Lid opening/closing system for closed container

A lid opening/closing system for a closed container including a lid having a flat plate-like shape and having an engaged portion, a container body having an opening to be closed by said lid and an interior space that opens at said opening, and a latch mechanism including a latch main body that can slide along an axis relative to said container body and an engagement portion that projects from the latch main body and can engage with said engaged portion, for fixing the lid to said container body by the engagement of said engagement portion with said engaged portion, said system being adapted to fix said lid to said closed container by causing the latch mechanism to move along said axis and comprising:

• a housing that defines a mini-environment having an opening portion;
• a door that can move between a position at which it substantially closes said opening portion and a position at which it leaves said opening portion open, and can hold said lid;
• latch mechanism drive means that can operate said latch mechanism when said closed container is at a position at which opening and closing of said lid by said door is performed, said latch mechanism drive means being disposed in the vicinity of said opening portion outside said housing;
• and
• an engagement portion position detection sensor that detects the moving position of said engagement portion that changes with the movement of said latch mechanism along said axis caused by said latch mechanism drive means.