# US 2013/0153462 A1 · Coupling system

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- Number: US 2013/0153462 A1
- Document ID: US20130153462A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/702,493
- Filed: 2011-05-30
- Published: 2013-06-20
- Earliest claimed: 2010-06-08
- Assignees: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
- Inventors: Shiro Hara
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130153462A1

## CPC

- H10P 72/10: using carriers specially adapted therefor, e.g. front opening unified pods [FOUP]
- H10P 72/1902: {specially adapted for a single substrate}
- H10P 72/1918: {characterised by coupling elements, kinematic members, handles or elements to be externally gripped}
- H10P 72/1922: {characterised by the construction of the closed carrier}
- H10P 72/3308: {Vertical transfer of a single workpiece}
- H10P 72/3406: {involving removal of lid, door or cover}
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

In a transfer system for wafers, etc., a coupling chamber corresponding to a port is formed only when a transfer box comes in tight contact with an apparatus as a transfer target in the transfer box is transferred into the apparatus, so that the transfer target will be transferred into the apparatus together with the coupling chamber, thereby simplifying the structures of the transfer box and apparatus and also allowing the transfer target to be transferred into the apparatus without fail.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A coupling system, comprising: a transfer box having a transfer box body and a transfer box door; and an apparatus having an apparatus body and an apparatus door;
said coupling system having structures wherein:
the transfer box has a first sealing structure hermetically sealable by means of tight coupling of the transfer box body and transfer box door;
the apparatus has a second sealing structure hermetically sealable by means of tight coupling of the apparatus body and apparatus door;
the transfer box and apparatus have a third sealing structure hermetically sealable by means of tight coupling of both, as formed between the transfer box body and apparatus body; and
only when the transfer box and apparatus are tightly coupled, one undivided coupling chamber is formed hermetically by the third sealing structure, where a means for cleaning the coupling chamber is provided, and the transfer box door is separated from the transfer box and taken into the apparatus.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A coupling system according to claim 1, structured in such a way that the coupling chamber has a cleaning gas intake hole and exhaust hole and a valve that controls pressure in the coupling chamber is directly connected to one or more of these holes and coupling chamber.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

A coupling system according to claim 2, having an exhaust hole connected to an exhaust apparatus or vacuum generator so that pressure in the coupling chamber can be made negative to the outside when the transfer box and apparatus are coupled.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A coupling system according to claim 1, adopting:
the transfer box that has V-shaped grooves extending in three different directions on an exterior surface of the transfer box door, positioning pins on the transfer box body around the transfer box door when the transfer box door is closed on the transfer box body, and a slanted surface around the transfer box door; and
the apparatus door and apparatus body having structures to engage with the V-shaped grooves, positioning pins and slanted surface, respectively.

### Claim 5

A transfer box having a sealing structure hermetically sealable by means of tight coupling of a transfer box body and a transfer box door;
said transfer box provided with V-shaped grooves extending in three different directions on an exterior surface of the transfer box door; a seal area with the apparatus body provided around the transfer box body as well as positioning pins on the transfer box body around the transfer box door when the transfer box door is closed on the transfer box body; and a slanted surface around the transfer box door in a manner facing a slant surface provided in the transfer box body.

### Claim 6 (depends on 2)

A coupling system according to claim 2, adopting:
the transfer box that has V-shaped grooves extending in three different directions on an exterior surface of the transfer box door, positioning pins on the transfer box body around the transfer box door when the transfer box door is closed on the transfer box body, and a slanted surface around the transfer box door; and
the apparatus door and apparatus body having structures to engage with the V-shaped grooves, positioning pins and slanted surface, respectively.

### Claim 7 (depends on 3)

A coupling system according to claim 3, adopting:
the transfer box that has V-shaped grooves extending in three different directions on an exterior surface of the transfer box door, positioning pins on the transfer box body around the transfer box door when the transfer box door is closed on the transfer box body, and a slanted surface around the transfer box door; and
the apparatus door and apparatus body having structures to engage with the V-shaped grooves, positioning pins and slanted surface, respectively.