Precision Scale Color Management System for Hair Dye Dispensing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for mixing hair dyes and other cosmetic products lack precision and control, leading to inaccurate measurements and operator-dependent results, and existing automatic dispensers are costly and complex, making them unaffordable for most salons.
Innovation Solution
A computer-driven color management system with a precision scale, recipe management software, and optional storage with locking mechanisms, which includes a keyboard, LCD screen, and bar code reader to ensure accurate ingredient measurement and inventory control, reducing costs and complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If fully-automatic computer-controlled dispensers are used, then measurement precision and control are improved, but device complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses a precision scale that automatically measures the weight of colorant bottles before and after dispensing, eliminating the need for manual measurement. The computer system automatically calculates and tracks the amounts dispensed, providing self-service measurement functionality that maintains precision while reducing operational complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces complex mechanical dispensing mechanisms with a simpler system based on weight measurement and calculation. Instead of using mechanical pumps or valves to control dispensing amounts, the system measures weight changes and calculates volumes, substituting mechanical complexity with computational simplicity
2Measurement precision
If fully-automatic computer-controlled dispensers are used, then measurement precision is improved, but cost increases making them unaffordable for most salons
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into separate, independent components: a standard precision scale, a computer with software, and existing colorant bottles. This segmentation allows each component to be sourced separately at lower costs rather than requiring a custom-integrated expensive dispenser unit, making the overall system affordable for most salons
Solution Approach 2:
The precision scale serves multiple functions: measuring bottle weights, calculating dispensed amounts, and tracking inventory. The computer system handles recipe management, measurement calculations, and record-keeping. This multi-functionality reduces the need for specialized expensive equipment while maintaining measurement precision
3Device complexity
If manual dispensing methods are used, then device complexity and cost are reduced, but measurement precision and control deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides real-time feedback by displaying the current weight on the scale and calculating the amount dispensed based on the difference between before and after weights. This feedback mechanism ensures measurement precision by allowing operators to verify amounts during the dispensing process, eliminating the guesswork inherent in manual methods
4Ease of manufacture
If manual dispensing methods are used, then cost and complexity are reduced, but reliability and control over outcomes deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces manual estimation and visual judgment with objective weight-based measurement. The computer system automatically calculates the correct amounts based on recipe specifications and actual bottle weights, eliminating operator-dependent variability and ensuring reliable, consistent results across different users and occasions
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment there is provided a system for recalculating a formula previously used in preparing a mixture made from adding at least two components. The system includes a control apparatus and scale. The control apparatus has a memory for storing the mixture formula. The scale, in communication with the control apparatus, allows the control apparatus to monitor a weight on the scale, such that a final weight of the mixture is stored on the memory. When an end weight of the mixture, defined to be the final weight of the mixture previously prepared minus an amount used by a user, is positioned back on the scale and when the control apparatus receives a recalculation signal, the control apparatus calculates the amount used, recalculates the mixture based on the amount used, and stores a new mixture for subsequent use.