WAFER TRANSPORT BOX

Abstract

A wafer transport box according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a lower housing including a bottom plate and at least one lower rib which is formed vertically on an upper surface of the bottom plate and which forms a wall formed in an arc shape so that wafers are stacked in an inner space, and includes an upper housing including an upper plate and an upper rib which is formed vertically on a lower surface of the upper plate and which forms a wall formed in an arc shape. Further, the lower rib includes at least one of protrusion members which are provided at an inner surface of the lower rib and which are spaced apart from each other at a predetermined distance, and the protrusion members fix the wafers stacked in the inner space when the upper housing is coupled to the lower housing.

Claims

1. A wafer transport box comprising: a lower housing comprising a bottom plate and at least one lower rib which is formed vertically on an upper surface of the bottom plate and which forms a wall formed in an arc shape so that wafers are stacked in an inner space; and an upper housing comprising an upper plate and an upper rib which is formed vertically on a lower surface of the upper plate and which forms a wall formed in an arc shape, wherein the lower rib comprises at least one of protrusion members which are provided at an inner surface of the lower rib and which are spaced apart from each other at a predetermined distance, and at least one of the protrusion members fix the wafers stacked in the inner space when the upper housing is coupled to the lower housing.

2. The wafer transport box of claim 1, wherein the lower housing comprises at least one latch on each corner of the upper surface of the bottom plate, the latch coupling and fixing the upper housing when the lower housing is coupled to the upper housing, and the upper housing comprises at least one latch hole which is positioned on a position on each corner of the upper plate corresponding to the latch and to which the latch is coupled and fixed.

3. The wafer transport box of claim 2, wherein the latch comprises: a first latch member which is positioned at an outer portion of the lower rib on the bottom plate and which forms a floor on the upper surface of the bottom plate; a second latch member formed in a vertical direction to the first latch member such that the second latch member is facing the lower rib; and a third latch member that protrudes toward an inner surface of the second latch member, wherein the third latch member is fixed and coupled to the latch hole when the upper housing and the lower housing are coupled to each other.

4. The wafer transport box of claim 3, wherein the lower housing further comprises a support member that supports the lower rib, and the support member is disposed between the latch and the lower rib and is formed in an arc shape along the lower rib on a lower end portion of the lower rib.

5. The wafer transport box of claim 1, wherein the lower rib has a draft of 0.5 degrees to 3.0 degrees, and a portion to which the protrusion member is coupled has a draft of zero degrees.

6. The wafer transport box of claim 5, wherein the lower rib has a draft of 0.5 degrees to 1.0 degrees.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] The above and other objectives, features, and other advantages of the present disclosure will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0021] FIG. 1 is a view schematically illustrating an overall configuration of a wafer transport box according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0022] FIG. 2 is a view illustrating a partial cross-section of FIG. 1;

[0023] FIG. 3 is a view illustrating a configuration of a lower housing; and

[0024] FIG. 4 is a view illustrating a partial cross-section of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] Since the present disclosure may be variously changed and have various embodiments, particular embodiments will be exemplified and described in the drawings. However, it should be understood that the specific embodiments according to the concept of the present disclosure are not limited to the embodiments which will be described hereinbelow with reference to the accompanying drawings, but all of modifications, equivalents, and substitutions are included in the scope and spirit of the present disclosure.

[0026] In describing the present disclosure, a detailed description of known technologies will be omitted when it may obscure the subject matter of the present disclosure. In addition, ordinals (e.g., first, second, etc.) used in this specification are merely used to distinguish one component from another component.

[0027] Also, in the present specification, it will be understood that when elements are “connected” or “coupled” to each other, the elements may be directly connected or coupled to each other, but may alternatively be connected or coupled to each other with an intervening element therebetween, unless specified otherwise.

[0028] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0029] FIG. 1 is a view schematically illustrating an overall configuration of a wafer transport box according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0030] FIG. 2 is a view illustrating a partial cross-section of FIG. 1.

[0031] FIG. 3 is a view illustrating a configuration of a lower housing.

[0032] FIG. 4 is a view illustrating a partial cross-section of FIG. 3.

[0033] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, a wafer transport box according to the present disclosure includes an upper housing 100 and a lower housing 200. Further, wafers are stacked and stored in an inner portion of the wafer transport box.

[0034] The upper housing 100 includes an upper plate 101, and includes an upper rib 110 which is formed vertically on a lower surface of the upper plate 101 and which forms a wall formed in an arc shape.

