Apparatus, system, and method for dispensing fluid products, particularly cosmetics, on demand - Patents.com

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for dispensing an on-demand fluid product (P), in particular a cosmetic product, configured to allow the mixing of at least two products (20a, 20b, 20c), called base products, in a ratio selected from information from a user, to form an on-demand product, the device comprising a mixer (26) configured to mix the base products (20a, 20b, 20c), the device being configured to separately feed the base products (20a, 20b, 20c) to the mixer (26) in said ratio and to deliver the on-demand product (P) at the outlet of the mixer (26), the mixer (26) being disposable.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for dispensing an on-demand fluid product, in particular a cosmetic product, which may in particular be a lip product such as lip oil. The present invention also relates to a dispensing system comprising such an apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002] A device for dispensing cosmetic products on demand allows the user to obtain a product that corresponds to a real need, rather than relying on a limited choice of products within a given range. Such a device allows to collect from a container a given proportion of base products that will form the product after mixing.

[0003] In certain known devices, the base products are dispensed separately and it is up to the user to mix them. This has drawbacks because the user does not always have the appropriate equipment to do the mixing. Also, such devices may be suitable for dispensing small samples of the product, but are less suitable for dispensing larger doses. Thus, such devices require the user to quickly repeat the operation to obtain a new dose of the product.

[0004] Dispensing devices are also known that are equipped with a circuit for mixing different base products to be used in the formulation of the dispensed product. In addition to the advantage that the user does not have to mix the base products himself, such devices make it possible to obtain larger doses.

[0005] However, those devices present challenges leading to the need for the dispensed dose not to be contaminated by residues from previous doses that may remain in the part of the circuit used to mix the base product. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE One object of the present invention is to propose a dispensing device which at least partially addresses the above mentioned drawbacks. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The invention in this sense relates to a device for dispensing on-demand fluid products, in particular cosmetic products, configured to allow the mixing of at least two products, called base products, in a ratio selected from information from a user to form said on-demand product, said device comprising a mixer configured to ensure the mixing of said base products, said device configured to separately supply said base products to said mixers in said ratios and to deliver an on-demand product at the outlet of said mixer, said mixer being disposable.

[0008] "Disposable" means that the mixer 26 is intended to be replaced for each new use, i.e. for each dispensing of a new dose of on-demand product P, each of said doses being constituted by a mixture of quantities of base products corresponding to said selected ratio. "Separately" means that the device is configured such that no mixing of base products takes place upstream of said mixer, even if the base products can enter the mixer simultaneously.

[0009] Thanks to the use of a fully replaceable mixer, upstream of which no mixing of base products takes place, the device according to the invention ensures that there are no parts of the circuit in which residues from previous doses already mixed can be present. This ensures that each new dose contains only the desired proportion of base product and does not revert to separate dispensing of said base product. It also avoids the need to clean the circuit after each use.

[0010] According to additional features which can be implemented independently of one another or according to all technically possible combinations and which equally form the same number of embodiments of the invention: The mixer is a static mixer, The mixer is provided with an endless screw, The apparatus further comprises an injector configured to supply the base product to the mixer; the injector comprises an inlet opening and an outlet opening for each of said base products; the inlet and outlet openings of the injector are respectively connected by a tube for circulating the base product; The tube has a reduced cross section between the inlet and outlet, the injector has an outlet interface and the mixer has a connection interface intended to cooperate with each other to be connected to each other; the outlet interface has at least two pins, one of the pins having at least one of the injector outlets and the other or another of the pins having at least the other or another of the injector outlets; the connection interface has at least two cavities, each of which is adapted to receive one of the pins respectively, such that the base product is guided in the cavity, in particular axially, the injector and the mixer are configured to allow quick connection to one another; the device comprises a plurality of cartridges each containing one of said base products; The cartridge remains open to the atmosphere during use and the apparatus comprising a plurality of pumps for collecting the base product from the cartridge and delivering the base product to the mixer in the proportions; The pump is of the peristaltic type, the device includes a circuit connecting the cartridge to a mixer via a pump; the circuit comprises a hose; said device comprises a housing having a dispensing chamber allowing the placement of a bottle intended to receive said on-demand product at the outlet of a mixer, The chamber is open to the outside, the chamber houses the mixer such that the mixer can be installed and removed from the chamber; the injector is flush with the chamber so that the mixer can be installed and removed from the injector; The apparatus comprises an electronic control unit; the control unit is configured to use data from the scale to control on-demand dispensing of the product; the control unit is configured to control a pump; the apparatus comprising a first scale for measuring the contents of each cartridge; the apparatus includes a second scale for weighing the contents of the bottle; the control unit is configured to control a pump using data from the first scale and the second scale until the product is delivered on demand after the proportion of the base product is collected; the control unit is configured to cause the circuit to be filled with a base product for each dispense of a dose of on-demand product; The base products advantageously include a plurality of monochromatic products with a texturing base product and a base product called neutral.

