Wafer storage container
View Patent ↗The present invention relates to a wafer storage container capable of removing fumes on a wafer or removing moisture therefrom by supplying purge gas to the wafer stored in a storage chamber. More particularly, the present invention relates to a wafer storage container capable of quickly blocking an injection hole and an exhaust hole and of preventing contaminants from flowing into a storage chamber upon the blocking of the exhaust hole.
1. A wafer storage container, comprising:
a storage chamber in which a wafer received through a front opening is stored;
an injection hole through which purge gas is injected into the storage chamber from an injection space;
an exhaust hole through which the purge gas injected into the storage chamber is exhausted to an exhaust space;
a blocking member provided within one of the injection space and the exhaust space and configured to block at least a portion of the one of the injection hole and the exhaust hole;
an injection hole wall forming at least a portion of a circumferential surface of the storage chamber and having the injection hole;
an exhaust hole wall having the exhaust hole and forming a remaining portion of the circumferential surface of the storage chamber, the remaining portion not having the injection hole wall positioned thereon; and
a support supporting the wafer stored in the storage chamber,
wherein the one of the injection hole wall and the exhaust hole wall is positioned between the support and the blocking member.
2. The wafer storage container of claim 1 , further comprising:
a communication hole formed in the blocking member to communicate with at least one of the injection hole and the exhaust hole; and
an actuating portion allowing the blocking member to move such that the communication hole of the blocking member and at least one of the injection hole and the exhaust hole are alternately offset from each other and thus do not communicate with each other.
3. The wafer storage container of claim 2 , wherein the actuating portion allows the blocking member to move vertically.
4. The wafer storage container of claim 2 , wherein the actuating portion allows the blocking member to move horizontally.
5. The wafer storage container of claim 1 , further comprising:
an actuating portion allowing the blocking member to move horizontally in a direction of at least one of the injection hole wall and the exhaust hole wall such that at least the portion of at least one of the injection hole and the exhaust hole is blocked.
6. The wafer storage container of claim 1 , further comprising:
an actuating portion allowing the blocking member to move such that at least the portion of at least one of the injection hole and the exhaust hole is blocked;
a sensor measuring an internal atmosphere of the storage chamber; and
a controller controlling operation of the actuating portion based on a humidity value measured by the sensor.
7. The wafer storage container of claim 1 , further comprising:
an injection part outer wall coupled to the injection hole wall and forming a first portion of an outer surface of the wafer storage container; and
an exhaust part outer wall coupled to the exhaust hole wall and forming a second portion of the outer surface of the wafer storage container,
wherein the injection part outer wall and the injection hole wall define the injection space, and
wherein the exhaust part outer wall and the exhaust hole wall define the exhaust space.