EP4002314A1 - Device for manufacturing and bottling detergent - Google Patents

Abstract

Device (1) for the automatic manufacture and distribution of a liquid detergent product, in the form of a mixture of constituents defining a recipe, namely at least two raw materials (3) with a determined quantity of water, to manufacture said liquid detergent product, and to incorporate the latter into bottles (2) which include a unique identification code, characteristic of a recipe, and readable, characterized in that the control module (7), via the reading the identification code (6), is able to detect the recipe linked to the bottle (2) and to control the power unit (C) so that the power unit (C) supplies the constituents corresponding to the recipe linked to the identification code to the filling block (A) and in that the filling block (A) is capable of weighing and mixing said constituents in exact quantity before filling said bottle (2) using the finished product.

Description

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of the distribution of bulk products, and in particular to devices making it possible to distribute liquids, such as detergents and cleaning products, automatically and in self-service, namely directly to the user.

The present invention relates to the manufacture and filling of detergent in bottles directly at a point of sale or on the site of use.

STATE OF THE ART

In the field of automatic self-service distribution of liquids and in particular of liquid cleaning products, there are many devices intended both to satisfy the customer and to optimize certain aspects of distribution such as on-site inventory management. , product customization, use of reusable containers, etc.

By “self-service”, it is meant here that the user of the device is in reality himself the consumer of a cleaning composition. The user will in fact be the one who activates the device in order to carry out all the filling operations in a very simple and automatic way. By “automatic”, it is meant here that all the mixing and filling steps will be carried out without any other manual intervention by the user.

The document FR 2 505 310 A1 discloses an automatic bulk food liquid vending machine. This type of distributor means that customers use and reuse their own containers to serve themselves, resulting in a very significant saving in the general plan for the manufacture of glass or plastic packaging, as well as a saving in constraints and costs. recovery of glass packaging and a reduction in pollution due to plastic packaging. In this type of device, the personalization of the poured liquid, namely the mixture of different components chosen by the consumer, is not possible and is not an objective because it concerns food liquids. There is no point in mixing the different components.

The document WO 03/095354 A1 describes a process for creating ready-to-use products from a concentrated form of these products. The dispensing device comprises a source of one or more concentrated products, which will be diluted in a refillable container. The refillable container includes an identifier that allows the dispensing device to be informed of the end product with which the container is to be filled. Concentrated products are not mixed together in this type of device, but only diluted with water. In particular, this document therefore describes, for example, a filling station dispensing a detergent for a first use, another filling station dispensing a detergent for a second use, and a third filling station dispensing a detergent for a third use. A variety of containers with different labels associated with the type of product to be dispensed into the container are available next to the dispenser. A user then selects the desired product container and places it in one of the filling stations. The filling stations and/or the product label can be coded (in color for example) to help the user know which filling station to use.

The document WO 03/095080 A2 , by the same applicant as the previous one, discloses the same type of station. Indeed, this document also discloses a device and a method for diluting a concentrate and forming a ready-to-use product for consumers. The device includes a dispenser having one or more filling stations in which a container is filled with a ready-to-use product. A container is placed at the filling station and a filling nozzle pours a concentrated product into the container with a predetermined amount of water to dilute the concentrated product to obtain the ready-to-use product. The method requires a user to identify a product to be dispensed, place a container in the filling station, and allow the dispenser to fill the container.

The document WO 2009/069030 A1 discloses a device for dispensing personalized liquid laundry detergent compositions. This device allows the consumer to choose from different options to customize their composition according to their needs and preferences. The user can thus select complementary and specific components of his choice, which will be mixed with an initially concentrated basic cleaning composition and with a predetermined quantity of water. This apparatus is a self-service automatic filling machine which comprises a flexible container stored in said apparatus, a dispenser adapted to receive said container and capable of filling said container and a user interface. In the case of this device, the user personalizes the product he wishes by selecting all the additional ingredients to be added to the basic composition, for example via a touch screen showing the list of all the elements.

It therefore appears that there is a real interest in improving the existing self-service distribution devices, and in optimizing them, in particular concerning the personalization of the products supplied. One of the advantages of this type of device is that there are fewer products sent to the various stores because only the basic concentrated products are supplied and the product is then diluted on site, or even mixed with other products/ ingredients to form the final composition expected by the consumer. This results in lower shipping costs. Another advantage is that the refill containers can be reused. Another advantage for the user is to be able to create the composition of his choice on the spot. However, security in relation to the exact product to be delivered remains to be improved, as well as the simplicity of product selection.

AIMS OF THE INVENTION

The aim of the present invention is to provide a new device for the automatic distribution of self-service cleaning products, easy to use and allowing the user to choose a specific product composition from a set of recipes, the choice being made by selecting the product by its empty reusable container placed on a physical shelf, and not on a long list on touch screen or not.

A related goal is to provide on site the water necessary for the development of the product and to avoid using new bottles with each purchase, by limiting the transport of full bottles by a supply chain.

The present invention also aims to provide a device comprising security means in order to certify that the product which will be supplied and ultimately invoiced to the consumer is indeed the one which has been selected.

Another object pursued by the invention is to provide a distributor having the capacity to produce various detergent products of any type (for example 60 references), namely cleaning products for the floor, for glazing, for sanitary facilities, for cars, carpets, fabric, etc.

