EP2382450A1

EP2382450A1 - System and method for refilling consumer packaging

Info

Publication number: EP2382450A1
Application number: EP09835862A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Lawrence M. Levenstein; Eric A. Williams; Robert D. Thibodeau
Original assignee: CH&I Technologies Inc
Current assignee: CH&I Technologies Inc
Priority date: 2008-12-23
Filing date: 2009-12-23
Publication date: 2011-11-02
Also published as: BRPI0923691A2; CL2011001549A1; AU2009329875A1; WO2010075557A1; CN102265122A; CA2747828C; AU2009329875B2; EP2382450A4; CA2747828A1; MX2011006707A; JP5642705B2; JP2012513352A; CN102265122B

Abstract

A system and method for refilling packaging for consumer products of viscous fluids, gels, foams, soaps, creams, and the like, comprising a refillable reusable container for dispensing said consumer product under pressure, and a refilling unit in a fluid transfer station for transferring consumer product and/or energy and/or to or from the refillable, reusable container. The refilling unit is exchanged when depleted with a fresh refilling unit from a distribution facility or directly from a manufacturing facility. Consumers can refill their reusable packaging at said fluid transfer station, eliminating the need for purchasing product in a new package to prevent undue waste and save the costs of additional packaging.

Description

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REFILLING CONSUMER PACKAGING

BACKGROUND

In the present atmosphere of increasing global commerce, interest in environmental sustainability has mounted, as have the waste by-products of trade. To address environmental concerns relating to packaging waste, many countries have implemented environmental packaging requirements to allocate and distribute waste management costs, shift responsibility onto product manufacturers, and to decrease the environmental impacts of packaging. Companies selling goods in domestic and foreign markets face an evergrowing range of packaging regulations, including environmental design requirements and extensive packaging fee systems. These requirements differ greatly from country to country, but their impact on the suppliers of goods cannot be ignored.

Packaging regulations are already in place in a growing number of markets, including some US states, Canada, Western and Eastern Europe, South Africa, Australia, Brazil, China, Japan, Taiwan, Tunisia, and South Korea, and regulations pending in many more. Accordingly, awareness of international packaging fees and design requirements will improve the competitiveness of exporters of goods. Failure to adhere to the packaging requirements set out by trading partners can lead to poor cost-competitiveness of goods imported from the US, enforcement measures, and poor public image, especially as environmental consciousness continues to grow.

The driving force behind packaging and product legislation is environmental concern over resource use, pollution, and waste management, coupled with the notion that businesses that manufacture and use packaging should bear some of the burden of managing packaging waste. As international commerce, Internet sales, and the trend toward products with short life-spans continues to develop, the volume of goods placed on the market (and subsequent waste from these products and their packaging) has increased dramatically, often faster than waste disposal capacity. According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), municipal solid waste increased 40% over a seventeen year period in OECD countries and private household consumption grew 37.5% during the same period. Packaging waste is a growing waste stream in many countries, particularly those undergoing rapid socio-economic change. One cause of the increasing problem is the growing proportion of single-person households, which favor smaller retail units, single-use packaging, and other convenience items over economy-size packages and bulk goods. These changes have generated a push towards reducing and recycling packaging. However, waste disposal solutions come at a price, and someone has to pay.

In many countries, the "polluter pays" principle and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) lie at the heart of packaging and product regulations. Traditionally, packaging waste has been managed through government-operated and -funded recycling and disposal programs. However, the costs of waste management (i.e. collection, disposal) are not reflected in the price of products. Internalizing these costs within the product chain by charging companies a fee on the packaging they place on the market ensures that these costs are considered and not borne solely by government and society (i.e., taxpayers) more generally. The goal of these systems is not to penalize industry, but rather to assign a portion of the costs to the members of the supply chain who can most directly influence the selection of designs, materials, processes, and other aspects of production and marketing. In this regard, packaging developers are encouraged to reduce packaging and other environmental costs. Packaging regulations force manufacturers to incorporate waste management costs into packaging costs, product design, and innovation.

Using this backdrop, companies have tried to explore new options for controlling the amount of waste and costs associated with their packaging of products. Packaging of products, including foods, beverages, personal care products, and the like are a prime candidate for further action to protect the environment. Much of the emphasis of this movement has been on biodegradable packaging, which is driven in part by the packaging companies' desire to have a reoccurring demand of its packaging. As a result, there has been much interest in biodegradable packaging and little interest in reusable, refillable containers for personal consumer items.

