Delivery system with an access point and a method of accessing an access point of the delivery system

Abstract

An automated storage and retrieval system includes a storage grid for storage of storage containers and a delivery system for transport of said storage containers between a delivery port of the storage grid and an access point of the delivery system. The access point is adapted for handling of items held in the storage containers by a robotic operator or human operator. The delivery system includes a delivery rail system including at least a first set of parallel rails arranged in a horizontal plane (P1) and extending in a first direction (X), and at least a second set of parallel rails arranged in the horizontal plane (P1) and extending in a second direction (Y) which is orthogonal to the first direction (X), the first and second sets of rails together defining a delivery grid of delivery grid cells, the access point, and a remotely operated delivery vehicle comprising a motorized vehicle body and a container carrier provided above the motorized vehicle body for carrying a storage container of the storage containers. The delivery vehicle is moveable on the delivery grid of the delivery rail system. The delivery grid provides one or more delivery grid cells for the remotely operated delivery vehicle at the access point as well as a plurality of delivery grid cells adjacent the one or more delivery grid cells of the access point, such that there is more than one path to and/or from the access point for the remotely operated delivery vehicle via the plurality of delivery grid cells. The remotely operated delivery vehicle is arranged to transport the storage container from the delivery port of the storage grid across the delivery grid to the access point and return the storage container to the delivery port for storage within the storage grid. The access point is provided in a container accessing station, said station being arranged for separating the robotic or human operator from the delivery rail system and the remotely operated delivery vehicle. The container accessing station comprises a cabinet comprising walls and a top cover supported thereon, wherein the items held in the storage container carried by a remotely operated delivery vehicle at the access point is reachable through an opening in the top cover.

Claims

1. An automated storage and retrieval system comprising: a storage grid for storing a plurality of storage containers; and a delivery system for transporting said plurality of storage containers between a delivery port of the storage grid and an access point of the delivery system, the access point being adapted for handling items held in the storage containers by a robotic operator or human operator; wherein the delivery system comprises: a delivery rail system comprising at least a first set of parallel rails arranged in a horizontal plane (P1) and extending in a first direction (X) and at least a second set of parallel rails arranged in the horizontal plane (P1) and extending in a second direction (Y) which is orthogonal to the first direction (X), the first and second sets of parallel rails together defining a delivery grid of delivery grid cells; the access point; and a remotely operated delivery vehicle comprising a motorized vehicle body and a container carrier provided above the motorized vehicle body for carrying a storage container of the plurality of storage containers; wherein the remotely operated delivery vehicle is moveable on the delivery grid of the delivery rail system; wherein the delivery grid provides one or more delivery grid cells for the remotely operated delivery vehicle at the access point as well as a plurality of delivery grid cells adjacent the one or more delivery grid cells of the access point, such that there is more than one path to and from the access point for the remotely operated delivery vehicle via the plurality of delivery grid cells; wherein the remotely operated delivery vehicle is arranged to transport the storage container from the delivery port of the storage grid across the delivery grid to the access point and return the storage container to the delivery port for storage within the storage grid; wherein the access point is provided in a container accessing station, said station being arranged for separating the robotic operator or human operator from the delivery rail system and the remotely operated delivery vehicle; and wherein the container accessing station comprises a cabinet comprising a plurality of walls and a top cover supported thereon, wherein the items held in the storage container carried by the remotely operated delivery vehicle at the access point is reachable through an opening in the top cover.

2. The automated storage and retrieval system according to claim 1, wherein the delivery grid extends to or into the container accessing station.

3. The automated storage and retrieval system according to claim 1, wherein the delivery rail system provides a delivery grid comprising three or more adjacent rows of delivery grid cells extending to or into the container accessing station.

4. The automated storage and retrieval system according to claim 1, wherein the delivery rail system ROOM comprises at least one transfer zone for temporarily storing storage containers on delivery vehicles, when in transit between the delivery port of the storage grid and the container accessing station.

