Storage system using lifting mechanism for collecting containers in desired sequence

A method of supplying containers for processing in a storage system having multiple storage sections, each configured for storing containers in storage cells arranged in multiple storage rows at various levels with respect to ground;

• multiple sets of lifting transportation devices configured for moving in a first horizontal direction in passages between adjacent storage sections;
• multiple container carriages corresponding to respective sets of the lifting transportation devices and configured for moving in a second horizontal direction substantially perpendicular to the first horizontal direction;
• and a lifting sequencer, the method comprising the steps of:
• controlling a first lifting transportation device of a first set of the lifting transportation devices to take a first container stored in a first storage section in a first group of storage rows assigned to the first lifting transportation device;
• controlling a second lifting transportation device of a second set of the lifting transportation devices to take a first container stored in a second storage section in a second group of storage rows assigned to the second lifting transportation device, the first group of storage rows being arranged at a different level than the second group of storage cells, the first and second storage sections being separated by a third storage section;
• controlling the first lifting transportation device to place the first container to a first selected storage cell accessible by a first container carriage corresponding to the first set,
• controlling the second lifting transportation device to place the second container to a second selected storage cell accessible by a second container carriage corresponding to the second set;
• positioning a board of the first container carriage in an upper position to take the first container from the first selected storage cell,
• positioning the board of the first container carriage in a lower position to carry the first container below a selected storage row in the third storage section to a first selected container receiving point,
• controlling the second container carriage to take the second container from the second selected storage cell and carry the second container to a second selected container receiving point arranged at a different level than the first selected container receiving point, and
• controlling the lifting sequencer to move in a vertical direction to access the first and second selected receiving points so as to receive the first and second containers and supply the first and second containers for processing in a predetermined sequence.