One difficulty with the refilling of personal consumer products is that existing systems require exposure to the atmosphere, wherein certain constituents degrade. That is, when exposed to air certain products lose their shelf life due to airborne contaminants. Other products simply degrade when exposed to air, requiring unwanted preservatives or other ingredients to combat the effect of air on the product. When dealing with certain personal care products, the addition of added preservatives or other chemicals can be the difference between a consumer making a sale and a consumer opting for another, preservative-free alternative. It is also known in the industry that personal care products, such as lotions, creams, hair care products, cosmetics, and the like have been slow to move toward a more environmentally friendly packaging. This may be because the industry is, to a large extent, packaging driven with the commercial success of many products a direct consequence of the public's preference for a known and famous package that the product comes in rather than the quality of the product itself. Companies that sell colognes, perfumes, eye make up, cosmetic creams, etc. may spend much more capital on the response of potential customers to their packaging than their products. As a result, cosmetics and personal care products companies have resisted the movement to more environmentally friendly packaging, leading to uncontrolled waste and a higher cost to both the manufacturer and the customer for repeated purchasing of the same packaging.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention seeks to address the problem outlined above by the implementation of a system and method for refilling and reusing personal care products such as creams, cosmetics, hair care products, beauty products, and the like, although the inventions will also apply to many other consumer packaging applications. The aforementioned personal care products typically have very high viscosities and are problematic to deliver through traditional fluid delivery systems. The present invention overcomes this impediment with a system designed to refill small, handheld product containers, including products that have particulate matter, products that have ultra-high viscosities, Herschel Bulkley fluids, and other non-Newtonian fluids.

The system of the present invention preferably uses a portable dispensing unit that can store and transfer the personal care products to a refillable personal container in a closed system that pressurizes the consumer container without exposing the contents to the environment. A customer who purchases a specialized refillable personal container can use the product until it is exhausted, and then take the refillable personal container to either a store, refilling kiosk, or to a customer representative, where a refilling unit can be used to refill the container with more of the original product, eliminating the need of the customer to purchase (and discard) another container and the need of the manufacture to make another container. This leads to both a cost savings by the manufacturer that can be passed on to the customer, and a reduction in packaging waste since nothing is thrown away. The personal refillable container can be reused over and over again indefinitely, and each refill eliminates the disposal of a product packaging. The system and method of the invention leads to reduced costs based on sustainable packaging, and increased revenues as a result of increased customer service and brand loyalty.

In an alternative embodiment, the container can be refilled by the consumer using a docking station that utilizes cartridges of product to refill the refillable containers. The docking station can be suited to a particular product if desired, and include other features that make dispensing the product more friendly to the consumer, such as a heating unit to warm the product if desired, a temperature monitoring sensor, a data-repository for maintaining data on the consumer's use of the product, a communication mechanism for transmitting consumer use of the product, ordering more of the product, relaying special offers or other consumer information from the supplier/manufacturer to the consumer, and other features of the docking station as set forth more fully below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the flow of distribution according the method of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a transportable refilling unit according to the system of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic of a first and second embodiment of a refillable personal container according to the system of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic of a first embodiment of the refilling station;

FIG. 5 is a schematic of a docking station of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 illustrates a first preferred distribution and flow diagram according to the method of the present invention. A manufacturing facility 70 where personal products are manufactured is the starting location for the process. Ordinarily, personal products such as creams, lotions, soaps, hair care products, and the like would be dispensed into containers and shipped to retail outlets for purchase by a customer or to a personal care products direct marketing dealer. In the present method, a portable refilling unit 40 is brought to the manufacturing facility by vehicle or other means and filled with one or more products. In a preferred embodiment, the portable unit 40 includes multiple products that are often sold together or used as complimentary products. The product(s) may be dispensed using a refillable system such as that disclosed in U.S. Patent Application No. 11/096,356 to Thibodeau, assigned to the assignee of the present application, the contents of which are fully incorporated herein by reference. Also see U. S. Patent Application No. 11/584,932 to Williams et al. entitled "Integrated Material Transfer And Dispensing System," also assigned to the assignee of the present application, and of which the contents therein are fully incorporated herein by reference. Once the dispensing unit is filled, it is transported from the manufacturing facility 70 to a distribution center 20 for regional distribution. Sales representatives representing stores, delivery trucks representing the distribution center 20, or personal care products dealers pick-up or have delivered the filled portable dispensing unit 50 and can either locate the dispensing unit 50 in a store location, or kiosk 30, or in a vehicle for mobile delivery to individual customers 10. Customers 10 bring their empty personal refillable containers 60 to the kiosk 30, or the sales representative brings a dispensing unit to the customer, in order to refill the personal container 60 with fresh product. When the kiosk 30 is depleted or the sales representative has filled a number of personal refillable containers and the portable dispensing unit 40 is empty, the empty portable dispensing unit 40 is returned to the distribution center 20 and exchanged it for a full dispensing unit 50. The empty dispensing unit 40 is then returned to the manufacturing facility 70 for refilling, and the cycle then repeats.

