SELECTIVELY ACTUATED FLUID DISPENSER

• US 20160052007A1
• Filed: 08/21/2015
• Published: 02/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NSE Products, Inc. (Nu Skin Enterprises Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: NSE Products, Inc. (Nu Skin Enterprises Incorporated)
• Inventors: Wilkins, Rebecca Ann, Ansell, Iain, Fuller, Kevin Gregory, Godbold, Oliver Brian, Innes, Henry Charles, Hewett, Carl Gordon
• Granted Patent: US 10,022,741 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 2034/005 with a cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 2200/058 Means for mixing different substances prior to application
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 34/00 Containers or accessories specially adapted for handling liquid toiletry or cosmetic substances, e.g. perfumes
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 40/00 Casings or accessories specially adapted for storing or handling solid or pasty toiletry or cosmetic substances, e.g. shaving soaps or lipsticks features common to containers for handling powdery or liquid toiletry or cosmetic substances A45D33/00-A45D37/00; cosmetic or like preparations A61K8/00, A61Q; sample tables or the like G09F5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1202 dispensing dosed volume A47K5/1201 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1217 Electrical control means for the dispensing mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/431 Straight mixing tubes with baffles or obstructions that do not cause substantial pressure drop; Baffles therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/841 with component receptacles fixed in a circular configuration on a horizontal table, e.g. the table being able to be indexed about a vertical axis
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/513 Flexible receptacles, e.g. bags supported by rigid containers
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/522 comprising compartments keeping the materials to be mixed separated until the mixing is initiated containers or packages for packaging two or more different materials which must be maintained separate prior to use in admixture B65D81/32
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/7164 the containers being placed in parallel before contacting the contents
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/7176 using pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/0054 Cartridges, i.e. containers specially designed for easy attachment to or easy removal from the rest of the sprayer attachment arrangements between pump and container B05B11/1043
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/0078 Arrangements for separately storing several components arrangements for pumping several liquids or other fluent materials from several containers B05B11/1081
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/1084 each liquid or other fluent material being pumped by a separate pump
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 12/122 responsive to presence or shape of target B05B12/124 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 12/1409 the selection means being part of the discharge apparatus, e.g. part of the spray gun
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 12/1454 separate units comprising both a material container and a spray device permanently connected thereto being removably attached to a part of the spray apparatus, e.g. to a robot arm

Abstract

An apparatus includes a selectively actuated fluid system having a plurality of selected fluid reservoirs, for example replaceable cartridge-type fluid reservoirs. A first subset of the reservoirs can be selectively actuated to dispense an individual fluid from the selected reservoir. A second subset of the reservoirs can be simultaneously actuated to dispense two or more fluids in mixed form.

Claims

1. An apparatus for dispensing a flowable liquid, mixed from contents of two or more cartridges, comprising:

a first cartridge with a first flowable liquid and a first dispenser pump with an outlet;

a second cartridge with a first flowable liquid and a second dispenser pump with an outlet;

a manifold with a fluid connection to the outlet of each of the first and second dispenser pumps, a mechanical connection for actuating each of the first and second dispenser pumps and a mixing flow path that receives fluid from the outlet of each of the first and second dispenser pumps and mixes the fluids as the fluids travel to a manifold outlet;

a mix manifold cam operably engageable with the manifold to cause a pushing motion for dispenser pump action; and

a mix manifold cam driver operably connected to the mix manifold cam for moving the mix manifold cam from a home state through the pushing motion and a return to the home state, said pushing motion causing metered dispensing from each of the first and second dispenser pumps into the manifold, mixing within the converging channels and dispensing of mixed fluids from the first and second dispenser pumps at a manifold outlet.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a dispenser actuator for initiating motion of the cam driving linkage from the home state through the pushing motion.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a housing with a dispensing opening, said dispenser actuator comprising a sensor for sensing the presence of a user hand or container in the dispensing opening.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a cartridge cavity, located above the dispenser opening, said cartridge cavity comprising;

a first volume occupied by the first cartridge and second cartridge mounted on the mix manifold; and

