Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
Systems and Methods of Preserving Customized Cosmetic Products
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The following relates to systems and methods of preserving
cosmetic products that,
once dispensed from their manufacturer packaging, are prone to oxidation or
degradation. The
innovation is used to provide these preserved cosmetic products, mixed to
unique specifications,
to utilize the products other than immediately after dispensing.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Professional Cosmetic products such as hair dyes (including
but not limited to,
permanent, demi-permanent, hair developer, or temporary hair dyes), hair
treatments, skin care
products, creams, lotions, and makeup such as foundation, etc. can be
specially individually
formulated for a particular user from a plurality of manufactured products to
allow for infinite
variations of formulations. This is particularly advantageous as the user is
able to use a product
that is customized for themselves and matches their hair type, hair colour,
skin type, skin colour,
etc. However, these products are typically prone to rapid oxidation which can
lead to a
degradation in their composition and efficacy. As such, most cosmetic products
have a limited
shelf life once dispensed from their original packaging to fulfill a user's
unique specifications.
[0003] For instance, professional hair color, once dispensed from
its manufacturer's
packaging, must be used as soon as possible, as oxidation begins immediately
and if not
preserved or used immediately, efficacy is severely affected within an hour.
[0004] Current at home hair color services exist and offer a
limited range of products
manufactured direct to consumer without significant customization for the
consumer. These at
home hair services also must be mixed and applied immediately to retain
efficacy once dispensed
and mixed. This innovation allows for the salon professionals to utilize the
infinite color
combinations of salon professional color and mix and customize for the
individual client and sell
that color in a manner that will not lose its efficacy for months once sealed.
[0005] Salons attempting to provide this service used plastic
containers which reacted with
the chemicals in the hair color and hair products and could potentially lead
to undesired outcomes
and allergic reactions. Salons also attempted to compete with at-home color by
providing their
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clients with the hair dye in other various types of containers for use within
the hour and the efficacy
was compromised in many cases.
[0006] Professional salons have been losing market share to at home
color companies (in
store purchase and online) due to this inability to compete for the
convenience and flexibility
consumers are looking for.
[0007] While the disclosure uses hair colour as an example product,
it can be appreciated
that this method can be used for preserving other products, specifically other
cosmetic products
including, but not limited to: hair dyes (including but not limited to,
permanent, demi-permanent,
hair developer, hair dye developer, hair dye activating agent, or temporary
hair dyes), hair
treatments, skin care products, creams, lotions, and makeup such as
foundation, etc.
[0008] As such, there is a need for a method of preserving
customized cosmetic products that
retain their manufacturer intended quality and have a prolonged shelf life
after being dispensed
and formulated to unique user specifications.
SUMMARY
[0009] The invention taught herein provides a system and method of
preserving cosmetic
products such that they retain their original quality and efficacy for a
longer shelf life. In one
embodiment, the method comprises: obtaining at least one vessel configured to
having a closure
to allow for sealing and unsealing of the vessel (also referred to as
container); preparing at least
one cosmetic formulation; filling the at least one vessel with the prepared at
least one cosmetic
formulation; partially sealing the vessel for the prepared cosmetic
formulation, such that the
closure is affixed but does not close off the prepared cosmetic formulation
from the outside
environment; placing the at least one partially sealed vessel containing the
prepared cosmetic
formulation into a vacuum chamber; starting the vacuum chamber such that the
vacuum chamber
removes at least some of the gaseous fluid inside the chamber and the vessel
becomes
completely sealed as a result of the difference in pressure between the
interior of the vessel and
the chamber environment when the chamber pressure normalizes; opening the
vacuum chamber
once an indication is given to open the vacuum chamber; and checking the
vessel and closure to
ensure that vessel is sealed. In the result, the cosmetic product is preserved
after being dispensed
from its original packaging and mixed or combined to unique specifications.
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[0010] In other embodiments, the closure or the vessel may comprise
an antioxidant tablet or
inert gas or another method utilized by someone skilled in the arts, to
increase anti-oxidation.
[0011] The vacuum chamber may be connected wirelessly to a
computing device. The
computing device can also comprise an application interface to interact with
the vacuum chamber.
[0012] In another embodiment, the vessel can comprise a Quick
Response (QR) code or
Near Field Communication (NFC) tag such that it can be uniquely identified.
[0013] The cosmetic formulation can be prepared and filled by an
automated dispensing
system. Optionally, the automated dispensing system is located within the
vacuum chamber such
that the cosmetic formulation is prepared, filled and sealed in a closed
environment within the
vacuum chamber.
