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

A storage system (100) adapted to store a plurality of items and to load a delivery robot (2) with any one of said plurality of items for delivery to a destination, wherein the storage system (100) comprises:

• a delivery robot level (110);
• at least one storage level (112, 114, 116, 118) for storing the items, the at least one storage level being different from the delivery robot level (110);
• and
• a loading robot (130) adapted to retrieve a given item from a storage level (112, 114, 116, 118) and then load the retrieved item to a delivery robot (2) located on the delivery robot level (110);
• wherein the storage system (100) is adapted to move the given item within said storage level (112, 114, 116, 118) towards a pre-loading location in which the given item is accessible to the loading robot (130);
• wherein the delivery robot (2) is a mobile delivery robot comprising a motion component (320);
• wherein the delivery robot (2) is configured to operate in an outdoor environment and deliver the retrieved item to a delivery recipient at a delivery address;
• wherein the system further comprises at least one shuffle robot (150) adapted to move an object within a storage level (112, 114, 116, 118) to said pre-loading location, such that the object is accessible to the loading robot (130);
• and
• the loading robot (130) is configured to grip and release the shuffle robot (150) to bring the shuffle robot (150) from one storage level to another, when the shuffle robot initially is in the pre-loading location of said one storage level.

A storage system (100) adapted to store a plurality of items and to load a delivery robot (2) with any one of said plurality of items for delivery to a destination, wherein the storage system (100) comprises:

• a delivery robot level (110),
• at least one storage level (112, 114, 116, 118) for storing the items, the at least one storage level being different from the delivery robot level (110), and
• a loading robot (130) adapted to retrieve a given item from a storage level (112, 114, 116, 118) and then load the retrieved item to a delivery robot (2) located on the delivery robot level (110),
• wherein the storage system (100) is adapted to move the given item within said storage level (112, 114, 116, 118) towards a pre-loading location in which the given item is accessible to the loading robot (130);
• wherein the delivery robot (2) is a mobile delivery robot comprising:
• a motion component (320);
• a body (200) having an item compartment into which the retrieved item is loaded;
• a flagpole (330) to increase the visibility of the delivery robot (2);
• and
• a plurality of cameras, including front stereo cameras (220, 230), side stereo cameras (240, 250), and back stereo cameras (290) that are generally backward facing;
• and
• wherein the delivery robot (2) is configured to operate in an outdoor environment and deliver the retrieved item to a delivery recipient at a delivery address.