A portable filling station 190 is schematically shown in FIG. 2, having a housing 100 that encloses a storage compartment 110 and a dispensing compartment 120. The storage compartment 110 includes dispensing unit 50 comprised of cartridges or containers 150 of one or more personal care products that can be dispensed using the filling station 190. A spare unit 140 of products may also be included in the system. The portable dispensing unit 50 may be seated on a carousel that rotates the individual cartridges 150 into a transfer location. It is to be understood that other means are envisioned besides a carousel for positioning the appropriate cartridge 150 into a transfer location, or that a multitude of lines couple the various containers through a single transfer system. Alternatively, a single canister or cartridge can be used to connect to the transfer station. It is preferred that single fluid conduit 160 communicate between the storage compartment 110 and the dispensing compartment 120 regardless of how the individual cartridges 150 are arranged. A processor 195 is preferably included in the filling station 190 for controlling the various cartridges and the transfer system.

Figure 4 illustrates a simple schematic diagram of the refilling station 190 and the interaction of the processor 195 with the various inputs. For example, the processor 195 communicates with the bar code reader 185 or RFID chip reader to identify the product in the container 60 and relay the information to the processor, which can then operate the carousel motor 165 to rotate the proper canister or cartridge 150 into position within the station 190. The level sensor 175 can establish the level of product in the container 60 and ensure proper filling of the container 60 so as not to overflow the personal container 60. The processor can then cause a printer 155 to print out a receipt, transaction record, coupon for future purchase, or other data for the consumer to take with the refilled container. The processor can also control a communication device such as a modem, internet connection, telephone, and the like, to relay information to the distribution center such as inventory, consumer data, operating conditions (temperature, pressure, etc.), monetary or financial information, and the like to the manufacturer or distribution center. In this way, the refilling station can operate independently of the distribution center and even without a manned attendant in the case of a kiosk or the like.

Referring again for Figure 2, the dedicated conduit 160 leads to the dispensing compartment 120, where a personal refillable container 60 can be placed in proximity with a filling station 170 to replenish the product to be purchased. In a preferred embodiment, the filling station has a bar code reader or RFID reader to read an identifier on the personal refillable container 60. The identifier alerts the processor to the specific product requested, whereupon the processor controls a motor (not shown) to rotate the carrousel or other positioning means until the requested product is positioned into a transfer configuration. This may also be used to rotate empty and filled containers of the same product, where product levels are read by the processor using various level detecting means such as weight scales, optical readers, magnetic sensors, and the like.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 4, when the bar code reader 185 and/or RFID reader identifies the product, other information about the product can be recalled by the processor 195 and used to control the transfer operation, such as viscosity, separation characteristics, temperature limitations, and the like. This ensures that the correct container 150 is coupled to the transfer system and the proper conditions for transfer are established (pressure, volume, etc.). If the bar code reader 185 and/or RFID reader (or other identification means) detects a mismatch between the refillable personal container and each of the individual containers 150 in the portable dispensing unit 50, the processor 195 will cause a signal to alert a sales representative, consumer, or attendant that a different carousel, portable dispensing unit 50, or product container 150 needs to be loaded into the refilling station. Once the proper unit is positioned into the refill system, the dispensing station 120 proceeds to refill the personal container 60 with the personal product to be purchased, which can be sold based on the weight (amount) of material dispensed, for example. For example, a scale 180 can be incorporated into the filling station 170 and a signal from the scale can be sent to the processor 195 providing information on the weight before and after the filling operation. The processor 195 can then determine the amount of product dispensed, and determine a price based on the established cost of the product, and cause the printer 155 to print out a report or receipt with the price and weight of the product dispensed. Other modes of pricing and sale is also envisioned, and the preceding example is offered for exemplary purposes only.

