Storage system, use and method with robotic parcel retrieval and loading onto a delivery vehicle

Abstract

A storage system (100) is adapted to store a plurality of items and to load a delivery robot (2) with an item. The storage system (100) includes a delivery robot level (110), at least one storage level (112, 114, 116, 118) for storing the items, and a loading robot (130) adapted to grip the items and to load the items from a storage level (112, 114, 116, 118) to a delivery robot (2) located on the delivery robot level (110). The storage system (100) is adapted to move the items within a storage level (112, 114, 116, 118). The storage system may be provided with wheels and thus be mobile. It may be loaded onto a vehicle for transport from a loading area where the storage system is loaded with items for delivery, to a delivery area where the items are to be delivered by one or more delivery robots.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A storage system adapted to store a plurality of items and to load a delivery robot with any of said plurality of items for delivery to a destination, wherein the storage system comprises:
 a delivery robot level;   at least one storage level for storing the items, the at least one storage level being different from the delivery robot level; and   a loading robot adapted to retrieve a given item from a storage level and then load the retrieved item to a delivery robot located on the delivery robot level.