MAIN CHARACTERISTIC ELEMENTS OF THE INVENTION

• un rangement pour contenants de matières premières et flacons ou bouteilles vides ;
• un support pour accueillir le flacon à remplir ;
• un bloc de remplissage pour assurer le mélange et l'embouteillage des différents constituants et comprenant un système de pesée des constituants et un mélangeur ;
• un bloc électronique comprenant un module de contrôle, une interface utilisateur d'acquisition comprenant un écran tactile et/ou une pluralité de boutons-poussoirs et un module de lecture du code d'identification unique des flacons ;
• un bloc de puissance connecté électriquement au bloc électronique et fluidiquement au bloc de remplissage du dispositif, comprenant une pluralité de pompes et/ou d'électrovannes pour acheminer, les constituants vers le bloc de remplissage,

caractérisé en ce que le module de contrôle, via le module de lecture du code d'identification, est apte à détecter la recette liée au flacon et à commander le bloc de puissance afin que le bloc de puissance fournisse les constituants correspondant à la recette liée au code d'identification au bloc de remplissage et en ce que le bloc de remplissage est apte à peser et mélanger lesdits constituants en quantité exacte avant de remplir ledit flacon à l'aide du produit fini.A first aspect of the present invention relates to a device for the automatic manufacture and distribution of a liquid detergent product, in the form of a mixture of constituents defining a recipe, namely at least two raw materials with a determined quantity of water, to manufacture a finished product, namely said liquid detergent, and incorporate the latter into bottles, said bottles comprising a unique identification code, characteristic of a recipe, and readable, said device being in the form of a cabinet comprising:

• storage for containers of raw materials and empty flasks or bottles;
• a support to accommodate the bottle to be filled;
• a filling unit for mixing and bottling the various constituents and comprising a constituent weighing system and a mixer;
• an electronic block comprising a control module, an acquisition user interface comprising a touch screen and/or a plurality of push-buttons and a module for reading the unique identification code of the vials;
• a power block connected electrically to the electronic block and fluidly to the filling block of the device, comprising a plurality of pumps and/or solenoid valves for conveying the constituents to the filling block,

characterized in that the control module, via the module for reading the identification code, is able to detect the recipe linked to the bottle and to control the power unit so that the power unit supplies the constituents corresponding to the linked recipe to the identification code at the filling block and in that the filling block is able to weigh and mix said constituents in exact quantity before filling said bottle with the finished product.

• le module de lecture du code d'identification unique des flacons est un lecteur optique de code-barres ou un lecteur de puce électronique, par exemple de type NFC ou RFID ;
• le système de pesée des constituants comprenant un capteur de force est associé à un amplificateur de capteur de force à pont de Wheatstone compris dans le bloc électronique ;
• le dispositif comprend un serveur informatique et le bloc électronique comprend une carte principale à microprocesseur, mémoire interne et interface wifi, le dispositif étant apte à communiquer par wifi avec le serveur ou à stocker des informations dans sa mémoire interne si la connexion wifi n'est pas disponible ;
• l'interface d'acquisition permet à l'utilisateur de choisir un parfum dans une liste de sélection, afin que le bloc électronique commande au bloc de remplissage d'ajouter ce parfum au produit fini ;
• les pompes sont de type péristaltique, à membrane ou à électrovanne, sélectionnables en fonction des caractéristiques physico-chimiques des matières premières et en ce que le dispositif comprend un moyen de purification de l'eau courante disponible localement, par exemple un osmoseur.

According to preferred embodiments of the invention, the device further comprises one of the following characteristics, or an appropriate combination thereof:

• the module for reading the unique identification code of the bottles is an optical barcode reader or an electronic chip reader, for example of the NFC or RFID type;
• the component weighing system comprising a force sensor is associated with a Wheatstone bridge force sensor amplifier included in the electronic block;
• the device comprises a computer server and the electronic block comprises a main microprocessor card, internal memory and wifi interface, the device being able to communicate by wifi with the server or to store information in its internal memory if the wifi connection is not not available ;
• the acquisition interface allows the user to choose a flavor from a selection list, so that the electronic block commands the filling block to add this flavor to the finished product;
• the pumps are of the peristaltic type, with a membrane or with a solenoid valve, which can be selected according to the physico-chemical characteristics of the raw materials and in that the device comprises a means for purifying running water available locally, for example an osmosis unit.

• sélection par l'utilisateur d'un flacon vide rangé dans le dispositif, ledit flacon comprenant un code d'identification unique, caractéristique d'une recette et lisible ;
• placement du flacon par l'utilisateur à proximité du module de lecture de code d'identification pour lecture dudit code d'identification et ensuite sur le support du dispositif de fabrication et de distribution ;

ainsi que les étapes automatiques suivantes :

• détection par le dispositif de la recette associée audit code d'identification lu, ladite recette reprenant des constituants comprenant au moins deux matières premières et une quantité déterminée d'eau ;
• activation d'une pluralité de pompes et/ou d'électrovannes compris dans le dispositif pour acheminer les constituants de la recette sélectionnée vers le mélangeur ;
• mélange des constituants à l'aide du mélangeur et versement de ceux-ci dans le flacon pour fabriquer le produit fini, à savoir le produit détergent liquide, le système de pesée dudit dispositif évaluant dès leur écoulement dans le flacon la quantité des constituants afin de doser les quantités selon la recette liée au code du flacon.

Another aspect of the invention relates to a process for the manufacture and automatic dispensing of a liquid detergent product from at least two raw materials and water, using the manufacturing and dispensing device described below. above, said method comprising the following steps:

• selection by the user of an empty bottle stored in the device, said bottle comprising a unique identification code, characteristic of a recipe and readable;
• placement of the bottle by the user close to the identification code reading module for reading said identification code and then on the support of the manufacturing and distribution device;

as well as the following automatic steps:

• detection by the device of the recipe associated with said read identification code, said recipe containing constituents comprising at least two raw materials and a determined quantity of water;
• activation of a plurality of pumps and/or solenoid valves included in the device to convey the constituents of the selected recipe to the mixer;
• mixing the constituents using the mixer and pouring them into the bottle to manufacture the finished product, namely the liquid detergent product, the weighing system of the said device evaluating as soon as they flow into the bottle the quantity of the constituents in order to dose the quantities according to the recipe linked to the bottle code.