[0014] In another embodiment, the indication can be activated under
microcontroller direction
to detect a threshold repressurization indicating that the sealing process is
complete. The
indication can be in the form of sound, light, or digital format.
[0015] In another embodiment, the vacuum chamber may comprise a
weighing plate and a
loadcell to measure and tare the container and subsequent cosmetic
formulation. The vacuum
chamber may also include a sensor to measure and detect the properties such as
pressure,
concentration, volume, composition of fluids in the system, or a sensor
capable of detecting
successful sealing by calculating inflow and outflow volumes.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] Embodiments will now be described with reference to the
appended drawings wherein:
[0017] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the vacuum chamber;
[0018] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the vacuum chamber;
[0019] FIG. 3 is a perspective cross-sectional view of the vacuum
chamber showing the
internal components;
[0020] FIG. 4 is a perspective cross-sectional view of the vacuum
chamber;
[0021] FIG. 5 is a front view of the vacuum chamber;
[0022] FIG. 6 is a perspective cross-sectional view of the vacuum
chamber showing the
internal components;
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[0023] FIG. 7 is a view of the vacuum chamber shown in an
alternative embodiment;
[0024] FIG. 8A is a front view of a container;
[0025] FIG. 8B is a front view of a vessel; and
[0026] FIG. 9 is a flow chart illustrating a method of sealing the
cosmetic product.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0027] As mentioned above, cosmetics such as salon hair color and
hair products have
typically been only applied in salons because of the fact that they degrade
rapidly once dispensed
and are exposed to oxygen. The invention taught herein provides a system and
method of
preserving cosmetic products such that they have a longer shelf life. Salons
have attempted to
dispense for rapid pick up or delivery without this process however due to the
nature of these
products, the efficacy of the product begins immediately to degrade and
therefore the timeframe
salons recommended for use once dispensed was typically under 1 hour shelf
life.
[0028] Naturally occurring elements and commercial formulation for
certain cosmetic
products may contain oxidative components. These can readily react with
oxygen, leading to a
condition commonly known as oxidation. Improper storage for these goods can
result in their
damage. The method taught herein can allow salons and other personal service
based retailers
to use manufactured professional grade products, customize for a unique
customer, and package
and deliver stably customized mixtures of oxidation-prone cosmetic products
for customers
without degradation.
[0029] As such, salons can more efficiently offer remote hair color
services by avoiding having
customers pick up and use the oxidation prone products within a very small
time window from the
time the products are dispensed. Furthermore, the stabilized products can be
pre-mixed and be
prepared ahead of appointment times, leading to an increased efficiency within
salons and other
such establishments. Lastly salons may now avail themselves of point of sale
opportunities for
hair color to be sold and used at a later date by the customer in salon.
[0030] There are known methods for eliminating oxygen from a
limited volume. A common
method is using vacuum chambers, which are typically used during initial
production by a
manufacturer. However, vacuum chambers are not readily available for
preserving dispensed
cosmetics after being dispensed from their original packaging. This is
particularly advantageous
for custom cosmetics or dispensed cosmetic products from their original bulk
packaging. In one
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embodiment, the method can be used by salons, beauty care professionals,
cosmetic retailers,
small-batch products.
[0031] A vacuum chamber is a rigid enclosure in which air and other
gases are actively
removed by a vacuum pump. In this method, the construction of the vacuum
chamber is built
to allow for different types and sizes of containers, and proportionally
provides sufficient sealing
pressure without damaging the material or container. The overall construction
of the vacuum
chamber 10 is shown in FIG. 1. The vacuum chamber 10 details a door 16, having
a hinge 15
which can be either manually or automatically opened and closed using
solenoids and
servomotors, or any other method known to a person skilled in the art. Door 16
can be airtight
using conventional insulation methods.
[0032] Machine function and user interaction can occur through a
physical switch or
wirelessly using a mobile application or computing device. The latter also has
the ability to
manage properties of the material and container (e.g. mass, type and sealing
date), which can
be stored by the mobile application, in the device's transient or permanent
memory, or
physically embedded on the container using any information storage methods
(RFID, barcodes
or QR codes) and accessed on demand. Application includes sealing of cosmetic
products such
as hair dye and hydrogen peroxide developer, perishable (organic) food and
herbs, and most
other oxidizing substances.