[0035] The upper housing 100 has an arc of 360 degrees, and is formed as a single structure. However, the upper housing 100 may be formed together with the lower housing 200, and the number of components formed together with the upper housing 100 is not limited.

[0036] The lower housing 200 includes a bottom plate 201, and includes at least one lower rib 210 which is formed vertically on an upper surface of the bottom plate 201 and which forms a wall formed in an arc shape such that a wafer is stacked in an inner space A. As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4, the lower rib 210 may be formed in two, but the number of the lower ribs 210 is not limited.

[0037] The upper housing 100 and the lower housing 200 are coupled to each other, and stack and store the wafers in an inner portion thereof. Further, the upper rib 110 and the lower rib 210 have an equal vertical length. Furthermore, when the upper housing 100 and the lower housing 200 are coupled to each other, the upper rib 110 is coupled such that the upper rib 110 is disposed outside the lower rib 210.

[0038] On each corner of the upper surface of the bottom plate 201, the lower housing 200 may include at least one latch 250 that couples and fixes the upper housing 100 when the lower housing 200 is coupled to the upper housing 100. Further, on a position on each corner corresponding to the latch 250, the upper housing 100 may include at least one latch hole 150 to which the latch 250 is coupled and fixed.

[0039] The latch 250 and the latch hole 150 are coupled to each other. Preferably, the latch 250 and the latch hole 150 are formed in the same number.

[0040] The latch 250 may include: a first latch member 252 which is positioned at an outer portion of the lower rib 210 and which forms a floor on the upper surface of the bottom plate 201; a second latch member 251 formed in a vertical direction to the first latch member 252 such that the second latch member 251 is facing the lower rib 210; and a third latch member 253 that protrudes toward an inner surface of the second latch member 251. When the upper housing 100 and the lower housing 200 are coupled to each other, the third latch member 253 is fixed and coupled to the latch hole 150.

[0041] The lower housing 200 may further include a support member 220 that supports the lower rib 210.

[0042] The support member 220 may be disposed between the latch 250 and the lower rib 210, and may be formed in an arc shape along the lower rib 210 on a lower end portion of the lower rib 210.

[0043] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the support member 220 may be formed in an arc of less than 90 degrees. At least one support member 220 may be provided.

[0044] The lower rib 210 and the support member 220 are spaced apart from each other at a predetermined distance. Further, when the upper housing 100 is coupled to the lower housing 200, the upper rib 110 is fitted between the lower rib 210 and the support member 220, so that the wafer stacked in the inner space A can be supported and fixed.

[0045] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, a height of the support member 220 may be lower than a height of the lower rib 210.

[0046] The upper housing 100 may further include a fixing member 115 that is formed on an outer surface of the upper rib 110.

[0047] On the outer surface of the upper rib 110, the fixing member 115 is positioned between two latch holes 150. Therefore, when the upper housing 100 is coupled to the lower housing 200, the fixing member 115 is fitted between two support members 220, and the wafer stacked in the inner space A may be more rigidly fixed.

[0048] In an inner portion of the lower rib 210, the lower rib 210 may include at least one protrusion member 215 provided at a predetermined distance.

[0049] When the upper housing 100 and the lower housing 200 are coupled to each other, the protrusion member 215 may fix the wafer that is stacked in the inner space A.

[0050] More specifically, the protrusion member 215 may be configured as illustrated in FIG. 4. The protrusion member 215 is formed on the lower rib 210 such that the protrusion member 215 protrudes inward to the inner surface of the lower rib 210. Preferably, a portion where the protrusion member 215 is formed has a draft of zero degrees.

[0051] The lower rib 210 has a draft of 0.5 degrees to 3.0 degrees. More preferably, the lower rib 210 has a draft of 0.5 degrees to 1.0 degrees. Since the lower rib 210 has the draft, a space is formed between the wafer and the lower rib 210 when the wafer is stacked in the inner space A. Accordingly, when the wafer is transported, the stacked wafer may be shaken. Therefore, a portion where the protrusion member 215 is coupled to the lower rib 210 has zero gradient (the draft of zero degrees), and the wafer is stacked without having a space to an upper portion of the wafer, so that safety when the wafer is transported can be increased.

[0052] Accordingly, a scope of the inventive concept is not limited to the above-described embodiments. The inventive concept may be embodied in various forms of embodiments within a scope of the appended claims. Thus, any person of ordinary skill in the art may understand that modifications without departing from the gist of the inventive concept as claimed in the claims fall within the scope of the claims of the inventive concept.