| 摘要 |
<p>Apparatus for maintaining articles, such as semiconductor wafers (82) clean. The wafers (82) or other articles to be processed are placed in a box (90) having first (1) and second (2) regions for making first and second seals. A box door (99) seals the articles into the box. The box (90) has a second region (2) for making the second seal and has a third region (3) for making a third seal. The box (90) is used to transport the wafers (82) to a port (20) in the canopy (10) of the processing equipment (15). The port (20) is adapted for receiving the box (90) and box door (99) and for transferring the box door (99) and the contents of the box (90) into a region (1) for making the first seal with the box (90). Also, the canopy (10) has a fourth region (4) surrounding the port (20) for making a fourth seal. A port door (99) is provided for closing the canopy port (20) when no box (90) is present. The port door (99) has a second seal region (2) for making the second seal with the box (90) and has a fourth region (4) for making the fourth seal with the canopy (10). A box door latch (17, 19, 27) is provided for latching the box door (10) to the box (90) whereby the second seal is made and released in the second region (2) between the box door (99) and the box (90) by operation of the box door latch (17, 19, 27). A box latch (45) is provided for latching the box (90) to the canopy (10) whereby the first seal is made or released in the first region (1) between the box (90) and the canopy (10) by the operation of the box latch (45).</p> |
