CN107249985B - Multi-port nozzle for refill station - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a nozzle for refillable fluid exchange between a refill station and a refillable container in a closed state. The use of a second port for providing an auxiliary agent allows customization of the product to the customer's specific requirements without long waiting times and without contaminating the process. The use of a mixing chamber downstream of the second line, after the one-way check valve, promotes thorough mixing of the two or more components as selected by the customer.

Description

Multi-port nozzle for refill station

Reference to related applications

Priority of U.S. provisional application No.62/120,547, filed on 25/2/2015, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety, is claimed.

Technical Field

The present application relates to product packaging and more particularly to a refill station multi-port nozzle.

Background

The world has experienced a development towards more environmentally friendly product packaging that has recently gained momentum as the world has begun to appreciate the increasing presence of non-biodegradable waste in landfills and waste disposal areas. Businesses have attempted to explore new options for controlling the amount and cost of waste associated with containers for commodity products. Packaging of products including food, beverages, personal care products, household cleaning products, etc. is a prime candidate for further action to protect the environment.

Personal care products such as lotions, creams, hair care products, cosmetics, etc. are slowly moving towards more environmentally friendly packaging. This is probably because the industry is largely driven by packaging, and the commercial success of many products has directly led to the public's perception of the packaging accompanying the product rather than the quality of the product itself. Businesses that sell colognes, perfumes, eye make-up, beauty creams, etc., may spend much more money on a potential customer's response to the package than on a potential customer's response to the product. As a result, cosmetic and personal care product businesses have resisted the move toward more environmentally friendly packaging, resulting in significant waste and higher costs for manufacturers and customers to purchase the same packaging over and over again. However, this trend has led both businesses and customers to recognize the need to conserve resources and reduce waste, and to find new and better ways to protect the environment and save money in the process.

One way in which waste can be reduced is in reusable packages. The present invention relates generally, but not exclusively, to the field of material management, and more particularly to a refill station as follows: which is used to connect refill product containers, such as cosmetics, creams, lotions, shampoos, gels, skin care products, hair care products, and the like, traditionally packaged and sold in single-use disposable plastic containers. The handheld refillable material delivery system may be configured to move high viscosity material from a remote point of manufacture to a point of sale. The material delivery system can be configured to dispense only the required amount of material without waste, which is particularly important when fluids or materials are not easily handled and cannot be easily or safely transferred between containers without undesirable exposure. Preferably, the material delivery system reduces or eliminates the cost and expense of using conventional disposable personal packaging and the waste of material associated with most existing systems. Because certain materials are sensitive to one form or another of contamination, the material delivery system may be a sealed or closed system to preserve product quality and allow sampling without exposing the container to contaminants. This provides for the distribution of product quality to the supplier or user. The refillable material delivery system may also be configured to use low cost components such as non-pulsing solutions for dispensing and delivering thick fluids and other similar materials.

As the need to reduce packaging waste becomes ethical and economically justified, refillable and reusable packaging for consumer products will continue to emerge and become more prominent. Reducing packaging waste is a goal of both companies and governments, from municipalities facing increasing landfill and waste management issues to businesses that need to remain competitive against competitors turning to refillable packaging. As the problem associated with consumer packaging waste increases, the problem will only continue to ferment and move to the forefront of public awareness.

U.S. patent publication No.2011/0225106 discloses one solution to the problem of consumer product packaging waste, where a refillable consumer product packaging station can be used to refill consumer products in specially designed refillable containers. U.S. patent publication No.2014/0209640 discloses examples of the types of refillable containers. The contents of these references are fully incorporated herein by reference. The personal refillable container is brought to the station by the customer after it is discarded, and the refill station is able to refill and replenish the container so that the refill station can dispense new product without the need for new packaging. For such waste reduction, savings shared by manufacturers and customers can reach millions of dollars.

