GB2588405A

GB2588405A - Remote plant watering system

Info

Publication number: GB2588405A
Application number: GB1915246.1A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Doran Gregory
Original assignee: Upbine Ltd
Current assignee: Upbine Ltd
Priority date: 2019-10-22
Filing date: 2019-10-22
Publication date: 2021-04-28
Also published as: GB201915246D0

Abstract

A remote plant watering system 10 comprises an inlet 20 connectable to a water source; a plurality of feed tubes 28a-c; a metering device 23 disposed between the inlet and the plurality of feed tubes; and a controller 25 configured to operate the metering device to selectively fluidly connect the inlet to each of the feed tubes. The controller may comprise a processor and control logic configured to cause the controller to operate the metering device based on received commands stored in a memory. A user profile, comprising plant data and feed tube correspondence data, maybe stored in the memory. The system may operate using the Internet of Things utilising a server providing cloud computing service. The metering device may comprise a distribution hub (24, fig 2) having a housing (32, fig 2) with a plurality of outlets (34a-c, fig 2) and the hub may comprise a distribution chamber (38, fig 2) rotatable within the housing. The chamber may be rotatable to adopt a blocking orientation.

Description

Remote plant watering system

Field of the disclosure

The present disclosure relates to a remote plant watering system.

Background

Plant watering in a domestic setting, particularly indoors (e.g. inside a house or greenhouse), often needs to be carried out manually. For example, a plant owner may fill a watering can or other vessel from a water source and convey this to the plant or plants to be watered. Alternatively, the plant owner could use a hose connected to a water source to supply water to the plant(s).

However, these prior art watering methods require the plant owner to be physically present in the proximity of the water source and plant(s) when watering takes place. Additionally, the plant owner needs to exert physical effort to carry out the watering task.

Further, these prior art watering methods rely on the user to keep track of how much water has been supplied to each plant. Certain plants (e.g. succulents, such as cacti) are sensitive to over-watering.

While automated plant watering systems exist for commercial and agricultural 25 plant owners, these are often too complex and / or costly for use in a domestic environment.

The present invention attempts to address some of the drawbacks associated with prior art domestic plant watering techniques.

Summary

According to a first aspect there is provided a remote plant watering system comprising: an inlet connectable to a water source; a plurality of feed tubes; a metering device disposed between the inlet and the plurality of feed tubes; and a controller configured to operate the metering device to selectively fluidly connect the inlet to each of the feed tubes.

Optionally, the controller comprises a processor and control logic configured to cause the controller to operate the metering device based on received commands.

Optionally, the system further comprises a memory, wherein a plurality of commands are stored in the memory.

Optionally, the plurality of commands comprises executable instructions that, when processed by the processor of the controller, cause the controller to operate the metering device to fluidly connect the inlet to a feed tube for a predetermined amount of time to deliver a predetermined volume of water to the feed tube.

Optionally, the controller is configured to operate a pump connected between 25 the water source and the inlet for the predetermined amount of time.

Optionally, a schedule is stored in the memory, and the commands are sequentially processed by the processor according to the schedule.

Optionally, a user profile is stored in the memory, wherein the user profile comprises: plant data concerning a plurality of user-selected plants and feed tube correspondence data associating each of the plurality of user-selected plants with a respective feed tube of the system.

Optionally, the memory is provided in one of: the controller; a mobile telecommunications device; and a server providing cloud computing services.

Optionally, the system further comprises a smart speaker communicatively coupled to a server providing cloud computing services, the server being wirelessly connected to the controller, wherein a user may input commands to the controller through the smart speaker using voice commands.

Optionally, the metering device comprises a distribution hub comprising a housing having a plurality of outlet apertures, the feed tubes being connected to respective outlet apertures of the distribution hub.

Optionally, the distribution hub comprises a distribution chamber rotatable within the housing to adopt a plurality of angular orientations, wherein respective angular orientations fluidly connect the inlet with respective outlet apertures.

Optionally, the distribution chamber is rotatable within the housing to adopt a blocking orientation, in which the inlet is not fluidly connected to any of the outlet apertures.

Optionally, the system further comprises a stepper motor configured to rotate the distribution chamber within the housing.

