Patent ID: 7694498

Claim:
A gas filling apparatus, connected with an air feed source for introducing a gas into a storage apparatus that is used for storing a semiconductor element or a reticle, said storage apparatus having at least one first inlet port, and said gas filling apparatus comprises: at least one supporting base is provided for holding said storage apparatus; and at least a second inlet port is disposed on said supporting base corresponding said first inlet port of said storage apparatus, said storage apparatus comprises: a first base having a first through hole therein; a second base is disposed on said first base and having a second through hole therein and corresponding said first through hole of said first base; a first elastic element is disposed on said second base corresponding a contact portion of said first inlet port of said storage apparatus; a fixing element is disposed on said second base and is used to fix said first elastic element on said second base; a switch device is disposed on both of said first through hole of said first base and said second through hole of said second base, said switch device comprises: a hollow tube having a first end that is fixed on said second base, and an enlarged portion of second end is engaged with said first base to close said first through hole of said first base, at least one gap is disposed on said enlarged portion adjacent to said hollow tube; and a retractable element is disposed around the outside of said hollow tube to supply said gas that flows into said hollow tube, wherein when said storage apparatus is disposed on said supporting base, said first inlet port of said storage apparatus is contacted with said second inlet port so that said second base is moved downward to drive said switch device moved downward to separate said enlarged portion from said first base to expose said gap of said hollow tube by the weight of said storage apparatus, thereby, said gas flows into said switch device and filled into said storage apparatus; when said storage apparatus is separated from said supporting base, said second base is raised up by said retractable element to drive said enlarged portion of said hollow tube to restore to the closed position of said first through hole of said first base.