Load port

摘要

A load port is provided with a table and a plate. The table is arranged on a side of a front wall of an atmospheric transfer unit for transferring a piece of material under processing and is adapted to mount on it a container with the piece of material received in the same. The plate serves to isolate an interior of the atmospheric transfer unit from an exterior of the atmospheric transfer unit. The load port includes an exhaust duct arranged on a rear side of the plate and a fan arranged in a lower extremity of the exhaust duct. By the exhaust duct and the fan, an internal atmosphere of the atmospheric transfer unit can be exhausted into the atmosphere.

主权项

1. A method of preventing corrosion in a load port provided with a transfer chamber, the load port comprising:
a table on which a container containing a piece of material is mounted; an isolating portion vertically extending and isolating an interior of the transfer chamber from an exterior of the transfer chamber; an opening formed in the isolating portion, a robot in the transfer chamber transferring the piece of material between the container and the transfer chamber through the opening; a door that opens or closes the opening from a side of the interior of the transfer chamber; a drive unit that is arranged under the table at the exterior of the transfer chamber and moves the door for opening or closing the opening; an accommodation chamber that is arranged under the table at the exterior of the transfer chamber and accommodates the drive unit; a slot formed in the isolating portion below the opening, the slot being located between the accommodation chamber and the interior of the transfer chamber, the drive unit in the accommodation chamber being linked to the door through the slot, a cover that is fixed to the isolating portion below the opening so as to cover the slot at the side of the interior of the transfer chamber and form a space between the cover and the isolating portion, an upper end of the cover being open; and a fan arranged in a lower portion of the cover, the method comprising; starting to drive the fan; flowing gas containing corrosive gas in the interior of the transfer chamber into the space through the upper end of the space; sucking an atmosphere in the accommodation chamber into the space through the slot by driving the fan; and exhausting the gas and the atmosphere from the space by driving the fan.