Brief description of the drawings

Embodiments will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the Figures, in which: Figure 1 schematically shows a remote plant watering system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 schematically shows a top-down cross-sectional view of a distribution hub for use in the system of Figure 1; Figure 3 schematically shows a top-down cross-sectional view of the distribution hub of Figure 2, with its distribution chamber and outlet in a second angular orientation; Figure 4 schematically shows a remote plant watering system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; Figure 5 schematically shows a remote plant watering system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; and Figure 6 schematically shows a remote plant watering system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

Detailed description

Aspects and embodiments of the present disclosure will now be discussed with reference to the accompanying figures. Further aspects and embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art Figure 1 schematically shows a remote plant watering system 10. The system 10 comprises a water tank 12 that contains a volume of water 14. The water tank 12 is supported on a base 16. The base 16 includes a pump 18. An inlet 20 formed in a lower surface of the water tank 12 is in fluid communication with the pump 18. The pump 18 is configured to pump water from the inlet 20 to an outlet 22. The outlet 22 is in fluid communication with a metering device 23.

The metering device 23 comprises an inlet configured to receive water from the outlet 22. The metering device 23 is configured to provide the received water to a plurality of plants 26a, 26b, 26c via respective feed tubes 28a, 28b, 28c by selectively allowing fluid communication between its inlet and the feed tubes 28a, 28b, 28c. A controller 25 is connected to the metering device 23 and is configured to operate the metering device 23 to selectively fluidly connect its inlet to the feed tubes 28a, 28b, 28c.

A water level sensor 30 is disposed in the water tank 12. The water level sensor 5 30 comprises a float disposed around an upright member attached to the lower surface of the water tank 12. When water is present in the water tank 12 (as shown in Figure 1) the float rises to the top of the upright member. As water drains from the water tank 12 and the water level falls below a height of the upright member, the float falls with the water level towards the bottom of the 10 upright member. The movement of the float up and down the upright member can be used to provide an output indicative of the water level inside the water tank 12.

Figure 2 schematically shows a cross-sectional plan view of a distribution hub 15 24 that may be used as the metering device 23 in the system of Figure 1. Like reference numerals have been retained to indicate the same components.

The distribution hub 24 comprises a housing 32. A hub inlet 36 is formed in the housing 32, in fluid communication with the outlet 22 of the pump 18. The hub inlet 36 is arranged to receive water from the outlet 22 and convey it to a rotatable distribution chamber 38. A flow of water into the distribution hub 24 is indicated by arrow P. A plurality of tube connectors 34a, 34b, 34c and 34d are disposed at respective positions around an outer surface of the housing. A first feed tube 28a is connected to a first tube connector 34a, a second feed tube 28b is connected to a second tube connector 34b, and a third feed tube 28c is connected to a third tube connector 34c. Respective outlet apertures are formed in the housing 32 at positions corresponding to each tube connector 28a-d.

No feed tube is connected to a fourth tube connector 34d. In use, a user could attach a feed tube to the fourth tube connector 34d to use the remote plant watering system to water an additional plant or plants.

The distribution chamber 38 comprises a hub outlet 40 that extends between the distribution chamber 38 and the housing 32. The distribution chamber 38 is supported in the housing 32 (e.g. on bearings) to be rotatable within the housing 32 about a central axis A, such that the distribution chamber 38 can adopt a plurality of angular orientations.

A first angular orientation of the distribution chamber 38 is shown in Figure 2. In the first angular orientation, the hub outlet 40 of the distribution chamber 38 extends between the distribution chamber 38 and a position on the housing 32 corresponding to the first tube connector 34a, such that water flowing into the housing 32 through the hub inlet 36 flows out of the housing 32 through an outlet aperture in the housing 32, through the first tube connector 34a and into the first feed tube 28a.

A second angular orientation of the distribution chamber 38 is shown in Figure 3, wherein the distribution chamber 38 and the hub outlet 40 have been rotated about the central axis A in the direction indicated by arrow B. In the second angular orientation, the hub outlet 40 of the distribution chamber 38 extends between the distribution chamber 38 and a position on the housing 32 corresponding to the second tube connector 34b, such that water flowing into the housing 32 through the hub inlet 36 flows out of the housing 32 through an outlet aperture in the housing 32, through the second tube connector 34b and into the second feed tube 28b.

