Patent ID: 8231005

Claim:
A container for holding reticles, the reticle having a periphery, a top surface, a bottom surface, a side surface, four peripheral corners, a top edge and a bottom edge, the container comprising: a base having a periphery, and a top upwardly facing horizontal surface with a plurality of contact elements extending upwardly, the contact elements having a rounded top surface for engaging the reticle on the bottom surface, the base further having a plurality of posts positioned to constrain the periphery of the reticle, the top surfaces of the contact elements and the plurality of posts defining a reticle seating position, the upwardly facing horizontal surface further having a sealing surface extending around the base at or proximate to the periphery of said base; a cover for engaging the top surface of the base along the base periphery, thereby defining an interior for holding the reticle, the cover having a downwardly facing horizontal planar sealing surface for cooperating with the sealing surface of the top upwardly facing horizontal surface of the base to create a seal therebetween when said respective surfaces are in contact, wherein each of the plurality of contact elements comprises a sphere, and wherein each of the spheres are press fit downwardly into a recess or hole extending downwardly from the top upwardly facing horizontal surface.