Workpiece container assembly and apparatus for opening/closing the same

An apparatus for opening/closing a container assembly, the apparatus comprising:

• a stage dedicated to support the container assembly;
• a plate assembly extending upright relative to said stage, said plate assembly having a cover-separating section including a clamp comprising a pair of arms;
• a first driving mechanism that moves said stage and said plate assembly linearly relative to each other in a first direction, the cover-separating section being disposed at a side of said plate assembly that faces said stage in said first direction, whereby the cover-separating section can be brought face-to-face with a container assembly supported on said stage;
• and
• a second driving mechanism connected to said clamp so as to move said arms of the clamp relative to each other.

The combination of a container assembly and apparatus for opening and closing the container assembly, wherein

• said container assembly comprises a container configured to accommodate at least one workpiece therein, and a cover, said container having an opening at one side thereof, and a frame delimiting at least a portion of the opening, said frame defining at least one insertion hole therein, and said cover including a cover body that spans said opening, and at least one locking section by which the cover is secured to the container, said locking section including a bar extending longitudinally towards the outside of the body of the cover and into the insertion hole in the frame of said container, a jaw extending from said bar to the exterior of the body of said cover, and a resilient member connected to the bar such that the bar is biased in its longitudinal direction by said resilient member, and
• said apparatus comprising a stage dedicated to support the container assembly, a plate assembly extending upright relative to said stage, said plate assembly having a cover-separating section including a clamp having a pair of arms, a first driving mechanism that moves said stage and said plate assembly linearly relative to each other in a first direction, the cover-separating section being disposed at a side of said plate assembly that faces said stage in said first direction, and a second driving mechanism connected to said clamp so as to move said arms of the clamp toward and away from each other.