Method of producing a personal care product containing a fluid mixture

• US 9,567,118 B2
• Filed: 01/08/2014
• Issued: 02/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ana Lucia Schmidt Lourenco Rodrigues
• Original Assignee: Ana Lucia Schmidt Lourenco Rodrigues
• Inventors: Rodrigues, Ana Lcia Schmidt Loureno
• Primary Examiner(s): GERRITY, STEPHEN FRANCIS
• Application Number:
  US14/150,532
• Publication Number:
  US 20140116012A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,133 Days
• Field of Search: 533/96, 534/28, 534/67, 534/71, 532/37, 532/661, 532/81, 532/83, 532/845, 532/846, 141/9, 141/100, 141/105, 222/145.1, 222/145.7, 222/145.8
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 44/005 for selecting or displaying personal cosmetic colours or hairstyle
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 2101/21 Mixing of ingredients for cosmetic or perfume compositions
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/84 Mixing plants with mixing receptacles receiving material dispensed from several component receptacles, e.g. paint tins
• 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: B01F 33/848 using data, i.e. barcodes, 3D codes or similar type of tagging information, as instruction or identification codes for controlling the dispensing and mixing operations
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/85 Mixing plants with mixing receptacles or mixing tools that can be indexed into different working positions
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/2209 Controlling the mixing process as a whole, i.e. involving a complete monitoring and controlling of the mixing process during the whole mixing cycle
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 3/04 Methods of, or means for, filling the material into the containers or receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 3/30 by volumetric measurement
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 39/001 with flow cut-off means, e.g. valves
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 39/12 movable towards or away from container or wrapper during filling or depositing
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 57/06 and operating to control, or to stop, the feed of articles or material to be packaged
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 57/18 causing operation of audible or visible alarm signals
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 7/16 Closing semi-rigid or rigid containers or receptacles not deformed by, or not taking-up shape of, contents, e.g. boxes or cartons
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 7/2842 Securing closures on containers in general B65B51/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/06 with selective dispensing of different fluids or materials or mixtures thereof

Abstract

An embodiment method includes coupling a first/second flow mouth of a main/secondary valve structure to a first/second compartment containing a selected base liquid/a selected combination substance, and transferring the first/second volume of the selected base liquid/selected combination substance from the first/second compartment via the main/secondary valve structure and a dosing valve to a bottle disposed in a bottling station. After the transferring the first and second volumes to the bottle, the method includes moving the bottle to a mixing station and mixing a content of the bottle to form the fluid mixture, closing the bottle in a closing station, sealing the bottle in a sealing station, and dispensing the bottle to a user.

Claims

1. A method of producing a personal care product containing a fluid mixture, the method comprising:

coupling a first flow mouth of a main valve structure to a first compartment containing a selected base liquid;

transferring a first volume of the selected base liquid from the first compartment via the main valve structure and a dosing valve to a bottle disposed in a bottling station;

coupling a second flow mouth of a secondary valve structure to a second compartment containing a selected combination substance;

transferring a second volume of the selected combination substance from the second compartment via the secondary valve structure and the dosing valve to the bottle while the bottle remains disposed in the bottling station;

after the transferring the first and second volumes to the bottle, moving the bottle to a mixing station and mixing a content of the bottle to form the fluid mixture;

closing the bottle in a closing station; and

sealing the bottle in a sealing station and dispensing the bottle to a user.

2. The method of claim 1, before the couplings and the transferrings, further comprising generating a fluid mixture formula based on key commands entered at a command panel selecting a pre-programmed recipe.

3. The method of claim 2, the generating the fluid mixture formula further comprising:

receiving, at the command panel, a first entry selecting the selected base liquid;

receiving, at the command panel, a second entry selecting the pre-programmed recipe designating the selected combination substance; and

receiving, at the command panel, a third entry initiating the couplings and transferrings.

4. The method of claim 1, before the coupling and transferring, further comprising generating a fluid mixture formula based on key commands entered at a command panel selecting a formulation originated by a specialist.

5. The method of claim 4, the generating the fluid mixture formula further comprising:

receiving, at the command panel, a first entry selecting the selected base liquid;

receiving, at the command panel, a second entry selecting the first volume of the selected base liquid;

receiving, at the command panel, a third entry selecting the combination substance,

receiving, at the command panel, a fourth entry selecting the second volume of the selected combination substance; and

receiving, at the command panel, a fifth entry initiating the couplings and transferrings.

6. The method of claim 1, before the couplings and the transferrings, further comprising reading a formula or prescription of the user in bar code format to determine a recipe for the fluid mixture.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising moving a selected bottle from the bottling station to adjacent the dosing valve.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising recording on computer-readable media a formula of the personal care product chosen by the user.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising printing a formula of the personal care product chosen by the user.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the transferring the first volume and the transferring the second volume further comprise:

projecting a retractable nozzle of the dosing valve into the bottle;

dispensing the first volume into the bottle; and

dispensing the second volume into the bottle; and

retracting the retractable nozzle of the dosing valve from the bottle.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected base liquid is water, and wherein the selected combination substance comprises one or more of a scent, a vitamin, an oil, and a dye.