EP4694725A1

EP4694725A1 - System for metering and mixing colors for hair

Info

Publication number: EP4694725A1
Application number: EP23723650.0A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Giuseppe SIMEONE
Original assignee: Telier SRLS
Current assignee: Telier SRLS
Priority date: 2023-04-12
Filing date: 2023-04-12
Publication date: 2026-02-18
Also published as: WO2024213912A1

Abstract

System for metering and mixing colors for hair (10), characterized in that it comprises the following elements: - a control unit (1.1), with touch screen display, adapted to control the elements constituting said system for metering and mixing colors for hair (10); - an electromechanical unit (1.2), adapted for pumping and metering the colors for hair from suitable containers or jugs; - a dispensing system (1.3), adapted for mixing and dispensing the colors.

Description

“System for metering and mixing colors for hair”

Description

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to hair dye systems and methods and more particularly to the selection of a hair dye from a large number of colors.

Prior art

Currently human hair dye treatment occurs most often in a consumer's home or by a professional hairdresser.

For home hair dye treatment, the customer selects the dye from a wide range of colors. A typical color line can consist of over a hundred different bottles, with each bottle containing a different colored hair dye. That range of colors often results in unsatisfactory hair color for the consumer, as he/she is not familiar with the dye color, based on his/her own hair, needed to achieve the final color he/she desires. The effect of a hair dye on hair depends on many factors, including the color of the user's hair and the fastness of the dye (ability to hold color). The colors, to a non-professional, can appear almost the same. For example, Clairol’s X63 type is medium reddish brown, X62 is medium brown, and X64 is medium ash brown. L'Oreal’s 24 is “Medium Cocoa Brown”, 26 is “Redwood-Auburn” and 30 is “Chestnut Reddish Brown”.

The average consumer often doesn't have the training or experience to accurately predict their final hair color when using a home hair dye kit. As a result, many consumers use the services of a professional colorist at the hairdresser. An experienced and trained colorist has experience dyeing hundreds of heads of hair and can reasonably accurately predict the final color of a hair dye treatment. The consumer can select the color he wants from a color chart with a wide range of colors.

Hair dye manufacturers currently produce various lines of hair dye colors. In some respects, such a system is expensive, cumbersome, and wasteful. It requires the salon to maintain a large and complete inventory of dye bottles. The cost of a complete inventory of a manufacturer's line is approximately fifteen thousand dollars. Generally, dyes are subject to degradation by oxygen. So when a bottle is opened, partially used and stored, its contents can be degraded by oxygen within weeks. Also, the hair colorist may not have the experience, with a particular hair type, to correctly select the hair dye bottle or bottles to achieve the desired result.

To change hair color through the use of oxidative dyes, it is known to use specific dye intermediates which are dissolved in an alkaline medium (pH 7.5-10.5) and carried by various types of gel and cream emulsions or liquid solutions. These hair dyes are usually combined with a developer solution containing an oxidant (usually hydrogen peroxide) at a pH of 2-4. Mixing ratios generally range from 1: 1 to 1 :2 (tint to developer ratio). The strength of the mixture depends on the amount of natural pigmentation one wants to remove from the hair, i.e. “lightening strength”. When mixed, the mixture maintains a pH similar to that of the dye or color. pH is required for hydrogen peroxide to oxidize the coloring intermediates, causing them to couple within the hair structure and form colored molecules which, due to their molecular size, are trapped within the hair structure, hence the terminology “permanent color”. The oxidizer also removes some of the natural pigmentation from the hair, causing a lightening effect.