While not shown, the distribution chamber 38 and hub outlet 40 may similarly adopt third and fourth angular orientations corresponding to the outlet apertures for the third and fourth tube connectors 34c, 34d.

Movement of the distribution chamber 38 and hub outlet 40 can be achieved by any suitable actuator, through direct drive or a gear system. In the example shown in Figures 2 and 3, the movement is achieved by a stepper motor (see Figure 4).

A stop block (not shown) is provided adjacent the hub inlet 36. The stepper motor may reset its position by rotating the distribution chamber 38 and hub outlet 40 until the hub outlet 40 contacts the stop block. The angular rotation necessary to cause the distribution chamber 38 and hub outlet 40 to adopt first, second, third, etc. angular positions may then be calculated as an amount of angular rotation from this reset position.

The distribution chamber 38 and hub outlet 40 may be rotated to a blocking orientation, in which the hub outlet 40 extends between the distribution chamber 38 and a position on the housing 32 that does not correspond to an outlet aperture in the housing 32. In the blocking orientation it is not possible for water to flow through the distribution hub 24.

Figure 4 schematically shows a remote plant watering system 50 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Like reference numerals have been retained from Figures 1-3 to illustrate the same components.

The system 50 comprises a water source 52 (e.g. a water butt or tank). Water may be pumped from the water source 52 to the distribution hub 24 by a pump 56. The distribution hub 24 is as described above with respect to Figures 2 and 3. In this view it can be seen that the distribution hub 24 comprises a stepper motor 58 operable to move the distribution chamber and outlet within the distribution hub between angular orientations.

The system 50 comprises a controller 60 communicatively coupled to the sensor package 54, the pump 56 and the stepper motor 58. The controller 60 is configured to receive the output from the sensor package 54, and to provide control signals to the pump 56 and the stepper motor 58. The controller 60 also includes a wireless connectivity module (not shown).

The controller 60 and the stepper motor 58 may share a common power supply (e.g. mains supply, batteries, solar panels, etc.) or they may have separate, respective power supplies. Where solar panels are used for one or more of the power supplies, batteries and / or a mains power supply may be provided as a supplementary power supply (e.g. for use during low light conditions).

A mobile telecommunications device 62 may communicate wirelessly with the controller 60 via the wireless connectivity module as indicated by the double-headed arrow C. A sensor package 54 is disposed within the water source, configured to provide an output indicative of one or more properties of the water within the water source 52. Examples of sensed properties include water level and water temperature. The controller may be configured to output a visual or auditory warning to the mobile telecommunications device 62 over the wireless connection C if the sensed water level drops below a predetermined threshold level.

The mobile telecommunications device 62 may communicate wirelessly with a server 64 providing cloud computing services as indicated by the double-headed arrow D. The server 64 may also communicate wirelessly with the controller 60 as indicated by the double-headed arrow E. In each case, the wireless communication may take place over a telecommunications network or a wireless internet connection (e.g. wi-fi) or any other suitable wireless communication protocol (e.g. Bluetooth (RTM)).

The server 64 may comprise an authentication service that prevents devices or other cloud services from communicating with the controller 60 unless approved by a user (e.g. through the mobile telecommunications device 62). Access to the authentication service may be restricted through the input of a password or personal identification number (PIN), or by the provision of an approved fingerprint to a fingerprint scanner of the mobile telecommunications device 62.

The controller 60 comprises a processor and programmable control logic to cause the controller 60 to operate the stepper motor 58 and / or pump 56 based on commands. For example, a command may cause the controller 60 to: i) operate the stepper motor 58 to cause the distribution chamber and hub outlet within the distribution hub 24 to adopt a predetermined angular orientation; and ii) operate the pump 56 for a predetermined amount of time.

Such a command will cause a predetermined volume of water to be supplied to 10 a predetermined feed tube.

The controller 60 may comprise a memory that stores a plurality of executable commands, each corresponding to a predetermined volume of water to be delivered to a predetermined feed tube. The memory may also store a schedule, with the processor processing the commands sequentially in time according to the schedule. A user may edit the schedule stored in the memory of the controller via communication from the mobile telecommunications device 62, either directly or via the server 64. Where all communication between the controller 60 and other devices is lost, the controller 60 may continue to process commands in accordance with the latest version of the schedule stored in its memory.

