Horizontal substrate container with integral corner spring for substrate containment

A substrate container, comprising:

• a plurality of substrate supports adapted to receive substrates in a substrate stack within the container;
• first and second case portions defining outer structure of the container and enclosing the substrate supports;
• and
• a latching mechanism adapted to latch the first and second case portions with respect to each other and secure the substrate stack within the container, the latching mechanism including a deflectable tab secured to and disposed at a radially outward position of the first case portion, the latching mechanism including a latching member secured to and disposed at a radially outward portion of the second case portion,
• wherein the deflectable tab defines an opening therein, the opening adapted to receive the latching member to latch the first and second case portions together, and
• wherein the deflectable tab is biased against the latching member to apply compressive force against the substrate stack through one of the case portions such that substrate stack is held fast within the first and second case portions.

A container for substrates in combination with a substrate stack, the container comprising:

• a base having a perimeter and a side wall extending upwardly inside the perimeter and defining a storage pocket containing the substrate stack inside the side wall, the base including a pair of resilient latching members positioned between the perimeter and the side wall, each latching member having an upright portion with a hook portion having a downwardly facing engagement surface;
• and
• a cover having a perimeter and a side wall extending downwardly inside the perimeter, the cover being disposable on the base to enclose the storage pocket, the cover including deflectable flanges defining a pair of latching apertures;
• the flanges each defining a surface adapted to receive a respective downwardly facing engagement surface adjacent to the latching aperture, the latching apertures positioned between the perimeter of the cover and the side wall of the cover and corresponding to the pair of latching members, whereby when the pair of latching members are engaged with the cover at the pair of apertures, the cover is latched with respect to the base,
• wherein the substrate stack includes a plurality of substrates and a plurality of substrate supports.

A combination of a container for substrates and a plurality of substrates, the combination comprising:

• a container base;
• a container cover;
• a plurality of substrate supports disposed within the container;
• a plurality of substrates disposed substantially concentrically within the container on the substrate supports;
• a fastening mechanism adapted to secure the base and cover together and secure the plurality of substrates within the container, the fastening mechanism including a bendable flange coupled with the cover and bendable with respect to the cover, the bendable flange defining an aperture, the fastening mechanism including a biased fastening member connected to the base, the biased fastening member being constructed to extend through the aperture and spring into a fastening position within the aperture to fasten the cover with respect to the base, the biased fastening member defining first and second engagement surfaces adapted to contact opposite sides of the bendable flange adjacent the aperture and limit bending of the bendable flange in opposite directions.