5. The automated storage and retrieval system according to claim 1, wherein the delivery vehicle comprises: a first set of wheels, arranged at opposite portions of the motorized vehicle body, for moving the remotely operated delivery vehicle along a first direction (X) on the delivery rail system; and a second set of wheels, arranged at opposite portions of the motorized vehicle body, for moving the remotely operated delivery vehicle along a second direction (Y) on the delivery rail system, the second direction (Y) being perpendicular to the first direction (X), and a power source configured to provide propulsion power, wherein the remotely operated delivery vehicle is arranged for self-propelled operation on the delivery rail system to the container accessing station.

6. The automated storage and retrieval system according to claim 1, wherein the container carrier of the remotely operated delivery vehicle can be maneuvered into a tilted position relative to the vehicle body at the container accessing station.

7. A method of operating a remotely operated delivery vehicle into and out of an access point of a delivery rail system, the access point being a location on the delivery rail system for a robotic or human operator to access an item held in a storage container that has been delivered to the access point, wherein the delivery system comprises: a delivery rail system comprising at least a first set of parallel rails arranged in a horizontal plane (P1) and extending in a first direction (X), and at feast a second set of parallel rails arranged in the horizontal plane (P1) and extending in a second direction (Y) which is orthogonal to the first direction (X), the first and second sets of rails together defining a delivery grid of delivery grid cells, the access point, a remotely operated delivery vehicle comprising a motorized vehicle body and a container carrier provided above the motorized vehicle body and adapted to carry the storage container, and wherein the delivery vehicle is moveable on the delivery grid of the delivery rail system, wherein the delivery grid provides one or more delivery grid cells for the remotely operated delivery vehicle at the access point as well as a plurality of delivery grid cells adjacent the delivery grid cells of the access point, such that there is more than one path to and/or from the access point for the remotely operated delivery vehicle via the plurality of delivery grid cells, wherein the access point is provided in a container accessing station said station being arranged for separating the robotic or human operator from the delivery rail system and the remotely operated delivery vehicle, wherein the container accessing station comprises a cabinet comprising walls and a top cover supported thereon, wherein the items held in the storage container carried by a remotely operated delivery vehicle at the access point is reachable through an opening in the top cover, and wherein the method comprises: a) operating the delivery vehicle to direct the delivery vehicle to one of the plurality of delivery grid cells adjacent the one or more delivery grid cells of the access point, b) operating the delivery vehicle to enter the delivery grid cell of the one or more grid cells at the access point from one of the plurality of delivery grid cells adjacent the one or more delivery grid cells of the access point, c) allowing the robotic or human operator access to the item held in the storage container at the access point, d) operating the delivery vehicle to exit the one or more delivery grid cells of the access point to one of the plurality of delivery grid cells adjacent the one or more delivery grid cells of the access point.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the delivery grid extends to or into the container accessing station.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Following drawings are appended to facilitate the understanding of the invention.

(2) FIGS. 1 A-1 D and 2 A-2 C are perspectives view of a prior art automated storage and retrieval system, where FIGS. 1 A-1 C and FIG. 2A show the complete system and FIGS. 1 B-1 D and FIG. 2 B show examples of system operable prior art container handling vehicles, and where FIG. 2 C shows typical width and length intervals of each grief cell.

(3) FIG. 3 A-C is a side view of a remotely operated delivery vehicle according to an embodiment of the invention.

(4) FIGS. 4 A-C is a perspective view of a remotely operated delivery vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(5) FIG. 5 A-B is a perspective view of a remotely operated delivery vehicle of FIG. 4 A, from the underside.

(6) FIG. 6 A-B is a perspective view of another automated storage and retrieval grid and a delivery system according to an embodiment of this the present invention.

(7) FIG. 7. A-B is a perspective view of a set of exemplary container accessing stations.

(8) FIG. 8 A-B is a perspective view of another exemplary automated storage and retrieval grid and delivery system comprising a container accessing station.

(9) FIG. 9 A-B is a perspective view of another exemplary automated storage and retrieval grid and delivery system comprising a container accessing station.

