Access station

A storage system comprising:

• an access station comprising at least one container holder arranged to rotate about an axis of rotation, wherein the axis of rotation is inclined at a first angle relative to a vertical;
• and
• the container holder is arranged to accommodate a storage container and is configured such that a centreline of the storage container when supported by the container holder is inclined at a second angle relative to the axis of rotation, wherein the container holder may rotate between a first position, where the centreline of an accommodated storage container is vertical, and a second position being opposite the first position relative to the axis of rotation, where the centreline of an accommodated storage container is inclined at a third angle relative to the vertical, the third angle being equal to the sum of the first angle and the second angle;
• wherein the storage system features a port column, through which storage containers may be transferred in a vertical direction, arranged above the access station such that a storage container may be delivered to a container holder of the access station when the container holder is arranged in the first position.

A method of presenting a storage container for access at an access station, the access station comprising:

• at least one container holder arranged to rotate about an axis of rotation, wherein
• the axis of rotation is inclined at a first angle relative to a vertical;
• and
• the container holder is arranged to accommodate a storage container and is configured such that a centreline of the storage container when supported by the container holder is inclined at a second angle relative to the axis of rotation, wherein
• the container holder may rotate between a first position, where the centreline of an accommodated storage container is vertical, and a second position being opposite the first position relative to the axis of rotation, where the centreline of an accommodated storage container is inclined at a third angle relative to the vertical, the third angle being equal to the sum of the first angle and the second angle, the method comprising:
• lowering the storage container onto a container holder when the container holder is in the first position and arranged to hold the storage container in an upright configuration;
• and
• rotating the container holder about the axis of rotation from the first position to the second position in which the container holder is arranged to tilt the storage container.