The amount of lightening is governed by the pH and peroxide strength of the color/developer blend. Generally products containing weak alkalizers, such as aminomethylpropanol or bicarbonates, and with a pH of 7-9, will produce little or no lightening of the natural pigmentation of the hair. Such products are called “no-lift”, or “deposit-only” hair dyes, and are typically used to fade gray hair or to enhance natural color. Products that contain stronger alkalizers, such as ammonia or ethanolamine and have a pH of 9.0 -10.5, deposit color and lighten natural pigmentation, allowing for the ability to produce blonde undertones. To achieve all of these desired effects, as mentioned before, hair salons often purchase several lines of hair colors with stocks of shades often exceeding a hundred or more. The paint industry has faced a similar problem. Years ago it was common practice for a paint manufacturer to produce a line of 6-10 paint colors. A consumer could only purchase that limited number of colored paints. If he/she wanted a different color, he/she would have had to add additional color pigments or mix tins of colored paint. That system required a large inventory of paints for the various colors, especially considering the different sizes (pints, quarts, gallons) and the different surfaces (flat, gloss, semi-gloss). Currently, one can select the desired tint color from a wide range of colors. That paint color is later mixed in the shop, usually adding color to a neutral base.

That type of color mixing system has not been applied on a commercial scale either in stores selling at-home hair dye kits or in hair salons. One reason may be that currently available hair dyes are generally degraded by oxygen. Paint mixers used in shops are not suitable for dispensing hair dye as they allow oxygen to reach the product. Another reason is that the amount of hair dye that is used for each treatment is relatively small, so if color additives are to be mixed, they must be added in exact amounts. The type of exact liquid measurement required is at the level of one tenth of a milliliter (ml). Devices which measure to that level of accuracy are found in chemical labs, not hair salons.

US Patent No. 4871262 discloses a cosmetic dispensing system for mixing skin cosmetics, such as face creams and makeup foundations. The liquid additives are stored in bottles and are pumped, using peristaltic pumps, to be mixed with a cosmetic cream base in a jar. The patent, reporting an invention that is now more than forty years old, presents an all too rudimentary system for dispensing cosmetics. The present invention, object of a patent proposal, in fact refers to a hair dye mixing and metering system which allows the mixing and metering of at least ten hair dyes, all of which can be controlled by means of a control unit, which allows the control of both the whole system and the individual elements relating to the individual mixing and metering units.

Similarly, the invention covered by patent US5855626A relates to a system for mixing and dispensing oxygen sensitive hair dyes, which consists of processing concentrates in an airtight sealed system using preferably 3-8 concentrates of dye in folding bags with an oxygen barrier. According to such invention, the dye concentrates, together with the oxygen activating liquids, are sufficient to produce an infinite number of hair dye formulations, thus avoiding the need to acquire and store many bottles of specific dyes. Each bag is removably connected, in an airtight seal, to a separate precision lift pump whose piston lift stroke can be selectively set to determine the volume of color charge. From a technological point of view, the patent just mentioned is more advanced than US patent No. 4871262. However, it has drawbacks regarding the functionality of the elements that make up the system covered by the patent.

In fact, the present invention intends to provide a system for mixing and dispensing hair dyes with cleaning and metering systems which do not exist in the patent US5855626A, or are present in backward methods and technologies.

The object of the present patent application is therefore to create a hair color metering and mixing system which allows the preparation of several colors at the same time, with mixing and metering methods dedicated to each individual color, all of which can be managed from a device using a control unit, both in its integrity and in the partiality of its individual components.

Description of the invention

According to the present invention, a system for metering and mixing colors for hair is provided which effectively solves the aforementioned drawbacks.

The system for metering and mixing colors for hair is characterized in that it comprises the following elements:

- a control unit with touch screen display adapted to control the elements constituting said system for metering and mixing colors for hair;

- an electromechanical unit, adapted for pumping and metering the colors for hair from suitable containers or jugs;

- a dispensing system, adapted for mixing and dispensing the colors.

The control unit uses a main processor, preferably of the ARM cortex type, with total connectivity via WiFi or LAN network, and a DSP control software and a function access interface.