(10) FIG. 10 is a top view of another exemplary automated storage and retrieval grid and a delivery system according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(11) In the following, embodiments of the invention will be discussed in more detail with reference to the appended drawings. It should be understood, however, that the drawings are not intended to limit the invention to the subject-matter depicted in the drawings. Furthermore, even if some of the features are described in relation to the system only, it is apparent that they are valid for the delivery vehicles and related methods as well, and vice versa. Hence, any features described in relation to the delivery vehicle only, and/or related methods, are also valid for the system.

(12) In the following, embodiments of the invention will be discussed in more detail with reference to the appended drawings. It should be understood, however, that the drawings are not intended to limit the invention to the subject-matter depicted in the drawings. Furthermore, even if some of the features are described in relation to the system only, it is apparent that they are valid for the delivery vehicles and related methods as well, and vice versa. Hence, any features described in relation to the delivery vehicle only, and/or related methods, are also valid for the system.

(13) With reference to FIGS. 1A-D the storage grid 104 of each storage structure 1 constitutes a framework 100 of in total 143 grid columns 112, where the width and length of the framework corresponds to the width and length of 13 and 11 grid columns 112, respectively. The top layer of the framework 100 is a rail system 108 onto which a plurality of container handling vehicles 200,300 are operated.

(14) The framework 100 of the storage system 1 is constructed in accordance with the above mentioned prior art framework 100 described above, i.e. a plurality of upright members 102 and a plurality of horizontal members 103 which are supported by the upright members 102, and further that the horizontal members 103 includes the rail system 108 of parallel rails 110,111 in the X direction and the Y direction, respectively, arranged across the top of storage columns 105. The horizontal area of a single grid cell 122, i.e. along the X and Y directions, may be defined by the distance between adjacent rails 110 and 111, respectively (see also FIGS. 3 and 4). In FIGS. 1A and 1C, such a grid cell 122 is marked on the rail system 108 by thick lines.

(15) The rail system 108 allows the container handling vehicles 200,300 to move horizontally between different grid locations, where each grid location is associated with a grid cell 122.

(16) In FIGS. 1A and 1C the storage grid 104 is shown with a height of eight cells. It is understood, however, that the storage grid 104 can in principle be of any size. In particular it is understood that storage grid 104 can be considerably wider and/or longer than disclosed in FIGS. 1A and 1C. For example, the grid 104 may have a horizontal extent of more than 700700 grid cells 122. Also, the grid 104 can be considerably deeper than disclosed in FIGS. 1A and 1C. For example, the storage grid 104 may be more than twelve grid cells deep.

(17) The storage container vehicles 200,300 may be of any type known in the art, e.g. any one of the automated container handling vehicles disclosed in WO2014/090684 A1, in NO317366 or in WO2015/193278A1.

(18) The rail system 108 may be a single rail system, as is shown in FIG. 2A. Alternatively, the rail system 108 may be a double rail system, as is shown in FIG. 2B. Details of the single and double rail system are disclosed this specification under the section of background and prior art.

(19) FIG. 3 A-C shows an embodiment of a remotely operated delivery vehicle 30 according to the present invention, hereinafter referred to as a delivery vehicle 30.

(20) The delivery vehicle 30 is configured for transport of a storage container 106 (not shown) between an automated storage and retrieval grid 104 (see FIGS. 7 A and B) configured to store a plurality of stacks 107 of storage containers 106, hereinafter referred to as a storage grid 104, and a access point 161 provided in a container accessing station 160 for handling of the storage container 106 by at least one of a robotic operator and human operator.

(21) Said delivery vehicle 30 comprises; a vehicle body 31, a rolling device 32a, 32b connected to the vehicle body 31, a rolling device motor for driving the rolling device 32a, 32b in a horizontal plane (P), and a power source 43 connected to the rolling device motor 33. The power source 43 should provide sufficient power to the rolling device motor (not shown) to propel the rolling device 32a, 32b over a set route from the storage grid 104, for example to an access point 65.

