WAFER ENCLOSURE SEALING ARRANGEMENT FOR WAFER CONTAINERS

摘要

A wafer container (20) comprises a housing (22) with a door frame (25), defining an opening (25) for insertion and removal of wafers, and a door (24) for insertion into the door frame (23). The door (24) includes a wafer enclosure sealing arrangement (50) for hermetically sealing the door (24) with the door frame (23) of the housing(22). The wafer enclosure sealing arrangement (50) includes a first groove (52) disposed about a perimeter of the interior surface of the door (24) and a second groove (52) disposed adjacent to the first groove and spaced laterally from the perimeter of the door (24). The sealing arrangement (50) includes a support member (53) disposed between the first and second grooves (52, 54). The sealing arrangement (50) also includes an elastomeric seal member (26) having a first portion (26.1) that is frictionally inserted into the second groove (54) and extends around the door (24) and a second portion (26.6) that cantilevers downward into the second groove (54) when the door (24) and housing (22) are joined.