The electromechanical unit includes:

- a system for storing the liquid or color, attained by means of the use of at least 10 jugs, positioned within the container; of said jugs, at least eight contain a color and at least two the oxygen; with said jugs provided with a watertight connection, positioned on the coupling point of the pump, and inserted with the neck towards a suitable needle, adapted to perforate the rubber membrane and allow the passage of the liquid in the tube of the relevant pump;

- a plurality of said pumps, of peristaltic type, provided with DC motor with continuous cycle, i.e. a gear motor with encoder control; with said motor controlled in rotation thereof by an optical encoder connected to a microprocessor, which is capable of modulating the speed but also the number of revolutions carried out, and consecutively the quantity of dispensed liquid;

- a plurality of tubes, connected to said pumps, adapted to transport the fluids and constituted by a material at least resistant to the acidity of the product and with little possibility of remaining encrusted with the dry residue of the color left therein for a long time period, such as PET or other materials such as Teflon;

- a radial outlet dispenser provided with at least 10 nozzles, each of which connectable to at least one said tube coming from the relative pump, and the same number of outlet nozzles, such that the outlet of the pumps is independent, in order to prevent any contamination of the colors with each other, so as not to risk modifying the final result;

- a cleaning system, in order to remove the residual colors from said tubes, made with valves which carry in communication the conveyor tubes with the washing liquid, only for the time instant necessary for carrying out the cleaning of the system;

- a system for measuring the alternative flow, adapted for measuring the volume of fluid dispensed in a unit of time, by means of an infrared detector, measuring the flow of liquid in the tube, and a computing microprocessor, calculating the volume dispensing in a pre-established unit of time. The dispensing system, on the other hand, comprises a dispensing container for dispensing the mixed colors and a multifunctional plate, the features of which facilitate the mixing of the colors and the stability of the container.

Each tube connected to each pump is connected on an outlet side to said radial outlet dispenser. The components of the dispenser that come into contact with the fluids can be disassembled and washed with water or specific products for proper cleaning of encrustations caused by periods of non-use.

Furthermore, for each pump there is an independent control circuit which communicates via RS485 interface with said main processor. The main processor employs an independent digital signal processor for each pump that monitors the number of revolutions and the flow rate of the fluid. The pump itself is provided with a reversal function, to bring back the color remaining in the tube after dispensing. The reversal function can be activated via the independent digital signal processor or the main processor from said control unit. Each pump is also provided with an infrared detector useful for the alternative flow measurement system. Both the independent digital signal processor and the main processor are able to control, via the control unit, the valve for injecting cleaning liquid into one or all pumps respectively. Each jug has an RFID element, called a transponder, in a recess, which allows the quantity loaded during the packaging of the tank to be stored. The digital signal processor control software driving the command for unloading the dispensed quantity by the transponder, writing therein the new value of the quantity present.

The alternative flow measurement system is positioned along the fluid conveying tube and uses an infrared detector positioned along the tube to make reading the degree of tube cleanliness more precise. The flow of liquid is then measured in its speed by the detector which, by relating it to the known size of the tube through which it passes, determines the flow, so that a microprocessor can calculate the volume dispensed in the unit of time.

For mixing several color combinations, the hair dye dosing and mixing system is provided with a plurality of drawers, where at least 10 electromechanical units and the respective components are housed. The dispensing container, where the final color arrives, is provided with a stirrer connected to a small DC motor with gear motor, coupled to its mandrel and lowerable into the same container manually or via a descending linear actuator, so that during dispensing the blade of the stirrer stirs the liquid, mixing it. The blade is also made of a plastic material, in the shape of a spoon, to facilitate the pouring or mixing of the dye, and can be disassembled so as to be easily cleaned and reused. The container is also provided with a rotating magnetic base suitable for being coupled to the multifunctional plate for the correct execution of the functions of the same.

In fact, the multifunctional plate has the following functions:

- weighing the liquid contained inside said dispensing container, through load cells placed under the plate, and consequently the quantity dispensed, which is shown at least on said control unit;

- a magnetic movement at its interior, which is coupled with said rotary magnetic base within said container.

