Systems and methods for detecting fallen containers suitable for apparatus for automated evaluation of microorganism growth in test samples

An automated detection apparatus for detection of microorganism growth in test samples, comprising:

• a housing enclosing an interior temperature controlled chamber;
• a container loading system comprising a conveyor defining a travel path that transports groups of elongated containers with test samples to the housing for processing;
• a rotating wheel in cooperating alignment with the conveyor, the wheel having a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart pockets, each pocket configured to accept a single elongated container;
• a detection device located within the housing configured to detect microorganism growth in specimen containers loaded into the housing;
• and
• a plurality of spaced apart sensors residing proximate the wheel, the sensors including (i) at least one lower sensor including a first lower sensor configured to transmit a respective optical signal across a portion of a pocket of the wheel at a loading position and (ii) at least one upper sensor that is positioned to transmit a respective upper optical signal at a height that is above the at least one lower sensor optical signal and corresponds to a top portion of an upright container to thereby allow detection of different orientations and positions of containers.

A method of controlling loading systems having a conveyor that merges into a rotating wheel, comprising:

• transmitting at least one lower optical signal across a travel path of elongated containers at a height that is below a medial portion of upright container, the at least one lower optical signal including a first optical signal that projects across a receiving pocket of a rotating wheel at a load position, the wheel having a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart receiving pockets, each pocket configured to receive one upright container at the load position;
• concurrently transmitting at least one upper optical signal at a height that is above the at least one lower optical signal, the at least one upper optical signal configured to cross a cap portion of an upright container in the receiving pocket at the load position;
• electronically detecting fallen containers or blockages proximate and in a receiving pocket of the wheel at the load position based on data associated with the optical signals;
• automatically controlling a drive system associated with the wheel so that the wheel does not rotate if a fallen container is detected in the pocket of the wheel at the load position;
• and
• reversing or stopping the conveyor if a bridge of abutting containers is detected proximate the wheel based on data associated with at least one of the optical signals.

A computer program product for controlling a container transport and/or loading device, the computer program product comprising:

• a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied in the medium, the computer-readable program code comprising:
• computer readable program code configured to monitor at least one lower optical signal including a first lower optical signal transmitted across a travel path of elongated containers at a height that is below a medial portion of upright container so that the first lower optical signal projects across a receiving pocket of a rotating wheel at a load position, the wheel having a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart receiving pockets, each pocket configured to receive one upright container at the load position;
• computer readable program code configured to monitor at least one upper optical signal that is transmitted at a height that is above the first lower optical signal, the upper optical signal configured to cross a cap portion of an upright container in the receiving pocket at the load position;
• computer readable program code configured to identify fallen containers and/or blockages proximate and in the receiving pocket of the wheel at the load position based on data associated with the upper and lower optical signals;
• computer readable program code configured to control a drive system associated with the wheel so that the wheel does not rotate if a fallen container is identified as being in a pocket of the wheel;
• and
• computer readable program code configured to reverse or stop a conveyor that moves containers toward the rotating wheel if a bridge of abutting containers is detected proximate the wheel based on data associated with at least one of the upper and lower optical signals.