Substrate storage container and filter unit

A filter unit disposed in a container main body of a substrate storing container that comprises:

• the container main body that includes:
• a tubular wall portion that includes an opening circumferential portion provided with a container main body opening portion formed at one end portion, with another end portion being blocked;
• and a substrate storage space that is made of an inner face of the wall portion, can store a substrate and communicates with the container main body opening portion;
• and a lid body that can be attached to and detached from the opening circumferential portion, and can block the container main body opening portion in a positional relationship of being surrounded by the opening circumferential portion;
• and a sealing member that is attached to the lid body, can abut against the lid body and the opening circumferential portion, and blocks, together with the lid body, the container main body opening portion, by being interposed between the opening circumferential portion and the lid body and being in close contact with and abutting against the opening circumferential portion and the lid body, the filter unit comprising:
• a filter disposed on a ventilation path allowing communication between the substrate storage space and a space outside of the container main body;
• and
• a housing that forms the ventilation path, an outward opening portion that is included in the housing and is opened toward the space outside of the container main body,
• the housing accommodating:
• a valve body that is inserted into the outward opening portion and is movable between a blocked position of blocking the outward opening portion and an open position of opening the outward opening portion in this outward opening portion;
• an urged member that has a tubular shape, is connected to the valve body, is supported and guided by the housing movably in the housing, and guides movement of the valve body while moving integrally with the valve body so as to move the valve body from the open position to the blocked position;
• and
• an urging member that urges the urged member so as to move the valve body to the blocked position, the urging member having a cylindrical shape,
• wherein the valve body is disposed in a vicinity of one end portion of the urging member, and the urged member is disposed in a vicinity of another end portion of the urging member, and
• the urged member is disposed such that an outer peripheral face of the urging member slides on a cylindrical inner peripheral face of the urged member from an upper end portion to a lower end portion of the cylindrical inner peripheral face.

A substrate storing container, comprising:

• a container main body that includes:
• a tubular wall portion that includes an opening circumferential portion provided with a container main body opening portion formed at one end portion, with another end portion being blocked;
• and a substrate storage space that is made of an inner face of the wall portion, can store a substrate and communicates with the container main body opening portion;
• a lid body that can be attached to and detached from the opening circumferential portion, and can block the container main body opening portion in a positional relationship of being surrounded by the opening circumferential portion;
• a sealing member that is attached to the lid body, can abut against the lid body and the opening circumferential portion, and blocks, together with the lid body, the container main body opening portion, by being interposed between the opening circumferential portion and the lid body and being in close contact with and abutting against the opening circumferential portion and the lid body;
• and
• a filter unit that includes a ventilation path allowing communication between the substrate storage space and a space outside of the container main body, a filter disposed on the ventilation path and a housing that forms the ventilation path, is disposed in the container main body, and allows gas to pass between the space outside of the container main body and the substrate storage space through the filter,
• the filter unit including:
• an exhaust filter unit that allows gas to flow from the substrate storage space to the space outside of the container main body;
• and an air supply filter unit that allows gas to flow from the space outside of the container main body to the substrate storage space,
• the housing of the exhaust filter unit including an outward opening portion opened toward the space outside of the container main body,
• the housing of the exhaust filter unit accommodating:
• a valve body that is inserted into the outward opening portion and is movable between a blocked position of blocking the outward opening portion and an open position of opening the outward opening portion in this outward opening portion;
• an urged member that has a tubular shape, is connected to the valve body, is supported and guided by the housing of the exhaust filter unit movably in the housing of the exhaust filter unit, and guides movement of the valve body while moving integrally with the valve body so as to move the valve body from the open position to the blocked position;
• and
• an urging member that urges the urged member so as to move the valve body to the blocked position, the urging member having a cylindrical shape,
• wherein the valve body is disposed in a vicinity of one end portion of the urging member, and the urged member is disposed in a vicinity of another end portion of the urging member,
• the urged member is disposed such that an outer peripheral face of the urging member slides on a cylindrical inner peripheral face of the urged member from an upper end portion to a lower end portion of the cylindrical inner peripheral face, and
• an effective area of the filter of the exhaust filter unit is larger than an effective area of the filter of the air supply filter unit.

