Transfer chamber

A transfer chamber, filled with an inactive gas, for transferring a transferred object to or from a processing device by using a transfer robot disposed in a transfer space inside of a housing, comprising:

• a main body box in which the transfer robot is arranged;
• a gas processing box which contains a filter device;
• a gas return space for returning the inactive gas to the gas processing box from the main body box;
• and
• an inner wall for dividing a space in the main body box into a transfer space in which the transfer robot operates and the gas return space,
• wherein the transfer chamber includes a gas circulation path to extend downward in the transfer space in which the transfer robot operates, extend upward in the gas return space, enter into a space in the gas processing box, pass through the filter device and return to the transfer space,
• wherein a plurality of fans are provided in the circulation path, the fans including a fan forming a downward air flow in the transfer space and a fan forming an upward air flow in the gas return space,
• wherein the circulation path is entirely within the housing, wherein the transfer space has an inlet port which sucks gas from the transfer space and flows gas into the gas return space, and the inlet port is arranged below a transfer arm of the transfer robot,
• wherein the inner wall is provided between a pair of horizontally opposed walls of the housing, and
• wherein the fan forming the upward air flow is provided between one of the pair of horizontally opposed walls and the inner wall,
• the inside of the housing is filled with N2 gas to purge air from the inside of the housing, no air is taken in from an outside of the housing into the inside of the housing when the inside of the housing is controlled to be under the inert gas atmosphere, and the inside of the housing is kept at a positive pressure by N2 gas.

A transfer chamber for transferring a transferred object to or from a processing device by using a transfer robot disposed in a transfer space inside of a housing, comprising:

• a circulation path formed in a closed loop inside the transfer chamber so as to circulate gas between the transfer space and a gas return space divided by an inner wall of the transfer chamber;
• a filter or a filter device provided in a midstream of the circulation path;
• and
• a plurality of fans provided in the circulation path, the fans including a fan forming a downward air flow in the transfer space and a fan forming an upward air flow in the gas return space,
• wherein the circulation path includes an opening which is arranged at a position lower than a height where the transfer robot transfers the transferred object, and through which the gas flows out from the transfer space and flows into the gas return space, wherein the circulation path is entirely within the housing,
• the inside of the housing is filled with N2 gas to purge air from the inside of the housing, no air is taken in from an outside of the housing into the inside of the housing when the inside of the housing is controlled to be under the inert gas atmosphere, and the inside of the housing is kept at a positive pressure by N2 gas.