The control of the various functions, managed by said control system, is conveniently accessible via a dedicated function access interface. It includes the following access keys to the relative functions:

- a load key, adapted to access an interface dedicated for loading the data of a specific client; with data comprising first name, last name, street, telephone and personal nuance with relative modifications of the percentages of oxygen and quantities, in ml, both of color and of oxygen; said data (name, last name, nuance and ml and percentage values) will be displayed on the main screen;

- a save key, adapted to access an interface dedicated for saving the selected nuance with the percentages and ml of color and oxygen possibly modified; said interface allows the saving of said data relative to the client in a personal folder;

- a settings key, adapted to allow the access to an interface dedicated for a plurality of functions, including at least the following:

- network connection management; - flask level management;

- control software updates management;

- a modification key for the percentages, adapted to allow the access to an interface dedicated for modification of the oxygen percentages and quantities, in ml, of color and of oxygen;

- a start key, adapted for starting the dispensing of oxygen and color;

- a plurality of arrow keys, adapted for moving between the nuances present.

The advantages offered by the present invention are clear in the light of the above description and will be even clearer from the accompanying figures and the related detailed description.

Description of the figures

The invention will hereinafter be described in at least a preferred embodiment thereof by way of non-limiting example with the aid of the accompanying figures, in which:

- FIGURE 1 shows a diagram of the basic elements that make up the hair dye metering and mixing system 10;

- FIGURE 2 specifically illustrates the elements which constitute the system for storing the liquid or color 20;

- FIGURE 3 specifically shows the pump 30, provided with DC motor 3.1, peristaltic rotor 3.3 and optical encoder 3.2;

- FIGURE 4 shows an illustration of the radial outlet dispenser 70;

- FIGURE 5 shows a diagram of the independent control circuit 80 of each pump 30;

- FIGURE 6 shows the dispensing system 60, where the final product arrives;

- FIGURE 7 shows an illustration of the function access interface 15 with the keys related to the specific features.

Detailed description of the invention

The present invention will now be described purely by way of non-limiting or binding example with the aid of the figures, which illustrate some embodiments relative to the present inventive concept.

With reference to FIG. 1, the system 10 is shown. It is made up of a control unit 1.1 with touch screen display, an electromechanical unit 1.2 made for pumping and metering hair dyes from special containers or jugs, and a dispensing system suitable for collection and facilitated dispensing of the mixed dyes.

The system with LCD display uses an ARM cortex type main processor with total connectivity via WiFi or LAN network. Connectivity opens up the use of a multitude of remote working possibilities and loT access. The operating system used, in a preferred configuration, could be Microsoft Azure.

FIG. 2 shows the system for storing the liquid or color 20. It is made through the use of 10 jugs 2.1 which will be positioned inside the container, eight jugs contain a color and two oxygen. These jugs 2.1 are provided with a watertight connection 2.2 at the attachment point of the pump 30. The jugs 2.1 will be inserted with their neck towards a suitable needle, which will pierce the rubber membrane allowing the passage of the liquid in the tube 2.3 of the pump 30 involved.

FIG. 3 shows the pump 30. They include a peristaltic rotor 3.3, are provided with a DC motor 3.1, continuous cycle (gear motor) and encoder control. This motor is controlled in its revolutions by an optical encoder 3.2 connected to a microprocessor, which is thus able to modulate speed but also the number of revolutions performed and consecutively the quantity of liquid dispensed.

The peristaltic pump 30 will be provided with a tube 2.3, resistant to the acidity of the product and above all with little possibility of remaining encrusted by the dry residue of the dye left inside for a long time, generally PET could be used but other materials such as Teflon could still be used.

However, a cleaning system 40 will be provided, shown in FIG. 2, to remove the residual colors from the tubes. Said system 40 could be made with valves 4.1 which bring the tubes 2.3 of the pumps 30 into communication with the washing liquid 4.2, only for the instant of time necessary to carry out the cleaning of the system 20. At the end of the cleaning of the system 20 the valves 4.1 will close again, leaving the system 20 to its main work.