FIG. 3 illustrates two exemplary embodiments for a personal refillable container 60 to be refilled with a viscous fluid in a closed, sealed, and energized system. In FIG. 3a, a bottom fill and discharge device 60a is shown where product from the dispensing unit 50 is delivered to the bottom of the container and the container also discharges product through the same bottom orifice. In FIG. 3b, the discharge device 60b is filled and dispensed through a top surface. Other embodiments could include opposite loading and dispensing surfaces. In each embodiment, a force element 200 is subject to a ubiquitous force such as by a fluid or gas 230 and applies the force to the product 210, causing the product to be expelled through a bottom orifice 250 or through a pipe 240 to an upper orifice 260. The force element 200 preferably incorporates a viscous seal 220 on the interior wall of the container 60. The preferred embodiment and details of the container and force element are disclosed in greater detail in the Thibodeau application referenced above and incorporated by reference, and the details of which are not repeated herein for brevity.

A unique feature of the present system is that it is fully contained and neither the consumer nor the sales representative touches or handles the product. Rather, the system automatically detects the correct product and discharges the correct amount of product to the container without subjecting it to the environment/atmosphere and without the need for human skill or decision-making, reducing the opportunity for errors or contamination. The system and method is designed for a minimal amount of human interaction to streamline the process and provide for more efficient and consistent service. The closed nature of the system also helps to preserve volatile or time-release materials that are popular in the personal care products industry. Because the system does not expose the product to air, and is very low shear due to the viscous seal about the force delivering mechanism, products with high sensitivities or phase separation issues can be delivered safely and reliably where prior art systems fail. Further, the system allows the refillable container to be refilled under pressure, allowing the dispensing of product heretofore unavailable in a refillable consumer package.

The system also benefits the consumer because it avoids the situation where product is discarded with the container. Containers of personal care products tend to be opaque, and viscous materials adhere to the inner surfaces of the container. When disposed, as much as thirty percent or more of the product is left in the prior art container when it ceases to dispense product. In the present invention, however, the container is refilled while accounting for the existing material so that the consumer only pays for the amount of material needed to replenish the container. In the above example, the consumer would only purchase seventy percent of a full container if the container had thirty percent left from the previous use. The consumer has therefore not only saved the cost of a new container, but has also saved the cost of purchasing thirty percent of the product that would have been discarded with the old container. The delivery system also overcomes the problem of prior art squeeze tubes that expel product inconsistently, in that too much or too little is expelled depending upon the condition of the squeeze tube. Conversely, the present system continues to deliver a consistent flow of material from the first dispensing to the final dispensing.

An intelligent component can be integrated with the system and method of the present invention. This intelligent component may include a real-time information exchange, including communication, database retrieval, global positioning features, and additional processing functions. The intelligent system can communicate information such as product manufacturer or distributor, customer or client, product, and global position data through a wired and/or wireless communication device 145 to remote communication devices such as cell phones, computer servers, land lines, personal computers, and PDA's (Personal Digital Assistant's, Blackberry's). Databases can include date on the manufacturer or distributor, customer information such as location, sales history, personal information, credit and financial data, and individual preferences. The product information can include any special requirements for transfer or distributing the product, including handling precautions, sensitivities to air or light, pressure requirements, and chemical properties. Global positioning data or other locating information can also be stored for finding a customer as well as finding other local customers of the product to be delivered. For example, the processing may determine a distance between the intelligent component and a selected customer, as well as determining driving directions. In one embodiment of this intelligent component, a GPS device would establish the system's location, and the database could then be accessed to output where local customers were located and what products they favored, and the communication system would call, email, or text, or otherwise alert a customer to request or confirm an appointment during a distribution run.

An alternate system for transferring a fluid, cream, gel, or the like, involving a personal docking station that uses cartridges of material to refill a refillable personal product container 60. This embodiment of the present invention incorporates concepts of material transfer and methodologies for transferring viscous fluids discussed in prior patent applications such as U.S. Patent Application Nos. 12/192,848 and 12/426,789, the contents of which are fully incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

The docking system and method of this embodiment utilizes a personal, home- based docking station to transfer and dispense various products, including, but not limited to, oils, gels, creams, and the like. The system utilizes a hand held dispenser/container with pressurized gas to dispense the contents therein. A docking station receives the personal container and transfers energy and/or product to the refillable, reusable container through a port adapted to mate with an exchange fitting on the container. The energy exchanged can take many forms, including pneumatic, electrical, thermal, etc. For example, the docking station may have a source of pressurized gas that may be introduced into the container to charge the container, allowing refilled material to be dispensed. The container may have a battery that can be charged by the docking station using a supplied voltage. The docking station could also supply heat to the container, and/or remove heat from the container, to make dispensing the material easier or otherwise affect the material in the container.