(22) The delivery vehicle 30 may further comprise a container carrier 35 mounted above the vehicle body 31. The container carrier 35 should be configured to receive the storage container 106 onto or within the container carrier 35 such that the storage container 106 is prevented to slide along the horizontal plane (P1).

(23) The container carrier 35 may comprise a container supporting device supporting the storage container 106 from below.

(24) In FIG. 3 A-B the container carrier 35 is disclosed in the form of a storage container receiving compartment having a bottom/base and side walls. The volume of the compartment is in this exemplary configuration such that it may receive and contain the entire horizontal extent of the storage container and at least a part of the vertical extent of the storage container. FIGS. 3 A-C shows examples of container carriers 35 containing an entire storage container 106 and FIG. 4 A-B shows an alternative container carrier 35 containing a part of the storage container 106.

(25) The particular configuration of the container carrier 35 disclosed in 3 A-C allows the delivery vehicle 30 to transport of a storage container 106 having different heights.

(26) Note that the size of the compartment within the container carrier 35 may easily be adapted for receiving and supporting a multiple number of storage containers 106 in one operation.

(27) FIGS. 3 B and 3 C shows a particular configuration of the delivery vehicle 30, where the container carrier 35 may be set in a tilted position relative to the vehicle body 31 and the horizontal plane (P1). The container carrier 35 may be tilted by means of a dedicated displacement device. The tilting may be around a pivot axis directed in the principal moving direction of the delivery vehicle 30. If the delivery vehicle 30 is moving on perpendicular rails (see below), these principal directions would be in either the X direction or the Y direction.

(28) The tilting of the displacement device may for example be obtained by a lifting arm 45 coupled to the vehicle body 31 and the container carrier 35. Further, the lifting arm 45 may be driven by a dedicated tilt motor 42 or the rolling device motor or both.

(29) The displacement device is in FIGS. 3 B and C shown with an L-shaped lifting arm 45 connected at one side to the vehicle body 31 and the opposite side connected to a structure fixed to the container carrier 35. The latter end of the arm 45 may be also be connected directly to the container carrier 35.

(30) The tilt motor 42 is seen arranged fully inside the vehicle body 31 and is connected to the lifting arm 45, directly or indirectly, for moving the lifting arm 45 between a lower position in which the container carrier 35 is not tilted relative to the horizontal plane (P) and an upper position in which the container carrier 35 is tilted relative to the horizontal plane (P). Note that the horizontal plane (P) may be defined as the plane set up by the particular configurations of the wheels 32a,32b of the rolling device 32.

(31) FIGS. 3 A-C and 4 A-C shows perspective views of the delivery vehicle 30. The rolling device 32 comprises in this exemplary configuration: a first set of wheels 32a arranged at opposite portions of a vertical centre plane through the vehicle body 31 for moving delivery vehicle 30 along a first direction, for example along an X-direction on a delivery rail system; and a second set of wheels 32b arranged at opposite portions of a vertical centre plane through the vehicle body 31 for moving the delivery vehicle 30 along a second direction, for example along a Y-direction on the delivery rail system perpendicular to the first direction X.

(32) FIG. 4 C shows yet another exemplary configuration of the remotely operated delivery vehicle 30. In this configuration the container carrier 35 comprises a base plate, a conveyor arranged on the base plate and two side walls protruding upwards from the base plate. The rolling device 32 and the vehicle body 31 are equal or similar to the rolling device 32 and the vehicle body 31 described above in connection with FIGS. 3-5.

(33) The conveyor may be set up by inter alia a plurality of parallel oriented rolls 36 having a common longitudinal direction perpendicular to the two side walls. In this way the rolls 36 allow one or more storage containers 106 to be shifted into or off the container carrier 35 while being guided by the side walls. The conveyor may be connected to a conveyor motor allowing rotation of one or more of the rolls.

