U.S. patent application number 13/768756 was filed with the patent office on 2014-08-21 for system for producing a customizable personal skincare product in a portable dispenser, and related methods.
This patent application is currently assigned to GOJO Industries, Inc.. The applicant listed for this patent is Matthew Archer, Todd J. Cartner, Nick E. Ciavarella, Amanda J. Copeland, David J. Shumaker. Invention is credited to Matthew Archer, Todd J. Cartner, Nick E. Ciavarella, Amanda J. Copeland, David J. Shumaker.
Application Number | 20140230377 13/768756 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 51350107 |
Filed Date | 2014-08-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140230377 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Cartner; Todd J. ; et
al. |
August 21, 2014 |
SYSTEM FOR PRODUCING A CUSTOMIZABLE PERSONAL SKINCARE PRODUCT IN A
PORTABLE DISPENSER, AND RELATED METHODS
Abstract
A system and method for producing a customizable personal
skincare liquid product in a portable dispenser are disclosed
herein. The system includes a processor, a memory, a supply of
portable dispensers, a supply of a base liquid material, and a
supply of additional substances. A user provides selections and
instructions to the system. The system mixes the base liquid
material with one or more of the additional substances in the
portable dispenser to create a customizable personal skincare
liquid product according to the user specifications.
Inventors: |
Cartner; Todd J.;
(Uniontown, OH) ; Ciavarella; Nick E.; (Seven
Hills, OH) ; Copeland; Amanda J.; (Seville, OH)
; Shumaker; David J.; (Bay Village, OH) ; Archer;
Matthew; (Aurora, OH) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Cartner; Todd J.
Ciavarella; Nick E.
Copeland; Amanda J.
Shumaker; David J.
Archer; Matthew |
Uniontown
Seven Hills
Seville
Bay Village
Aurora |
OH
OH
OH
OH
OH |
US
US
US
US
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
GOJO Industries, Inc.
Akron
OH
|
Family ID: |
51350107 |
Appl. No.: |
13/768756 |
Filed: |
February 15, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
53/467 ; 141/103;
141/104; 141/94; 141/98; 206/216 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65B 2210/04 20130101;
G07F 13/06 20130101; B65B 3/04 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
53/467 ; 141/104;
141/94; 141/98; 141/103; 206/216 |
International
Class: |
B65B 3/26 20060101
B65B003/26; B65B 1/04 20060101 B65B001/04 |
Claims
1. A system for producing a customizable personal skincare product
stored in a portable dispenser in accordance with specifications
provided by a user, the system comprising: an enclosure containing
at least one processor and memory; an input the user may employ to
input selections and instructions to the system; a supply of
portable dispensers, and a supply of a base personal skincare
material; multiple storage units, wherein each storage unit
contains at least one additional substance which may be added to
the base personal skincare material within the portable dispenser
to create a customizable personal skincare product according to the
user specifications; and at least one mechanical drive system
controlled by the processor, wherein the mechanical drive system
operates to position a selected portable dispenser to receive
substances from one or more of the multiple storage units.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the customizable personal
skincare product comprises a sanitizer, and the base liquid
material comprises a sanitizer material.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein the customizable personal
skincare product comprises a soap, and the base liquid material
comprises a soap material.
4. The system of claim 3, wherein the additional substances permit
the user to specify at least one property selected from the group
consisting of a color, a suspended visual agent, a bead, a flake, a
fragrance, a sensation, and a viscosity.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein the input comprises at least one
element selected from the group consisting of a touch screen
display, a number pad, a keyboard, a voice recognition system and a
wireless receiver.
6. The system of claim 1, wherein the input comprises a data
connection between the system and a personal digital assistant
being operated by the user.
7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a door to cover the
outlet opening.
8. The system of claim 1, further comprising one or more windows in
the enclosure which permit the user to view internal operations of
the system as the system forms the customized personal skincare
product in a portable dispenser.
9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a printer inside the
enclosure to print personal skincare liquid product
information.
10. The system of claim 9, wherein the printer prints the personal
skincare product information on an adhesive label which may be
affixed to the portable dispenser.
11. The system of claim 1, further comprising a payment means via
which the user may pay for the customized personal skincare product
produced by the system.
