Patent ID: 11883851
Assignee: AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Field: Handling (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 0:
1. An item sortation system configured to transport items, the item sortation system comprising:
a shuttle configured to move along a track, the shuttle comprising:
a conveyor having a first length and a first width, wherein the conveyor is a bi-directional conveyor that is configured to support at least one item;
a first gate portion having a second width that is about half the first width, the first gate portion configured to rotate towards a first edge of the conveyor;
a second gate portion having the second width, the second gate portion configured to rotate towards a second edge of the conveyor, wherein the first gate portion and the second gate portion are disposed at a first side of the conveyor;
a third gate portion having the second width, the third gate portion configured to rotate towards the first edge of the conveyor; and
a fourth gate portion having the second width, the fourth gate portion configured to rotate towards the second edge of the conveyor, wherein the third gate portion and the fourth gate portion are disposed at a second side of the conveyor;
wherein the first gate portion is positioned a first distance from a first end of the conveyor, and wherein the first distance is substantially equal to the second width; and
wherein the first gate portion, the second gate portion, the third gate portion, and the fourth gate portion are configured to: (i) secure the at least one item on the conveyor during transport, and (ii) guide the at least one item along the conveyor when the item is unloaded.