Patent ID: 7731470
Filing Date: 2010-06-08
Classification: G03F,H01L,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A clean stocker for storing and retrieving an article placed in a container from a storage and retrieval port, the clean stocker comprising: a container opening and closing device for placing the article into, and taking the article out of the container; an article storage rack, said article storage rack being disposed on an upper side of said container opening and closing device, said article storage rack being circular and having a center in top plan view; a container storage rack, said container storage rack being disposed on a lower side of said container opening and closing device; a container transportation device for transporting the container among said container opening and closing device, said storage and retrieval port, and said container storage rack; and an article transportation device for transporting the article between said container opening and closing device and said article storage rack, wherein said article storage rack and said container storage rack vertically overlap each other in plan view, wherein a down flow of a clean gas is provided in the clean stocker, wherein said container opening and closing device is located in the vicinity of a periphery of said article storage rack, wherein said article transportation device and said container transportation device are located along a perpendicular line substantially perpendicular to a radial line connecting the center of said article storage rack and said container opening and closing device, and wherein said article transportation device and said container transportation device are located on opposite sides of said container opening and closing device along the perpendicular line such that said article transportation device and said container transportation device face each other in top plan view.