[0011] The invention also relates to a dispensing system comprising a device as described above and a user interface for determining the proportion of the base product to be collected to obtain an on-demand product.

[0012] The user interface may, for example, comprise a smartphone and / or tablet or a screen equipped with an application allowing to select a color for the on-demand product from a palette of predefined colors corresponding to a given percentage of a base product.

[0013] The present invention relates to a method for dispensing an on-demand fluid product, in particular a cosmetic product, comprising a step of mixing at least two products, called base products, in a ratio selected from information from a user to form the on-demand product, said mixing step being carried out using a mixer by separately feeding said base products in said ratios to said mixer to deliver the on-demand product at the outlet of said mixer, said method comprising a step of installing a new mixer for each new use.

[0014] According to additional features which can be implemented independently of one another or according to all technically possible combinations and which equally form the same number of embodiments of the invention: The method includes a first step of weighing a base product collected to form the on-demand product; The method includes a second step of weighing the dispensed on-demand product, the first and second metering steps are performed simultaneously; The method includes the initial step of filling a mixer feed circuit.

[0015] Other features, details and advantages will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and examining the accompanying drawings. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example of a dispensing device according to the present invention. [Diagram 2] 1 is a schematic diagram of an example of a dispensing device according to the present invention; [Diagram 3] 1 is a schematic diagram of an injector and mixer of an example of a dispensing device according to the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the injector of FIG. 3. [Diagram 5] FIG. 4 is a top view of the injector of FIG. 3. [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the injector of FIG. 3. [Figure 7]FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an example of a user interface of a dispensing system according to the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the top of the mixer of FIG. 3. [Figure 9] FIG. 4 is a top view of the mixer of FIG. 3. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] As illustrated in FIG. 1, the present invention relates to a device 1 for dispensing an on-demand fluid product P, in particular a cosmetic product.

[0018] This makes it possible to dispense an on-demand product P in particular into a bottle 2 intended to receive said on-demand product P. For example, the bottle 2 is placed in the dispenser by the user or an operator on behalf of the user, prior to the dispensing of the on-demand product P. Once the on-demand product P has been dispensed and the bottle 2 is filled, the bottle 2 is removed by the user or the operator, so that the user, having in the bottle 2 the on-demand product P of his choice, can take it away.

[0019] The device comprises a dispenser, for example in the form of a cabinet or a large housing 4. The housing comprises a dispensing chamber 6, which is preferably freely accessible from the outside. For this purpose, the chamber 6 here has an externally opening face 8 in one of the walls 10 of the housing 4, in particular in the front face of the housing. In other words, the dispensing chamber 6 is externally open.

[0020] Said dispensing chamber 6 is designed to accommodate said bottle 2. In this sense, the chamber 6 comprises a support 12 configured to accommodate the bottle 2 during the dispensing of the product P on demand.

[0021] As illustrated in FIG. 2, according to the invention, the device is configured to enable a mixture of at least two products 20a, 20b, 20c, called base products, in proportions selected from information from a user, to form the on-demand product P.

