Nail polish color selection system

• US 7,395,134 B2
• Filed: 08/18/2006
• Issued: 07/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cosmetic Technologies Incorporated (Knowlton Development Corporation Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cosmetic Technologies Incorporated (Knowlton Development Corporation Inc.)
• Inventors: Bartholomew, Julie R., Hines, Charles P. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crawford; Gene O.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Waggoner; Timothy R
• Application Number:
  US11/465,493
• Publication Number:
  US 20060283521A1
• Time in Patent Office: 683 Days
• Field of Search: 700/233, 700/239
• US Class Current: 700/233
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 29/00 Manicuring or pedicuring implements
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 29/11 Polishing devices for nails
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 44/005 for selecting or displaying personal cosmetic colours or hairstyle
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 31/60 with a vibrating receptacle B01F31/10, B01F31/20, B01F31/50 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/8442 using a computer for controlling information and converting it in a formula and a set of operation instructions, e.g. on the point of sale
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/846 using stored recipes for determining the composition of the mixture to be produced, i.e. for determining the amounts of the basic components to be dispensed from the component receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 15/50 Arrangements for cleaning; Arrangements for preventing deposits, drying-out or blockage; Arrangements for detecting improper discharge caused by the presence of foreign matter
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/302 using electrical or electro-mechanical means B67D7/307 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/74 Devices for mixing two or more different liquids to be transferred coin-freed apparatus G07F13/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0621 Item configuration or customization
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/18 for washing or drying persons

Abstract

A user interactive custom nail polish color and effects dispensing system and method of doing business, including for both point of sale and remote (e.g., via internet) transactions.

Claims

1. A method for dispensing a custom cosmetic at a retail point of sale comprising the steps of:

a) providing a kiosk at a retail point-of-sale that includes

i) an automated cosmetic dispenser having one or more motor translatable dispensing nozzles for dispensing from a plurality of ingredients containers,

ii) an input device, and a computer that includes a memory, the input device, computer, and dispenser being in signaling communication with each other; and

iii) a holding member for supporting a receptacle;

b) interacting with a retail customer to select a custom cosmetic formulation at the retail point-of-sale using the input device;

c) electronically controlling the automated cosmetic dispenser for translating the one or more translatable dispensing nozzles to align with a receptacle on the holding member and dispensing cosmetic formulation ingredients selectively from the containers via the one or more motor translatable dispensing nozzles, into the receptacle, to create the custom cosmetic formulation at the retail point-of-sale;

d) displaying the dispenser with containers for viewing by the customer, during dispensing of the ingredients through a transparent surface of a housing;

e) reciprocally driving the holding member for mixing and dispersing the dispensed ingredients at the retail point-of-sale;

f) dispensing ingredients from the dispensing nozzles into the receptacle at the retail point of sale; and

g) generating a means for retrieving stored data, which is taken away from the retail point of sale by the customer and with which data regarding the customer'"'"'s cosmetic selections and consumer information is stored for later retrieval of the data from the computer memory via interaction with the input device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the step of interacting includes communicating via a touch screen monitor, input device.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising storing customer information in a computer database.

4. The system of claim 2, further comprising storing customer information in a computer database.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the custom cosmetic formulation is a liquid cosmetic.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the custom cosmetic formulation is a liquid cosmetic.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of packaging the ingredients in the containers at a remote location relative to the retail point-of-sale.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising a step of packaging the ingredients in the containers at a remote location relative to the retail point-of-sale.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising a step of packaging the ingredients in the containers at a remote location relative to the retail point-of-sale.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the step of interacting occurs over the internet.

11. The method of claim 3, further comprising analyzing the customer information for evaluating demographics and consumer color preference data.

12. The method of claim 2, further comprising analyzing the customer information for evaluating demographics and consumer color preference data.

13. The method of claim 5, further comprising analyzing the customer information for evaluating demographics and consumer color preference data.

14. The method of claim 6, further comprising analyzing the customer information for evaluating demographics and consumer color preference data.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising preventing clogging of a tip of the dispensing nozzle.