In some examples, the controller 60 may not store the commands. In these cases, the plurality of commands must either be stored on the mobile telecommunications device 62 or the server 64. The mobile telecommunications device 62 and / or the server 64 may also store a schedule, with the commands being sent to the controller 60 from the mobile telecommunications device 62 / server 64 sequentially in time according to the schedule, for immediate processing by the controller 60. A user may edit the schedule directly when it is stored on the telecommunications device 62 or via communication from the mobile telecommunications device 62 when it is stored on the server 64.

Where the schedule is stored on more than one device (e.g. on both the mobile telecommunications device 62 and the server 64), the schedules may be periodically synchronised with one another to ensure that user edits made to the schedule on a first device are also made to the schedule on the other device(s).

This can ensure that plants are still watered according to the user-defined schedule in situations where the first device loses connectivity (e.g. the mobile telecommunications device 62 loses signal) but the controller 60 can still communicate with another device (e.g. the server 64 through a wi-fi connection E).

In any of these examples, the mobile telecommunications device 62 may store an app that acts as a front end for the remote plant watering system. The app may present a user with a menu screen from which a user may indicate the plant types that they would like to water using the remote watering system.

Further details of each plant (e.g. age, location, etc.) may be provided by the user in one or more sub-menu. Once selected, the plant types and plant details may be stored in a user profile. The user profile may be stored in the controller 60 (where the controller 60 comprises a memory), on the mobile telecommunications device 62, or in the server 64.

In some examples, user identification of plant types may be replaced by automatic plant identification based on image analysis. For example, a user may take a photograph of their plant (or plants) using a camera of the mobile telecommunications device 62. The photograph may then be transmitted to the server 64 (via connection D). The server 64 may then compare the photograph to a plant image database to find a best-match plant image, and update the user profile with a corresponding plant identification.

In setting up the remote system, the user will need to specify which feed tube corresponds to which plant (or plants) indicated in the app. This information will be saved as part of the user profile. However, once this has been established, the app can perform certain configuration actions automatically. For example, using the plant details (e.g. plant type, plant age, plant location, etc.) the app may automatically determine an optimal watering regime for a given feed tube. The watering regime may include information concerning an optimal volume of water to be delivered to the feed tube and an optimal frequency (e.g. hourly, daily, weekly, etc.) that said volume should be delivered to the feed tube, based on information derived from an online database. The app may automatically update the schedule based on the determined watering regime.

In some examples, the server 64, or other cloud services in communication with the server 64, may be connected to sensors associated with the plants (e.g. temperature sensors, soil moisture sensors, humidity sensors, etc.). Information from such sensors may provide feedback for the app to check that the determined watering regime continues to be an optimal watering regime, and to update or change the determined watering regime if necessary.

Figure 5 schematically shows a remote plant watering system 150 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Like reference numerals have been retained from Figures 1-4 to illustrate the same components.

In this embodiment, the water source and pump of Figure 4 have been replaced by a mains water source 66. The mains water source 66 is pressurised, so that water flows through the distribution hub 24 without the aid of a pump, provided the distribution chamber and outlet of the distribution hub have not been rotated to adopt a blocking orientation. In other examples, the pump can similarly be omitted where the water source comprises a water butt or tank positioned vertically higher than the plants to be watered, such that the water runs from the water source to the metering device and through the feed tubes under the influence of gravity.

In this embodiment the controller 60 still comprises a processor and programmable control logic to cause the controller 60 to operate the stepper motor 58 based on commands. For example, a command may cause the controller 60 to: i) operate the stepper motor 58 to cause the distribution chamber and hub outlet within the distribution hub 24 to rotate from a blocking orientation to adopt a predetermined, non-blocking angular orientation for a predetermined amount of time; and ii) operate the stepper motor 58 to cause the distribution chamber and hub outlet within the distribution hub 24 to rotate to a blocking orientation.

Figure 6 schematically shows a remote plant watering system 250 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Like reference numerals have been retained from Figures 1-5 to illustrate the same 15 components.

In this embodiment, the remote plant watering system 250 comprises a smart speaker 68. The smart speaker 68 may communicate wirelessly with a server 70 providing cloud computing services as indicated by the double-headed arrow G. While this has been shown as a separate server to the server 64 in Figure 6, it should be appreciated that in some examples a single server could be used.