12. The system of claim 1, wherein the storage units each have a
conical injection head designed to be inserted into an open top of
the selected portable dispenser.
13. The system of claim 1, wherein the enclosure comprises a kiosk
which may be placed at a point of purchase location.
14. A method for producing a customizable personal skincare product
stored in a portable dispenser, the method comprising: obtaining
from a user of the system one or more properties of a desired
customizable personal skincare product; obtaining a supply of a
base personal skincare material within a portable dispenser; adding
one or more additional substances into the portable dispenser,
thereby mixing them with the base personal skincare material within
the portable dispenser, to produce a final product in accordance
with the properties of the desired customizable personal skincare
product; placing a closure on the portable dispenser to hold the
customized personal skincare product within the portable dispenser
unless and until the user initiates a dispensing action; and
outputting the portable dispenser containing the desired
customizable personal skincare product from the system.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein obtaining the supply of the
base personal skincare material within the portable dispenser
comprises adding a portion of the base personal skincare material
into an empty portable dispenser.
16. The method of claim 14, wherein obtaining the supply of the
base personal skincare material within the portable dispenser
comprises selecting a portable container which is pre-filled with
the base personal skincare material.
17. The method of claim 14, wherein the one or more additional
substances are held within separate storage units, and the adding
step is performed by applying a pressure to at least one of the
storage units.
18. The method of claim 14, wherein the closure comprises at least
one element selected from the group consisting of a cap and a
pumping mechanism.
19. The method of claim 14, further comprising a mixing step after
placing the closure on the portable dispenser.
20. The method of claim 14, further comprising a labeling step in
which liquid product information is printed either directly on the
portable dispenser or on a separate label which may be secured to
the portable dispenser.
21. The method of claim 14, further comprising a payment step in
which the user is required to pay for the customizable personal
skincare liquid product before the portable dispenser is
expelled.
22. The method of claim 14 wherein the supply of portable
dispensers and supply of base materials are provided by the
user.
23. A customized personal skincare product system comprising: a
portable dispenser; a base personal skincare material; a first
substance selected by a user; and a second substance selected by a
user.
24. The system of claim 23 wherein the first and second substances
comprise at least one of a color, a fragrance, suspended visual
agents, beads or glitter.
25. The system of claim 23 wherein the user selects a percentage of
at least one of the first and second substances.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates generally to a system and
method for producing a customizable personal skincare product
stored in a portable dispenser, which is particularly suited for
use in connection with a kiosk placed at point of purchase
locations. Related methods are also provided, including for
gathering market demographic information regarding the user, and
for providing user help features.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Personal skincare product dispenser systems, such as soap
and sanitizer dispensers, provide a user with an amount of a
personal skincare product upon actuation of the dispenser. A
"personal skincare" product, as defined herein, means any skin care
product and representative examples include soaps, sanitizers,
cleansers, disinfectants, moisturizers, suntan lotions, anti-aging
lotions, exfoliators, and the like. Such personal skincare products
usually take the form of a liquid such as a lotion, a cream, an
ointment, or the like. It is desirable to provide a system and a
method for producing a customizable personal skincare product
stored in a portable dispenser, which are particularly suited for
use in connection with a kiosk placed at point of purchase
locations. Related methods are also provided for gathering market
demographic information regarding the user and providing user help
features.
SUMMARY
[0003] A system and method for producing a customizable personal
skincare product in a portable dispenser are disclosed herein. In
one embodiment, the system comprises an enclosure containing at
least one processor and memory, a supply of portable dispensers, a
supply of a base personal skincare material, and a mechanical drive
system controlled by the processor. The user may employ an input to
provide selections and instructions to the system. Multiple storage
units contain at least one additional substance which may be added
to the base personal skincare material within the portable
dispenser to create a customizable personal skincare product
according to the user specifications. The mechanical drive system
operates to position a selected portable dispenser to receive
substances from one or more of the multiple storage units. Related
methods are also provided.
[0004] An exemplary methodology for producing a customizable
personal skincare product stored in a portable dispenser includes
obtaining from a user of the system one or more properties of a
desired customizable personal skincare product. Obtaining a supply
of a base personal skincare material within a portable dispenser.