[0033] A physical button 8 or icon on a connected device 9 such as
a smart phone, laptop
or other electronic device can be pressed, which signals a valve to close by
microcontroller
control and the pump to turn on. The pump can be connected by a series of
tubes to the
chamber 10 that is fully sealed from the outside environment, when the valve
is closed. The
pump can run for either a specified amount of time, to an appointed pressure,
or optimized for
the objects inside the chamber 10 as against environmental variables or by
user selection. After
the vacuum chamber 10 meets one or more of the above criteria, the pump turns
off and the
valve to open the chamber 10 to the outside environment is opened. A volume of
air can then
flow through the valve and into the chamber 10 until the pressure is
normalized.
[0034] In this embodiment, the air can be removed from a container
26a placed inside the
chamber 10. Figure 8A depicts a container 26a having a lid 26b, and figure 8B
depicts a vessel
26b having a closure mechanism 25b. It can be appreciated that alternative
embodiments may
include various container 26 styles including but not limited to, a heat
sealed bag, a vacuum
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sealed bag, induction sealed container, or vessel 26b with a closure mechanism
25b. The
container lid 25a can be placed on, but not tight enough to separate the
environments inside
and outside the container 26a, such that the lid or other closure is affixed
but does not close off
the contents from the outside environment. When the valve closes and the pump
starts, all the
air in the chamber as well as the air in the container 26a can be removed
through the underside
of the container's lid 25a. When the appropriate point of pressure is reached
or another preset
or dynamic parameter is achieved, and the valve is opened and pump shut off,
the air pressure
inside the chamber is normalized. In doing this, the lid gets pulled against
the top of the
container with a force proportional to the pressure difference between the
vacuumed inside of
the container and the outside environment. This seals the contents, keeping
almost all of what
was taken out with the vacuum process out of the container away from the hair
color or hair
product. To further protect the contents of the container from oxygen, the
antioxidant that is
either part of the container or added to the container removes the last
portion of oxygen to
ensure no oxidation.
[0035] A dual user-interface method is proposed. To start a sealing
cycle, the user can
either use the mechanical switch 8, or a dedicated mobile application 9.
[0036] An indicator 14, such as a Light Emission Diodes (LED) can
summarize the sealing
cycle's progress, standby mode or machine failure. An indicator 14 may also be
shown via
mobile application 9.
[0037] Accessibility to power the device is provided in 4. Near it,
an outlet for the cooling
system dedicated to the apparatus' electronics 5 and an air inlet 11 are
depicted. The pump 1
removes air from inside chamber 18 through channel 9 through channel 3,
channel 12, through
the pump 1, and out the outlet 13. The chamber 18 can be secured using any
conventional or
automated locking mechanism. The embodiment shown in the figures uses a
mechanical latch
19.
[0038] The flow of air occurs through connectors and tubes (not
depicted). In FIG. 2,
channel 9 connects to the valve through connector 3. The valve itself connects
to the air inlet
channel 11 using connector 14. Lastly, pump 1 connects to the valve using
connector 12.
[0039] The electromechanical components are depicted in FIG. 3. A
control board 7
interacts with the vacuum pump 1 and an actuator 6 (such as a servomotor). The
actuator
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controls the opening and closing of the on-off valve 17, which connects the
vacuum chamber
18 to the air inlet 11.
[0040] FIG. 4 shows a perspective cross-sectional view of the
vacuum chamber 10.
[0041] FIG. 5 is a front view of the vacuum chamber. In this
embodiment, the chamber 18
includes a weighing platform 20 and a weighing sensor or load cell 21. This
gives the chamber
the ability to tare and measure masses of the contents of the container 26 in
this embodiment.
Other embodiments may include various container styles including but not
limited to, a heat
sealed bag, a vacuum sealed bag, induction sealed containers. This is
particularly useful for
cosmetic applications so a mixologist preparing a custom formulation can use
the weighing
platform 20 to formulate a custom formulation.
[0042] FIG. 6 is a perspective cross-sectional view of the vacuum
chamber showing the
internal components. In this embodiment, the vacuum chamber includes at least
one sensor 23.
It can be appreciated that there can be multiple sensors but in this case the
sensor 23 can be
used to measure and detect the levels of a fluid in the system. For instance,
a first sensor can be
used to measure the vacuum pressure while another sensor can be used to
measure gas which
is leaking from the chamber 18.
[0043] FIG. 7 is a view of the vacuum chamber shown in an
alternative embodiment. In this
embodiment, nozzles 27 may contain amounts of varying ingredients used to make
custom
cosmetic formulations such as pigments, dyes, toners, emulsifiers,
stabilizers, etc. The mixologist
can then formulate a custom cosmetic product and seal it within the vacuum
chamber. One
advantage of this is to reduce bacteria or other contaminants from entering
the vessel 26b when
the product is prepared.
