Patent ID: 7523769

Claim:
A lid opening/closing system for removing, from a storage container including a main body and a lid, the lid, the main body including an opening provided in a horizontal direction and a plurality of shelves arranged in a vertical direction, on each of which an object to be stored is placed, the lid being removable from the main body and covering the opening to form an enclosed space with the main body, to open the opening for insertion and removal of the object to be stored, the system comprising: a mount base on which the storage container is placed; an opening portion located adjacent to the mount base and opposite to the opening in the horizontal direction; a door capable of holding the lid and capable of closing the opening portion, the door connecting between the opening and the opening portion by holding the lid and opening the opening portion; and a gas supply unit located above the opening portion on a side different from a side on which the mount base is placed in the opening portion, for supplying a predetermined gas to the object to be stored which is stored in the storage container in a state in which the opening and the opening portion are connected to each other, wherein the gas supply unit comprises a pipe extending substantially parallel to a purged surface of the object to be stored; and the pipe comprises a slit portion arranged to supply the predetermined gas toward the entire surface of the object to be stored in the state in which the opening and the opening portion are connected to each other; wherein the gas supply unit is supported above the opening portion to be pivotable about a shaft substantially parallel to the purged surface of the object to be stored, and the pivot motion of the gas supply unit is in response to an operation of the door.