The present invention relates to an automated analytical system and an automated method for separating and detecting an analyte, as well as an automated analytical instrument.

The present invention relates to an automated analytical system and an automated method for separating and detecting an analyte, as well as an automated analytical instrument.

The present invention relates to an intelligent gardening system, for monitoring and controlling gardening apparatuses in a gardening area, including: multiple sensors that collect environmental information of the gardening area; one or more gardening apparatuses that perform gardening work according to a control instruction; and a control center that generates the control instruction based on the environmental information; wherein the sensors, the gardening apparatuses and the control center communicate with each other to form an Internet of Things.

A watertight electrical compartment for use in an irrigation device can include a compartment body with a chamber, a sealing section mounted with one or more sealing rings, and external threads. A sealing cap mate with the sealing section and/or the sealing rings to seal the chamber. A cap retainer can be advanced over at least a portion of the sealing cap and can have internal threads to be screwed onto the external threads of the compartment body. The cap retainer can also have a stopping feature to keep the sealing cap in its sealed position. The watertight electrical compartment can be used in a wireless flow sensor assembly, a battery operated irrigation controller, and/or a battery-operated central controller device, to provide irrigation control, and/or sensor information, without the need for AC power.

A watertight electrical compartment for use in an irrigation device can include a compartment body with a chamber, a sealing section mounted with one or more sealing rings, and external threads. A sealing cap mate with the sealing section and/or the sealing rings to seal the chamber. A cap retainer can be advanced over at least a portion of the sealing cap and can have internal threads to be screwed onto the external threads of the compartment body. The cap retainer can also have a stopping feature to keep the sealing cap in its sealed position. The watertight electrical compartment can be used in a wireless flow sensor assembly, a battery operated irrigation controller, and/or a battery-operated central controller device, to provide irrigation control, and/or sensor information, without the need for AC power.

An Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) method/system for irrigating a field using a pump comprising an outlet supplying water to the field and an inlet connected to a water source is disclosed. The method/system comprises a sensor placed at a location in the field for sensing a water depth below a surface of the field and transmitting the water depth to a controller located remotely from the sensing location using a wireless connection. The controller enables the pump when the sensed water depth is below a threshold depth and disables the pump when the sensed water depth is above a threshold depth.

An Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) method/system for irrigating a field using a pump comprising an outlet supplying water to the field and an inlet connected to a water source is disclosed. The method/system comprises a sensor placed at a location in the field for sensing a water depth below a surface of the field and transmitting the water depth to a controller located remotely from the sensing location using a wireless connection. The controller enables the pump when the sensed water depth is below a threshold depth and disables the pump when the sensed water depth is above a threshold depth.

An apparatus for applying a liquid to a plant growing in soil includes a handheld assembly having a spray configuration for applying a liquid to a plant as a spray at a location above the surface of the soil in which the plant is growing, and a probe configuration for applying a liquid below the surface of the soil proximate to the roots of the plant. The assembly is selectively reconfigurable by a user between the first spray configuration and the second probe configuration.

A pumping unit operable to pump water has a longitudinal pumping unit axis. A pump shaft engages shaft bearings in a pump shaft housing. A drain conduit includes a drain conduit inlet segment, a drain conduit ascending segment, and a drain conduit terminal segment. The drain conduit inlet segment has a longitudinal drain conduit axis disposed at an obtuse angle to the longitudinal pumping unit axis. The drain conduit ascending segment is disposed at an obtuse angle to the drain conduit inlet segment. The drain conduit terminal segment is disposed at an obtuse angle with respect to the drain conduit ascending segment and is disposed at a level above the shaft bearing. Accordingly, backflow water flowing through the drain conduit terminal segment, the drain conduit ascending segment and the drain conduit inlet segment, respectively, flows into the pump shaft housing to contact and cool the shaft bearing.

A pumping unit operable to pump water has a longitudinal pumping unit axis. A pump shaft engages shaft bearings in a pump shaft housing. A drain conduit includes a drain conduit inlet segment, a drain conduit ascending segment, and a drain conduit terminal segment. The drain conduit inlet segment has a longitudinal drain conduit axis disposed at an obtuse angle to the longitudinal pumping unit axis. The drain conduit ascending segment is disposed at an obtuse angle to the drain conduit inlet segment. The drain conduit terminal segment is disposed at an obtuse angle with respect to the drain conduit ascending segment and is disposed at a level above the shaft bearing. Accordingly, backflow water flowing through the drain conduit terminal segment, the drain conduit ascending segment and the drain conduit inlet segment, respectively, flows into the pump shaft housing to contact and cool the shaft bearing.