US20230210241A1

US20230210241A1 - Ai-powered dispensing device for hair treatment

Info

Publication number: US20230210241A1
Application number: US18/146,240
Authority: US
Inventors: Ji Lee; Mohamed Kanji
Original assignee: LOreal SA
Current assignee: LOreal SA
Priority date: 2021-12-30
Filing date: 2022-12-23
Publication date: 2023-07-06

Abstract

A system for dispensing hair care, the system including a dispensing device, at least one cartridge containing a hair care material configured to fit inside the dispensing device; and a dispensing container removably attached to the dispensing device wherein the dispensing container is configured to accept a portioned amount of the hair care material from the at least one cartridge.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/295,243, filed Dec. 30, 2021, U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/310,342 filed Feb. 15, 2022, and French Application No. 2202879, filed Mar. 30, 2022, the entire disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety for all purposes.

SUMMARY

This is a system for enabling hair care and personalized hair care formulas for use at home based on a specialized dispenser that allows ingredients for a hair care product to be instantly blended into a user's preferred end result and then conveniently transported for portability. In one embodiment, the dispensed formulation can be dispensed inside a dispensing container that can then be placed inside distributor for use in a bathroom or shower.
This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This summary is not intended to identify key features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.
In one embodiment, a system for dispensing hair care, the system comprising a dispensing device, at least one cartridge containing a hair care material configured to fit inside the dispensing device, and a dispensing container removably attached to the dispensing device wherein the dispensing container is configured to accept a portioned amount of the hair care material from the at least one cartridge is disclosed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will become more readily appreciated as the same become better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGS. 1A-1D are overall perspective views of example hair care dispensing devices, in accordance with the present technology;

FIG. 2 is an example cartridge, in accordance with the present technology;

FIG. 3 is a top-down view of an example base of a dispenser device, in accordance with the present technology;

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of an example dispensing container, in accordance with the present technology;

FIGS. 5A-5C are top-down views of example dispensing containers, in accordance with the present technology;

FIGS. 6A-6C are examples of hair care dispensing systems, in accordance with the present technology;

FIG. 7A is an overall perspective view of an example distributor, in accordance with the present technology; and