[0044] FIG. 8A provides a view of a container 26a that may be used
in this system. Using
glass jars as containers 26a is preferred since glass is impermeable to air,
it does not react to
chemicals in cosmetic products, it is sustainable and can be reused and
recycled. Glass can also
handle the pressure of vacuum sealing required in the process. Furthermore,
glass containers
would allow customized cosmetic products to be purchased online and shipped
without
degradation therefore allowing a salon's geographic market reach to grow
significantly. In one
embodiment, the lid 25a of the container 26a is preferably also composed of an
inert material, but
a screw-top lid made from a metal or plastic can be used as well. The
container lid 25a is placed
on, but not tight enough to separate the environments inside and outside the
container 26a, such
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that the lid or other closure is affixed but does not close off the contents
from the outside
environment.
[0045] FIG. 8B provides a front view of a vessel 26b having a
closure 25b. The vessel 26b
can be made of inert flexible material, such that the vessel 26b may be vacuum
sealed via the
closure 25b. It can be appreciated that the containers 25b and vessels 26b can
include
manufacturer packaging that has been breached.
[0046] FIG. 9 provides a flow chart illustrating the method
proposed provided in this
invention. The method aims to provide a method of conserving cosmetic goods
susceptible to
oxidation.
[0047] In one embodiment, a hair stylist can consult and assess a
client's need either in-
person or virtually to determine the recommended product and custom formula
for the client (step
1 of FIG. 9).
[0048] The stylist can then take the requisite number of containers
and sealable lids, or other
sealable non-reactive containers (step 2 of FIG. 9). Some stylists utilize
product that will require
activation by the client and other processes may utilize activation prior to
sealing, and some
processes may not require activation at all. This may inform the number of
containers used.
[0049] The stylist can then prepare and fill the number of
containers (required for the client's
specific process) with the client's specific, custom formulation of cosmetic
products such as hair
dye and/or other hair related products, including but not limited to toners,
pigments, bleaches,
glazes, treatments etc. (step 3 of FIG. 9). The preparation of the formulation
can be from a plurality
of different products or variations of product to unique specifications;
including, but not limited to
changing the concentration of a product, making a new pigment, or adding
chemicals such as
bleach, toner, or any other suitable additive to achieve a desired result such
as adding shine,
improving texture, improving colour, hair health, or skin health, etc.
[0050] In one embodiment, an antioxidant packet can be placed in
the container. In another
embodiment, the antioxidant packet can be placed on the lid. The antioxidant
packet can be a
small packet containing a de-oxidizer or other oxygen-absorbing means. The
packet may also be
in the form of a tablet.
[0051] Where a container with sealable lid 25a has been utilized,
the lid 25a can be placed
on the filled container and rotated not firmly enough to create a full seal
but enough for the lid's
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seal to have a loose connection to the rim of the filled container (step 4 of
FIG. 9). When a vessel
26b has been utilized, the closure 25b can be partially sealed to allow air to
escape the vessel
26b.
[0052] The container is placed into a vacuum chamber and the door
is closed and secured.
The start button can be either mechanically pressed on the machine or can be
started wirelessly
from a connected device (step 5 of FIG. 9).
[0053] During the vacuuming and re-pressurization process, there is
no necessary interaction
between the operator and the machine.
[0054] When the vacuum and sealing cycle is finished, and the
vacuum chamber returns to
normal environmental pressure, via a physical indicator or electronic prompt,
the stylist can open
the door and remove the containers (step 6 of FIG. 9).
[0055] The stylist can check whether the container is appropriately
sealed by an attempted
twist of the lid 25a or by visual indicators either on the lid 25a or
container 26a (step 7 of FIG. 9).
If a vessel 26b has been used, the stylist can use visual indicators such as
suction level to ensure
the vessel 26b and closure 25b is sealed.
[0056] The stylist may then check their personalized data
collection dashboard on a
connected device for the vacuum chamber or hair dye usage data.
[0057] In an additional situation, a portion of the sealed hair
products can be used, and steps
5-7 can be replicated numerous times to reseal the contents and keep the hair
products fresh for
multiple uses without degradation. Step 4-7 can be replicated as well in
certain situations to
replace antioxidant and extend shelf life.