The same group 20 made up of pump, tank and sensors, which will be seen hereinafter, must be multiplied by ten within the system. A drawer solution could be ideal for housing the ten electromechanical units.

The outlet tube 2.4 of each of each pump 30 is connected to the radial outlet dispenser 70. Shown in FIG. 4, the dispenser 70 comprises ten nozzles 7.1 each of which is connected to a tube coming from the relative pump 30 and as many outlet nozzles 7.2, so that the outlet of the pumps 30 must be independent so as not to contaminate the colors with each other, in this way there is no risk of modifying the final result. The dispenser 70 must be designed in such a way as to ensure periodic disassembly for correct cleaning of encrustations due to periods of non-use.

As shown in FIG. 5, the system 10 provides for each pump 30 an independent control circuit 80 which communicates, via the RS485 interface, with the main processor 8.1. A digital signal processor 8.2 is used for each control circuit 80 thus providing a completely independent system. The digital signal processor 8.2 will check the number of revolutions, the speed and a possible reversal system, to bring back the color remaining in the tube 2.3 after dispensing.

The control circuit 80 will also be able to control the valve 4.1 for introducing the cleaning liquid 4.2.

Each jug 2.1 will include in a recess, an RFID element 2.6, called transponder 2.5 and shown in FIG. 2, which allows storing the quantity loaded during the packaging of the jug itself. The control software of the digital signal processor 8.2 will download from the transponder 2.5 the quantity dispensed, writing in it the new value of the quantity present.

The transponder 2.5 at zero will not allow further dispensing from the jug 2.1, which will have to be replaced. The RFID 2.6 will be melted inside the plastic of the jug 2.1 at the time of plastic printing, in order not to allow its removal.

The dispensing of the colors can be done simultaneously, i.e. the pumps can work simultaneously given the independent circuitry of each of them, each pump will stop its work as soon as the quantity to be dispensed is finished. This can occur if the count of the liquid dispensed is performed by the encoder 3.2 on the motor, or by a flow measurement system 50.

The flow measurement system, shown in FIG. 2, can be used via an infrared detector 5.1 positioned along the tube. This could make the reading more accurate, but cleaning the tube 2.3 would become more frequent. The flow of liquid is measured in its speed by an infrared sensor 5.1 which, by relating it to the known dimension of the tube 2.3 in which it flows, can determine its flow. From here a microprocessor calculates the dispensed volume in the unit of time.

Of course, the flow sensor 5.1 must be at least one for each pump 30, therefore in the complete machine 10 there will be at least ten flow sensors.

The final product arrives in a dispensing 60, shown in FIG. 6. A dispensing container 6.1 (of the mixed colors) is provided with a stirrer 6.2, the latter, connected to a small DC motor 6.3 with gear motor, can be coupled to its mandrel 6.4 and lowered into the glass manually or by means of a descending linear actuator 6.5.

During dispensing, the blade 6.6 will stir the liquid, mixing it. The plastic blade will then be detached, cleaned and reused. The blade could also consist of a plastic spoon which will then be used to pour the dye or mix it manually during use.

A multifunctional plate 6.7 is able to weigh the liquid contained inside said dispensing container 60, through load cells placed under the plate 6.7, and consequently to calculate the quantity dispensed, which will be communicated to the control unit 1.1. A functionality of magnetic movement inside the plate 6.7 causes it to couple with said rotating magnetic base 6.8 of said container 60 to provide the system 60 with a different mixing method and a safer containment mode.