• l'acheminement des matières premières et de l'eau par l'ensemble de pompes et/ou d'électrovannes se fait en trois étapes distinctes :
  • ∘ injection d'une première partie de la quantité d'eau à fournir selon la recette dans le mélangeur, afin de réduire au maximum la hauteur de chute des constituants suivants,
  • ∘ injection des matières premières dans le mélangeur,
  • ∘ injection de la seconde partie de la quantité d'eau totale à fournir selon la recette, afin d'effectuer un rinçage des éventuels résidus de matières premières présents dans le mélangeur ;
• une interruption de la séquence d'étapes est réalisée en cas d'extraction du flacon durant une phase de remplissage, le système de pesée détectant la variation de poids et interrompant le processus de fabrication, et une étiquette de défaut étant alors imprimée par une imprimante comprise dans le dispositif ;
• la mémoire interne du dispositif évalue avant le début de fabrication si le stock de chaque constituant est suffisant pour effectuer la fabrication, et en ce que, dans le cas contraire, un message d'erreur s'affiche sur l'écran compris dans le dispositif ;
• une étiquette comprenant les informations sur le produit fini est émise par l'imprimante comprise dans le dispositif ;
• le procédé comprend en outre les étapes suivantes :
  • ∘ sélection d'un parfum par l'utilisateur dans une liste proposée par le dispositif sur l'interface d'acquisition comprenant l'écran tactile et/ou le module de boutons-poussoirs ;
  • ∘ acheminement du parfum sélectionné lors de l'étape d'acheminement des constituants, par activation de la pluralité de pompes et/ou d'électrovannes afin qu'il soit mélangé par le mélangeur avec les constituants lors de la fabrication du produit fini ;
• lors de la phase d'acheminement, le système de pesée pèse chaque constituant lors de son écoulement dans le flacon à raison d'environ 10 mesures par seconde, les mesures étant alors enregistrées, analysées et compensées par le module de contrôle du dispositif afin de correspondre à la réalité physique du remplissage, et en ce que toute discordance par rapport aux spécifications programmées induit un arrêt du processus de fabrication et l'émission d'une étiquette d'erreur disponible en sortie d'imprimante.

According to preferred embodiments of the invention, the method further comprises one of the following features, or an appropriate combination thereof:

• the supply of raw materials and water by the set of pumps and/or solenoid valves is done in three distinct stages:
  • ∘ injection of a first part of the quantity of water to be supplied according to the recipe into the mixer, in order to reduce the height of fall of the following constituents as much as possible,
  • ∘ injection of raw materials into the mixer,
  • ∘ injection of the second part of the total quantity of water to be supplied according to the recipe, in order to rinse any residues of raw materials present in the mixer;
• an interruption of the sequence of steps is carried out in the event of extraction of the vial during a filling phase, the weighing system detecting the variation in weight and interrupting the manufacturing process, and a defect label then being printed by a printer included in the device;
• the internal memory of the device evaluates before the start of manufacture if the stock of each constituent is sufficient to carry out the manufacture, and in that, in the contrary case, an error message is displayed on the screen included in the device ;
• a label comprising the information on the finished product is issued by the printer included in the device;
• the method further comprises the following steps:
  • ∘ selection of a perfume by the user from a list offered by the device on the acquisition interface comprising the touch screen and/or the push-button module;
  • ∘ delivery of the perfume selected during the step of transporting the constituents, by activating the plurality of pumps and/or solenoid valves so that it is mixed by the mixer with the constituents during the manufacture of the finished product;
• during the transport phase, the weighing system weighs each constituent as it flows into the bottle at the rate of approximately 10 measurements per second, the measurements then being recorded, analyzed and compensated by the control module of the device in order to correspond to the physical reality of the filling, and in that any discrepancy with respect to the programmed specifications induces a stoppage of the manufacturing process and the emission of an error label available at the printer output.

Another aspect of the present invention also relates to a computer program comprising instructions which, when the program is executed on a computer, lead the latter to implement the automatic steps of the method described above.

Another aspect of the present invention also relates to a computer-readable recording medium comprising instructions which, when the program is executed on a computer, lead the latter to implement the automatic steps of the method described above.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

• The figure 1 shows a front perspective view of an example of a dispenser according to the present invention.
• The figure 2 shows a perspective view of the distributor of the figure 1 , seen from the back.
• The picture 3 shows a perspective view of another example of a dispenser according to the present invention.
• The figure 4 represents a schematic view of the various elements making up the distributor according to the present invention.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The dispenser of the present invention has the capacity to produce different "detergent" products (approximately 60 references), namely cleaning products for laundry, floors, windows, sanitary facilities, cars, carpets, fabric, household appliances, etc.

• au moins un agent nettoyant tensioactif, pouvant être issu du pétrole mais de préférence de type éco-responsable, c'est-à-dire une matière première d'origine végétale ou minérale, peu allergisante et fortement biodégradable ;
• éventuellement certains additifs tels que anticalcaires, régulateurs de pH, agents azurants, enzymes, désinfectants, etc.

In the context of the invention, the preparation intended for washing or "detergent composition" will consist of "components" or raw materials, namely:

• at least one surfactant cleaning agent, which may be derived from petroleum but preferably of the eco-responsible type, that is to say a raw material of plant or mineral origin, which is not very allergenic and highly biodegradable;
• possibly certain additives such as anti-limestone, pH regulators, bluing agents, enzymes, disinfectants, etc.

Among these additives, those which are intended to make the use of the composition pleasant, such as a perfume or a colorant, will be distinguished. Preferably, the perfumes will be natural essential oils.

The devices concerned can be placed, for example, in supermarkets and more specifically in organic stores. The principle is to allow consumers to fill empty containers with the products they need.

The process for buying detergents is as follows: during the first purchase, customers will find next to (or in) the dispenser 1 the empty containers 2, each comprising an identification code. These will be sold at cost and will be filled by machine 1, then the product will be scanned and paid for at the store checkout. Afterwards, customers will bring back the containers 2 once they are empty. It is the identification code provided on container 2 that defines the recipe for the finished product to be dispensed by machine 1.