As discussed in the incorporated patent application, the benefits of this refill station are manifold. In addition to eliminating waste, the refill station can provide a wide variety of products that can be customized to the customer's preferences without the need for inventory for each conceivable variation. For example, the refill station may provide a shampoo product for refilling a personal container. In addition to the base shampoo, fragrances can also be added to the shampoo at the refill station along with options such as conditioners, oils or other modifiers. A customer can personalize the shampoo product to his or her liking and can create a shampoo specifically designed for that customer. The shampoo provider is able to sell more product while reducing inventory and the reusable container ensures that no waste is generated once the shampoo is used up. The customer simply returns to a refill station, preferably located in a mall, shopping center or other convenient location, and refilling the package will always meet the customer's personal preferences.

Disclosure of Invention

A refill station for refilling a package of consumer goods comprises: one or more vessels of product received in a sturdy shelter (sturdy shelter), and a small room (cubby) or suitable structure that receives refillable personal containers from a customer. The cubicle can include a robotic arm for grasping and manipulating the containers into position for refilling the containers, guides for aligning the containers, or other mechanisms such as conveyors, robotic arms, voids/recesses for holding the containers, and the like. Given that the operator may be a customer unfamiliar with the station, it is important that the station be able to receive a personal refillable container and to locate the container in a reliable manner in the appropriate position. The positioning means thus establish a reliable connection for the hermetically sealed transport of the product from the station to the refillable container of the customer.

Once the container is in place, the refill station will engage the refillable container at a multi-port nozzle suitable for exchanging product from the station to a personal refill container. In order to transfer the product to the refillable container, the nozzle must engage the mouth of the refill station and the mouth of the refill container in an airtight relationship in a quick and reliable manner. This engagement must account for some residue at the port as material may accumulate at the port over time. This engagement is preferably achieved by a press fit with an internal resilient O-ring fitting to prevent air from entering the nozzle. The mating member or connector can be a plastic, metal, or elastomeric material, such as those provided by Lenz corporation of Dayton, ohio.

The nozzles form a key component in fluid delivery operations. The multiple port configuration allows one or more "adjuvants" or "modifiers" such as fragrances, oils, conditioners, dyes, supplements, enhancers, and the like to be added to and mixed into the product at the refill station. The ability of the fragrances, dyes and other auxiliary agents to be introduced in a sterile and controlled manner downstream of the refill station prevents contamination at the refill station outlet and allows the exchange of fluid products to be automatically operated and completed by customers without knowledge of the operation of the refill station. This provides an advantage over other product dispensing stations that expose the product to the atmosphere, eliminating the possibility of sterile delivery.

Drawings

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a refill station, nozzle (nozzle), device and refill bottle during filling of the refill bottle;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a refill bottle and nozzle arrangement during dispensing of the bottle;

FIG. 3 is a side view of a personal container and nozzle combination;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention; and

fig. 5 is a top view of a sticker/sticker that can be used as a tamper indicator/contents indicator for a refillable container.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 shows a refill station 10 that can be used with a multi-port nozzle 20 for managing and delivering products and adjuvants to a refill bottle or container 12 in a sterile environment. The refill station 10 includes one or more vessels that store one or more products to be sold and delivered to the personal refill bottle 12. Between the refill station 10 and the refill bottle 12 is a multi-port nozzle 20, the multi-port nozzle 20 being capable of transferring product from the refill station to a personal refill bottle without exposing the transferred product to the atmosphere. This engagement (engage) must take into account some residue at the mouth as material may accumulate over time at the mouth. The coupling of the nozzle 20 to the refill station 10 is preferably achieved by a crimp connection with an internal resilient O-ring fitting 77 to prevent air from entering the nozzle 20. In a preferred embodiment, the nozzle will have an inclined upper portion 75 to make receipt of the refill station 10 by the nozzle 20 more readily available. Product enters the nozzle 20 at the connector 14 from the refill station outlet 15, which may be regulated by a flow controller 26 upstream of the mixing chamber 34. The second line 16 entering the nozzle 20 from the refill station 10 enters the nozzle 20 through a second peripheral hole or "injection port" 18 where a second connector 22 receives a second line coupler, joint or "injection needle" 27. The second flow path can be regulated by a one-way check valve, such as a ball and spring check valve 24, that prevents the material in the mixing chamber 34 from entering the second flow path. Ball and spring check valves include those provided by Blue-White Industries of Huntington Beach, california. Actuation of the second path can be achieved by movement of a protrusion or handle on the actuator 28 for opening and closing the valve 24. Movement of the actuator handle 28 can be mechanical, manual, or controlled by a processor (not shown) of the refill station using a lever or other force applying component.