(34) FIGS. 5 A and B shows the delivery vehicle 30 from below. As clearly seen in FIG. 5 A the vehicle body 31 of the delivery vehicle 30 comprises an internal component receiving recess or compartment for containing components such as one or more dedicated tilt motors 42, one or more track shift motors 41, one or more power storage sources such as a battery 43 and one or more control cards such as CPU and/or Power PCB 44. The above-mentioned components are thus located within the vehicle body 31, below the container carrier 35.

(35) The storage container receiving compartment of the container carrier 35 has in this particular configuration a rectangular bottom plate or base plate with vertical side walls. The vertical side walls can be of any height as long as they ensure that the storage container 106 is restricted to move along the base plate of the container carrier.

(36) For example, the size of the compartment 35 may correspond to the size of a storage container 106, thereby fully containing the storage container 106.

(37) In case of a container carrier 35 being configured to support a multiple number of storage containers 106, the size of the vertical walls may in one example be the height of each storage container 106 and the size of the base plate may be the sum of the cross-sectional area of all storage containers 106 measured relative to their outer lateral extremities.

(38) FIG. 5 B shows the delivery vehicle 30 as described above with the vehicle body 31 and the rolling device 32 of eight wheels 32a,32b. As for the delivery vehicle shown in FIGS. 3-5, the first set of four wheels 32a enable lateral or horizontal movement of the delivery vehicle 30 in a first direction and the second set of the remaining four wheels 32b enable the lateral or horizontal movement in the second direction which may be perpendicular to the first direction.

(39) If used on a delivery rail system 50 one or both sets of wheels 32a,32b of the rolling device 32 should be lifted and lowered so that the first set of wheels 32a and/or the second set of wheels 32b can be engaged with the respective set of rails provided on the delivery rail system 50 any one time.

(40) Perspective views of an automated storage and retrieval system is shown in FIG. 6-9. The system comprises a storage grid 104 and a delivery system 140 comprising a delivery rail system 50, a plurality of delivery vehicles 30 and an access point 65 provided in a container accessing station 60.

(41) The storage grid 104 is equal or similar to the prior art storage grid 104 as described above, i.e. a storage grid 104 comprising a rail system 108; a plurality of stacks 107 of storage containers 106, a plurality of container handling vehicles 300 for lifting and moving storage containers 106 stacked in the stacks 107 and a delivery column 119,120 configured to receive a storage container 106 from a container handling vehicle 300.

(42) The rail system 108 comprises a first set of parallel tracks 110 arranged in a horizontal plane (P) and extending in a first direction (X) and a second set of parallel tracks 111 arranged in the horizontal plane (P) and extending in a second direction (Y) which is orthogonal to the first direction (X). The first and second sets of tracks 110, 111 form a grid pattern in the horizontal plane (P) comprising a plurality of adjacent grid cells 122. Each grid cell 122 displays a grid opening defined by a pair of neighboring rails of the first set of rails 110 and a pair of neighboring rails of the second set of rails 111

(43) The plurality of stacks 107 are arranged in storage columns 105 located beneath the rail system 108, wherein each storage column 105 is located vertically below a grid cell 122.

(44) Each container handling vehicle 200,300 is configured to move on the rail system 108 above the storage columns 105.

(45) The delivery system 140 comprises one or more of the delivery vehicles 30 as described above, i.e. delivery vehicles 30 configured to receive and support storage container 106 for transport between one or more delivery columns 119,120 and one or more container handling stations 160 located outside the storage grid 104. The container handling station 160 may be located any predetermined position suitable for handling containers.

(46) The delivery system 140 may further comprise a delivery rail system 50 situated below a delivery port 150 of the one or more delivery columns 119,120.

(47) As shown in FIG. 6 A-B, the delivery rail system 50 may be constructed in the same way or a similar way as the rail system 108 for the container handling vehicles 200,300. The delivery rail 50 extends at least from the delivery port 150 of one or more delivery columns 119,120, and into the at least one container accessing station 60 and further to the access point 65, such that each delivery vehicle 30 can move into the at least one container accessing station 60 and towards the access point 65 of the container accessing station 60 where items held in the storage container 106 may be accessed.