a second volume occupied by a third cartridge with a third flowable liquid and a third dispenser pump with an outlet and a fourth cartridge with a fourth flowable liquid and a fourth dispenser pump with an outlet, and

a time-of-day driver selectively operably connected to either a third dispenser pump cam or a fourth dispenser pump cam for moving a selected one of the third dispenser pump or the fourth dispenser pump from a home state through a pushing motion and a return to its home state, said pushing motion causing metered dispensing from the selected one of the third dispenser pump or fourth dispenser pump at its outlet.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising:

a dispenser actuator for initiating dispensing; and

dispenser controller logic, including a time of day clock, said controller logic responding to a user input requesting dispensing and a time of day to selectively actuate based on a predefined time of day criteria motion of one of the third dispenser pump cam or the fourth dispenser pump cam.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the predefined time of day criteria specify for a time of day in the morning selection of motion of one of the third dispenser pump cam or the fourth dispenser pump and for a time of the day in the night selection of motion of the other of the third dispenser pump cam or the fourth dispenser pump.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a fifth cartridge with a fifth flowable liquid and a fifth dispenser pump with an outlet, wherein the manifold has a fluid connection to the outlet of the fifth dispenser pump, the mechanical connection for actuating each of the first and second dispenser pumps also actuates the fifth dispenser pump and the mixing flow path that receives fluid from the outlet of each of the first and second dispenser pumps also receives fluid from the outlet of the fifth dispenser pump, and by converging channels causes mixing of fluids from the outlets of the first, second and fifth dispenser pumps, as dispensed fluids travel to a dispenser outlet;

and the mix manifold cam driver operably connected to the mix manifold cam that moves the mix manifold cam from a rest state through the pushing motion and a return to the rest state and resulting pushing motion causes metered dispensing from each of the first, second and fifth dispenser pumps into the manifold, mixing within the converging channels and dispensing of mixed fluids from the first, second and fifth dispenser pumps at the manifold outlet.

9. The cartridge of claim 1 wherein the first flowable liquid is a cosmetic lotion selected by a user for coordination and mixing with the second flowable liquid.

10. The cartridge of claim 1 wherein the first dispenser pump dispenses a metered amount of the first flowable liquid from an outlet of the conduit that is determined by the distance of inward travel of the conduit.

8. A cartridge for dispensing a first flowable liquid and for use with at least one other cartridge for dispensing a second flowable liquid to provide an output liquid mixed from the first and second flowable liquids, comprising:

an enclosed volume containing a first flowable liquid and having a first dispenser pump for reciprocating inward and outward travel, said first dispenser pump being actuated by inward travel of the conduit to dispense a metered amount of the first flowable liquid;

an outlet of the first dispenser pump, comprising a bottom fitting adapted for insertion in one of at least two holder openings in a cartridge holder plate, a top fitting for engagement with a top connector that lies generally parallel to and spaced from the holder plate and a pump outlet conduit extending from the bottom fitting and adapted for fluid communication connection to an inlet of a manifold connectable also to the at least one other cartridge with a second flowable liquid, said pump outlet conduit being connected to the first dispenser pump for to dispense the metered amount of the first flowable liquid from an outlet of the conduit into a mixing flow path of the manifold that receives fluid from the outlet of each of the first and second dispenser pumps.

11. A set of at least two cartridge for dispensing flowable liquids into a manifold to provide an output liquid mixed from the first and second flowable liquids, comprising:

a first cartridge with an enclosed volume containing a first flowable liquid and having a first dispenser pump;

a second cartridge with an enclosed volume containing a second flowable liquid and having a second dispenser pump;

a cartridge holder plate; and

a mix manifold

each of the first and second cartridges comprising;

an outlet of its dispenser pump, comprising a bottom fitting adapted for insertion in one of at least two holder openings in the cartridge holder plate, a top fitting for engagement with a top connector that lies generally parallel to, spaced from and connected to the holder platform and a pump outlet conduit extending from the bottom fitting and adapted for fluid communication connection to an inlet of the manifold, said pump outlet conduit being connected to it respective dispenser pump for reciprocating inward and outward travel and said respective dispenser pump being actuated by inward travel of the conduit to dispense a metered amount of the respective flowable liquid from the conduit into a mixing flow path of the manifold that receives fluid from the outlet of each of the first and second dispenser pumps.