The main idea behind this dispenser is actually to avoid transporting cans containing the finished product, which contains an average of 60% water, and to avoid having to procure new cans each time you buy them. The types of containers can be multiple, such as 750 ml sprayers for certain products (insect spray, cleaners rims, etc.), or even 1-litre containers for other products (floor product, 26-dose concentrated detergents, hand soap, dishwasher soap, fabric softener, etc.).

The dispenser 1 of the present invention therefore allows the manufacture and filling of detergent directly at the point of sale or on the site of use. As shown schematically in the figure 4 , it comprises three separate blocks, called “filling block” A, “electronic block” B and “power block” C.

The "filling block" A allows the mixing of the different constituents used in the manufacture of the detergent. It comprises a support and/or suspension element for the bottle 2 to be filled, as well as a system for weighing the constituents (force sensor) 9 and a mixer 11. The filling block A can advantageously also comprise a drop catcher .

The “electronic block” B comprises a command, control and communication interface based on an electronic card. This interface is made up of different distinct, connected and interchangeable elements as will be explained in more detail later (a screen 4, an NFC module 6 and a force sensor amplifier 10 linked to the weighing system included in the filling block A, a clock module 8, a button module, etc.).

The “power block” C comprises the various power elements, the latter being connected electrically to the electronic block B and hydraulically to the filling block A of the device. This block consists of the various pumps 12 and solenoid valves 14, to convey, in use, the raw materials allowing the manufacture of detergents to the filling block A.

More specifically, the device 1 for manufacturing and dispensing detergent allows the mixing of at least two raw materials with water to manufacture the finished product, namely the detergent, which will be dispensed during the use of the device in 2 bottles. Each container, namely the 2 bottles intended to be filled with the detergent, as well as the 3 bottles containing the reserves of raw materials, is identified by a number unique identifier (for example, an NFC chip with a storage capacity of 1KB, an RFID chip, a barcode, etc.). Concerning the bottles intended to be filled 2, this makes it possible to identify them both by a unique bottle number as well as by a recipe number allowing the filling of the bottle 2 with the desired content corresponding to the labeling of the bottle 2. is therefore the identification code which determines the recipe to be manufactured in order to avoid filling the bottle 2 with a product which does not correspond to its labeling (for safety and to avoid theft), and in order to simplify the customer journey which does not have to select a product from a long list of products since the physical selection of the bottle 2 on the shelf determines the product to be manufactured.

The consumer can advantageously place the bottle he has chosen on the device, and the control module 7, via the module for reading the identification code, is able to detect the recipe linked to the bottle 2 and to act on the block of power so that the power block C can deliver to the filling block A the appropriate raw materials according to the recipe linked to the identification code. The filling block A can then weigh and mix said raw materials with water, in exact quantity before filling the bottle 2 with the mixture constituting the finished product. To sum up, the automaton deciphers the bar code and identifies the recipe to use, doses the different constituents, mixes them with water and fills the container.

During the manufacture of a product, the device communicates remotely (for example by wifi) with a server 5 or stores the information in its internal memory if the wifi connection is not available. In the latter case, upon reconnection to the wifi network, the device 1 exchanges the stored data to the server 5, and after verification of the recording of the data on server 5, the internal memory can be erased.

• de l'eau osmosée ;
• de 0 à 5 parfums ;
• de 1 à 16 matières premières.

Dans cet exemple, en fonction des formulations, le dispositif permet la fabrication de 40 formules de produits multipliées par 7 combinaisons de parfums, soit jusqu'à 280 combinaisons de produits.To fix ideas, the device thus described allows, according to a non-limiting example, the manufacture of detergents from 22 raw materials, namely:

• reverse osmosis water;
• from 0 to 5 flavors;
• from 1 to 16 raw materials.

In this example, depending on the formulations, the device allows the manufacture of 40 product formulas multiplied by 7 combinations of perfumes, ie up to 280 product combinations.

The code reader 5 can be an optical barcode reader and/or an NFC or RFID scanner. This allows the user to scan the barcode of the container and place it in the machine in order to obtain the desired final detergent. The user interface also allows the consumer to interact with the machine by means of a screen, preferably touch-sensitive, or buttons, this interface allowing the consumer to validate the manufacture of the product and to choose the flavor(s) (s) he wants from a list. Indeed, the main recipe is decrypted by the device using the unique identification code. However, the user can choose a perfume to add, this being selected from a list presented using the interface (screen 4). The different flavors available are displayed on the screen 4 by button images directly selectable on the touch screen 4 of the machine 1 or via the push buttons 15.

The control module 7 is based, as is known to those skilled in the art, on the principle of the motherboard on which are added the various measurement, reading, display and interfacing modules user. This module includes a dual-core microprocessor 13 and a Wifi 16 interface. The card delivers the power needed to control the various pumps used to perform the mixtures and allows the interfacing of the secondary modules. The secondary modules are the touch screen 4, the code reader 5, the module with the control buttons 15, the power supply 18, the constituent dosing measurement system (9 and 10) and the pump controls 12 and solenoid valves 14.

The various constituents are conveyed to the mixer by pumps 12 which are selected according to the flow rate required, the viscosity and the pH of the constituent. These pumps 12 are of the peristaltic, membrane or solenoid valve type depending on the physico-chemical characteristics of the constituents.

The mixer 11 included in the “filling block” receives and mixes the various constituents upstream of the filling of the container. This is equipped with non-return valves in order to preserve the various constituents from possible contamination by the other elements entering into the composition of the final mixture.

Dosing is performed via a single measuring element per force sensor 9 with Wheatstone bridge 10. Each constituent is weighed as it enters the bottle and electronic compensation is applied to ensure precise dosing by taking into account the inertias of the fluids.

Advantages

The dispenser according to the present invention offers a series of advantages.

Given its small footprint, this will allow the store to optimize its sales space.