(48) The container accessing station may comprise a cabinet 60 comprising walls and a top cover supported thereon. The items held in the storage containers 106 carried by the delivery vehicle 30 at the access point 65 is reachable trough an opening 63 in the top cover.

(49) The cabinet 60 is arranged adjoining the storage grid 104, where the delivery rail system 50 extends from below the delivery ports 150 and to or into an internal volume of the cabinet 60.

(50) The delivery rail system may be a single rail system or a double rail system, or a combination of the two.

(51) The delivery rail system 50 may comprise at least a first set of parallel rails arranged in a horizontal plane (P1) and extending in a first direction (X), and at least a second set of parallel tracks arranged in the horizontal plane (P) and extending in a second direction (Y) which is orthogonal to the first direction (X), the first and second sets of rails together defining a delivery grid 51 of delivery grid cells 52.

(52) The delivery rail system 50 may be fully or partly integrated into the storage grid 104. FIGS. 6 A and 6 B shows the delivery rail system 50 partly integrated into the storage grid, where the part of the delivery rail system 50 located outside the storage grid are covered by the cabinet 61. The cabinet 61 may be provided with six grid cells located in the internal volume the cabinet 61. The delivery grid 51 provides one or more delivery grid cells 52 for the remotely operated delivery vehicle 30 at the access point 65 as well as a plurality of delivery grid cells 52 adjacent the one or more delivery grid cells 52 of the access point 65, such that there is more than one path to and/or from the access point 65 for the remotely operated delivery vehicle 30 via the plurality of delivery grid cells 52.

(53) The access point 65 is related to a dedicated location in the container accessing station 60 where product items are removed from, or positioned into, the storage containers 106.

(54) The cabinet may comprise walls and a top cover supported thereon. The items held in the storage containers 106 carried by the delivery vehicle 30 at the access point 65 may be is reachable through an opening 63 in the top cover.

(55) The delivery rail system 50 extends between a location vertically below the delivery port 150 to or into the container accessing station 60, and the remotely operated delivery vehicle 30 is arranged for transport of storage containers between the delivery port 150 and the access point 65 of the container handling station 60.

(56) FIG. 6 B show the delivery system of FIG. 6 A without the storage grid 104.

(57) The container accessing station 60 may be located on a ground floor level as shown in FIGS. 6 A and 6B, such that the storage containers 106 are accessible to human and/or robotic operators at the access point 65.

(58) The delivery ports 150 may be arranged on a mezzanine level 151 of the storage grid 104, such that the delivery vehicle may operate on the delivery rail 50 provided below the mezzanine level 151 for delivering or receiving storage containers 106 to/from the delivery port 150. The mezzanine 155 is thus adapted to the overall height of the storage container 106 when positioned on the delivery vehicle 30, and the delivery rail system 50.

(59) Further, the extent of the mezzanine 155 in a horizontal plane, depends on the total numbers of delivery columns arranged in the storage grid. Thus, the number of delivery columns 119, 120 and the extent of the mezzanine 155 in the X and Y direction may be customized according to the size of the storage system and the desired efficiency of the system.

(60) The container accessing station 160 may further be defined as any means for protecting the human operator from components of the delivery system (rails and delivery vehicles) and for allowing easy handling of the storage container 106 and its contents. In other words, it provides a barrier between the human operator components of the delivery system.

(61) It may be considered advantageous for ensuring an effective operation that the delivery rail system 50 has a horizontal extent that cover a delivery port 150 below at least one of the delivery columns 119,120 and extends to the outside of the storage grid 104. This inventive configuration shown in FIGS. 7 A and 7 B allows a plurality of delivery vehicles 30 to operate on the delivery rail system 50, while avoiding congestion of storage containers around the delivery column 150.

