Patent ID: 7665787

Claim:
A thin plate supporting container clamping device for fixing a thin plate supporting container when the thin plate supporting container in which thin plates are stored therein for transportation is placed on a loading port at a destination thereof for unloading and loading the thin plates automatically, comprising: a hook member for engaging with a retaining portion of the thin plate supporting container and supporting the entire thin plate supporting container; a drive unit which supports the hook member so as to be movable in the vertical direction and supports the thin plate supporting container by retracting the hook member while engaging the retaining portion of the thin plate supporting container; a position measuring sensor for measuring a vertical position of the thin plates in the thin plate supporting container; and a control means for controlling the drive unit to exert a retraction force on the hook member to retract the hook member with a first force while the hook member is engaged with the retaining portion, when mounting and dismounting a lid member of the thin plate supporting container, and for reducing the retraction force to a second force, while the hook member is engaged with the retaining portion, when unloading and loading the thin plates, wherein the second force is less than the first force, wherein the control unit adjusts the second force to retract the hook member in accordance with a value for the measured vertical position of the thin plates received from the position measuring sensor.