The device is connected via the store's wifi network to an internet server, which makes it possible to process various telemetry such as the filling rate of constituents, alerts of possible problems, the quantity of products sold daily, etc. The system also makes it possible to warn the store manager, for example by e-mail, that components need to be reloaded and will also indicate the stock status in order to ensure replenishment. This will allow the store to replace only the empty raw material container(s) and clean the filling system. Without this manipulation, the distributor will no longer be able to manufacture certain recipes.

Reduced transport costs (water added by the machine) and reduced packaging costs (reuse of containers) results in a lower final selling price than an identical product.

The products manufactured can advantageously be made from raw materials of vegetable or mineral origin, therefore not very allergenic and highly biodegradable. On-site manufacturing also limits the use of preservatives and therefore the impact of products on consumer health.

Still according to the invention, filling with the selected product is rapid and takes place in about 1 minute. The choice of the basic product is easy for the consumer who, thanks to the NFC patch or the barcode, does not have to select a product from a long list of products since the physical selection of the bottle on the shelf determines the product to be manufactured . He therefore only has to select the perfume on the screen.

In addition, the NFC patch determines the recipe to be manufactured in order to avoid filling the bottle with a product that does not correspond to its labeling. This makes it possible to avoid an error for the customer, but also to avoid any possible theft. Indeed, a problem that can arise with bulk dispensers is that the customer has the possibility of filling a bottle with a more expensive product and having it pass at the checkout for a product less expensive than that identified by the label. . In the dispenser of the present invention, it is the patch of the bottle which allows the latter to be filled directly with the recipe which univocally corresponds to the patch. The machine then mixes the different constituents in the right quantities, adding the flavor selected by the consumer.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION 1. General Operation Identification of containers

Each container, namely the bottles intended to be filled 2 as well as the bottles 3 containing the reserves of raw materials, is identified by an NFC chip having a storage capacity of 1 Kbytes. Concerning the bottles intended to be filled 2, this makes it possible to identify them both by a unique bottle number as well as by a recipe number allowing the filling of the bottle 2 with the desired content corresponding to the labeling of the bottle 2. is therefore the NFC patch which determines the recipe to be manufactured in order to avoid filling the bottle 2 with a product which does not correspond to its labeling (security), and in order to simplify the process for the customer who does not have to select a product in a long list of products since the physical selection of bottle 2 on the shelf determines the product to be produced.

Concerning the bottles 3 containing the raw materials, their identification by an NFC patch (containing a unique number) allows the identification of the batch of raw materials entering into the composition of the finished product.

Presentation of the container to be filled

In order to fill the selected bottle 2, the user presents it to the NFC sensor 6 of the machine. The NFC reader 6 reads the unique code of the bottle 2. Through the control module 7, as soon as the recipe is recognized, it is displayed on the screen 4. The control module 7 then invites the user, through a display on the screen 4, to place his bottle 2 for filling. If bottle 2 is not placed within a given time, the menu automatically returns to the standby screen.

The different phases are recorded in the form of data in the internal memory of the control module 7. The recipes can preferably be parameterized remotely via the server 5 and can be modified in management for all the machines 1 containing the recipe identified by the recipe number.

Server 5 is able to manage up to 60,000 different formulas.

Placing the container to be filled

The bottle 2 to be filled is placed by the user, by laying or suspending it depending on the machine model, on the weighing element 9. The module 9 detects the presence of the bottle 2 by means of a force sensor whose signal is amplified by an amplification module 10 (Wheatstone bridge). The tare of bottle 2 thus measured is compared with the admissible values encoded and recorded in the internal data. These admissible values can be modified on site.

If the tare of bottle 2 is compliant (adequate and empty bottle), screen 4 invites the user to choose the flavor of his product. If none fragrance is selected within the allotted time, the screen returns to its standby state. The tare of bottle 2 is stored in internal memory in the form of data.

Fragrance selection

The different flavors available are displayed on the screen 4 by directly selectable image buttons on the touch screen 4 of the machine 1 or via the push buttons 15. The selection of the desired flavor induces the appearance of an icon button on the touch screen 4. If the desired flavor is not selected within the allotted time, the menu automatically returns to the standby screen. The selected perfume is stored in internal memory in the form of data.

Start of production

As soon as the user presses the “START” icon displayed on the touch screen 4, or by pressing the push button 15, the control module 7 begins its manufacturing phase detailed in the following paragraph. If one of the “START” keys is not selected, the menu returns to its standby screen.

Manufacture of the product and filling of the bottle

During the manufacturing phase, no interaction between the machine 1 and the user is necessary. In the event of extraction of the bottle 2 during the filling phase, the system detects the variation in weight and interrupts the manufacturing process, a fault label is then printed by the printer 17.

The various constituents contained in the bottles 3 are injected into the mixer 11 by the action of the pumps 12, the various pumps 12 being activated by the power part of the control module 7. The water additional to the raw materials is to it injected into the mixer 11 by activation, via the control module 7, of the solenoid valve 14 of water inlet.

The internal memory of the control module 7 evaluates before the start of manufacture whether the stock of raw materials of each constituent is sufficient to carry out the manufacture. Otherwise, a message error message is displayed on the screen 4. If the stocks of raw materials are sufficient, manufacturing begins with the injection of part of the additional water used in the composition of the finished product (called "starting water"). "), this quantity of water is evaluated as soon as it flows into the bottle 2 through the force sensor 9, the signal of which is amplified by the module 10. Each constituent is dosed, in sequence, by the same principle. The balance of the additional water entering into the composition of the product (called “end water”) is supplied last in order to perform a rinsing of the mixer 11 at each production.

It should be noted that a compensation is applied to the dosage of each raw material and water in order to avoid measurement errors due to the flow inertia effect. In the event of abnormal flow of one of the constituents or in the event of exceeding the filling time for one of the constituents, the production is interrupted and a "failed production" label is generated by the printer 17.

End of production

As soon as the production ends, screen 4 prompts the user to remove bottle 2.

