Personalized Cosmetic Composition Apparatus with Segmented Dispensing

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Solution Overview

Problem

The cosmetics industry faces challenges in addressing the diverse and specific demands of consumers, as existing methods cannot efficiently produce personalized cosmetic compositions that cater to individual skin types, preferences, and dermatological characteristics.

Innovation Solution

An apparatus and method that includes a feeder, dispenser, collector, and compacter, along with circuitry that selects and blends additives based on dermatological characteristics to create a personalized cosmetic composition, allowing for limitless variations tailored to individual needs, and compacts the mixture for delivery.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If traditional cosmetic production methods are used, then manufacturing process is simple, but cannot produce personalized cosmetic compositions tailored to individual dermatological characteristics

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepersonalization capabilityVSAvoidapparatus complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The cosmetic composition is divided into separate components: a base material and multiple selectable additives. The apparatus segments the production process into distinct stages: exposing the base, selectively dispensing additives based on dermatological characteristics, blending, and compacting. This segmentation enables personalization while maintaining manageable system complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The apparatus is designed with multi-functional components that can handle different types of cosmetic bases and various additives (oils, pigments, active ingredients). The system provides universal functionality across different cosmetic product types while adapting to individual customer needs through selective additive incorporation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If personalized cosmetic compositions are created with multiple additives, then product customization is improved, but manufacturing process complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomposition variabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing ease

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The base cosmetic material is prepared and exposed in advance before additives are incorporated. This preliminary action allows the system to start with a ready-to-customize base, simplifying the manufacturing process by separating the base preparation from the additive incorporation stages.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system automatically selects and incorporates additives based on input dermatological characteristics without requiring manual formulation expertise for each customization. The automated selection and dispensing processes enable easy manufacturing of personalized compositions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Adaptability or versatility

If additives are blended into the base, then personalized composition is achieved, but processing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomposition tailoringVSAvoidprocessing time

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The blending process is designed to occur continuously as additives are dispensed onto the exposed base, rather than requiring separate batch mixing steps. This continuous action reduces processing time while ensuring thorough incorporation of personalized additives into the base composition.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

4Ease of operation

If treated base is transferred to collection container, then product collection is enabled, but material loss may occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduct collectionVSAvoidcosmetic material loss

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces manual collection methods with an automated collector that transfers the treated base from the processing chamber to the collection container. This mechanical substitution ensures consistent, controlled transfer with minimal material loss and improved operational ease.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS9918538B2Apparatus and method to realize personalized cosmetic compositions

Publication Date: 2018.03.20 LOREAL SA

AI summary

An apparatus to realize a personalized cosmetic composition including a feeder to expose a base stored in a chamber, a dispenser to dispense a selected treatment mixture onto the base and form a treated base, a collector to collect the treated base from the chamber and depose the treated base onto a collection container, and a compacter to compact an accumulation of the treated base inside the collection container. The dispenser includes a plurality of reservoirs containing a plurality of additives to be selectively incorporated into the selected treatment mixture, wherein the plurality of additives includes a plurality of pigments to produce the selected treatment mixture in a selected of color.