing configured to receive a plurality of wafers, the housing including an open front surface, a shutter configured to shut the open front surface of the housing, the shutter including an opening through which the wafers enter one by one, and a lifter configured to lift the shutter to position the opening at a desired height.

Claims (56)

1 . A wafer container comprising:

a housing configured to receive a plurality of wafers, the housing including an open surface;

a shutter proximate to the open surface and configured to at least partially shut the open surface of the housing, the shutter including an opening, the opening configured to provide a space through which a wafer of the plurality of wafers enters; and

a lifter configured to lift the shutter to position the opening at a desired height,

wherein the housing comprises a plurality of slots formed on both side inner walls of the housing to receive the wafer of the plurality of wafers in a horizontal direction,

wherein the opening is formed at the shutter in the horizontal direction to transfer the wafer of the plurality of wafers into one of the plurality of slots through the opening, and

wherein an area of the opening is configured to be maintained at any position of the shutter on the open surface,

wherein the opening has a width same as a width of the shutter.

2 . The wafer container of claim 1 , wherein the opening has a rectangular shape.

3 . The wafer container of claim 1 , wherein the area of the opening is no more than 5% of an area of the open surface of the housing.

4 . The wafer container of claim 1 , further comprising a pair of side beams configured to define both side surfaces of the opening.

5 . The wafer container of claim 4 , further comprising:

a first beam configured to define a first surface of the opening; and

a second beam configured to define a second surface of the opening.

6 . The wafer container of claim 1 , wherein the shutter comprises a sheet.

7 . A water container comprising:

a housing configured to receive a plurality of wafers, the housing including an open surface;

a shutter proximate to the open surface and configured to at least partially shut the open surface of the housing, the shutter including an opening, the opening configured to provide a space through which a wafer of the plurality of wafers enters; and

a lifter configured to lift the shutter to position the opening at a desired height,

wherein the housing comprises a plurality of slots formed on both side inner walls of the housing to receive the wafer of the plurality of wafers in a horizontal direction,

wherein the opening is formed at the shutter in the horizontal direction to transfer the wafer of the plurality of wafers into one of the plurality of slots through the opening,

wherein an area of the opening is configured to be maintained at any position of the shutter on the open surface, and

wherein the lifter comprises:

a first roller arranged at a first end of the open surface of the housing, and the first roller configured to rotate and wind a first end of the shutter thereon;

a second roller arranged at a second end of the open surface of the housing, and the second roller configured to rotate and to wind a second end of the shutter thereon;

an actuator connected to at least one of the first roller and the second roller, and the actuator configured to provide the at least one of the first roller and the second roller with a rotary force; and

a lifting member connected between the first roller and the second roller and configured to transfer the rotary force of the actuator to the shutter.

8 . The wafer container of claim 7 , wherein the actuator is connected to the second roller.

9 . The wafer container of claim 7 , wherein the lifting member comprises:

a first lifting member connected to the first roller; and

a second lifting member connected to the second roller,

wherein both side surfaces of the opening are positioned between the first lifting member and the second lifting member.

10 . The wafer container of claim 7 , wherein the actuator comprises a motor.

11 . The wafer container of claim 7 , wherein the lifter further comprises a spring configured to support the first roller in a winding direction of the shutter.

12 . A wafer container comprising:

a housing configured to receive a plurality of wafers in a horizontal direction, the housing including an open surface;

a shutter proximate to the open surface and configured to at least partially shut the open surface of the housing, the shutter including an opening, the opening configured to provide a space through which a wafer of the plurality of wafers enters;

a first roller configured to rotate with respect to the horizontal direction, and arranged at the open surface of the housing, the first roller configured to wind a first end of the shutter thereon;

a second roller configured to rotate with respect to the horizontal direction, and arranged at the open surface of the housing, the second roller configured to wind a second end of the shutter thereon;

a pair of first lifting members connected to both ends of the first roller, wherein a first portion of the shutter above the opening is connected to the pair of first lifting members;

a pair of second lifting members connected to both ends of the second roller, wherein a second portion of the shutter under the opening is connected to the pair of second lifting members;

a pair of side beams connected between each of the first lifting members and each of the second lifting members to define both side surfaces of the opening; and

an actuator configured to rotate the second roller.

13 . The wafer container of claim 12 , wherein an area of the opening is no more than 5% of an area of the open surface of the housing.

14 . The wafer container of claim 12 , further comprising:

a first beam configured to define a first surface of the opening; and

a second beam configured to define a second surface of the opening.

15 . The wafer container of claim 12 , wherein the both side surfaces of the opening are positioned between the pair of first lifting members and the pair of second lifting members.

16 . The wafer container of claim 12 , further comprising a spring configured to support the first roller in a winding direction of the shutter.

17 . The wafer container of claim 1 , wherein the shutter comprises an upper shutter and a lower shutter, and the lifter lifts the upper shutter and the lower shutter together to define the opening between the upper shutter and the lower shutter.

18 . The wafer container of claim 1 , wherein the shutter comprises an upper shutter and a lower shutter, and the lifter lifts the upper shutter and the lower shutter in a same direction.

19 . The wafer container of claim 1 , further comprises,

an upper beam;

a lower beam; and

a pair of side beams connected between both ends of the upper beam and both ends of the lower beam,

wherein the opening is defined by the upper beam, the lower beam, and the pair of the side beams.