Substrate container valve assemblies

Abstract

A substrate container includes a container portion having an open side or bottom, and a door to sealingly close the open side or bottom, one of the door and the container portion defining access structure. The substrate container additionally includes a check-valve assembly, the check-valve assembly being retained with respect to the access structure to provide fluid communication with an interior of the substrate container. The check-valve assembly includes a grommet, the grommet being formed of an elastomeric material. A valve seat is disposed within the grommet, the valve seat being integrally formed with the grommet according to one aspect, and being formed of a separate piece according to another aspect. An elastomeric valve member, specifically an elastomeric umbrella valve member according to one aspect, is disposed within the grommet and held to engage the valve seat, thereby restricting fluid flow through the check-valve assembly with respect to the interior of the substrate container.

1 . A substrate container, comprising:
 a container portion having an open side or bottom;   a door to sealingly close the open side or bottom, one of the door and the container portion defining access structure;   a plurality of wafer shelves for holding the wafers, the shelves positioned on one of the door and container portion;   a two-piece check-valve assembly, the check-valve assembly being retained with respect to the access structure to provide fluid communication with an interior of the substrate container; the check-valve assembly comprising:
 a grommet, the grommet formed of an elastomeric mated 
 an elastomeric valve seat disposed within the grommet, the elastomeric valve seat being integrally formed with the grommet; and 
 an elastomeric valve member disposed within the grommet, the elastomeric valve member being engagable with the elastomeric valve seat to restrict fluid flow through the check-valve assembly with respect to the interior of the substrate container, and the elastomeric valve member being disengagable from the elastomeric valve seat to allow fluid flow through the check-valve assembly with respect to the interior of the substrate container. 
   
     
     
         2 . The substrate container of  claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric valve comprises an umbrella valve member, the umbrella valve member disposed to sealingly engage with the valve seat within the grommet to restrict fluid flow through the check-valve assembly. 
     
     
         3 . The substrate container of  claim 1 , wherein the grommet is a purge grommet constructed to sealingly connect to a purge nozzle for introducing fluid to or withdrawing fluid from the interior of the substrate container. 
     
     
         4 . The substrate container of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a purge body housing adapted to sealingly receive the grommet and to sealingly connect to the substrate container; and   a filter disposed between the purge grommet and an interior surface of the purge body housing.   
     
     
         5 . The substrate container of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the valve seat is a first valve seat, the grommet further comprising a second valve seat disposed within the grommet opposite the first valve seat, the second valve seat being integrally formed with the grommet;   wherein the grommet is constructed to retain the elastomeric valve member in a first position, in which the elastomeric valve member engages and disengages the first valve seat to allow fluid flow only in one direction through the check-valve assembly with respect to the interior of the substrate container;   further wherein the grommet is constructed to retain the elastomeric valve member in a second position, in which the elastomeric valve member engages and disengages the second valve seat to allow fluid flow only in a second direction, opposite to the first direction, through the check-valve assembly with respect to the interior of the substrate container.   
     
     
         6 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . A substrate container, comprising:
 access structure for fluid communication with an interior of the substrate container; a plurality of substantially horizontal spaced apart substrate shelves within the interior of the container;   an elastomeric, substantially cylindrical interface readily removably coupled with the access structure;   a housing received within the interface, the housing defining at least one valve seat; and   an elastomeric disk shaped check valve member secured within the housing to control fluid flow through the interface by engaging the at least one valve seat;   wherein the housing is formed of a substantially rigid material to protect the elastomeric umbrella check valve member from damage.   
     
     
         12 . The substrate container of  claim 11 , wherein the housing defines a first valve seat and a second valve seat, the housing being constructed to secure the elastomeric disk shaped valve member in a first position to selectively engage the first valve seat and allow fluid flow only in a first direction; the housing further being constructed to secure the elastomeric valve member in a second position to selectively engage the second valve seat and allow fluid flow only in a second direction, opposite to the first direction. 
     
     
         13 . The substrate container of  claim 11 , wherein the housing is formed of a substantially rigid material and press-fit into the interface. 
     
     
         14 . The substrate container of  claim 13 , wherein the interface is a purge grommet interface and the elastomeric disk shaped valve member is an umbrella valve member. 
     
     
         15 . A substrate container, comprising:
 a container portion having a container wall defining a container interior, the container portion further having a plurality of substantially horizontal spaced apart substrate shelves disposed within the interior;   at least one substantially tubular environmental control component for directing fluid flow into the container interior;   a check-valve assembly disposed within the control component, adapted to allow fluid flow into the substrate container through the control component, the check-valve member assembly comprising:
 a substantially cylindrical valve seat portion; and 
 an elastomeric umbrella check valve member held within the valve seat portion to substantially disallow fluid flow out of the container through the control component; and 
   an elastomeric interface stacked with the check-valve assembly, an end of the elastomeric interface being sealingly engaged with an end of the check-valve assembly, and an outer circumference of the elastomeric interface being sealingly connected to the control component.   
     
     
         16 . The substrate container of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 a filter component stacked with the check-valve assembly, the filter component being sealingly engaged with and disposed at another end of the check-valve assembly opposite to the elastomeric interface.   
     
     
         17 . The substrate container of  claim 16 , wherein the filter component abuts against a stop disposed within the control component, to prevent over-insertion within the control component. 
     
     
         18 . The substrate container of  claim 15 , wherein the valve seat portion is in the shape of a cylindrical disk and defines a circumferential groove; further wherein the substrate container comprises an O-ring disposed within the groove to sealingly connect the check-valve assembly to the control component. 
     
     
         19 . The substrate container of  claim 15 , wherein the valve seat portion is formed of a substantially rigid material. 
     
     
         20 . A substrate container, comprising:
 an external container portion defining a container interior;   a plurality of substantially horizontal spaced apart substrate shelves within the container interior;   at least one port defined in the external container portion, the port adapted to fluidly communicate with the container interior; and   a purge module operably coupled with the at least one port and adapted to allow and disallow fluid communication with the container interior, the purge module comprising:
 a valve body housing, the valve body housing defining a first valve seat and a second valve seat; and 
 air elastomeric umbrella check valve member held within the valve body housing, the valve body housing being constructed to hold the elastomeric umbrella check valve member in a first position to engage and disengage the first valve seat to allow fluid flow only into the container interior; the valve body housing being constructed to hold the elastomeric umbrella check valve member in a second position to engage and disengage the second valve seat to allow fluid flow only out of the container interior. 
   
     
     
         21 . The substrate container of  claim 20 , wherein the valve body housing is substantially rigid and defines a central bore, the elastomeric umbrella check valve member being press-fit into the central bore from one end thereof to engage and disengage the first valve seat; the elastomeric umbrella check valve member being press-fit into the central bore from an opposite end thereof to engage and disengage the second valve seat. 
     
     
         22 - 28 . (Canceled)