Storage apparatus for storing cassettes for substrates and processing apparatus equipped therewith

A storage apparatus to store cassettes for substrates comprising:

• a moveable base plate constructed and arranged to hold cassettes;
• a bar provided on the moveable base plate to position a cassette;
• a movable element coupled to the bar and positioned to be contacted and moveable by the cassette when said cassette is present in the correct orientation on said base plate;
• an indicator moveable by the moveable element and indicating that said cassette is present in said correct orientation;
• an outer wall provided with an opening to receive and remove cassettes from the base plate;
• and,
• a moving device constructed and arranged to move the base plate with respect to the opening, wherein the storage apparatus is provided with a stationary sensor near the opening to detect at least one of a presence and a correct orientation of the cassettes on the base plate at the opening,
• wherein the sensor detects the presence and the correct orientation of the cassettes on the base plate,
• wherein the indicator indicates the presence and correct orientation of the cassette on the base plate to the sensor,
• wherein said bar is provided with a hole therein,
• wherein said hole opens in a first direction and said movable element comprises a pin to cooperate with the cassette and moveably configured in said hole,
• wherein said moveable element moves in a first direction,
• wherein the hole opens in the first direction and the pin moves within the hole in the first direction,
• wherein the movable element comprises a pivotable arm and the bar is provided with a pivot to pivotably mount said pivotable arm to the base plate,
• wherein the pivotable arm comprises the indicator, said indicator is configured to move upon pivoting of said arm indicating that said cassette is in said correct orientation,
• wherein the baseplate has a horizontal plane for receiving the cassettes and the apparatus is constructed and arranged with the baseplate that is configured to move in a horizontal direction, and
• wherein the pivotable arm is configured to move in the horizontal plane.