Figure 5 shows a schematic of a docking station 300 for refilling personal product packages, the docking station 300 includes a docking pad 312 and a control box 305 for the station that includes a display 310, and various buttons 320 and dials for controlling the exchange of fluid/energy/data. The docking station 300 may include a second dock to control a second container, or alternatively the second dock may be used for other purposes such as audio, communication, computer, games, and the like. Data exchange can include an alarm data, date, time, event, fault, financial data, flow rate, gas or system properties, global position, interface identification, material, material properties, operator identifier, pressure, temperature, and the like.

The container 360 can be removed from the dock, and include a link 340 for receiving the material, energy, and/or information from the docking station, as well as a receptor 350 for exchanging or receiving data. The container 360 may also contain a display 370 for displaying the contents, date filled, percent of remaining material, type of material, or other information pertinent to the container or user. The containers can be a single product container 360a or a dual product container 360b.

The docking station may receive product filled cartridges 370 which are disposed in slots or retaining cavities 375 in the control box 305. The product is maintained in the control box inside the cartridges 370 and transferred as needed by the consumer. The control box 305 may include a heat transfer element (not shown) that allows the product to be heated and/or cooled, or the heat transfer element 365 can alternatively be located in the docking station 300 where the product container 330 resides when not being used.

It is to be understood that the examples discussed above are merely offered for an understanding of the present invention and are not intended to be limiting. For example, in addition to personal care products such as health and beauty materials, and other viscous materials can benefit from the present system and method such as commercial, industrial, institutional, and governmental materials and applications.

Claims

We Claim:

1. A refϊllable system for refilling a commercial product using a refϊllable container in a closed system comprising:

a hand-held personal container for dispensing a product under pressure, said container having at least a port for at least one of receiving product from, exchanging energy with, and exchanging data with a refilling unit, and a dispensing means for dispensing said product under pressure; and

a refilling unit adapted to cooperate with the hand-held personal container to transfer material under pressure from a portable, refϊllable storage unit to the container, enabling reuse of the container by a consumer, the refilling unit cooperating with the container to transfer material in a closed system under pressure without exposing the material to an external environment.

2. The refillable system for refilling a commercial product of Claim 1 wherein said product is selected from a group comprising creams, lotions, soaps, and gels.

3. The refillable system for refilling a commercial product of Claim 1 wherein the refilling unit includes a processor for controlling the operation of the refilling unit.

4. The refillable system for refilling a commercial product of Claim 3 wherein the refillable unit further comprises a carousel for moving a plurality of product into a position to be transferred to the personal container.

5. The refillable system for refilling a commercial product of Claim 3 further comprising a communication device for exchanging data with a remote location.

6. The refillable system for refilling a commercial product of Claim 5 wherein said data is selected from a group comprising financial data, inventory data, and consumer data.

7. The refillable system for refilling a commercial product of Claim 3 further comprising a printer for printing information to a consumer.

8. The refillable system for refilling a commercial product of Claim 3 further comprising a sensor for detecting a level of material in the container.

9. The refillable system for refilling a commercial product of Claim 3 further comprising a bar code reader for reading a bar code on said container and refilling product based on information acquired from said bar code.

10. A method for reusing consumer packaging comprising:

providing a reusable, refillable container to the consumer containing a commercial product therein;

providing a refilling station having cartridges of various commercial products stored for access thereto, the refilling station adapted to identify a type of product in said reusable, refillable container and dispense product from a selected one of said cartridges to said refillable container in a closed system without exposing the contents of the cartridge or the container to the environment.

11. The method for reusing consumer packaging of Claim 10 wherein the refilling station is housed in a kiosk.

12. The method for reusing consumer packaging of Claim 10 wherein the refilling station is incorporated into a personal docking pod.

13. The method for reusing consumer packaging of Claim 11 wherein a consumer brings a depleted refillable container to the kiosk where the refilling station refills said container with product.

14. The method for reusing consumer packaging of Claim 11 wherein cartridges are exchanged at a distribution center.

15. The method for reusing consumer packaging of Claim 11 wherein a bar code reader reads a bar code on said container, and then the refilling station selects a product to refill the container based upon information obtained from the bar code.

16. The method for reusing consumer packaging of Claim 11 wherein a printer prints a receipt of a transaction after the refilling station transfers product from the cartridge to the container.

17. The method for reusing consumer packaging of Claim 11 wherein a communication device exchanges financial information with a remote location prior to initiating the refilling of the container.

18. The method for reusing consumer packaging of Claim 11 where the refilling station first measures an amount of product in said container prior to initiating the refilling of the container.

19. The method of Claim 18 where the measuring is accomplished using a scale.

20. The method of Claim 12 wherein energy is transferred to or from the container by the docking pod prior to dispensing by the container.