Secondary materials, such as fragrances (fragance), conditioners, oils, lotions and the like, fragrances (solvent) or adjuvants are supplied from the refill station to the multi-port nozzle 20. The primary and secondary materials enter the mixing chamber 34 via their respective flow and fluid lines and mix in designated areas such as T-tees (Tee), Y-tees (Wye), static mixers, etc., where mixing can be further facilitated by baffles (baffle)29, vibrators 31, or other devices to disperse the secondary material into the primary material. It will be appreciated that there can be a third supply line which simultaneously (or subsequently) delivers a third ingredient to the personal refill container to reduce the customer's waiting time and present the customer with more options in the customization of the product. It should also be understood that there can be multiple (two or more) injection ports 18 in the nozzle 20 in a horizontal and/or vertical configuration to simultaneously add and mix two or more "modifiers" into the product in the mixing chamber. It should also be understood that the personal refill container 12 may have one valve for both filling and dispensing, or have one valve for filling and another separate valve for dispensing. It should also be understood that there may be many configurations and embodiments other than those shown in the above illustrations.

The nozzle 20 is connected to the refill bottle 12 via a third connector 40, the third connector 40 preferably locking to the mouth 39 of the refill bottle 12 without contaminating the interface. Because the refill bottle 12 has been previously used by the consumer, the connection to the refill bottle 12 most likely breaks the hermetic condition of the delivery. This can be overcome by placing a disposable sheath (peel) or fitting 42 over the mouth of the refill bottle 12 to reduce the chance of contamination of the multi-port nozzle 20 with unsanitary materials. In the alternative, the nozzle 20 may have a plastic mold (plastic mold)51, a decal (decals)/sticker (packer) or other indicator to indicate its sanitary status. Once the decal/sticker is removed, the die 51 is broken, etc., the port is no longer considered hermetically sealed and a new nozzle 20 must be used. It will be appreciated that the subsequent absence of the die 51, sticker/sticker or other indicator may serve as a tangible evidence that the refill container has been used or tampered with, as an important component in ensuring product integrity and product safety. This option eliminates the need to clean the nozzle between uses, which may require steam, disinfectants, or other flammable or toxic cleaning agents that can affect the product condition. It should also be understood that the die, sticker/sticker or other indicator may include information 50 regarding the refill transaction such as the following bar code sticker or the like: the type and amount of the one or more products and the one or more modifiers filled by the refill container is printed and indicated by the refill station, and this information 50 is used to scan the bar code at a checkout station (check-out station) or a cash register (check-out register) for payment by the customer for the refill transaction.

The flow controller 26 for the nozzle can be actuated by a magnetic field, battery or easily supplied current through magnetic coupling, or other suitable means, and can be controlled by a processor in the refill station. Similarly, the pumping of the second fluid line 16 is preferably controlled by the processor of the refill station in coordination with the position of the actuator/handle/toggle 28.

The nozzle 20 may be disengaged from the refill station (see fig. 2), but the nozzle may remain coupled and mounted to the personal refill bottle 12 for subsequent dispensing of the one or more products with any one or more modifiers from the refill container. It should be understood that the nozzle 20 may be used as a mechanical/physical actuator for interfacing with the toggle valve 52 located on the personal refill bottle 12 and for opening and closing the valve to dispense one or more products with any one or more modifiers from the refill container. It should also be understood that the nozzle may be disengaged from the refill station, the nozzle may also be disengaged from the refill bottle, and a different nozzle coupled and mounted to the refill container then dispenses the one or more products with any one or more modifiers from the refill container.