12. The set of at least two cartridges of claim 11, further comprising a third cartridge for dispensing a third flowable liquid dispensed in a daytime portion of a day under the control of control logic of a dispenser in which the set of at least two cartridges is mounted and a fourth source cartridge for dispensing a fourth flowable liquid dispensed in a nighttime portion of a day under the control of control logic of a dispenser in which the set of at least two cartridges is mounted.

13. A method for dispensing a flowable liquid, mixed from contents of two or more cartridges, comprising:

providing a first cartridge with a first flowable liquid and a first dispenser pump with an outlet;

providing a second cartridge with a first flowable liquid and a second dispenser pump with an outlet;

providing a mix manifold with a fluid connection to the outlet of each of the first and second dispenser pumps, a mechanical connection for actuating each of the first and second dispenser pumps and a mixing flow path that receives fluid from the outlet of each of the first and second dispenser pumps and by converging channels causes mixing, as dispensed fluids travel to a manifold outlet;

providing a mix manifold cam operably engageable with the manifold to cause a pushing motion; and

actuating a mix manifold cam driver operably connected to the mix manifold cam for moving the manifold pusher cam from a home state through the pushing motion and a return to the home state, said pushing motion causing metered dispensing from each of the first and second dispenser pumps into the manifold, mixing within the converging channels and dispensing of mixed fluids from the first and second dispenser pumps at the manifold outlet.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising dispensing a selectable further flowable liquid, comprising:

providing a third cartridge with a third flowable liquid and a third dispenser pump with an outlet and a fourth cartridge with a fourth flowable liquid and a fourth dispenser pump with an outlet, and

controlling a time-of-day driver selectively operably connected to either a third dispenser pump cam or a fourth dispenser pump cam for moving a selected one of the third dispenser pump or the fourth dispenser pump from a home state through a pushing motion and a return to its home state, said pushing motion causing metered dispensing from the selected one of the third dispenser pump or fourth dispenser pump at its outlet.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

providing a dispenser actuator for initiating dispensing; and

executing dispenser controller logic, including a time of day clock, said controller logic responding to a user input requesting dispensing and a time of day to selectively actuate based on a predefined time of day criteria motion of one of the third dispenser pump cam or the fourth dispenser pump cam.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the predefined time of day criteria specify for a time of day in the morning selection of motion of one of the third dispenser pump cam or the fourth dispenser pump and for a time of the day in the night selection of motion of the other of the third dispenser pump cam or the fourth dispenser pump.

17. A dispensing system comprising:

a controller;

a first set of fluid reservoirs selectively actuated by the controller to dispense an individual fluid from a selected reservoir thereof;

a first set of fluid nozzles in fluid communication with each of the first set of fluid reservoirs, the first set of fluid nozzles configured to dispense the respective individual fluids;

a second set of fluid reservoirs selectively actuated by the controller to dispense fluid from each of the fluid reservoirs thereof;

a manifold in fluid communication with the second set of fluid reservoirs, the manifold configured to mix the fluid from each of the fluid reservoirs in the second set; and

a mixed fluid nozzle in communication with the manifold, the mixed fluid nozzle configured to dispense the fluid mixed in the manifold.

18. The dispensing system of claim 17, further comprising a nozzle shroud positioned in a housing of the dispensing system, the nozzle shroud configured to house the first set of fluid nozzles and the mixed fluid nozzle together in a dispensing location.

19. The dispensing system of claim 17, wherein each of the first set of fluid reservoirs is provided in replaceable form, the replaceable form including the respective fluid nozzle configured to dispense the fluid thereof, such that a complete fluid flow path of each respective fluid reservoir in the first set is replaceable with the respective fluid reservoir.

20. The dispensing system of claim 17, further comprising a frame coupled to each of the second set of fluid reservoirs and the manifold and the nozzle to form a replaceable reservoir assembly, each of the second set of fluid reservoirs being individually selectable for coupling to the frame to form the assembly as a complete fluid flow path for the mixed fluid.