The server 70 wirelessly communicates with the cloud services server 64 as indicated by the double-headed arrow H. Through these wireless connections a 25 voice command input at the smart speaker 68 can be transmitted to the server 70, to the server 64, and on to the controller 60 In this embodiment, a user may use voice commands to input commands to be executed by the controller 60. For example, where the smart speaker 68 is an Amazon Alexa (RTM) smart speaker, a user may say aloud: "Alexa, water the cactus". This may cause the smart speaker 68 to cause the controller 60 to perform the following actions: i) check the user profile to see if a "cactus" plant is associated with one of the feed tubes; ii) if a cactus plant is associated with a given feed tube, determine an optimal volume of water to provide to the cactus plant; iii) operate the stepper motor 58 to deliver the optimal volume of water to the feed tube associated with the cactus plant.

In step i) above, the controller 60 may check a user profile stored in a memory of the controller 60, or check a user profile stored on the mobile 10 telecommunications device 62 and/or server (see Figs. 4 and 5).

In step ii) above, the controller 60 may determine the optimal volume of water at least partly based on historical watering data, for example derived from a schedule stored in a memory of the controller 60, the mobile telecommunications device 62 and / or the server (see Figs. 4 and 5). The controller 60 may be configured to issue a warning to the user (e.g. through the smart speaker 68) if it determines that water has been provided to the plant recently within a predetermined time window, in order to prevent overwatering.

In step iii) the controller may also operate a pump, in embodiments where a pump is present in the system.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments above-described and various modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the concepts described herein. Except where mutually exclusive, any of the features may be employed separately or in combination with any other features and the disclosure extends to and includes all combinations and sub-combinations of one or more features described herein.

For example, while the example shown in Figure 1 comprises a tank that is supported by a base in which a pump is included, in other examples the base could be replaced by a lid that sits on top of the tank, or a pump-containing module affixed to a side of the tank. In yet further examples, the base could be replaced by a pump-containing module that is insertable into an interior of the tank. In any of these examples, the water level sensor could be incorporated into the base / lid / pump-containing module. Additionally or alternatively, the base / lid / pump-containing module could comprise temperature sensors to measure the water temperature and / or ambient air temperature, and humidity sensor to measure the air humidity in the vicinity of the tank.

As a further example, while the metering device shown in Figures 2-6 is a distribution hub, this could be replaced by a metering device comprising a simple manifold arrangement with valves associated with each one of the feed tubes. The controller could be configured to operate each of the valves independently (e.g. using one or more solenoids) to selectively fluidly connect the water source to a given feed tube.

As a further example, in the example of Figure 1, the feed tubes are formed of flexible PVC piping with a 4mm diameter. However, the feed tubes could alternatively be formed of rigid pipes or ductwork, or flexible hose, or a combination of rigid and flexible materials.

In the example shown in Figures 2 and 3 the tube connectors are standard riveted hose connectors, but in other examples any connector capable of connecting a feed tube to the housing may be used.

Four tube connectors are shown in Figures 2 and 3, but in practice any number could be used. In the limit, a single tube connector and feed tube may be present, with the distribution hub merely acting to connect and disconnect the water source to the single tube connector.

While the tube connectors are shown as projecting from a circumferential outer surface of the housing of the distribution hub, this is merely exemplary, and some or all of the tube connectors may communicate with outlet apertures formed in an upper or lower face of the housing.

In one example, seven tube connectors and feed tubes are provided. When these are equally distributed at positions around the periphery of the distribution hub (along with an eighth position corresponding to a blocking orientation), this provides an arrangement in which the distribution chamber and outlet rotate about the central axis by 45° to move between sequential angular orientations.

This is particularly useful, as commercially available stepper motors can be readily configured to advance in increments of 45°.

While both the distribution chamber and outlet rotate in the example shown in Figure 2, in other examples the distribution chamber could remain stationary with the outlet rotating about a periphery of the distribution chamber. Provided a suitable sliding seal arrangement is provided between the outlet and the distribution chamber, the same effect will be achieved, i.e. water entering the distribution chamber being provided to different feed tubes when the outlet adopts different angular positions around the distribution chamber.