Manufacturing label printing

For each production, a self-adhesive label is printed and includes the information concerning the bottle 2. This information is, for example, the name of the point of sale, the identification of the product, the identification of the perfume selected, the complete date, the time of manufacture, gross weight (with empty bottle), net weight (quantity of product) and unique manufacturing identification number (Fab_Id).

Automatic reset

At the end of each production, a complete reset is performed. The control module 7 then restores the initial manufacturing configuration, reconnects via wifi (transceiver on the motherboard 16A and wifi box 16B) to the server 5 and interrogates the latter on any available software updates and the perform if necessary. It also exchanges data recorded in its internal memory and erases them from its memory after verification of the correct transfer to the server 5.

The control module 7 synchronizes with the server 5 the data such as the date and time, the version of the software, the state of the stocks of raw materials and the pouring corrections.

In the event of possible non-connection to the server 5, the data is kept in the internal memory of the control module 7, the latter being able to store up to 400 productions for example without exchanging data with the server 5.

2. Detailed description of product manufacturing process

After verifying that the quantities of raw materials required to carry out the manufacture are sufficient, the on-board program manages the supply of the various pumps 12 and the solenoid valve 14 in order to send the various constituents to the mixer 11, these various constituents being sent successively depending on the formula number.

Each constituent is weighed during its flow in the bottle 2 at the rate of 10 measurements per second. The measurements are then recorded, analyzed and compensated by the on-board software in order to correspond to the physical reality of the filling. Any discrepancy with the programmed specifications (blockage in the pipes, faulty pump, extraction or fall of the bottle, etc.) leads to a stoppage of the manufacturing process and the emission of an error label available at the output printer 17.

In the event of a manufacturing error, the stocks of raw materials used for this manufacturing are considered as subtracted from the available stock of raw materials.

As explained previously, the water used in the formula enters the composition of the product in two distinct phases, the first water filling phase ("starting water") is carried out at the start of manufacturing in order to reduce maximum the height of fall of the following constituents, the second water filling phase ("end water") taking place at the very end of manufacturing in order to rinse any residues of raw materials present in the mixer 11.

The proportion ratio between "starting water" and "ending water" can be configured in control via server 5.

3. Communication with the remote server

As detailed above, the main part of the exchanges with the server 5 takes place during the reset closing each production. This communication takes place through the wifi transceiver 16A on board the control module 7 which exchanges its encrypted data with the server 5 via the wifi box 16B of the installation site of the device 1.

4. Detailed description of the various components of the device Control unit

The various elements connected to the control module 7 are easily disconnectable and replaceable in the event of a breakdown.

The control module 7 consists of a main board with a microprocessor 13. The built-in wifi transceiver 16A, the NFC module 6, the display module 4, the amplifier 10 of the force sensor and a clock module 8 are directly plugged into the main card. The microprocessor 13 may for example be of the 32-bit - 2.4 Ghz - dual-core microprocessor type with wifi input/output (not shown).

Button module

A “buttons” extension module 15 makes it possible to connect additional control buttons as well as RS232 extensions such as printer, optical scanner, etc.

Mixers

Depending on the number of constituents, their physical and chemical properties, different mixer models are available for the different machine models.

Raw material containers

Depending on the dimensions available in the different models of machines 1, the raw materials are stored in different models of containers 3. The machines described here are able to receive both rigid containers with screw cap closure and flexible pouches of bag-in-box (or Bag-in-Box ^® ) type.

In all cases, a quick connection by flexible pipes allows the routing of the raw materials to the pumps 12 which, by vacuum, suck the raw materials to transport them to the mixer 11.

The different models of pumps

Depending on the physical and chemical properties of each constituent and in accordance with the flow rate requirements of said constituent, different models of pumps 12 can be used (diaphragm pumps, vertical displacement pumps, propeller pumps, peristaltic pumps, etc.).

The server

The server 5 allowing the exchange and recording of data (data) with the electronic control module 7 can for example be a LINUX server whose programming is carried out in PHP, MYSQL and in the C language.

Management of collected data

• date et heure de présentation du flacon ;
• numéro unique du flacon 2 avec le numéro de recette ;
• tare du flacon ;
• parfum sélectionné ;
• date et heure de début de fabrication ;
• poids de chaque constituant délivré ;
• déduction de stock de matières premières ;
• numéro de lot de chaque matière première ;
• quantité d'eau dosée ;
• temps d'écoulement pour chaque matière première ;
• correction d'écoulement pour chaque matière première.

The data collected during the communication exchange between the server 5 and the control module 7 are as follows:

• date and time of presentation of the vial;
• unique bottle number 2 with recipe number;
• bottle tare;
• selected fragrance;
• date and time of start of production;
• weight of each constituent delivered;
• raw material inventory deduction;
• batch number of each raw material;
• amount of water dosed;
• flow time for each raw material;
• flow correction for each raw material.

A. Data consultation platform

The data consultation platform makes it possible, via an HTTPS access address, to consult in real time all the data collected on each machine thanks to menu filtering.

The "edition of machines" menu allows you to consult the presence of all the machines. More specifically, it gives access to the name of the machine (identification), its description, the associated client, the identification number by MAC address as well as all the productions by machine.

• numéro unique ;
• dénomination du produit ;
• identification de la machine ayant fabriqué ce produit ;
• date et heure de fabrication ;
• parfum sélectionné ;
• état de fabrication : terminée, erreur, etc. ;
• poids net (tare du flacon déduite) ;
• température machine ;
• grammage et numéro de lot de chaque constituant.

The "search by unique number" menu gives access to the unique numbers generated and produced at the end of each production. Indeed, during each production, a unique number is generated and printed at the end of production. When this unique number is entered into the search box on this page, the manufacturing data for this product is displayed:

• unique number;
• name of the product;
• identification of the machine that produced this product;
• date and time of manufacture;
• selected fragrance;
• state of manufacture: finished, error, etc. ;
• net weight (flask tare deducted);
• machine temperature;
• grammage and batch number of each component.

