Purge apparatus and purge method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016365266-A1
Application number	US-201515120776-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 9, 2015
Priority date	Mar 17, 2014
Publication date	Dec 15, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A nozzle prevents obstruction of alignment of a container without using an actuator. When the nozzle contacts the container before an alignment member does, the container is guided by a guide surface of the nozzle, the nozzle is lowered by a load applied from the container so that the alignment member contacts the container to align the container, and purge gas is injected from the nozzle into the container.

First claim

1 - 7 . (canceled)

8 . A purge apparatus for purging by purge gas a container that houses an article and includes a gas introduction hole in a bottom portion thereof, the purge apparatus comprising:
a platform on which the container is placed; a nozzle that protrudes upward from the platform and contacts the gas introduction hole of the container to inject purge gas; and an alignment member aligns the container; wherein the nozzle is provided within a side surface of a tip portion thereof with a guide surface that guides the container and the nozzle lowers an upper surface of the nozzle in response to a load applied from the container.

9 . The purge apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the alignment member includes alignment pins fixed to the platform, protruding upward from the platform, and structured to fit into recesses provided in the bottom portion of the container, and the nozzle is higher than the alignment pins.

10 . The purge apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the nozzle is provided with a flat surface on an upper end thereof and causes the flat surface to be inclined by an offset load applied from the gas introduction hole to the nozzle.

11 . The purge apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein
the nozzle is further provided at a lower portion thereof with a pedestal and an elastic member that biases the pedestal upward; and the nozzle is lowered by deformation of the elastic member with application of a load to the elastic member and causes the flat surface of the upper end of the nozzle to be inclined by deformation of the elastic member with application of an offset load to the elastic member.

12 . The purge apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein
the nozzle is further provided with a hollow shaft connecting the tip portion including the guide surface and the pedestal, and a ring-shaped elastic spacer including an L-shaped structure in cross section along a radial direction thereof; the platform is provided with a through hole through which the hollow shaft passes and the through hole has a larger diameter than the hollow shaft; the hollow shaft has a smaller diameter than the tip portion, and a bottom surface of the tip portion is exposed in a flange shape and surrounds the hollow shaft; the elastic member is positioned between the bottom surface of the tip portion and the platform and biases the tip portion upward; and one side of the L-shaped structure of the elastic spacer is located in the through hole, and another side of the L-shaped structure is located between the pedestal and a bottom surface of the platform.

13 . The purge apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the nozzle is provided with a ring-shaped elastic gasket on the upper end thereof.

14 . A purge method purging by purge gas a container that houses an article and includes a gas introduction hole in a bottom portion thereof with a purge apparatus including a platform on which the container is placed, a nozzle that protrudes upward from the platform and contacts the gas introduction hole of the container to inject purge gas, and an alignment member that aligns the container, wherein the nozzle is provided within a side surface of a tip portion thereof with a guide surface that guides the container and lowers an upper surface of the nozzle in response to a load applied from the container, the purge method comprising:
guiding the container by the guide surface of the nozzle, when the nozzle contacts the container before the alignment member does, lowering the upper surface of the nozzle in response to the load applied from the container, and bringing the alignment member and the container into contact; aligning the container by the alignment member; and injecting purge gas from the nozzle into the container.

Assignees

• Murata Machinery Ltd

Inventors

• Murata Masanao
• Yamaji Takashi

Classifications

• H10P72/3408

  Docking arrangements · CPC title

• H10P72/1918

  characterised by coupling elements, kinematic members, handles or elements to be externally gripped · CPC title

• H10P72/1926 Primary

  characterised by the presence of atmosphere modifying elements inside or attached to the closed carrier · CPC title

• H01L21/67775

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L21/67393 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic