# US 9,520,311 B2 · Processing facility > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,520,311 B2 - Document ID: US9520311B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/308,047 - Filed: 2014-06-18 - Published: 2015-01-01 - Granted: 2016-12-13 - Earliest claimed: 2013-06-26 - Assignees: Daifuku Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Daifuku Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Hiroshi Otsuka; Shinsuke Kawamura; Tadahiro Yoshimoto - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9520311B2 ## CPC - H10P 72/1924: {characterised by atmosphere control} - H10P 72/1926: {characterised by the presence of atmosphere modifying elements inside or attached to the closed carrier} - H10P 72/3404: {Storage means} - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract A processing facility is disclosed in which a container side contact surface and a support side contact surface are in contact with each other and a supply hole or a discharge hole, and a communicating hole are allowed to communicate with each other when a container is supported by a container support, and in which the container side contact surface is formed to be flat at least in a periphery of the communicating hole, and the support side contact surface is formed to have a shape that is gradually lower as a distance increases from the supply hole or the discharge hole. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A processing facility comprising: a container for holding an object to be held therein; a container support for supporting the container from below with the container positioned in a set position, the container support having a top surface; a container side connecting portion which is provided in a bottom portion of the container and which has a communicating hole capable of allowing communication between an interior space of the container and outside the container; a support side connecting portion which is provided to the container support and which has a supply hole for supplying gas to the interior space of the container or a discharge hole for discharging gas from the interior space of the container, the support side connecting portion being annular in shape with the supply hole or the discharge hole formed in a center portion thereof; and a positioning pin provided upright on the top surface of the container support for positioning the container in a proper position when placing the container on the container support, wherein a container side contact surface which is an undersurface of the container side connecting portion and a support side contact surface which is a top surface of the support side connecting portion are configured to be in contact with each other and to allow communication between the supply hole or the discharge hole and the communicating hole, when the container is supported by the container support, wherein the container side contact surface is formed to be flat at least in a periphery of the communicating hole, wherein the support side contact surface is formed to have a shape that is gradually lower as a distance increases from the supply hole or the discharge hole, wherein the support side connecting portion is formed as a solid body which is annular in shape with the supply hole or the discharge hole formed in the center portion thereof, wherein an entirety of the support side connecting portion is located directly above the top surface of the container support such that the container support supports the support side connecting portion against a force applied to the support side connecting portion by the container side connecting portion when the container is supported by the container support, and wherein an elastic sheet member is held between the support side connecting portion and the top surface of the container support, and wherein the support side connecting portion is made of material having an elastic modulus that is greater than an elastic modulus of the elastic sheet member. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The processing facility as defined in claim 1, wherein the support side contact surface is formed to have a shape that conforms to a surface of a sphere. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The processing facility as defined in claim 1, wherein a restricting member is provided in a periphery of the support side connecting portion and above the top surface of the container support, for restricting movement of the support side connecting portion in a horizontal direction and in a vertical direction to within a range defined in advance. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The processing facility as defined in claim 3, wherein: the range defined in advance is such as to allow the vertical movement of the support side connecting portion only by an amount that corresponds to an elastic deformation of the elastic member. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The processing facility as defined in claim 3, wherein the support side connecting portion includes a top portion which is circular in shape in plan view and which has the support side contact surface, a smaller diameter portion whose diameter is less than a diameter of the top portion and is greater than a diameter of the supply hole or the discharge hole, and which adjoins the top portion from below, and a leg portion whose diameter is greater than the diameter of the smaller diameter portion and which adjoins the smaller diameter portion from below, wherein the restricting member has an insert portion which is thinner than a vertical dimension of the smaller diameter portion, and wherein the insert portion is provided such that the insert portion is located at a height at which the insert portion overlaps with the smaller diameter portion in a side view, such that the insert portion overlaps with both the top portion and the leg portion in plan view, and such that the entire insert portion is located directly above the top surface. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The processing facility as defined in claim 1, wherein a surface roughness of the support side contact surface is such that an arithmetic mean roughness (Ra) is within a range of 3.2 micrometers to 6.3 micrometers. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The processing facility as defined in claim 1, wherein the support side connecting portion defines the supply hole or the discharge hole such that the support side contact surface extends from a perimeter edge of the supply hole or the discharge hole to an outer edge of the support side connecting portion and is arcuate-shaped and upward-facing from the perimeter edge to the outer edge. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The processing facility as defined in claim 1, wherein the container side connecting portion is inserted in a hole formed in a bottom of the container and is formed as a solid body which is annular in shape with the communication hole formed in a center portion thereof. ### Claim 9 A processing facility comprising: a container for holding an object to be held therein; a container support for supporting the container from below with the container positioned in a set position, the container support having a top surface; a container side connecting portion which is provided in a bottom portion of the container and which has a communicating hole capable of allowing communication between an interior space of the container and outside the container; a support side connecting portion which is provided to the container support and which has a supply hole for supplying gas to the interior space of the container or a discharge hole for discharging gas from the interior space of the container, the support side connecting portion being annular in shape with the supply hole or the discharge hole formed in a center portion thereof; and a positioning pin provided upright on the top surface of the container support for positioning the container in a proper position when placing the container on the container support; a restricting member provided in a periphery of the support side connecting portion and above the top surface of the container support, for restricting movement of the support side connecting portion in a horizontal direction and in a vertical direction to within a range defined in advance, the restricting portion including an insert portion that engages the support side connecting portion with an entirety of the insert portion being located directly above the top surface; wherein a container side contact surface which is an undersurface of the container side connecting portion and a support side contact surface which is a top surface of the support side connecting portion are configured to be in contact with each other and to allow communication between the supply hole or the discharge hole and the communicating hole, when the container is supported by the container support, wherein the container side contact surface is formed to be flat at least in a periphery of the communicating hole, wherein the support side contact surface is formed to have a shape that is gradually lower as a distance increases from the supply hole or the discharge hole, and wherein an entirety of the support side connecting portion is located directly above the top surface of the container support such that the container support supports the support side connecting portion against a force applied to the support side connecting portion by the container side connecting portion when the container is supported by the container support. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The processing facility as defined in claim 9, wherein the support side connecting portion includes a top portion which is circular in shape in plan view and which has the support side contact surface, a smaller diameter portion whose diameter is less than a diameter of the top portion and is greater than a diameter of the supply hole or the discharge hole, and which adjoins the top portion from below, and a leg portion whose diameter is greater than the diameter of the smaller diameter portion and which adjoins the smaller diameter portion from below, wherein the restricting member has an insert portion which is thinner than a vertical dimension of the smaller diameter portion, and wherein the insert portion is provided such that the insert portion is located at a height at which the insert portion overlaps with the smaller diameter portion in a side view, such that the insert portion overlaps with both the top portion and the leg portion in plan view, and such that the entire insert portion is located directly above the top surface. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The processing facility as defined in claim 9, wherein the support side connecting portion is formed as a solid body which is annular in shape with the supply hole or the discharge hole formed in a center portion thereof. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The processing facility as defined in claim 9, wherein the support side connecting portion defines the supply hole or the discharge hole such that the support side contact surface extends from a perimeter edge of the supply hole or the discharge hole to an outer edge of the support side connecting portion and is arcuate-shaped and upward-facing from the perimeter edge to the outer edge. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The processing facility as defined in claim 9, wherein the container side connecting portion is inserted in a hole formed in a bottom of the container and is formed as a solid body which is annular in shape with the communication hole formed in a center portion thereof. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The processing facility as defined in claim 9, wherein: an elastic member is held between the support side connecting portion and the top surface of the container support, and the range defined in advance is such as to allow the vertical movement of the support side connecting portion only by an amount that corresponds to an elastic deformation of the elastic member.