As a substrate storing container for storing and conveying a substrate made of a semiconductor wafer, one has been known conventionally that has a configuration including a container main body and a lid body.
The container main body has a tubular wall portion in which a container main body opening portion is formed at one edge portion, and in which the other edge portion is closed. A substrate storing space is formed in the container main body. The substrate storing space is formed by being surrounded by the wall portion and can store a plurality of substrates. The lid body is removably attached to the container main body opening portion and can close the container main body opening portion.
A front retainer is provided at a portion of the lid body corresponding to a portion facing the substrate storing space when the container main body opening portion is closed. When the container main body opening portion is closed by the lid body, the front retainer can support edge portions of a plurality of substrates. In addition, a rear retainer is provided at the wall portion so as to form a pair with the front retainer. The rear retainer can support edge portions of a plurality of substrates. When the container main body opening portion is closed by the lid body, the rear retainer holds a plurality of substrates in a state in which adjacent substrates are arranged in parallel to be spaced by a predetermined interval by supporting the plurality of substrates in cooperation with the front retainer. The rear retainer has a plurality of grooves recessed in a direction away from the substrate storing space (for example, see Patent Document 1). In addition, there is a known configuration in which a portion of the rear retainer forming the grooves is elastically deformable, and a portion of the rear retainer supporting rear ends of the substrates is not elastically deformable (see Patent Document 2).
In the conventional substrate storing container described in the above publication, when the container main body opening portion is closed by the lid body and the substrates stored in the substrate storing space are conveyed, ends of the substrates abut on the rear retainer at all times. For this reason, particles are likely to be generated between the substrates and the rear retainer. When the substrate storing container receives an impact during conveyance of the substrates by the substrate storing container, the ends of the substrates slide against the rear retainer and particles are more likely to be generated.
Therefore, there is a known substrate storing container in which the ends of the substrates are not in contact and generation of particles is suppressed when the substrate storing container does not receive an impact during conveyance of the substrates by the substrate storing container and a wafer protective groove is included to protect the substrates when the substrate storing container receives an impact (see Patent Document 3).    Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 4338617    Patent Document 2: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, Publication No. 2005-5525    Patent Document 3: PCT International Publication No. WO2013/025629
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