Adding one or more additional substances into the portable
dispenser, thereby mixing them with the base personal skincare
material within the portable dispenser, to produce a final product
in accordance with the properties of the desired customizable
personal skincare product. Placing a closure on the portable
dispenser to hold the customized personal skincare product within
the portable dispenser unless and until the user initiates a
dispensing action; and outputting the portable dispenser containing
the desired customizable personal skincare product from the
system.
[0005] An exemplary customized personal skincare product includes a
portable dispenser, a base personal skincare material. The
customized personal skin care product further includes a first
substance selected by a user and a second substance selected by a
user.
[0006] In this way, a simple and economical system for producing a
customizable personal skincare product stored in a portable
dispenser is provided.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] These and other features and advantages of the present
invention will become better understood with regard to the
following description and accompanying drawings in which:
[0008] FIG. 1 is an illustrative schematic diagram view of a system
100 for producing a customizable personal skincare product stored
in a portable dispenser;
[0009] FIG. 1A illustrates a representative portable container 10
for use in conjunction with the system 100 of FIG. 1;
[0010] FIG. 2 illustrates a representative method 200 of using the
system 100 of FIG. 1; and
[0011] FIG. 3 is a representative embodiment of a system 300 for
producing a customizable personal skincare product stored in a
portable dispenser.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0012] FIG. 1 illustrates a first exemplary embodiment of a system
100 for producing a customizable personal skincare product stored
in a portable dispenser. The system 100 comprises an enclosure 102
containing various components which permit the system 100 to
operate. Thus, the enclosure 102 contains one or more processors
104 and memory 106 for performing various functions and other tasks
described herein. The functions described herein can be performed
as software logic. "Logic," as used herein, includes but is not
limited to hardware, firmware, software and/or combinations of each
to perform a function(s) or an action(s), and/or to cause a
function or action from another component. For example, based on a
desired application or needs, logic may include a software
controlled microprocessor, discrete logic such as an application
specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or other programmed logic
device. Logic may also be fully embodied as software.
[0013] "Software," as used herein, includes but is not limited to
one or more processor readable and/or executable instructions that
cause a processor or other electronic device to perform functions,
actions, and/or behave in a desired manner. The instructions may be
embodied in various forms such as routines, algorithms, modules or
programs including separate applications or code from dynamically
linked libraries. Software may also be implemented in various forms
such as a stand-alone program, a function call, a servlet, an
applet, instructions stored in a memory, part of an operating
system or other type of executable instructions. It will be
appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art that the form of
software is dependent on, for example, requirements of a desired
application, the environment it runs on, and/or the desires of a
designer/programmer or the like. The logic of the system 100 may
most easily be embodied as part of a software package.
[0014] The system 100 and related methods described herein can be
implemented on a variety of platforms including, for example,
networked control systems and stand-alone control systems.
Additionally, the logic shown and described herein preferably
resides in or on a processor readable medium, such as the memory
106. Examples of different processor readable media include Flash
Memory, Read-Only Memory (ROM), Random-Access Memory (RAM),
programmable read-only memory (PROM), electrically programmable
read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable
read-only memory (EEPROM), magnetic disk or tape, optically
readable mediums including CD-ROM and DVD-ROM, and others. Still
further, the processes and logic described herein can be merged
into one large process flow or divided into many sub-process flows.
The order in which the process flows herein have been described is
not critical and can be rearranged while still accomplishing the
same results. Indeed, the process flows described herein may be
rearranged, consolidated, and/or re-organized in their
implementation as warranted or desired.
[0015] The system 100 has an input means 108 which a user may
employ to input selections and instructions to the system 100. In
various embodiments, the input means 108 may comprise one or more
of a touch screen display, a number pad, a keyboard, a voice
recognition system, or any other similar computer input means known
in the art presently or hereafter. In yet further embodiments, the
input means 108 may comprise a wired or wireless data connection
110 between the system 100 and a personal digital assistant being
operated by the user, such as a smart phone or tablet device,
having its own input means separate from that of the system 100.
