US Patent 12091244 High-density automated storage and retrieval system

A high-density storage system for goods is described in which totes carrying the goods are storage in a storage structure and stored and retrieved by robotic carriers. The carriers move laterally and/or longitudinally along the exterior of the support structure and retrieve totes from the interior of the structure by manipulating rows of coupled totes. Totes at the ends of rows are quickly removed and stored in another row until the desired tote appears at the end of the row, at which point the carrier proceeds with the tote to the exit point of the storage system. Storing totes is also a quick action by pushing them into any row. As a tote is pushed into the row, it will automatically couple with a tote inside the row that it comes into contact with.