Fig. 3 shows a side view of refill bottle 12 and multi-port nozzle 20. The nozzle 20 mates with the refill bottle 12 at the toggle valve 52 and is capable of dispensing product through the outlet 80. A patch 53 can be placed over the nozzle 20 and extend to the rim of the refill bottle 12 to indicate the sealed condition. The film 53 (fig. 5) can include a bar code or other machine readable indicia that records the contents of the container, including any adjuvants, fragrances, etc. The barcode may also include customer information, payment information, or other data or information to facilitate the transaction. The patch 53 may also include perforations 55 that allow the patch to be torn off when the refill bottle 12 is used after a refill operation. In this way, the condition of the bottle can be observed, wherein the nozzle can be considered not to be hermetic once the seal is broken.

Fig. 4 shows a first preferred embodiment of the nozzle 20 in a sectional view. The connector 14 may also become the dispensing port 80 depending on whether the nozzle is in a refill mode or a dispensing mode. In a refill operation, material flows from the refill station 10 to the nozzle and into the mixing chamber 34. At the same time, the auxiliary agent is supplied through the second line 18 and enters at the connector 22. Note that instead of the above-described sticker 51, a sticker 51a may also be located on the connector 22 and used for the same purpose. As the additive flows through the flow control valve 24 into the mixing chamber 34, the additive mixes with the product and flows out of the orifice 39 via the connector 40. An O-ring or seal 59 may be disposed on the connector 40 to prevent air or other contaminants from entering the refill bottle 12. The baffle 29 can be used to "mix" the fluids as the product/adjuvant composition flows through the nozzle for better consistency. These baffles 29 can be magnetically actuated to move radially inward and control the flow of fluid moving through the nozzle or to enhance mixing by vibration or other movement of the baffles 29. Other actuating components can be used to move the flapper 29, or the flapper 29 can be stationary and utilize the movement of fluid across the flapper to enhance mixing.

The present invention provides the following nozzles: which is used for exchange of refillable fluid between the refill station and the refillable container in a closed state. The use of a second port for providing an auxiliary agent allows customization of the product to the customer's specific requirements without long waiting times and without contaminating the process. The use of a mixing chamber downstream of the second line, after the one-way check valve, promotes thorough mixing of the two or more components as selected by the customer.

Claims (9)

1. A refillable personal container for hermetically receiving a fluid product from a refill station, the refillable personal container comprising:

a refill bottle having a mouth; and

a multi-port nozzle connectable to the port for hermetically delivering the fluid product, the multi-port nozzle comprising a connector for connecting to a refill station, a flow control mechanism, a mixing chamber, and a connector for connecting to the port of the refill bottle,

wherein the multi-port nozzle further comprises a second line for conveying a second material through the multi-port nozzle and having a second port, a connector for the second port, and a one-way check valve in fluid communication with the mixing chamber, the second material flowing through the second line and the one-way check valve into the mixing chamber to mix with the fluid product prior to entering the refill bottle,

it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

the mixing chamber comprising a radially inwardly movable and vibratable baffle for mixing the fluent product and the second material,

the multi-port nozzle has a refill mode and a dispensing mode, wherein,

in the refill mode, the connector for connecting to a refill station is connected with the refill station for receiving the fluid product from the refill station, the connector for the second port is connected with the refill station for receiving the second material from the refill station; and is

In the dispensing mode, the connector for connecting to a refill station is disconnected from the refill station for dispensing the product from the connector after mixing of the fluid product and the second material, and the connector for the second port is disconnected from the refill station and sealed closed by a patch.

2. The refillable personal container of claim 1, wherein the flow control mechanism is magnetically actuated.

3. The refillable personal container of claim 1, wherein the flow control mechanism is battery actuated.

4. The refillable personal container of claim 1, wherein the patch includes machine readable indicia representing product information.

5. The refillable personal container of claim 1, further comprising an actuator between the second port and the one-way check valve.

6. The refillable personal container of claim 5, wherein the actuator comprises a handle.

7. The refillable personal container of claim 5, wherein the actuator is manually controlled.

8. The refillable personal container of claim 1, wherein the refill bottle includes a disposable sheath between the mouth of the refill bottle and the multi-mouth spout.

9. The refillable personal container of claim 1, wherein the multi-port nozzle includes an O-ring at an interface with the refill station for preventing air from entering the multi-port nozzle.

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