Automated storage tower with carousel

An automated storage and retrieval system configured to store a plurality of storage containers, comprising:

• one or more storage towers comprising:
• a vertically extending supporting structure having a vertical axis, and
• m horizontally oriented container supports arranged along the vertical axis of the supporting structure and supported by container supporting frameworks, the container supports being distributed at vertical intervals and m being a positive integer of 2 or more, to provide different levels where storage containers can be stored,
• wherein each container support is rotationally connected to the support structure and configured to support at least one storage container,
• wherein each level of a number l of the container supports, l being a positive integer of 1 to m-1, that are arranged above the remaining levels of m-l container supports is configured to display at least one opening having a size being at least a maximum horizontal cross section of the storage containers to be stored,
• wherein the l container supports are configured to rotate about the vertical axis independently such that at least one opening of each level of the l container supports is vertically alignable with at least one opening of the other levels of the l container supports by individual rotation of the container supports;
• and
• wherein each container support comprises vertical guide plates arranged at least partly around the perimeter of each of the at least one opening, wherein the vertical guide plates are configured to align a storage container being lifted or lowered into the respective opening in the horizontal plane;
• a plurality of storage containers supported on the plurality of container supports;
• wherein each container support comprises vertical guide plates arranged at least partly around the perimeter of each of the at least one opening, wherein the vertical guide plates are configured to align a storage container being lifted or lowered into the respective opening in the horizontal plane;
• a remotely operated vehicle configured to move laterally above at least a part of the plurality of container supports, wherein the remotely operated vehicle comprises a lifting device configured to grab and vertically lift a storage container;
• and
• a control system configured to monitor and control wirelessly movements of the remotely operated vehicle.

A method for storing and retrieving storage containers from an automated storage and retrieval system, the automated storage and retrieval system configured to store a plurality of storage containers comprising:

• one or more storage towers comprising:
• a vertically extending supporting structure having a vertical axis, and
• m horizontally oriented container supports arranged along the vertical axis of the supporting structure and supported by container supporting frameworks, the container supports being distributed at vertical intervals and m being a positive integer of 2 or more, to provide different levels where storage containers can be stored,
• wherein each container support is rotationally connected to the support structure and configured to support at least one storage container,
• wherein each level of a number l of the container supports, l being a positive integer of 1 to m-1, that are arranged above the remaining levels of m-l container supports is configured to display at least one opening having a size being at least a maximum horizontal cross section of the storage containers to be stored,
• wherein the l container supports are configured to rotate about the vertical axis independently such that at least one opening of each level of the l container supports is vertically alignable with at least one opening of the other levels of the l container supports by individual rotation of the container supports;
• and
• wherein each container support comprises vertical guide plates arranged at least partly around the perimeter of each of the at least one opening, wherein the vertical guide plates are configured to align a storage container being lifted or lowered into the respective opening in the horizontal plane;
• a plurality of storage containers supported on the plurality of container supports;
• wherein each container support comprises vertical guide plates arranged at least partly around the perimeter of each of the at least one opening, wherein the vertical guide plates are configured to align a storage container being lifted or lowered into the respective opening in the horizontal plane;
• a remotely operated vehicle or a crane configured to move laterally above at least a part of the plurality of container supports, wherein the remotely operated vehicle or the crane comprises a lifting device configured to grab and vertically lift a storage container;
• a control system configured to monitor and control wirelessly movements of the remotely operated vehicle;
• wherein each of the container supports comprise a plurality of first container spaces distributed on the at least one horizontally oriented container support such that the plurality of first container spaces are circumferentially offset with an equal, or near equal, first radial distance from the vertical axis;
• wherein the method comprises:
• moving the remotely operated vehicle or the crane to a position where its lifting device can be aligned vertically with a target storage container positioned on one of the first container spaces or to a position where its lifting device can be aligned vertically with one or more aligned openings of the container supports;
• where necessary, rotating the container support on which the target storage container is supported to position the target storage container in vertical alignment below the position of the remotely operated vehicle or the crane;
• where necessary, and if the container support on which the target storage container is supported is not the uppermost container support;
• rotating the above container support, or each of the above container supports, to a circumferential position in which the lifting device has direct vertical access to the target storage container through the at least one opening;
• grabbing and lifting the target storage container by use of the lifting device;
• and
• moving the remotely operated vehicle with the target storage container to a horizontally different location.

A method for delivering items arranged within storage containers stored in storage towers directly to end users by an automated storage and retrieval system configured to store a plurality of storage containers, the automated storage and retrieval system comprising:

• one or more storage towers comprising:
• a vertically extending supporting structure having a vertical axis, and
• m horizontally oriented container supports arranged along the vertical axis of the supporting structure and supported by container supporting frameworks, the container supports being distributed at vertical intervals and m being a positive integer of 2 or more, to provide different levels where storage containers can be stored,
• wherein each container support is rotationally connected to the support structure and configured to support at least one storage container,
• wherein each level of a number l of the container supports, l being a positive integer of 1 to m-1, that are arranged above the remaining levels of m-l container supports is configured to display at least one opening having a size being at least a maximum horizontal cross section of the storage containers to be stored,
• wherein the l container supports are configured to rotate about the vertical axis independently such that at least one opening of each level of the l container supports is vertically alignable with at least one opening of the other levels of the l container supports by individual rotation of the container supports;
• and
• wherein each container support comprises vertical guide plates arranged at least partly around the perimeter of each of the at least one opening, wherein the vertical guide plates are configured to align a storage container being lifted or lowered into the respective opening in the horizontal plane;
• a plurality of storage containers supported on the plurality of container supports;
• a remotely operated vehicle configured to move laterally above at least a part of the plurality of container supports, wherein the remotely operated vehicle comprises a lifting device configured to grab and vertically lift a storage container;
• and
• a control system configured to monitor and control wirelessly movements of the remotely operated vehicle,
• the method comprising:
• delivering an item of a storage container of the plurality of storage containers to an end user.