(62) FIGS. 7 and 8 shows three container accessing stations 60, each comprising a cabinet 60 comprising walls and a top cover supported thereon, wherein the items held in the storage container 106 carried by a remotely operated delivery vehicle 30 at the access point 65 is reachable through the opening 63 in the top cover.

(63) The opening 63 in the top cover is located directly over the delivery grid cell 52 defining the access point 65.

(64) The access point 65 may comprise one single grid cell of the delivery grid 50, or the access point 65 may comprise two or more delivery grid cells 52. The delivery vehicle 30 is operated such that when it is located at the access point 65, it allows the human and/or robotic operator to access the contents of the storage container 106.

(65) As shown in FIG. 8 A-B, the delivery vehicle 30 has more than one path to and/or from the access point 65 via the plurality of delivery grid cells 52. This allows the operator to coordinate the order in which delivery vehicles 30 may enter or exit the access point 65.

(66) The delivery vehicle 30 in FIGS. 8 A and B, may enter the access point 65 at a first end and exits the access point 65 at a second end, such that storage containers 106 may enter and exit the access point 65 continuously one after another.

(67) To increase the visibility, easy access and a better working position for the human operator accessing the storage container 106 at the access point 65, the delivery vehicle 30 may be operated with the container in a tilted position towards the 30 human operator. FIGS. 8 A and B shows the container of the delivery vehicle 30 in the tilted position at the access point 65.

(68) FIG. 9 A shows a perspective view of the automated storage and retrieval system in combination with a secondary delivery system comprising conveyors. The 35 conveyers are arranged for transport of goods between the automated storage and retrieval system and another storage facility, production facility, etc. The goods may be handled at the container accessing station 60 for further transport to the storage grid 104 in storage containers 106, or they can be collected from the storage containers 106 for transport to other facilities onto the conveyors.

(69) The container accessing station 60 in FIGS. 9 A and B comprises walls 62 for separating the delivery grid 51 and delivery vehicle 30 from the human operator.

(70) The access point 65 is an area corresponding to one or more delivery grid cells 52 of the delivery grid 51 that are arranged on a delivery grid 51 side of the wall 62 in a position where the items held in the storage container 106 carried by a remotely operated delivery vehicle 30 can be reached by the robotic or human operator leaning over the wall 62.

(71) In FIGS. 9 A and B the access point may comprise a plurality of separate delivery grid cells 52, thus allowing the human operator to access six different storage containers at the access point.

(72) The delivery vehicles 30 may be operated such that they are tilting the container carrier 35 and the storage container 106 at a preferred location at the access station 65.

(73) FIG. 10 shows a top view of the embodiment of FIG. 9 A and in a larger scale. The storage system comprises two storage grids 104 and the delivery rail system 50 of the delivery system 140 is arranged such that it connects the two separated storage grids 104. In this way, storage containers 106 can be transported between the two separated storage grids 104 and between the two storage grids 104 and the container accessing station 60.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

(74) 30 Delivery vehicle 31 Vehicle body 32 Rolling device 32a First set of wheels 32b Second set of wheels 35 Container carrier 36 Rolls of conveyor 41 Displacement device 42 Tilt motor 43 Power source 44 Controller 45 Lifting arm 50 Delivery rail system 51 Delivery grid 52 Delivery grid cell 60 Container accessing station 61 Cabinet 62 Wall 63 Opening top cover of cabinet 65 Access point P1 Horizontal plane of delivery rail system 100 Framework structure 102 Upright members of framework structure 103 Horizontal members of framework structure 104 Storage grid/three-dimensional grid 105 Storage column 106 Storage container 107 Stack 108 Rail system 110 First set of parallel rails in first direction (X) 111 Second set of parallel rails in second direction (Y) 115 Grid opening 119 Delivery column 120 Delivery column 122 Grid cell 140 Delivery system 150 Delivery port 151 Mezzanine level 155 Mezzanine 200 First container handling vehicle 201 Wheel arrangement 300 Second container handling vehicle 301 Wheel arrangement X First direction Y Second direction P Horizontal plane of rail system