MACHINE FOR DISPENSING A CONTROLLED QUANTITY OF A COSMETIC COMPOSITION

Abstract

Machine for dispensing a controlled quantity of a cosmetic composition The present application relates to a machine for dispensing a determined quantity of a cosmetic product into a receptacle from a reservoir, the machine comprising, on the one hand, a body configured such as to receive at least one cartridge forming a reservoir of the cosmetic product to be dispensed and, on the other hand, a dispensing zone configured such as to receive a receptacle capable of containing said quantity of cosmetic product to be dispensed, the machine being characterized in that the reception zone comprises an attachment member capable of interacting with a complementary part of the receptacle in such a manner as to effect the suspension thereof in the reception zone, the attachment member being mounted on a load cell.

Claims

1. A machine for dispensing a determined quantity of a cosmetic product into a receptacle from a reservoir, the machine comprising, on the one hand, a body configured such as to receive at least one cartridge forming a reservoir of the cosmetic product to be dispensed and, on the other hand, a dispensing zone configured such as to receive a receptacle capable of containing said quantity of cosmetic product to be dispensed, the machine being characterized in that the reception zone comprises an attachment member capable of interacting with a complementary part of the receptacle in such a manner as to effect the suspension thereof in the reception zone, the attachment member being mounted on a load cell.

2. The machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the attachment member is capable of engaging with a peripheral part of the receptacle.

3. The machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the attachment member is capable of engaging with the receptacle close to an opening of said receptacle, notably with a part of a neck of said receptacle.

4. The machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the attachment member has an at least partially annular, preferably annular, form, a central opening of the attachment member opening out over the opening of the receptacle.

5. The machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the attachment member comprises at least one magnet capable of interacting with a complementary magnet of a part of the receptacle.

6. The machine as claimed in claim 5, wherein the attachment member comprises a plurality of, preferably three, magnets, distributed independently and preferably regularly about the attachment member, notably at 120°.

7. A receptacle for the dispensing machine as claimed in claim 1, said receptacle comprising a body defining an interior space for reception of the cosmetic product and of which a free edge delimits an opening located opposite a bottom, wherein the receptacle comprises an attachment part complementing the attachment member.

8. The receptacle as claimed in claim 7, wherein the complementary attachment part is removable and capable of being attached temporarily to the receptacle.

9. The receptacle as claimed in claim 8, wherein the complementary attachment part is in the form of a ring capable of being attached to the receptacle, notably in the region of a neck of the latter.

10. The receptacle as claimed in claim 7, wherein the complementary attachment part comprises at least one magnet, preferably a plurality of magnets, for example three, distributed independently and preferably regularly about the complementary attachment part, notably at 120°.

11. A system for dispensing a determined quantity of a cosmetic product into a receptacle from a reservoir, said system comprising a machine as claimed in claim 1 and at least one receptacle comprising a body defining an interior space for reception of the cosmetic product and of which a free edge delimits an opening located opposite a bottom, the receptacle comprising a complementary attachment part of the attachment member of the machine.

Description

[0031] The invention may be better understood on reading the following description, accompanied by non-limiting implementation examples thereof, with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

[0032] FIG. 1 is a schematic overall representation of a dispensing machine according to the invention,

[0033] FIG. 2 is a schematic representation in transverse section of the machine of FIG. 1 in the region of its zone for reception of the receptacle,

[0034] FIG. 3 is an isolated schematic representation of the system for suspended attachment of the receptacle in the machine of FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0035] FIG. 1 shows a machine 1 for manufacturing a custom-made cosmetic composition.

[0036] To that end, the machine has a body 2 housing an array of reservoirs 3 of cosmetic products.

[0037] In particular, the reservoirs 3 are removable cartridges that can be replaced, notably when a cartridge is empty, by a cartridge of the same product or of a different product. The cartridges may, for example, be in the form of a cartridge with a rigid body or that of flexible sachets.

[0038] The cosmetic products contained in the reservoirs 3 are designed to be combined together in such a manner as to form a final cosmetic composition.

[0039] To that end, the reservoirs 3 are each associated with one or more systems capable of taking up a determined quantity of cosmetic product in said reservoir 3 and of taking it to a dispensing zone 4 of the machine 1 where said quantity of cosmetic product can be transferred inside a receptacle 10 via a corresponding dispensing nozzle 20.

[0040] Among the take-up and dispensing systems that may be envisaged, it is possible to cite systems with pumps, notably peristaltic pumps, and also piston or syringe systems.

[0041] Also known is a system in which the reservoirs are carried by a carousel capable of bringing each reservoir to the reception zone, where a common piston is able to eject a desired quantity of cosmetic product into the receptacle located below a nozzle carried by said reservoir.

[0042] Such systems are not a subject of the present application and a person skilled in the art is free to select the appropriate transfer system.

[0043] Moreover, although more particularly designed for multi-product machines, the present application may apply to the dispensing of a single product contained, notably, in bulk form in a large-capacity reservoir, of which a consumer wishes to purchase only a small quantity in a reusable jar.

[0044] As indicated previously, the dispensing zone 4 is designed to receive a receptacle 10, notably a bottle or a jar, into which the one or more cosmetic products contained in the reservoirs are to be dispensed in controlled quantities.

[0045] To that end, and in accordance with the present application, the reception zone 4 comprises an attachment member 5 capable of interacting with a complementary part 11 of the receptacle 10 in such a manner as to effect the suspension thereof in said reception zone 4. The attachment member 5 is in the form of a ring having a central opening configured such as to arrive opposite an opening of the receptacle 10.

[0046] The attachment member 5 is, further, mounted on a load cell 6, notably an electronic load cell that allows monitoring of the mass of product transferred into the receptacle 10.

[0047] The load cell is connected to a device for controlling the machine 1 which is capable of managing the electromechanical systems that take up and move the cosmetic product to be dispensed. The control device is, notably, configured such as to halt dispensing of the cosmetic product when the load cell flags up a predetermined weight. Advantageously, the control device is capable of slowing and/or adapting the dispensing flow rate of the product upon nearing the target weight.

[0048] The complementary part 11 of the receptacle 10 with which the attachment member 5 engages is in the form of a removable over-bottle inside which the receptacle 10 to be filled with cosmetic product is inserted prior to placing thereof in the reception zone 4. After filling by the machine, the receptacle 10 is withdrawn from the over-bottle and may be replaced by another receptacle 10.

[0049] The over-bottle has a body that at least partially surrounds the receptacle 10 and of which a free edge delimits an upper opening coinciding with an upper opening of the receptacle 10 to be filled.

[0050] According to the embodiment shown, the free edge carries a plurality of magnets of a polarity that complements those of corresponding magnets carried by the attachment member 5 of the machine 1.

[0051] The magnets of the attachment member 5 and of the complementary attachment part are 3 in number, spaced from one another and distributed at 120° about said attachment member and the complementary attachment part.

[0052] The receptacle 10 is thus suspended from the attachment member 5 by magnetic retention. The magnets allow simple positioning without complex mechanical manipulation of the receptacle. After filling, the receptacle may likewise be easily withdrawn by simple rotation of the over-bottle, which makes it possible to place the magnets out of alignment and to thus release them from their magnetic attraction forces.