Patent ID: 7117799

Claim:
A material handling system, comprising: a track structure having a channel generally defined therein, the track structure comprising a turntable rotatably coupled thereto, wherein a rotational position of the turntable generally defines one or more paths along the channel; a carrier mechanism generally coupled to the track structure via the channel, wherein the carrier mechanism is operable to travel along the one or more paths; and a maintenance station, comprising: a stub track having a channel generally defined therein, the stub track being operably coupled to the track structure via the turntable, wherein one of the one or more paths leads to the stub track; a power supply coupled to the stub track; one or more connectors operable to electrically couple the carrier mechanism to the power supply when the carrier mechanism is at a docking position along the stub track; and one or more stop blocks removably coupled to the stub track, wherein the one or more stop blocks generally prevent a movement of the carrier mechanism beyond one or more respective ends of the stub track; wherein the carrier mechanism comprises a wireless communication transponder, and wherein the stub track comprises a wireless communication base station, wherein the transponder is operable to communicate data associated with the carrier with the base station when the carrier is at the docking position.