Container handling vehicle for handling a delivery container stored within a storage container and a method thereof

A method for lifting a delivery container arranged within a storage container using a container handling vehicle fitted with a coupler for coupling to a delivery container and/or to a storage container, the coupler comprising:

• coupler frame,
• a delivery container gripper provided on the coupler frame and protruding, from a lower face of the coupler frame the delivery container gripper being configured to enable releasable coupling to corresponding coupling structure of a delivery container, and
• a storage container gripper provided on the coupler frame and protruding from the lower face of the coupler frame the storage container gripper being configured to enable releasable coupling to corresponding coupling structures of a storage container having a size allowing the delivery container to be held therein, wherein the delivery container gripper comprises:
• two gripper paddles for gripping the delivery container, each gripper paddle being pivoted from a pivot axis spaced equally and oppositely from a vertical centre plane oriented perpendicular to the lower face of the coupler frame, wherein each of the gripper paddles comprises a protrusion located below the lower face of the coupler frame for insertion into a corresponding coupling structure of the delivery container,
• wherein the method comprises:
• moving the container handling vehicle along a horizontal plane to a position in which the coupler is above a storage container containing a delivery, container,
• lowering the coupler to a position in which the coupler may connect with the storage container by operating the storage container gripper and/or with the delivery container by operating the delivery container gripper,
• connecting the coupler to the storage container or to the delivery container by operating the storage container gripper or the delivery container coupling gripper, respectively, and
• raising the storage container with the delivery container, or raising the delivery container only from within the storage container, by operating a lifting mechanism until the respective container(s) is/are above the horizontal plane on which the container handling vehicle is moving.