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;
• 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 pair of laterally spaced apart sidewalls facing each other across the conveyor, wherein the sidewalls have a parallel segment that merges into a curved segment where the sidewalls travel toward each other proximate the rotating wheel to have a width that is more narrow proximate the wheel than along the parallel segment, wherein the first lower sensor is held outside one sidewall at the curved segment;
• and
• a bridge member that extends across and above the curved segment of the sidewalls held by the housing, wherein the at least one upper sensor is held by the bridge member.

An automated misfeed and/or fallen container detection system comprising:

• a conveyor providing a travel path for groups of elongated containers;
• 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 upright elongated container;
• a plurality of spaced apart sensors including (i) at least one lower sensor configured to transmit a respective optical signal across the container travel path proximate the wheel at a height that is less than a width dimension of the containers, the at least one lower sensor including a first lower sensor that transmits a respective first optical signal across a front edge portion of a pocket of the wheel facing the conveyor at a loading position and (ii) at least one upper sensor that is positioned proximate the wheel configured to transmit an optical signal at a height corresponding to a top portion of an upright container to thereby allow detection of different orientations and positions of fallen containers and/or container jam or blockage conditions,
• wherein the at least one lower sensor comprises a first lower sensor and a second lower sensor, the second lower sensor positioned longitudinally spaced apart from the first lower sensor, the first lower sensor being downstream of the second lower sensor, with each residing proximate the rotating wheel, wherein the first and second lower sensors are configured to transmit respective first and second non-intersecting first and second optical signals across the conveyor container travel path proximate the rotating wheel at a height that is no greater than 1-2 inches associated with a width dimension of the containers, and
• wherein the first and second lower sensors comprise retroreflective sensors with a respective first and second reflector residing across the conveyor from and in optical communication with the corresponding first and second sensor such that the first reflector is oriented at a first angle and the second reflector is orientated at a second angle that is larger than the first angle, the first and second angles being between 10-60 degrees.

An automated fallen container detection system, the system comprising:

• a housing;
• a conveyor held by the housing comprising a horizontally oriented travel path for elongated containers;
• a rotating wheel in cooperating alignment with the conveyor, the wheel having a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart pockets with a curvilinear cavity having an outer open perimeter segment, each pocket configured to accept an upright elongated container;
• a pair of laterally spaced apart sidewalls, one on each side of the conveyor, wherein the sidewalls have a parallel segment that travel closer together at a downstream segment proximate the rotating wheel to have a width that is more narrow proximate the wheel than along the parallel segment;
• a bridge member that extends across and above the more narrow downstream segment of the sidewalls held by the housing;
• a plurality of spaced apart sensors including (i) a first lower sensor and a second lower sensor, each held together outside one of the sidewalls in the curved segment, the first and second lower sensors configured to transmit respective first and second optical signals across the container travel path proximate the wheel at a height that is less than 2 inches, so that the first and second optical signals diverge across the conveyor travel path, the second lower sensor positioned longitudinally spaced apart and upstream of the first lower sensor a distance “D” that is between 1-4 inches corresponding to 1-2 times a maximal outer diameter of the elongated containers, with each of the first and second lower sensors residing proximate the rotating wheel, and wherein the first lower sensor transmits a respective first optical signal across a front edge portion of a pocket of the wheel facing the conveyor at a loading position and (ii) at least one upper sensor that is held by the bridge member to face the wheel and that is configured to transmit an optical signal at a height that is above the first and second lower sensors and between 2-5 inches corresponding to a top portion of an upright container to thereby allow detection of different orientations and positions of fallen containers and/or container jam or blockage conditions;
• and
• a control circuit configured to monitor the first and second lower sensors and the at least one upper sensor to identify fallen containers in different orientations adjacent the wheel and partially in a pocket of the wheel.