[0022] Said base products may be any kind of fluid and / or powder products. They are, for example, products intended to be included in cosmetic compositions. They are more particularly, inter alia, monochromatic products, i.e. mixtures of a fluid base and color pigments.

[0023] Although only three base products are exemplified here, the dispensing device according to the invention may equally allow the mixing of a large number of base products, in particular several monochromatic products of different colours, one or more base products allowing the perfumement of said product on demand using one or more fragrances and / or one or more texture imparting base products giving said product a particular appearance, in particular a shiny appearance. The number of said monochromatic products is for example eight. They preferably contain the same base from one monochromatic product to another.

[0024] To combine color choices with or without texturing effects, the base product advantageously includes multiple solid colors with a texturing base product and a base product called neutral. The texturing base product includes a fluid base, possibly identical to the solid color fluid base, and a texturing component, e.g. glitter. The neutral base product includes only the fluid base. The device is also configured so that each new dose of the on-demand product P includes either a certain percentage of the texture-providing base product, if the on-demand product P should contain a texture-providing component according to the user's selection, or the same percentage of the neutral base product, if the on-demand product P should not contain a texture-providing component according to the user's selection. Such a configuration maintains the same overall percentage of solid color in each dose, regardless of whether the user wants the dispensed dose of the on-demand product P to contain a texture-providing component or not, thus allowing better control of the color development of the on-demand product P from one dose to another.

[0025] The device further comprises a number of tanks or cartridges 22, each intended to contain one of the base products 20a, 20b, 20c, for example, said cartridges 22 being arranged in the lower part of the housing 4, although this position is not limiting.

[0026] Said cartridge 22 is in particular open to the outside air during use. As a variant, the cartridge may be a cartridge equipped with an air intake system so that it can remain closed during use. As a further variant, the cartridge may be equipped with a deformable receptacle for containing the base product, allowing the base product to be collected without air intake, the receptacle being deformed when the base product is collected.

[0027] The device further comprises a number of pumps 24a, 24b, 24c for collecting the base products in said proportions from the cartridges 22. In other words, each of the cartridges 22 is associated with one of the pumps 24a, 24b, 24c, such that only one of the pumps 24a, 24b, 24c is used to collect only one of the base products 20a, 20b, 20c. The pumps are, for example, of the peristaltic type, making it possible to prevent the base product from coming into contact with moving parts.

[0028] According to the invention, the device comprises a mixer 26 configured to ensure mixing of the base products 20a, 20b, 20c. The device is further configured to feed the base products 20a, 20b, 20c separately in said proportions to the mixer 26 and to deliver an on-demand product P at the outlet of the mixer 26. The mixer 26 is preferably disposable.

[0029] "Disposable" means that the mixer 26 is intended to be replaced for each new use, i.e. for each dispensing of a new dose of on-demand product P. "Separately" means that, from a time point of view, the device is configured such that no mixing of the base products 20a, 20b, 20c takes place upstream of the mixer 26, even if the base products can enter said mixer 26 at the same time.

[0030] Thanks to the invention, said base products 20a, 20b, 20c are therefore not mixed upstream of the mixer 26, which can be completely replaced for each new use. This makes it possible to avoid the presence of residues from the previous dose when dispensing the next dose, which could adversely affect the appearance and / or the exact amount of the dispensed on-demand product P.

[0031] The device comprises a circuit 28 connecting the cartridge 22 to the mixer 26, for example via pumps 24a, 24b, 24c. The circuit 28 comprises in particular hoses, each of which comprises a first portion 30 connecting the cartridge 22 to a pump 24a, 24b, 24c and a second portion 32 connecting a pump 24a, 24b, 24c to the mixer 26. The first and second portions 30, 32 are continuous with each other such that the hoses pass through the pumps 24a, 24b, 24c, respectively. As can be seen, the circuit 28 is subdivided into as many branches as there are base products, the branches feeding the mixer 26 separately.