The "machine production" menu allows you to edit, per machine, the list of all the productions carried out between two dates, the start and end dates of sorting being easily configurable via a dynamic "calendar" tab.

• le numéro unique assigné à cette recharge (numéro de lot) ;
• la dénomination de la matière première et son volume ;
• l'identification de la machine ayant créé le tag de matière première ainsi que la date et l'heure de création ;
• l'identification de la machine ayant utilisé cette recharge ainsi que la date et l'heure d'utilisation ;
• la date de fin d'utilisation de ce stock de matière première ;
• la liste de tous les produits fabriqués (numéro unique de fabrication) avec cette matière première, leur dénomination et leur date de fabrication.

The "machine refill" menu allows you to view all the refills carried out on a machine within a period of time determined by the start and end calendar dates of the selection. For each selected raw material refill, the page displays:

• the unique number assigned to this refill (batch number);
• the name of the raw material and its volume;
• the identification of the machine that created the raw material tag as well as the date and time of creation;
• the identification of the machine that used this refill as well as the date and time of use;
• the date of the end of use of this stock of raw material;
• the list of all the products manufactured (unique manufacturing number) with this raw material, their name and their date of manufacture.

The "machine status" menu provides real-time access to the exact status of the stocks of raw materials contained in a given machine as well as the identification status if an alert is in progress for the device concerned.

The "machine activity" menu allows you to view in real time with automatic refresh all the productions of a set of machines.

B. The different levels of data access

Depending on the rights granted to different customers, all data access can be assigned to customers in order to be able to extract essential information for sales monitoring and marketing of its points of sale. Restricted access to certain information can be configured on the server depending on the menus to which access is granted.

Raw material inventory management

The consultation of raw material stocks can be done via the web platform, as explained in the "machine status" menu or by direct consultation on the machine via the "user menu" which will be explained below.

machine software

The machine software is coded in C language and is subject to copyright registration under the reference: Ph-llv-6545664.

Management of software updates.

The update of the machine software is carried out automatically according to the protocol described below.

At the end of each production, the machine carries out a systematic reset and connects to the wifi provided that no new tag presentation is made.

When the connection to the server via the local WiFi is operational, the on-board electronics synchronizes its date and time with those of the server and checks that the version of the on-board software is not earlier than the version available on the server.

If a new version is available, the downloading of the new “firmware” is carried out in encrypted HTTPS, this new version is then stored in a memory reserve of the microprocessor, this new version is then decrypted and verified by a “check sum”.

If all the steps are validated, this version is loaded into a reserve memory in order to check its operation, if the code works correctly its program version is exchanged with the active memory.

It is then that the various orders are carried out such as the loading of recipes, the erasing of useless memory data as well as the transfer of data from previous productions.

Access to machine user menu

Access to the internal menu of each machine is only possible using an NFC tag programmed for this purpose. Depending on the access levels of the NFC patch made, the holder of the patch will have access to some of the menus described below.

The “balance” menu

This menu allows you to carry out the calibration of the balance very quickly and easily. To do this, simply check that in the absence of a bottle on the measuring system, the balance indicates zero. If this is not the case, a simple pressure on the zero key of the touch screen 4 carries out the reset to zero. Then, a standard weight of 1 kg is placed and the "1000 Gr" key is pressed. Then simply press the “exit” key to save the calibration.

The “product stock” menu

This menu allows you to view at a glance the stock status of the machine's components. When, during manufacturing, the stock of one of the raw materials falls below a threshold determined by management, an alert email is automatically sent to the point of sale manager to inform him of the need to replace the refill. raw material concerned. Lights may also flash on the machine to alert point-of-sale staff that recharging is required.

The “new tag” menu

This menu allows you to manufacture, directly from the control console, the programming of NFC tags for empty bottles or raw material refills.

The “printer calibration” menu.

Pressing the calibration key generates a label and detects the start and end of the printing zone in order to calibrate the printer 17 with the paper used.

The “demo label” menu

The generation of a "demo" label allows the verification of the correct position of the print, this label also contains the machine identification number.

Visualization of raw material corrections.

During each production, the dosage of the constituents being done by activation and deactivation of a pump 12, a certain inertia induced by the length of the pipes falsifies the accuracy of the dosage. In order to compensate for these dosing errors, a correction is applied to each constituent. These corrections are automatically adjusted during manufacturing according to the physical parameters of said constituent (temperature, viscosity, etc.) and can be consulted in this menu.

Encoding wifi connection codes.

In order to allow communication between the control module 7 and the remote server 5, a connection to the local wifi network is necessary. To do this, this menu requires the encoding of the name of the wifi network and its password. This encoding is done via the keyboard displayed on the touch screen 4 for control.

Raw material refill.

Each raw material being identified by an NFC patch with a unique number, recharging a raw material requires the presentation of this unique identifier.

To do this, it is necessary to present the identification tag of the new container of raw material in front of the tag reader 6. Screen 4 asks for confirmation of this refill. After validation by pressing the validation key, the operator is asked to pass the tag again to finalize the recharge.

The unique number of this recharge is then compared to the server database containing all valid recharge identifiers. This refill is then considered as used and is no longer accessible for subsequent refills.

The stock of raw material for this constituent is then incremented by the value of this refill and the safeties for deactivating the recipes containing this raw material are lifted as long as the stock of raw material remains above the critical alarm value.