A substrate storing container, comprising:

• a container main body that includes:
• a tubular wall portion that includes an opening circumferential portion provided with a container main body opening portion formed at one end portion, with another end portion being blocked;
• and a substrate storage space that is made of an inner face of the wall portion, can store a substrate and communicates with the container main body opening portion;
• a lid body that can be attached to and detached from the opening circumferential portion, and can block the container main body opening portion in a positional relationship of being surrounded by the opening circumferential portion;
• a sealing member that is attached to the lid body, can abut against the lid body and the opening circumferential portion, and blocks, together with the lid body, the container main body opening portion, by being interposed between the opening circumferential portion and the lid body and being in close contact with and abutting against the opening circumferential portion and the lid body;
• a filter unit that includes a ventilation path allowing communication between the substrate storage space and a space outside of the container main body, a filter disposed on the ventilation path and a housing that forms the ventilation path, is disposed in the container main body, and allows gas to pass between the space outside of the container main body and the substrate storage space through the filter;
• and
• an outward opening portion that is included in the housing and is opened toward the space outside of the container main body,
• the housing accommodating a valve body that blocks the outward opening portion by being inserted into this outward opening portion, and opens the outward opening portion by being taken out and removed from this outward opening portion,
• wherein the valve body is connected to an urged member that has a tubular shape and guides movement of the valve body,
• the urged member is supported and guided by the housing movably in the housing and guides the movement of the valve body while moving integrally with the valve body so as to move the valve body from the open position to the blocked position,
• the valve body is disposed in a vicinity of one end portion of the urging member, and the urged member is disposed in a vicinity of another end portion of the urging member, and
• the urged member is disposed such that an outer peripheral face of the urging member slides on a cylindrical inner peripheral face of the urged member from an upper end portion to a lower end portion of the cylindrical inner peripheral face.

A filter unit for use in a container main body of a substrate storing container that comprises:

• the container main body that includes:
• a tubular wall portion that includes an opening circumferential portion provided with a container main body opening portion formed at one end portion, with another end portion being blocked;
• and a substrate storage space that is made of an inner face of the wall portion, can store a substrate and communicates with the container main body opening portion;
• and a lid body that can be attached to and detached from the opening circumferential portion, and can block the container main body opening portion in a positional relationship of being surrounded by the opening circumferential portion;
• and a sealing member that is attached to the lid body, can abut against the lid body and the opening circumferential portion, and blocks, together with the lid body, the container main body opening portion, by being interposed between the opening circumferential portion and the lid body and being in close contact with and abutting against the opening circumferential portion and the lid body, the filter unit comprising:
• a filter disposed on a ventilation path allowing communication between the substrate storage space and a space outside of the container main body;
• a housing that forms the ventilation path;
• and
• an outward opening portion that is included in the housing and is opened toward the space outside of the container main body,
• wherein the housing accommodates a valve body that blocks the outward opening portion by being inserted into this outward opening portion, and opens the outward opening portion by being taken out and removed from this outward opening portion,
• the valve body is connected to an urged member that has a tubular shape and guides movement of the valve body,
• the urged member is supported and guided by the housing movably in the housing and guides the movement of the valve body while moving integrally with the valve body so as to move the valve body from the open position to the blocked position,
• the valve body is disposed in a vicinity of one end portion of an urging member having a cylindrical shape, and the urged member is disposed in a vicinity of another end portion of the urging member,
• the urged member is disposed such that an outer peripheral face of the urging member slides on a cylindrical inner peripheral face of the urged member from an upper end portion to a lower end portion of the cylindrical inner peripheral face, and
• gas can pass between the space outside of the container main body and the substrate storage space through the filter.