[0032] The apparatus further comprises an electronic control unit 34 for controlling the pumps 24a, 24b, 24c, which thus supply the base products 20a, 20b, 20c to the mixer 26 in the proportions that allow for the dispensing of the desired on-demand product P.

[0033] The control unit 34 comprises, for example, a memory unit, a processor and / or a communication interface. The memory unit comprises a database enabling to associate information regarding the on-demand product P to be dispensed with respective proportions and / or portions of base products to be mixed to obtain the on-demand product P. The communication interface is configured to receive the information regarding the on-demand product P to be dispensed. The processor is configured to receive and utilize the information regarding the on-demand product P to be dispensed in order to determine, with the aid of the database, respective proportions and / or portions of base products to be mixed to obtain the on-demand product P. The processor is further configured to actuate the pumps 24a, 24b, 24c in a correlated manner such that respective proportions and / or portions of base products 20a, 20b, 20c to be mixed to obtain the on-demand product P are collected from the cartridge 22.

[0034] To control the collection of said base products 20a, 20b, 20c, said device advantageously comprises a first scale 36 for respectively metering the contents of each cartridge 22. said first scale 36 makes it possible to ensure the collection of respective proportions and / or portions of base products to be mixed to obtain said on-demand product P.

[0035] The device further comprises a second scale 38 for weighing the contents of the bottle 2. This makes it possible to ensure that the expected dose is dispensed in full, while preventing the introduction of too much on-demand product P into the bottle 2, which would cause the product to overflow.

[0036] The control unit 34 is configured to control the pumps 24a, 24b, 24c using data from the first scale 36 and the second scale 38 after collecting the proportions of the base product 20a, 20b, 20c until the on-demand product P is delivered. Advantageously, the control unit 34 is configured such that after each dispense of a dose of on-demand product the circuit 28 is filled with base product up to the mixer 26 in each branch of the circuit 28 to avoid dead volumes that may distort the dose.

[0037] As illustrated in Fig. 3, the mixer 26 is preferably a static mixer. It therefore has the advantage of allowing the mixing of the base product without moving parts that are not easily adapted and would make it uneconomical to use a mixer that is replaceable for each use. The mixer 26 comprises, for example, a connection interface 40 and a mixing body 42. Said mixing body 42 is in particular tubular. Here, the mixing body comprises an endless screw 43 for mixing. Said tubular body 42 has at its outlet a port 44 through which said on-demand product P is intended to be dispensed into the bottle 2.

[0038] The mixer 26 can be cleaned so that it can be used again, for example after cleaning, but it is fully understood that such cleaning is not performed at the level of the device but at the level of an independent cleaning facility, so that even if it can be cleaned, it must be replaced after each use. Conversely, the mixer 26 can be disposable.

[0039] Preferably, the apparatus further comprises an injector 46 configured to supply the base products 20a, 20b, 20c to the mixer 26.

[0040] As is more apparent from Figures 4 to 6, the injector 46 comprises an inlet opening 48 and an outlet opening 50 for each of said base products 22a, 22b, 22c. Here, the injector 46 is shown with eight inlet openings and eight outlet openings, corresponding to an injector of a dispensing device using eight base products and having the same number of branches in its circuit 28.

[0041] The inlet openings 48 and the outlet openings 50 of the injector 46 are connected respectively by tubes for circulating the base product, said tubes being not visible since they are arranged inside the injector 46. The tubes have a reduced cross section between the inlet and the outlet. For example, the diameter of the inlet openings 48 is of the order of millimeters, while the diameter of the outlet openings 50 is smaller, of the order of a few tenths of a millimeter. As will be explained below, this makes it possible to group the outlet openings 50. The inlet openings 48 are arranged, for example, on the upper surface of the injector. Here, they are distributed in two rows.

[0042] The injector 46 has an outlet interface 52 designed to cooperate with the connection interface 40 of the mixer 26 so that they are connected to each other.

[0043] Said outlet interface 52 has at least two pins 54, 56, one of said pins 54 having at least one of the injector outlets and the other or another of said pins having at least the other or another of the injector outlets. Here, the number of pins is two, each pin groups four discharge openings 50, in particular distributed in the upper part of a square.

