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Point-of-sale body powder dispensing system

  • US 8,636,173 B2
  • Filed: 08/23/2006
  • Issued: 01/28/2014
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2001
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A custom powder dispensing method for use at a retail purchase site, comprising the steps of:

  • a) providing a computer controlled automated powder dispensing apparatus including a plurality of containers storing different powder ingredients, wherein;

    1) at least one powder ingredient is a powdered natural product;

    2) at least one powder ingredient is a vitamin; and

    3) at least one powder ingredient is a naturally occurring pigment;

    b) inputting a custom powder formulation selection into the apparatus;

    c) retrieving ingredients proportion information associated with the selection from a database of the computer of the apparatus;

    d) outputting the ingredients proportion information associated with the selection so that a controller will dispense the appropriate predetermined proportion of the ingredients onto a receptacle;

    e) rotating the powder dispensing apparatus so that one of a plurality of dispensing assemblies is aligned with the receptacle;

    f) dispensing powder ingredients into the receptacle from the one of the plurality of dispensing assemblies, in a preselected amount according to the ingredients proportion information from the outputting step, at the retail purchase site, wherein at least one of the dispensed ingredients is the vitamin;

    g) placing a receptacle onto a mounting stage that is translatable;

    h) mixing the dispensed powder ingredients;

    i) repeating at least steps (b)-(h) for a different selection at the retail purchase site;

    j) packaging the dispensed mixed powder ingredients;

    k) monitoring inventory of ingredients using the computer;

    l) notifying an operator of a reduction in the inventory via an internet system so that an operator is not needed to monitor inventory.

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