Representative data connections 110 include an Ethernet wire,
Bluetooth, WiFi, Optical, IR and the like. Combinations of two or
more different input means 108 may be provided in the same system
100. The system 100 may additionally have a display means 112 in
order to provide feedback communication to the user of the system
100. Using the input means 108 and perhaps a separate display means
112 or data connection, a user specifies one or more properties of
a desired customizable personal skincare product for the system 100
to produce.
[0016] In yet further embodiments, the system 100 may have several
redundant input means 108, such as for example two, three or more
separate touch screens. Such embodiments are useful to increase the
number of users which may enter instructions into the system 100 in
a given amount of time, thereby increasing the production
efficiency of the system 100. Thus, for example, the system 100 may
produce a customized personal skincare product for a first user,
while at the same time accept instructions from a second and a
third user.
[0017] The enclosure 102 additionally contains one or more
mechanical drive systems 114 in order to operate mechanical
components in the system 100. The mechanical drive systems 114 may
comprise various motors, gears, belts, drives, ramps and the like
(not shown) housed within the enclosure 102. In one embodiment, the
mechanical drive systems 114 operate to move the portable
dispensers, one at a time, from a storage supply 115 along a
pathway 116 to pass by a bank 118 of storage units 118a, 118b,
118c, . . . . The separate storage units 118 each contain different
substances which may be added to a base personal skincare material
within the portable dispenser in order to create a customizable
personal skincare product according to user specifications, as
described further below. In one embodiment, the storage units 118
move to dispense a substance into the portable dispenser. After the
personal skincare product is customized by use of the storage units
118, the system 100 continues to move the portable dispenser along
the pathway 116. The pathway 116 leads to an outlet opening 120 of
the enclosure 102, from which the portable dispenser 10 containing
the customized personal skincare product may be expelled from the
enclosure 102. A door 122 may ordinarily cover the outlet opening
120, to be opened when a dispensing action is initiated. The
enclosure 102 may additionally include one or more windows 124
which permit the user to view the internal operations of the system
100 as it forms the customized personal skincare product in a
portable dispenser.
[0018] FIG. 1A illustrates a simple portable dispenser 10 which may
be used in conjunction with the system 100 of FIG. 1. Thus, the
dispenser 10 comprises a hollow body 12 for storing a customized
personal skincare product. A snap-fit closure cap 14 holds the
product inside the body 12 unless and until a dispensing action is
initiated by the user. Such a dispensing action may be, for
example, a squeezing of a deformable body 12 member. Other suitable
dispensers (not shown) may be more complicated, such as
incorporating a pumping mechanism or the like.
[0019] The system 100 may further include a printer 126 inside the
enclosure 102. The printer 126 may print personal skincare product
information either directly on the portable dispenser itself, or
onto a separate label which may be affixed to the portable
dispenser by, for example, an adhesive. The personal skincare
product information may include, for example, a description of the
chemical formulation of the customized personal skincare product,
instructions or warnings concerning use of the customized personal
skincare product, governmental regulatory information, and the
like. In some embodiments, such as shown in FIG. 1, the system 100
may itself apply a label to the portable dispensers as they travel
the pathway 116 within the system 100. In alternative embodiments,
the system 100 may dispense the label to the user separately from
the portable dispenser, so that the user may affix the label to the
portable dispenser.
[0020] The system 100 further has a payment means 128 via which a
user may pay for the customized personal skincare product produced
by the system 100. The payment means 126 may comprise, for example,
an electronic card swipe slot which can read standard credit cards,
debit cards, gift cards, and the like. The payment means 126 may
alternatively or additionally comprise a cash payment option, as is
well known in the art of vending machines, or any other payment
means known in the art presently or hereafter. In yet further
embodiments, the payment means 126 may comprise a wired or wireless
data connection 110 between the system 100 and a personal digital
assistant being operated by the user, such as a smart phone or
tablet device, having its own payment means separate from that of
the system 100. Representative data connections 110 include an
Ethernet wire, Bluetooth, WiFi, optical transmitter/reader, an IR
reader and the like. Combinations of two or more different payment
means 128 may be provided in the same system 100.