[0044] As depicted in Figures 8 and 9, the connection interface 40 has at least two cavities 72, 74. Each of the cavities 72, 74 is configured to receive one of the pins 54, 56, respectively, so that the base product moves, here axially, into the cavity. A sleeve 76 forming the contour of each of the cavities 72, 74 is intended to laterally match the pins 54, 56 from the outside to form a sealed contact. The cavities 72, 74 communicate with the mixer 42. In this way, the base products flow from the syringe 46 into the mixer 42, where they mix together before exiting through the port 44.

[0045] Preferably, the injector 46 and the mixer 26 are configured to allow a quick connection to one another, for example of the bayonet type. For this, the connection interface 40 here comprises a mounting skirt 58 and an internal part 78 housed in the skirt 58. The sleeve of the internal part 78 coincides laterally with the pins 54, 56. The internal part 78 can be moved in rotation within the skirt 58 about a common longitudinal axis Z. The skirt 58 and the outlet interface 52 have complementary shapes for guiding and fixing the mixer 26 on the injector 46.

[0046] The complementary shapes include a shoulder 60 extending angularly around the periphery of the outlet interface 52 and a stopper 66 extending angularly around a free edge 68 of the skirt 58. The shoulders 60 are angularly spaced apart from one another to leave an axial passage for the stopper 66 in a first positioning of the mixer 26 relative to the injector 46. In a second positioning of the mixer 26 relative to the injector 46, the stopper 66 is axially engaged with the shoulder 60 after axial passage of the stopper 66 between the shoulders 60 and rotation of one of them relative to the other about their common longitudinal axis Z.

[0047] A protrusion 70 located on the free edge 68 allows the mixer 26 to be angularly oriented relative to the injector 46 by cooperating with a slot provided in one of the shoulders 60 to enable a user to determine the first positioning.

[0048] When the mixer 26 is connected to the injector 46, thanks to the mutual guidance of the complementary shapes 60, 66, the mixer 26 comes into contact with the injector 46 in an axial translational movement. This translational movement causes the pins 54, 56 of the injector 46 to be inserted into the corresponding sleeves 76 of the mixer 26. In a second stage, the mixer 26 is rotated, for example by a quarter turn, about the common longitudinal axis Z, thanks to the mutual guidance, here rotation, of the complementary shapes 60, 66. During this second stage of movement, the internal part rotates relative to the skirt 58, which is actuated by the user and which is fixed by introducing the pins 54, 56 into the cavities 72, 74. At the end of this rotational movement, the mixer 26 is installed in the injector 46 and is ready for use. After use, the mixer is removed in a reverse motion to allow installation of a new mixer for dispensing the next dose.

[0049] The present invention also relates to a dispensing system comprising the device 1 described above.

[0050] As illustrated in FIG. 7, the system further comprises a user interface 62, associated with the control unit 34, making it possible to determine the proportion of the base product to be collected to obtain the on-demand product P.

[0051] The user interface 62 comprises, for example, a mobile digital medium such as a smartphone and / or a tablet equipped with an application enabling a color to be selected for the on-demand product P. Such an application allows for this purpose the display of a palette 64 of predefined colors corresponding to a given proportion of a base product.

[0052] According to a first embodiment, after the user has selected the color desired, information regarding the selected color is transmitted to a control unit 34 which, as already seen above, is configured to associate said information with a given proportion of base product thanks to a database contained in said control unit 34. As a variant, said database is contained in said mobile digital medium, which is then directly information regarding the respective proportions of base product to be used, information transmitted by the mobile digital medium to said control unit 34.

[0053] The mobile digital medium is equipped with remote communication means, in particular by wireless communication protocols such as those known as WiFi and / or Bluetooth, for transmitting information regarding the on-demand product P to be dispensed to the connection interface of the control unit 34.

