Purge apparatus and load port

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9508579-B2
Application number	US-201213483128-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 30, 2012
Priority date	May 31, 2011
Publication date	Nov 29, 2016
Grant date	Nov 29, 2016

Abstract

A purge apparatus for replacing a gas atmosphere in a purge object vessel by a purge gas through a port provided on a bottom face of the purge object vessel is disclosed. The purge apparatus includes a purge unit attached to a table that receives the purge object vessel, and a purge nozzle body including a port contacting portion provided on an upper side of the purge nozzle body and an attachment object portion provided on a lower side of the purge nozzle body. The purge unit has an attachment portion and the port contacting portion of the purge nozzle body is configured to contact the port of the purge object vessel. The attachment object portion of the purge nozzle body removably engages with the attachment portion of the purge unit so that the purge nozzle body is removably attached to the purge unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A purge apparatus for replacing a gas atmosphere in a purge object vessel by a purge gas through a port provided on a bottom face of the purge object vessel, the purge apparatus comprising:
a purge unit attached to a table that receives the purge object vessel, the purge unit including an attachment portion; and
a purge nozzle body including a port contacting portion provided on an upper side of the purge nozzle body, and an attachment object portion provided on a lower side of the purge nozzle body, wherein
the port contacting portion of the purge nozzle body is configured to contact the port of the purge object vessel, the attachment object portion of the purge nozzle body is configured to removably engage with the attachment portion of the purge unit, and the purge nozzle body is configured to be removably attached to the purge unit by removably engaging the attachment object portion with the attachment portion, the attachment object portion being one of a male threaded portion and a female threaded portion, the attachment portion being one of the female threaded portion and the male threaded portion corresponding to the attachment object portion, and the attachment object portion being removably engaged with the attachment portion by screwing the male threaded portion with the female threaded portion.

2. A purge apparatus for replacing a gas atmosphere in a purge object vessel by a purge gas through a port provided on a bottom face of the purge object vessel, the purge apparatus comprising:
a purge unit attached to a table that receives the purge object vessel, the purge unit including an attachment portion;
a purge nozzle body including a port contacting portion provided on an upper side of the purge nozzle body and an attachment object portion provided on a lower side of the purge nozzle body, wherein
the port contacting portion of the purge nozzle body is configured to contact the port of the purge object vessel, the attachment object portion of the purge nozzle body is configured to removably engage with the attachment portion of the purge unit, and the purge nozzle body is configured to be removably attached to the purge unit by removably engaging the attachment object portion with the attachment portion,
the port contacting portion of the purge nozzle body is substantially horizontally positioned at a predetermined position when the attachment object portion of the purge nozzle body is engaged with the attachment portion of the purge unit; and
a lifting mechanism configured to move the purge unit in a vertical direction with respect to the table,
wherein
the predetermined position is on a horizontal datum plane of the purge object vessel as defined by SEMI standard, and
the port contacting portion is positioned lower than the horizontal datum plane of the purge object vessel which is a predetermined standard in a state in which the purge object vessel is placed on a receiving table before the purge unit is moved upwardly by the lifting mechanism and contacts with the port of the purge object vessel.

3. The purge apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the port contacting portion does not change the shape before and after when a port contacting portion and a port are in contact.

4. A purge apparatus for replacing a gas atmosphere in a purge object vessel by a purge gas through a port provided on a bottom face of the purge object vessel, the purge apparatus comprising:
a purge unit attached to a table that receives the purge object vessel, the purge unit including an attachment portion; and
a purge nozzle body including a port contacting portion provided on an upper side of the purge nozzle body and an attachment object portion provided on a lower side of the purge nozzle body, wherein
the port contacting portion of the purge nozzle body is configured to contact the port of the purge object vessel, the attachment object portion of the purge nozzle body is configured to removably engage with the attachment portion of the purge unit, and the purge nozzle body is configured to be removably attached to the purge unit by removably engaging the attachment object portion with the attachment portion,
the port contacting portion of the purge nozzle body is substantially horizontally positioned at a predetermined position when the attachment object portion of the purge nozzle body is engaged with the attachment portion of the purge unit, and
the port contacting portion does not change the shape before and after when a port contacting portion and a port are in contact.

5. The purge apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the attachment object portion being one of a male thread portion and a female thread portion, the attachment portion being one of the female thread portion and the male thread portion corresponding to the attachment object portion, and the attachment object portion being removably engaged with the attachment portion by screwing the male thread portion with the female thread portion.

6. The purge apparatus according to claim 4 , further comprising:
a lifting mechanism configured to move the purge unit in a vertical direction with respect to the table, wherein
the predetermined position is on a horizontal datum plane of the purge object vessel as defined by SEMI standard, and
the port contacting portion is positioned lower than the horizontal datum plane of the purge object vessel which is a predetermined standard in a state in which the purge object vessel is placed on a receiving table before the purge unit is moved upwardly by the lifting mechanism and contacts with the port of the purge object vessel.

7. The purge apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein
a flange portion is provided at the purge nozzle body such that the flange portion has an outer diameter greater than that of the outer circumferential face of the attachment object portion, in a state in which the attachment object portion of the purge nozzle body of and the attachment portion of the purge unit are removably engaged, and
a projection portion is provided at the purge nozzle body in-between the flange portion and the attachment object portion such that the projection portion has an outer diameter smaller than the outer circumferential face of the flange portion, and greater than the outer circumferential face of the attachment object portion, the concave portion is provided in the purge unit in-between upper end thereof and the attachment portion such that the concave portion with upper opened concave shape has outer diameter greater than the outer circumferential face of the attached portion and greater than outer circumferential face of the attachment object portion.

8. A purge apparatus
for replacing a gas atmosphere in a purge object vessel by a purge gas through a port provided on a bottom face of the purge object vessel, the purge apparatus comprising:
a purge unit attached to a table that receives the purge object vessel, the purge unit including an attachment portion; and
a purge nozzle body including a port contacting portion provided on an upper side of the purge nozzle body and an attachment object portion provided on a lower side of the purge nozzle body, wherein
the port contacting portion of the purge nozzle body is configured to contact the port of the purge object vessel, the attachment object portion of the purge nozzle body is configured to removably engage with the attachment portion of the purge unit, and the purge nozzle body is configured to be removably attached to the purge unit by removably engaging the attachment object portion with the attachment portion,
a flange portion is provided at the purge nozzle body such that the flange portion has an outer diameter greater than that of the outer circumferential f

Assignees

• Nakano Takaaki
• Sinfonia Technology Co Ltd

Inventors

• Nakano Takaaki

Classifications

• H10P72/3408

  Docking arrangements · CPC title

• H10P72/1924 Primary

  characterised by atmosphere control · CPC title

• H10P95/00

  Generic processes or apparatus for manufacture or treatments not covered by the other groups of this subclass · CPC title

• H10P72/00 Primary

  Handling or holding of wafers, substrates or devices during manufacture or treatment thereof · CPC title

• H01L21/67389 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic