Container

• US 6,186,331 B1
• Filed: 02/24/2000
• Issued: 02/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dainichi Shoji K.K.
• Original Assignee: Dainichi Shoji K.K., Rorze Corporation
• Inventors: Ishikawa, Toshio, Kinpara, Mineo
• Primary Examiner(s): FOSTER, JIMMY G
• Application Number:
  US09/214,336
• Time in Patent Office: 355 Days
• Field of Search: 206/454, 206/710, 206/711, 211/41.18, 220/324, 414/217, 414/217.1, 414/411, 414/937
• US Class Current: 206/711
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67373 characterised by locking systems
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67772 involving removal of lid, door, cover

Abstract

A container for receiving a detesting dust article and transporting thereof, which is mounted on a loader disposed in a border portion between a high cleanliness room and a low cleanliness room, including means by the use of which a cover thereof is opened and closed by an opener mechanism to communicate and shut the opening portion thereof and the high cleanliness room.

Claims

1. A container for receiving and transporting a detesting dust article, which is mounted on a loader disposed in a border portion between a high cleanliness room and a low cleanliness room, a cover of which is opened and closed by an opener mechanism disposed in said loader in such manner that an opening portion of said container and said high cleanliness room is connected and shut, which includes:

(a) a lock mechanism disposed in said cover and operated by said opener mechanism provided in said loader for locking and releasing said cover;

(b) a locking pawl in said lock mechanism for protruding from a frame portion of said cover and catching a hitched portion provided in a frame portion of said container in said opening portion; and

(c) a window portion provided in said frame portion of said cover, from which said locking pawl protrudes, said window portion being disposed so as to be located outward and backward of a front end of said frame portion of said container in said opening portion, when said locking pawl is hitched to said hitched portion provided in said frame portion of said container in said opening portion.

2. A container as claimed in claim 1, wherein said frame portion of said container in said opening portion comprises said hitched portion which is located between said inner flange and said outer flange, said window portion for said locking pawl is located in said hitched portion when said locking pawl is hitched to said hitched portion, and said frame portion of said container comprises a tip of said inner flange.

3. A container for receiving and transporting a detesting dust article as claimed in claim 1, which further comprises:

(a) a taper-shaped guiding convex portion or a taper-shaped guiding concave portion formed at a portion on an inner side of said cover with which said frame portion of said container in said opening portion contacts;

(b) a taper-shaped guiding concave portion or a taper-shaped guiding convex portion for being correspondingly fixed to said taper-shaped guiding convex portion or said taper-shaped guiding concave portion formed in said cover, formed at a portion on said frame portion of said container in said opening portion with which said inner side of said cover contacts.

4. A container for receiving and transporting a detesting dust article as claimed in claim 1, which further comprises:

(a) said frame portion having an inner flange formed at an inner side of said frame portion and an outer flange formed at an outer side of said frame portion of said container in said opening portion;

(b) said cover closing said opening portion by covering an inner side of said outer flange;

(c) a ring-shaped concave portion formed at an inner side of said cover for being fixed to said inner flange; and

(d) a gap formed between an inner surface of said inner flange and an inner wall at an inner side of said ring-shaped concave portion.

5. A container as claimed in claim 1, wherein a kinematic coupling is disposed between said opener mechanism and said cover, which cover is closed and opened by said opener mechanism, for positioning of said opener mechanism and said cover.

6. A container for receiving and transporting a detesting dust article, which is mounted on a loader disposed in a border portion between a high cleanliness room and a low cleanliness room, a cover of which is opened and closed by an opener mechanism disposed in said loader in such manner that an opening portion of said container and said high cleanliness room is connected and shut, which includes:

(a) a lock mechanism disposed in said cover and operated by said opener mechanism provided in said loader for locking and releasing said cover;

(b) a locking pawl in said lock mechanism for protruding from a frame portion of said cover and catching a hitched portion provided in a frame portion of said container in said opening portion;

(c) a window portion provided in said frame portion of said cover, from which said locking pawl protrudes, said window portion being disposed so as to be located outward of a front end of said frame portion of said container in said opening portion, when said locking pawl is hitched to said hitched portion provided in said frame portion of said container in said opening portion; and

(d) a vent hole provided in said frame portion of said container outward of said front end of said frame portion of said container for connecting to said low cleanliness room.

7. A container as claimed in claim 6, wherein said hitched portion comprises an engaged hole, and said engaged hole functions as said vent hole.

8. A container as claimed in claim 6, wherein said vent hole functions as a ventilating hole and said hitched portion.

9. A container for receiving and transporting a detesting dust article, which is mounted on a loader disposed in a border portion between a high cleanliness room and a low cleanliness room, a cover of which is opened and closed by an opener mechanism disposed in said loader in such manner that an opening portion of said container and said high cleanliness room is connected and shut, which includes:

(a) a lock mechanism disposed in said cover and operated by said opener mechanism provided in said loader for locking and releasing said cover;

(b) a locking pawl in said lock mechanism for protruding from a frame portion of said cover and catching a hitched portion provided in a frame portion of said container in said opening portion;

(c) a window portion provided in said frame portion of said cover, from which said locking pawl protrudes, said window portion being disposed so as to be located at a portion through which air stream flows directly toward said low cleanliness room, said air stream being generated by a positive pressure applied to said high cleanliness room at an instance when said locking pawl is disengaged from said hitched portion to release said cover.