The control of the various functions, managed by said control system 1.1, is accessible via a dedicated function access interface 15, shown in FIG. 7. It includes the following access keys to the relative functions: a load key 15.1, adapted to access an interface dedicated for loading the data of a specific client; said data comprising at least first name, last name, street, telephone and personal nuance 15.7 with relative modifications of the percentages of oxygen and quantities, in ml, both of color and of oxygen; said data (name, last name, nuance 15.7 and ml and percentage values) will be displayed on the main screen;

- a save key 15.2, adapted to access an interface dedicated for saving the selected nuance 15.7 with the percentages and ml of color and oxygen possibly modified; said interface allows the saving of said data relative to the client in a personal folder;

- a settings key 15.3, adapted to allow the access to an interface dedicated for a plurality of functions, including at least the following:

- network connection management;

- flask level management;

- control software updates management;

- a modification key for the percentages 15.4, adapted to allow the access to an interface dedicated for modification of the oxygen percentages and quantities, in ml, of color and of oxygen;

- a start key 15.5, adapted for starting the dispensing of oxygen and color;

- a plurality of arrow keys 15.6, adapted for moving between the nuances 15.7 present.

Finally, it is clear that modifications, additions or variants may be made to the invention described thus far which are apparent to those skilled in the art, without departing from the scope of protection that is provided by the appended claims.

Claims

1. System for metering and mixing colors for hair (10), characterized in that it comprises the following elements:

• a control unit (1.1), with touch screen display, adapted to control the elements constituting said system for metering and mixing colors for hair (10);

• an electromechanical unit (1.2), adapted for pumping and metering the colors for hair from suitable containers or jugs (2.1), comprising: i. a system for storing the liquid or color (20), attained by means of the use of at least ten jugs (2.1), positioned within the container; of said jugs (2.1), at least eight contain a color and at least two the oxygen; with said jugs (2.1) provided with a watertight connection (2.2), positioned on the coupling point of the pump (30), and inserted with the neck towards a suitable needle, adapted to perforate the rubber membrane and allow the flow of the liquid in the tube of the relevant pump (30); ii. a plurality of said pumps (30), of peristaltic type, provided with DC motor (3.1) with continuous cycle, i.e. a gear motor with encoder control; with said motor controlled in rotation thereof by an optical encoder (3.2) connected to a microprocessor, which is capable of modulating the speed and the number of revolutions carried out, and consecutively the quantity of dispensed liquid; iii. a plurality of tubes (2.3), connected to said pumps (30), adapted to transport the fluids and constituted by a material at least resistant to the acidity of the product and with little possibility of remaining encrusted with the dry residue of the color left therein for a long time period, such as PET or other materials such as Teflon; iv. a radial outlet dispenser (70) provided with at least 10 nozzles (7.1), each of which connectable to at least one said tube (2.3) coming from the relative pump (30), and the same number of outlet nozzles (7.2), such that the outlet of the pumps (30) is independent, in order to prevent any contamination of the colors with each other; v. a cleaning system (40), in order to remove the residual colors from said tubes, made with valves (4.1) which carry in communication the conveyor tubes (2.3) with the washing liquid, only for the time instant necessary for carrying out the cleaning of the system; vi. a system for measuring the alternative flow (50), adapted for measuring the volume of fluid dispensed in a unit of time, by means of an infrared detector, measuring the flow of liquid in the tube, and a computing microprocessor, calculating the volume dispensing in a pre-established unit of time;

• a dispensing system (1.3), adapted for mixing and dispensing the colors.

2. System for metering and mixing colors for hair (10), according to the preceding claim 1, characterized in that said control unit uses a main processor, preferably of ARM cortex type, with total connectivity by means of WiFi or LAN network, and a DSP control software and a function access interface (15).

3. System for metering and mixing colors for hair (10), according to the preceding claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said function access interface (15) comprises the following access keys to the relative functions:

• a load key (15.1), adapted to access an interface dedicated for loading the data of a specific client; said data comprising first name, last name, street, telephone and personal nuance (15.7) with relative modifications of the percentages of oxygen and quantities, in ml, both of color and of oxygen; said data being displayed on the main screen;

• a save key (15.2), adapted to access an interface dedicated for saving the selected nuance (15.7) with the percentages and ml of color and oxygen possibly modified; said interface allowing the saving of said data relative to the client in a personal folder;

• a settings key (15.3), adapted to allow the access to an interface dedicated for a plurality of functions, including at least the following: i. network connection management; ii. flask level management; iii. control software updates management;

• a modification key for the percentages (15.4), adapted to allow the access to an interface dedicated for modification of the oxygen percentages and quantities, in ml, of color and of oxygen;

• a start key (15.5), adapted for starting the dispensing of oxygen and color;

• a plurality of arrow keys (15.6), adapted for moving between the nuances 15.7 present.