List of reference symbols

1

Manufacturing and bottling device

2

Bottle to be filled with the final product

3

Bottle containing the raw material

4

Touchscreen

5

Waiter

6

NFC sensor (read - write)

7

Control/command module

8

Clock module

9

Force sensor

10

Signal amplifier (Wheatstone bridge)

11

mixer

12

Pump

13

microprocessor

14

solenoid valve

15

Pushbutton

16A

Transmitter - built-in wifi receiver

16B

Wi-Fi box

17

Printer

18

Food

19

reverse osmosis

20

Bottle support and/or hanger

HAS

Filler block

B

Electronic block

VS

power block

Claims (15)

Device (1) for the automatic manufacture and distribution of a liquid detergent product, in the form of a mixture of constituents defining a recipe, namely at least two raw materials (3) with a determined quantity of water, to manufacture a finished product, namely said liquid detergent, and incorporate the latter into bottles (2), said bottles (2) comprising a unique identification code, characteristic of a recipe, and readable, the device (1) presenting in the form of a cabinet comprising: - storage for containers of raw materials (3) and empty flasks or bottles (2); - a support (20) to accommodate the bottle (2) to be filled; - a filling unit (A) for mixing and bottling the various constituents and comprising a constituent weighing system (9) and a mixer (11); - an electronic block (B) comprising a control module (7), an acquisition user interface comprising a touch screen (4) and/or a plurality of push-buttons (15) and a code reading module unique identification (6) of the vials (2); - a power block (C) electrically connected to the electronic block (B) and fluidically to the filling block (A) of the device, comprising a plurality of pumps (12) and/or solenoid valves (14) for conveying the constituents towards the filling block (A), characterized in that the control module (7), via the identification code reading module (6), is able to detect the recipe linked to the bottle (2) and to control the power unit (C) so that the power block (C) supplies the constituents corresponding to the recipe linked to the identification code to the filling block (A) and in that the filling block (A) is capable of weighing and mixing said constituents in exact quantity before to fill said bottle (2) with the finished product. Device (1) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the module for reading the unique identification code (6) of the bottles (2) is an optical barcode reader or an electronic chip reader, for example of the NFC or RFID type. Device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the component weighing system comprising a force sensor (9) is associated with a force sensor amplifier (10) with a Wheatstone bridge included in the electronic block (B). Device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device comprises a computer server (5) and the electronic unit (B) comprises a main microprocessor card (13), internal memory and wifi interface (16A , 16B), the device (1) being able to communicate by wifi with the server (5) or to store information in its internal memory if the wifi connection is not available. Device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the acquisition interface allows the user to choose a perfume from a selection list, so that the electronic block (B) commands the filling (A) to add this fragrance to the finished product. Device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pumps (12) are of the peristaltic, membrane or solenoid valve type, selectable according to the physico-chemical characteristics of the raw materials and in that the device comprises a means of purifying running water available locally, for example an osmosis unit (19). Process for the manufacture and automatic dispensing of a liquid detergent product from at least two raw materials and water, using the manufacturing and dispensing device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising the following steps : - selection by the user of an empty bottle (2) stored in the device (1), said bottle (2) comprising a unique identification code, characteristic of a recipe and readable; - placement of the bottle (2) by the user close to the identification code reading module (6) for reading said identification code and then on the support (20) of the manufacturing and distribution device (1) ; as well as the following automatic steps: - detection by the device (1) of the recipe associated with said read identification code, said recipe containing constituents comprising at least two raw materials and a determined quantity of water; - activation of a plurality of pumps (12) and/or solenoid valves (14) included in the device (1) to convey the constituents of the selected recipe to the mixer (11); - mixing the constituents using the mixer (11) and pouring them into the bottle (2) to produce the finished product, namely the liquid detergent product, the weighing system (9, 10) of said device evaluating as soon as they flow into the bottle (2) the quantity of the constituents in order to dose the quantities according to the recipe linked to the code of the bottle (2). Process for the manufacture and automatic dispensing of a liquid detergent product according to Claim 7, characterized in that the conveying of the raw materials and the water by the set of pumps (12) and/or solenoid valves (14 ) is done in three distinct steps: - injection of a first part of the quantity of water to be supplied according to the recipe in the mixer (11), in order to reduce as much as possible the height of fall of the following constituents, - injection of raw materials into the mixer (11), - injection of the second part of the total quantity of water to be supplied according to the recipe, in order to rinse any residues of raw materials present in the mixer (11). Process for the manufacture and automatic dispensing of a liquid detergent product according to any one of Claims 7 to 8, characterized in that the sequence of steps is interrupted in the event of extraction of the bottle (2) during a filling phase, the weighing system detecting the variation in weight and interrupting the manufacturing process, and a fault label then being printed by a printer (17) included in the device (1). Process for the manufacture and automatic dispensing of a liquid detergent product according to any one of Claims 7 to 9, characterized in that the internal memory of the device (1) evaluates before the start of manufacture whether the stock of each constituent is sufficient to carry out the manufacture, and in that , in the contrary case, an error message is displayed on the screen (4) included in the device (1). Process for the manufacture and automatic dispensing of a liquid detergent product according to any one of Claims 7 to 10, characterized in that a label comprising the information on the finished product is issued by the printer (17) included in the device (1). A method of manufacturing and automatically dispensing a liquid detergent product according to any one of claims 7 to 11, further comprising the following steps: - selection of a perfume by the user from a list proposed by the device on the acquisition interface comprising the touch screen (4) and/or the push-button module (15); - delivery of the perfume selected during the stage of delivery of the constituents, by activating the plurality of pumps (12) and/or solenoid valves (14) so that it is mixed by the mixer (11) with the constituents during the manufacture of the finished product. Process for the manufacture and automatic dispensing of a detergent according to one of Claims 7 to 12, characterized in that , during the routing phase, the weighing system weighs each constituent as it flows into the bottle (2 ) at a rate of approximately 10 measurements per second, the measurements then being recorded, analyzed and compensated by the control module (7) of the device (1) in order to correspond to the physical reality of the filling, and in that any discrepancy by compared to the programmed specifications induces a stoppage of the manufacturing process and the emission of an error label available at the printer output (17). Computer program comprising instructions which, when the program is executed on a computer, lead the latter to implement the automatic steps of the method according to any one of Claims 7 to 13. Computer-readable recording medium comprising instructions which, when the program is executed on a computer, cause the latter to implement the automatic steps of the method according to any one of Claims 7 to 13.

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