[0021] In one embodiment, all components of the system 100 that
involve direct interaction with the user are placed on a common
face of the system enclosure 102. This is illustrated, for example,
in FIG. 1 wherein the input means 108, the display means 112, the
outlet opening 120, and the payment means 128 are all disposed on
the front face 132 of the system 100. Other embodiments, of course,
are possible.
[0022] FIG. 2 illustrates a representative method 200 of using the
system 100. In a first step 202, a user interacts with the input
means 108 to define several properties of a desired personal
skincare product.
[0023] Next, the system 100 obtains 204 a supply of a base personal
skincare material within a portable dispenser. In this regard, the
system 100 already may have stored within it a supply of the base
personal skincare material, as well as a supply 115 of portable
dispensers for holding the customized personal skincare product. In
one embodiment, the base material is stored within a storage unit
130 in the system 100 separately from the portable dispensers, as
shown in FIG. 1. In that event, in step 204, the system 100 injects
a portion of the base personal skincare material into an empty
portable dispenser as it travels along the pathway 116 between the
supply 115 and the additional substance storage units 118. The term
"travels along the pathway 116" may be literal or figurative, i.e.,
the portable dispenser may physically move along a pathway or the
pathway may represent steps of adding different material to the
portable dispenser. In an alternative embodiment, each of the
portable containers is stored within the supply 115 already
containing a supply of base personal skincare material. In that
alternative event, in step 204, the system 100 simply selects one
of the pre-filled portable containers. In a yet further embodiment
(not shown), the system 100 may be configured to accept from the
user a portable container which is pre-filled with a base personal
skincare material. In any event, the portable dispenser is
preferably only partially filled with the base personal skincare
material before reaching the additional substance storage units
118, such as for example being two-thirds full or one-half
full.
[0024] The system 100 next adds 206 one or more additional
substances into the portable dispenser, mixing them with the base
personal skincare material already stored within the portable
dispenser, to produce a final personal skincare product in
accordance with the user's specifications. Each additional
substance is stored within one or more of the storage units 118 for
addition 206 into the portable dispenser. One of ordinary skill in
the art will appreciate there are many different methods for adding
206 or injecting the additional substances from the storage units
118 into the portable dispenser.
[0025] In one representative embodiment of the injection step 206,
the storage units 118 each have a conical injection head designed
to be inserted into an open top of the portable dispenser. An
injection pressure is then applied to the additional substance in
the storage unit, such as an air pressure or a mechanical pressure
acting on a piston inside the storage unit 118, or a mechanical
squeezing pressure acting on the outside of a deformable storage
unit 118. The injection pressure forces a controlled amount of the
additional substance to move from the storage unit 118 down into
the open top of the portable dispenser.
[0026] In embodiments where the portable dispensers are stored 115
in the system 100 already containing a supply of base personal
skincare material, it may be desirable to seal the otherwise open
top of the portable dispensers until just prior to addition 206 of
the additional substances. Such sealing may prevent the base
material from drying out, going stale, or otherwise degrading
during the time it is stored in the system 100. In one
representative example, the portable dispenser tops may be sealed
with a foil closure (not shown). Then, when a portable dispenser is
chosen for customization, the system 100 pierces the foil closure
seal so that appropriate additives may be added to the portable
container. For example, the storage units 118 may have conical
dispensing heads which pierce the foil seal so that the additional
substances stored in the storage units 118 may be inserted into the
portable dispenser without interference from the foil seal.
[0027] In the next step 208, the system 100 places a closure means
on the portable dispenser. The closure means functions to hold the
customized personal skincare product within the portable dispenser
unless and until the user initiates a dispensing action. For
example, the closure means may comprise a removable and replaceable
cap placed over the open top of the portable dispenser, such as a
threaded cap or a snap-fit cap. Other potential closure means
include suitable pumping mechanisms. One of ordinary skill in the
art will recognize several other structures which will form or
supplement a suitable closure means for the portable dispenser. In
some embodiments, the closure may be secured to the container and
include an injection port to add liquid or other substances to the
portable dispenser without removing the closure.
[0028] The closure means may additionally include a foaming element
(not shown) to mix the customized personal skincare product with
air to form a foamy mixture as the product is dispensed from the
closure means. Suitable foaming elements include, for example, an
air compressor and one or more screens, meshes, porous membranes,
or sponges. In yet additional embodiments, the closure means may be
hygienic, and it may also be tamper evident.