In some examples, instead of being rotatable the distribution chamber may be movable linearly to selectively connect the inlet to the outlet apertures formed in the housing. The actuator may comprise one or more solenoids instead of a 20 stepper motor.

Further, while the feed tubes are shown as corresponding to respective plants in Figure 1, a single feed tube could provide water to multiple plants. For example, multiple plants in a single pot, or multiple plants in respective pots could be watered through the use of one or more splitter elements in the feed tube. In such examples, the volume of water to be provided may be calculated (e.g. by the controller! mobile telecommunications device! server) for a single plant and then multiplied by the number of plants to be supplied by the feed tube.

While the embodiment of Figure 4 shows a sensor package in the water source, one or more sensor packages could also be provided in the proximity of one or more of the plants to be watered, e.g. in soil adjacent a root of the plant to be watered. The sensor package(s) could be in wired or wireless communication with the controller, mobile telecommunications device and / or the server to provide real-time information of the environment (moisture level, temperature, etc.) of the plant(s). For example, the watering regime and / or schedule could be updated in response to the plant environment information. Additionally or alternatively, the controller could take immediate emergency action in response to the plant environment information. For example, the controller could make an immediate, non-scheduled watering of a plant, where the plant environment information indicates that the moisture level has fallen below a critical threshold level.

In the embodiments shown in Figures 4-6, the mobile telecommunications device may be substituted with a tablet, or other mobile computing device (e.g. a smart watch), and communication between the tablet / mobile computing device and the controller, server, smart speaker, etc. may all take place over through wireless internet (e.g. wi-fi).

While the metering device is shown in the Figures as being a separate component to the water source, in some embodiments the metering device may be integrated into the water source. For example, where the water source is a water tank or water butt, the metering device may be formed integrally with a base or lid of the water tank or water butt, or with a pump-containing module affixed to a side of, or received within, the water tank or water butt. This provides a more compact arrangement of components of the remote plant watering system.

While an Amazon Alexa (RTM) smart speaker is described with respect to Figure 6, any suitable smart speaker could be used in practice. Examples of suitable smart speakers include Sin (RTM) or Google Home (RTM) smart 30 speakers.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A remote plant watering system comprising: an inlet connectable to a water source; a plurality of feed tubes; a metering device disposed between the inlet and the plurality of feed tubes; and a controller configured to operate the metering device to selectively fluidly connect the inlet to each of the feed tubes.
2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a processor and control logic configured to cause the controller to operate the metering device based on received commands.
3. A system according to claim 2, further comprising a memory, wherein a plurality of commands are stored in the memory.
4. A system according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of commands comprises executable instructions that, when processed by the processor of the controller, cause the controller to operate the metering device to fluidly connect the inlet to a feed tube for a predetermined amount of time to deliver a predetermined volume of water to the feed tube.
5. A system according to claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to 25 operate a pump connected between the water source and the inlet for the predetermined amount of time.
6. A system according to any of claims 3 to 5, wherein a schedule is stored in the memory, and wherein the commands are sequentially processed by the 30 processor according to the schedule.
7. A system according to claim 6, wherein a user profile is stored in the memory, wherein the user profile comprises: plant data concerning a plurality of user-selected plants; and feed tube correspondence data associating each of the plurality of user-selected plants with a respective feed tube of the system.
8. A system according to any of claims 3 to 7, wherein the memory is provided in one of: the controller; a mobile telecommunications device; and a server providing cloud computing services.
9. A system according to claim 8, further comprising a smart speaker communicatively coupled to a server providing cloud computing services, the server being wirelessly connected to the controller, wherein a user may input commands to the controller through the smart speaker using voice commands.
10. A system according to any preceding claim, wherein the metering device comprises a distribution hub comprising a housing having a plurality of outlet apertures, the feed tubes being connected to respective outlet apertures of the distribution hub.
11. A system according to claim 10, wherein the distribution hub comprises a distribution chamber rotatable within the housing to adopt a plurality of angular orientations, wherein respective angular orientations fluidly connect the inlet with respective outlet apertures.
12. A distribution hub according to claim 11, where the distribution chamber is rotatable within the housing to adopt a blocking orientation, in which the inlet is not fluidly connected to any of the outlet apertures.
13. A distribution hub according to claim 11 or claim 12, further comprising a stepper motor configured to rotate the distribution chamber within the housing.