Nail polish color selection system

• US 8,880,218 B2
• Filed: 01/04/2013
• Issued: 11/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• 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.
• Primary Examiner(s): WAGGONER, TIMOTHY R
• Application Number:
  US13/734,048
• Publication Number:
  US 20130128686A1
• Time in Patent Office: 669 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 custom liquid cosmetic dispensing system, comprising:

a) a housing comprising;

a dispenser including;

i. one or a plurality of chambers for holding ingredients having shades, tints, or hues of color or pigments or base compositions connected to the dispenser;

ii. a nozzle in fluid communication with each of the one or the plurality of chambers for holding ingredients;

a platform or stage for holding one or more receptacles;

b) a computer for interacting with a user to select a custom cosmetic formulation and communicating information about a selection for use in controlling the dispensing system, the computer being in communication with;

i. a spectrophotometer, and

ii. an input device so that the user can interact with the computer;

c) a vibrator or shaker that are located independent of or integrated with the platform or stage, the vibrator or shaker include a member for holding one of the one or more receptacles that contain ingredients to be mixed and the vibrator or shaker mix the ingredients so that the ingredients have uniform mixing and dispersion;

wherein the housing has a transparent panel that allows viewing of the dispenser; and

wherein the one or more receptacles are fixed in a single location and each of the nozzles are aligned with the one or more receptacles so that the one or the plurality of chambers will dispense different ingredients into the one or more fixed receptacles.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a personal viewing station interfaced with said computer for providing virtual feedback to a user about how a particular selection will look on said user.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said personal viewing station includes a visual information input device for capturing an image of said user and transporting information about said image to said computer.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein said custom cosmetic dispensing system, said computer and said personal viewing station are integrated for point of sale dispensing.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the dispensing system is automated, and the computer controls the dispenser.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said computer controls said custom liquid dispensing system over the internet or from a remote location.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the custom cosmetic formulation is lip gloss, lip color, eye gel, eye color, cheek gel, cheek color, creams, lotions, perfumes, or any combination thereof.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the nozzles each include a tip and the nozzle tips are all clustered together and converge toward a common dispensing region.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the nozzles each include a tip and the tips are axially angled from about 5 degrees to about 85 degrees from a vertical centerline.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the tips of the nozzles are axially angled from about 20 degrees to about 50 degrees from a vertical centerline.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the nozzles are in fluid communication with the one or the plurality of chambers through supply lines that deliver the fluids from the one or more plurality of chambers to each of the nozzles, and

wherein a pump drives the fluid from the chamber through the supply lines and out the nozzles into the one or more receptacles.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the pump is one pump for each of the supply lines.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer is located at a remote location from the housing.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer stores information about a user'"'"'s selection and correlates the stored information with a unique identifier.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the unique identifier is a printout that the user carries away so that the stored information is preserved for later reference.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the custom cosmetic formulation is a skin foundation whereby the spectrophotometer measures skin color characteristics and uses such data to custom formulate the foundation.

17. A custom cosmetic dispensing system, comprising:

a) a housing comprising;

a dispenser including;

i. one or a plurality of chambers for holding ingredients having shades, tints, or hues of color or pigments or base compositions connected to the dispenser;

ii. a nozzle in fluid communication with each of the one or the plurality of chambers for holding ingredients, the nozzles each include a tip and the tips are all clustered together and converge toward a common dispensing region;

iii. a supply line connecting the one or the plurality of chambers to each of the nozzles so that ingredients are dispensed from the nozzles;

a platform or stage for holding one or more receptacles in the common dispensing region, the platform or stage being translatable for linear or rotational motion;

b) a computer for interacting with a user and being in communication with;

a spectrophotometer, and

an input device so that the user can interact with the computer;

c) a vibrator or shaker that is located independent of or integrated with the platform or stage. the vibrator or shaker include a member for holding one of the one or more receptacles that contain ingredients to be mixed and the vibrator or shaker mix the ingredients so that the ingredients have uniform mixing and dispersion;

wherein the housing has a transparent panel that allows viewing of the dispenser; and

wherein the one or more receptacles are located on the platform or stage so that the one or the plurality of chambers will dispense different ingredients into the one or more fixed receptacles.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the computer stores information about a user'"'"'s selection and correlates the stored information with a unique identifier, and the unique identifier is a printout that the user carries away so that the stored information is preserved for later reference.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the tips of the nozzles are axially angled from about 20 degrees to about 50 degrees from a vertical centerline.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the custom cosmetic formulation is lip gloss, lip color eye gel, eye color, cheek gel, cheek color, creams, lotions, perfumes, or any combination thereof.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the custom cosmetic formulation is a skin foundation whereby the spectrophotometer measures skin color and uses such data to custom formulate the foundation.