[0029] In some applications, it may be beneficial to perform a
mixing step 210 after the closure means is added 208 to the
portable dispenser. That is, if the additions of step 206 are not
sufficiently forceful to thoroughly mix the base personal skincare
material with the additional substances, the system 100 may shake,
spin or otherwise agitate the portable dispenser in order to
achieve a sufficient mixing action.
[0030] The process 200 may additionally include a labeling step
212, in which personal skincare product information is printed
either directly on the portable dispenser itself or onto a separate
label which may be affixed to the portable dispenser by, for
example, an adhesive. The personal skincare product information may
include, for example, a description of the chemical formulation of
the customized personal skincare product, instructions or warnings
concerning use of the customized personal skincare product,
governmental regulatory information, and the like.
[0031] Next, the portable dispenser is outputted 214 from the
system 100 to the user. The output step 214 may be performed in
conjunction with a payment step 216, in which the system 100 will
require the user to utilize the payment means 128 of the system 100
before the portable dispenser is expelled. In some embodiments, the
user is required to pay prior to the customized personal skincare
product being produced.
[0032] The system 100 and the process 200 may be used in
conjunction with various market researching and user help methods.
In a representative market researching method, for example, the
system 100 may gather market demographic information related to
each user which accesses the system 100. The market demographic
information may reflect one or more factors describing the user
which may play a role in a preferred formulation of the
customizable personal skincare product, such as for example age,
sex, race, and the like. The user may enter such demographic
information manually via the user input 104, or the system 100 may
gather the demographic information automatically via a camera on
the enclosure 102 (not shown) and appropriate software. The system
100 may then send the market demographic information, along with
the formulation of the user's customized personal skincare product,
to a central server through a wired or wireless data communication
link. A provider may then access that information in order to
improve upon the various formulations made available to all users
in future implementations or modifications to the system 100.
[0033] In a first representative user help method, the system 100
may use the gathered market demographic information to provide
suggestions to the user regarding what that user might like in a
customized personal skincare product. The system 100 can further
provide additional information to the user, for example, how many
other people have selected the particular personal skincare product
formulation chosen by the user.
[0034] In a second representative user help method, the user may
use the input means 108 of the system 100 in order to enter a user
name and/or password which corresponds to a user account. The
system 100 may then access an internal memory storage, or an
external memory storage through a wired or wireless communication
link as known in the art, to obtain account information associated
with the user. In a convenient embodiment, the external memory
storage is part of a personal digital assistant being operated by
the user, such as a smart phone or tablet device, which is
connected to the system 100 via a wired or wireless data connection
110. The user's account information may provide preferred recipes
for a customized personal skincare product, and other
information.
[0035] In a particularly preferred embodiment, the customizable
personal skincare product could be for example a liquid sanitizer.
In that event, the base material is a liquid sanitizer material.
One of ordinary skill in the skincare art will know of various
chemical formulations for making the base sanitizer material. The
user may use the input means 108 to identify various properties of
a customized liquid sanitizer product to be produced by the system
100, by adding various additional substances to the base sanitizer
material. Sanitizer options to be selected may include for example
color options, bead options, flake options, fragrance options,
sensation options, viscosity options, and the like.
[0036] The color option might specify the color of the liquid
sanitizer product, such as for example clear (i.e., no color),
white, blue, green, pink, or purple. Based on the selected color,
the system 100 adds 206 one or more additional substances to the
base sanitizer material to change its color to the desired color.
In a similar way, the bead option might specify whether or not to
include beads in the liquid sanitizer, and if so, a color or other
property of the beads. The flake option might specify whether or
not to include flakes or glitter in the liquid sanitizer, and if
so, a color or other property of the flakes. The fragrance option
might specify a fragrance to be added to the liquid sanitizer, such
as fragrance-free (i.e., no added fragrance), lemon, coconut,
lilac, cherry, raspberry, blackberry, mint, apple, or blueberry.