[0054] 1, it can be seen that the dispensing chamber 6 allows the bottle 2 to be placed at the outlet of the mixer 26, for example at the level of the second scale 38. Preferably, the chamber 6 accommodates the mixer 26 so that it can be placed and removed in the chamber 6. The mixer is thus easily accessible and can be replaced for each dose without needing to access the closed part of the housing 4. Even more preferably, the syringe 46 is flush with the chamber 6 so that the mixer 26 can be placed in the chamber 6 and removed from the syringe 46 without needing to access the closed part of the housing 4.

[0055] The injector 46 may be a replaceable part for maintenance purposes, but much less frequently than the mixer 26. Access to the injector 26 for replacement purposes may require access to an enclosed portion of the housing 4.

[0056] The invention also relates to a method for dispensing a fluid product P, in particular a cosmetic product, on demand, said method may be implemented using the devices and / or systems described above.

[0057] The method comprises the step of mixing at least two products 20a, 20b, 20c, referred to as base products, in a ratio selected from input from a user to form the on-demand product P.

[0058] According to the invention, said mixing step is performed using a mixer 46, by separately feeding said base products 20a, 20b, 20c in said proportions to said mixer 26, in order to deliver an on-demand product P at the outlet of said mixer 26. The method also comprises the step of installing a new mixer 26 for each new use, i.e. for each new command from the user and / or for each new dose dispensed.

[0059] Advantageously, the method includes an initial step of filling the supply circuit 28 of the mixer 26 .

[0060] More advantageously, the method includes a first step of metering the collected base products 20a, 20b, 20c to form the on-demand fluid, and a second step of metering the on-demand fluid P dispensed into the bottle 2. The first and second metering steps are performed simultaneously throughout the dispensing to control the dose of the dispensed on-demand product P.

Claims

1. 1. A device for dispensing an on-demand fluid product (P), in particular a cosmetic product, configured to allow mixing of at least two products (20a, 20b, 20c), called base products, in a ratio selected from information from a user, to form the on-demand product, the device comprising a mixer (26) configured to ensure said mixing of the base products (20a, 20b, 20c), the device being configured to separately feed the base products (20a, 20b, 20c) to the mixer (26) in said ratio and to deliver the on-demand product (P) at the outlet of the mixer (26), the mixer (26) being disposable.

2. The apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the mixer (26) is a static mixer.

3. 10. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising an injector (46) configured to supply the base product (20a, 20b, 20c) to the mixer (26).

4. 10. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the injector (46) comprises an inlet (48) and an outlet (50) opening for each of the base products (20a, 20b, 20c), the inlet (48) and outlet (50) openings being respectively connected by a base product circulation pipe (20a, 20b, 20c), the pipe having a reduced cross-section between the inlet and the outlet.

5. 5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the injector (46) and the mixer (26) are configured to allow quick connection to one another.

6. 10. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a housing (4) having a dispensing chamber (6) allowing the placement of a bottle (2) intended to receive the on-demand product (P) at the outlet of the mixer (26), the chamber (6) being open to the outside and accommodating the mixer (26) such that the mixer (26) can be placed in and removed from the chamber (6).

7. 10. The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising an electronic control unit (34), said control unit (34) configured to utilize data from scales (36, 38) to control the dispensing of the on-demand product (P).

8. A dispensing system comprising a device according to any one of the preceding claims and a user interface (62) enabling to determine the proportion of base products (20a, 20b, 20c) to be collected to obtain the on-demand product (P).

9. 1. A method for dispensing an on-demand fluid product (P), in particular a cosmetic product, comprising a step of mixing at least two products (20a, 20b, 20c), called base products, in a ratio selected from information from a user to form the on-demand product (P), said mixing step being carried out using a mixer (26) by separately feeding said base products (20a, 20b, 20c) in said ratios to said mixer (26) to deliver said on-demand product (P) at an outlet of said mixer (26), said method comprising a step of installing a new mixer (26) for each new use.

10. 10. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, comprising an initial step of filling a feed circuit of the mixer (26).

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