Patent ID: 7762208

Claim:
An apparatus for loading and unloading a process chamber of a coating device with at least one substrate, the apparatus comprising: a gripper attached to an automated handling unit, the gripper having two fork-like gripping arms with a gripping section, and a centering projection located between the gripping arms; a loading plate with an annular circumferential groove which can be gripped by the gripper; a supporting location formed by an edge of an opening in the loading plate associated with each substrate, for each at least one substrate; and a removal device, which interacts with the loading plate, including vertical supports associated with each opening, over which supports the loading plate can be fitted in order for the substrates to be removed from the loading plate; wherein the centering projection of the gripper and the gripping section of each fork-like gripping arm engages the annular circumferential groove of the loading plate in order to lift the loading plate.