The sensation option might specify a sensation for the liquid
sanitizer, such as a warm sensation or a cool sensation. The
viscosity option might specify a desired viscosity of the liquid
sanitizer, such as on a scale of 1 (very thin) to 5 (very thick).
In general, the system 100 mixes 206 or 210 appropriate additional
substances from the storage units 118 with the base sanitizer
material in a portable dispenser in order to create an end
sanitizer product which is customized to the user's
specifications.
[0037] In some exemplary embodiments, the user may select the
following additives and amounts of additives to the base product,
such as for example a sanitizer base product like Purell.RTM.. A
colorant additive, from between about 0 to 0.01% (w/w)
weight-in-weight. A skin conditioner additive, such as, for
example, glycerin from between about 0 to 5% (w/w). A pearlizing
agent from between about 0 to 5% (w/w). Suspended visual agents,
such as, for example, beads from between about 0 to 3% (w/w), and a
fragrance from between about 0 to 3% (w/w).
[0038] FIG. 3 illustrates a representative embodiment 300 of a
system for producing a customizable personal skincare product in a
portable dispenser. The system 300 as shown in FIG. 3 has many of
the same components as the generic system 100 described above in
connection with FIG. 1, which are similarly numbered. Thus, the
system 300 has an enclosure 302, an input means 308 comprising a
touch screen display, a pathway 316 partially comprising a ramp
viewable through a window 324, a bank 318 of storage units, an
outlet opening 320, a door 322, and a payment means 328 comprising
an electronic card swipe slot. The system 300 of FIG. 3 also shows
a few additional features not shown in FIG. 1. For example, the
storage units 318 are mounted on a rotating carousel 352, and the
units 318 each have a conical injection head 354. The rotating
carousel 352 may be refilled through lid 370. Moreover, the system
300 has a hand tag dispenser 356 for dispensing a label 375
prepared by a printer (not shown) within the enclosure 302, so that
the user may affix the label to a portable dispenser which comes
out of the outlet opening 320, which is a see through door in some
embodiments. In addition, instructions may be printed or
graphically represented in area 371 of the system 300.
[0039] During operation, in one embodiment, a user swipes a credit
card in payment means 328. Upon paying for the product, the input
means 308 is activated and a container 12 filled with a base
material is positioned in the refill area of the rotating carousel
352. The user is prompted to select one or more additives to be
added to the base material. For example, the user may select a
color, such as, for example, red, blue, green, orange, pink or the
like. The user may select the darkness of the color, which may be a
range of, for example, from 0-5, where 0 is no color and 5 is the
maximum amount of colorant. Similarly, the user may select other
additives, such as skin conditioners, pearlizing agents, suspended
visual agents, fragrance and the like. The user may select a range
of each of these additives. In some embodiments, the user may
select an additive, but the range may be a set number. Once the
user selects the additives and ranges, the carrousel 352 positions
the appropriate injection head 354 to inject the additive to the
base material in container 12. Container 12 may include a cap 14.
System 300 may open the cap 14 to allow the injection head 354 to
inject additives into the container 12. In some embodiments, cap 14
is configured so that injection head 354 may inject the additive
through, a tamper proof seal (not shown) in the cap 14. The tamper
proof seal allows the injection head to inject the additive
directly into the container 12 without opening the cap 14. In some
embodiments, the cap 14 is added to the container 12 after the
additives are added to the base material. In some embodiments, the
container 12 is empty and is filled with a base material through an
injection head 354. Once the selected additives are added to the
container 12 and the cap 14 securely seals the container 12, the
container 12 moves along track 316 to door 320 where the user may
retrieve the customized skin care product. In some embodiments,
track 316 has a downward slope toward door 320 and a vibrator (not
shown) vibrates the track 316 causing the container 12 to vibrate
as it moves toward door 320 to mix the additives and base material
together.
[0040] While the present invention has been illustrated by the
description of embodiments thereof and while the embodiments have
been described in considerable detail, it is not the intention of
the applicants to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the
appended claims to such detail. Additional advantages and
modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art.
Therefore, the invention, in its broader aspects, is not limited to
the specific details, the representative apparatus and illustrative
examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made
from such details without departing from the spirit or scope of the
applicants' general inventive concept.
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