[0058] In one embodiment, the sealing cycles of the sealing system
can be automated. The
invention can also store and relay relevant information about the vessel 26b
and the contents of
the vessel between the vacuum chamber 18 and the computing device of the
application or
chamber. This exemplary method allows the oxidation process to stop by
utilizing negative
pressure and antioxidation additives. Furthermore, the properties of the
sealed content (such as
weight, formulation and sealing date) can be communicated from the vacuum
chamber 18 to the
computing device to allow efficient tracking for various purposes including
but not limited to:
tracking, inventory, reordering, identifying client preferences, expiry dates,
etc.
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[0059] The packaging can be sealed through heat, adhesively,
chemically, or otherwise,
during the period when the required negative pressure is achieved or the
packaging automatically
seals when the chamber rapidly repressurizes upon micro -controller actuation
based on sensor
readings or other threshold trigger. This causes suction inside the packaging
containing the
formulation which pulls down on the closure creating a strong seal between the
inside and outside
of the container.
[0060] The amount of time from when the contents of the chamber are
at peak negative
pressure and when it gets back to regular pressure is important and much
shorter than most
available or custom built systems. The inflow chamber is defined by the max
flow volume of the
smallest valve per minute to the volume of the chamber across a pressure
difference of approximately
1psi. In one embodiment, the acceptable inflow ratio is approximately 3 to
approximately 5. In
another embodiment, the preferred inflow ratio is approximately 4.3; which is
the ratio to achieve
optimal sealing differential pressure.
[0061] This is affected by the diameter of the tubing back into the
chamber, the size of the
valves, and the total volume of the chamber. The faster the air rushes back
into the chamber, the
greater the force on the jar lid to want to attach itself to the jar, creating
a more oxygen free
environment. This allows the typical depressurizing time to be around -1.5
seconds whereas most
available chambers could take 3-5x as long. The longer length of time to seal
the container does
not force the lid to quickly attach itself to the jar, allowing more oxygen to
enter the container and
possibly spoiling agents back into the prepared cosmetic formulation.
[0062] In one embodiment, the system can operate in an automated
fashion, with the user
only either tapping a button on a screen or the mechanical button on the
machine, while the pump
operation and opening and closing of the valves is controlled by the system.
[0063] In another embodiment, the system can calculate the
appropriate pressure, and
sealing time based upon information (number of jars, contents of jars etc.)
and feed to it through
the controlling application.
[0064] In yet another embodiment, the system may be able to store
in memory the usage
history of the device. The information to be stored in the memory can include,
but is not limited
to, number of customers, jars, amount of color, revenue, color costs etc. This
information can be
fed back to the user in the form of data on usage through the application.
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[0065] In one embodiment, the system may ask questions to determine
the product
formulation, and to determine the systems cycle parameters. Typically, a
specific pressure, time
or other scientific measurable parameters can be chosen by the user.
[0066] In another embodiment, the system is provided with vibration
reducing measures to
protect the contents of the chamber from shaking. The bottom of the chamber
can be constructed
from vibration dampening neoprene foam to prevent movement of the lids or the
entire jar during
use. Additionally, on the underside of the device there can be an additional
thicker, soft neoprene
foam to aid in vibration dampening to avoid resonating through a hard surface.
The system may
also include noise reduction measures so that the vacuum chamber is quiet.
[0067] It is also preferable that the system is lightweight and
compact for easy placement on
a salon's color mixing bar or even a customer's home, and easy to store when
not in use.
[0068] In another embodiment, the system provides the ability of
the vacuum chamber to
allow for identification of approved sealing containers whether by Near-Field
Communication
(NFC) reading, barcode, or Quick-Response (QR) scanning either in the app or
on the vacuum
chamber itself.
[0069] For simplicity and clarity of illustration, where considered
appropriate, reference
numerals may be repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding or
analogous elements.
In addition, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a
thorough understanding
of the examples described herein. However, it will be understood by those of
ordinary skill in the
art that the examples described herein may be practiced without these specific
details. In other
instances, well-known methods, procedures and components have not been
described in detail
so as not to obscure the examples described herein. Also, the description is
not to be considered
as limiting the scope of the examples described herein.
[0070] It will be appreciated that the examples and corresponding
diagrams used herein are
for illustrative purposes only. Different configurations and terminology can
be used without
departing from the principles expressed herein. For instance, components and
modules can be
added, deleted, modified, or arranged with differing connections without
departing from these
principles.
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[0071]
Although the above principles have been described with reference to
certain specific
examples, various modifications thereof will be apparent to those skilled in
the art as outlined in
the appended claims.
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