4. System for metering and mixing colors for hair (10), according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said dispensing system (1.3) comprises a container (6.1) and a multifunctional plate (6.7).

5. System for metering and mixing colors for hair (10), according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each tube (2.3) connected to each pump (30) is connected by an outlet side (2.4) to the radial outlet dispenser (70).

6. System for metering and mixing colors for hair (10), according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a plurality of drawers houses at least 10 electromechanical units (1.2) and the respective components.

7. System for metering and mixing colors for hair (10), according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the components of said dispenser (70) which come into contact with the fluids can be disassembled and washable with water or specific products for a correct cleaning of the encrustations due to periods of non-use.

8. System for metering and mixing colors for hair (10), according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each pump (2.3) is associated with an independent control circuit (80), which communicates, by means of interface RS485, with said main processor (8.1); with said main processor (8.1) employing an independent digital signal processor (8.2) for each pump (30); with said independent digital signal processor (8.2) verifying at least the number of revolutions and the fluid flow speed; with said pump (30) provided with a revolution reversal function, in order to bring the remaining color back into the tube after the dispensing; with said revolution reversal function activatable by means of said independent digital signal processor (8.2) or said main processor (8.1) by said control unit (1.1); with each said pump (30) provided with an infrared detector (5.1) useful for said system for measuring the alternative flow (50).

9. System for metering and mixing colors for hair (10), according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said independent digital signal processor (8.2) and said main processor (8.1) control, by means of said control unit (1.1), said valve (4.1) for the introduction of the cleaning liquid in only one or all the pumps (30), respectively.

10. System for metering and mixing colors for hair (10), according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each said jug (2.1) provides, in a groove, an RFID element (2.6), said transponder (2.5), which allows storing the quantity loaded during packaging of the jug (2.1) itself; with said control software of the digital signal processor (8.2) driving the command for unloading the dispensed quantity by the transponder (2.5), writing therein the new value of the present quantity.

11. System for metering and mixing colors for hair (10), according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said system for measuring the alternative flow (50) is used by means of an infrared detector (5.1) positioned along the tube (2.3), so as to render the reading of the cleaning level of the tube (2.3) more precise; with the speed of the liquid flow measured by said detector (5.1) which, by correlating it to the known size of the tube (2.3) in which the liquid passes, can determine the flow thereof, such that a microprocessor can calculate the volume dispensed in the unit of time.

12. System for metering and mixing colors for hair (10), according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said dispensing container (6.1) is provided with a stirrer (6.2) connected to a small DC motor (6.3) with gear motor and coupled to its mandrel (6.4) and lowerable in said container (6.1) manually or by means of a descending linear actuator (6.5), in a manner such that during the dispensing the blade (6.6), of said stirrer (6.2), stirs the liquid, mixing it; with said blade (6.6) constituted by a plastic material, with spoon form, in order to facilitate the pouring or the mixing of the color, and said blade (6.6) can be disassembled so as to be easily cleaned and reused; said container (6.1) also provided with rotary magnetic base (6.8) adapted to be coupled to said multifunctional plate (6.7) for the correct execution of the functions thereof.

13. System for metering and mixing colors for hair (10), according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said multifunctional plate (6.7) is adapted for:

• weighing the liquid contained inside said dispensing container (6.1), through load cells placed under the plate, and consequently the quantity dispensed, which is shown at least on said control unit (1.1);

• a magnetic movement at its interior, which is coupled with said rotary magnetic base

(6.8) within said container (6.1).