FIG. 7B is an internal view of an example distributor, in accordance with the present technology.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the drawings, like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the several views. Further, as used herein, the words “a”, “an” and the like generally carry a meaning of “one or more”, unless stated otherwise.
While illustrative embodiments have been illustrated and described, it will be appreciated that various changes can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
Selecting hair care formulations is a common activity often relying on subjective decision making and manual input. There are a wide variety of available hair care materials, and countless combinations and permutations of possible hair care formulations.
For each occasion where hair care formulations are used, subjective decisions are often made by an end user of the hair care to produce hair care formulations suited to their needs. Outcomes are generally a result of experimentation, perhaps requiring multiple iterations to produce a satisfactory outcome. Partly due to limited awareness of specific traits of the base hair care materials and necessary proportions, resulting hair care formulations may lack precision. The repeatability of producing a specific hair care formulation is thus difficult to accomplish. The below embodiments address these problems in the conventional art.
Specifically, the description below relates to a system for enabling the personalization of hair care for use at home, based upon a specialized dispensing device and dispensing container that allows for ingredients for hair care products to be blended into a user's preferred result and then either applied with the dispensing container itself, or conveniently placed inside a distributor for use in the user's bathroom, shower, or while on the go.
The system disclosed below is an AI-enabled, motorized cartridge system that creates personalized hair care formulations. In operation, the user may take a photo, or upload a photo, of their hair with a smartphone camera and open an app on the smartphone. In some embodiments, the app uses AI to analyze the user's overall hair condition, damage, color, copper content, lice presence, moisture, texture, and/or dandruff presence. In some embodiments, the app also assesses environmental conditions that can influence the state of the user's hair. Example conditions include, but are not limited to, UV index, air quality, pollen, weather, temperature, and humidity.
In some embodiments, the user can select specific hair concerns, such as moisture, curl, texture, UV protection, or color. In some embodiments, the user selection may include a quiz, giving the user a set of prompts to respond to in order to determine what products would work best for their specific needs. In some embodiments, the app may provide suggestions based only on the data analyzed in the photo. In some embodiments, the app creates a regimen of hair care products. In some embodiments, this hair care regimen could be a daily recommendation. In other embodiments, this regimen could be a weekly regimen of recommended products.
With regular use, the AI platform can assess the appearance of a user's hair over time, helping users identify what is working, and calibrating future formulas. The AI-powered system can optimize the efficacy of personalized formulas. By taking photos regularly, users enable the smart system to recognize the formulas effects and adjust the dosage of active ingredients accordingly. However, in some embodiments, the user can override the system recommendations if they are seeking a specific product.
The hair care formulations may have the capability of incorporating real-time trend information as well as color-matching technology, in the case of hair dye and root touch ups, into its personalized product offerings as described below. In some embodiments, a user can create their own custom hair dyes or hair care formulations based on their person features such as skin tone and eye color, and preferences.
In some embodiments, the dispensing system is configured to accept three cartridges containing hair care material, but in other embodiments, the number of cartridges can be larger or smaller. In some embodiments, the cartridges slide into the dispensing device. In some embodiments, the cartridges click into the dispensing device. In some embodiments, the cartridges may contain one or more active ingredients beneficial for hair care, such as zinc oxide, tea tree oil, etc. In some embodiments, the cartridges are color coded or shaped in a specific manner to allow a user to better distinguish them from one another. In some embodiments, the cartridges are RFID or QR coded so that the dispensing device can determine what hair care material is inside the cartridge.
In some embodiments, a personalized blend of high-performance hair care is then dispensed in a portioned dose at the top of the device, into a dispensing container. In some embodiments, the dose is a single dose for a single application. In some embodiments, this is enough doses for a weekly number of applications, such as seven doses for the week.
In some embodiments, the dispensing container contains one or more compartments for one or more hair care products. In some embodiments, the compartments are distinct from one another to allow a user to determine which product is which. Examples of such distinction include, but are not limited to, the shape of the compartments, color of the compartments, and size or depth of the compartments.
In some embodiments, the dispensing container can be placed into a distributor with an extruder. Examples of extruders include, but are not limited to, pumps, aerosolized sprayers, manual sprayers, vacuum pumps, solenoid valves, and openings. In some embodiments, the dispenser has multiple extruders, allowing for each compartment in the dispensing container to have a separate extruder, so that the products do not mix. In some embodiments, the distributor has an attachment, such as a magnet or a suction cup, for attaching the distributor to a surface, such as a shower or bathroom mirror.
FIGS. 1A-1D are overall perspective views of example hair care dispensing devices 100, in accordance with the present technology. The visible portion of the hair care dispenser 100 includes a base 102. The base 102 provides a support for a dispenser body 106. In some embodiments, the base 102 provides power to the device, such as with an electrical cord (not shown in FIGS. 1A-1D). A dispensing container 108 is disposed above the dispenser body 106, and a power button may be disposed partly within the dispenser body 106 such that the dispenser body 106 secures placement of the power button (not shown in FIGS. 1A-1D). Further, an indicator light and button (not shown in FIGS. 1A-1D) may be disposed partly within the dispenser body 106 such that the dispenser body 106 secures placement of the indicator light and button. The indicator light and button may be a mechanical or capacitive touch-type button. The dispenser body 106 may provide a base for the dispensing container 108.
In some embodiments, such as in FIG. 1A, the dispensing container 108 is a jar. In some embodiments, the dispensing container 108 has an opening 114 for accessing the hair care formulation. In some embodiments, the dispensing container 108 has a cap 112. In some embodiments, the cap 112 is a threaded cap. In some embodiments, a user can dispense a hair care formulation into the dispensing container 108 and secure the hair care formulation with the cap 112 so that the dispensing container 108 can be transported. In operation, a user can apply the hair care formulation with their fingers, such as in the case of a hair serum.
In some embodiments, such as in FIGS. 1B-1C, the dispensing container 108 is a flexible tube. In some embodiments, the cap 112 may include an opening 114. In some embodiments, the dispensing container includes a lid 113 to secure the dispensed hair care formula. In some embodiments, the cap includes a plurality of openings 115, as shown in FIG. 1C. In some embodiments, the openings 115 may be brush-like openings that can be brushed through a user's hair. In operation, a user can dispense hair care material into dispensing container 108 and squeeze the dispensing container 108 to extrude hair care formula through the opening 114 or the plurality of openings 115.
In some embodiments, such as FIG. 1D, the dispensing container 108 is a rectangular prism. In some embodiments, the rectangular prism is rigid. In some embodiments, the dispensing container 108 has a hinged lid 113. In some embodiments, there is a mirror 116 disposed inside the lid 113. In operation, a user can take the dispensing container 108 with them and use the mirror 116 to ensure they are applying hair care material to their desired portion of hair.
FIG. 2 is an example cartridge, in accordance with the present technology. The cartridge 130 has a round, cylindrical body and a nozzle 160 at a first end, and a circumferential groove 270 at the second end. The nozzle 160 is further disposed near a cartridge key 132. The cartridge 130 contains and dispenses an amount of hair care material into the dispensing container 108 as needed. In some embodiments, the cartridge 130 dispenses hair care material by rotation of a cartridge gear while the cartridge 130 remains in place substantially vertically along the Y-axis. The circumferential groove 270 is used to secure the cartridge 130 inside the dispenser.
An amount of hair care material is released from the cartridge 130 through the nozzle 160 by a first rotational motion of the first end with respect to the second end of the cartridge 130. Rotational motion of the first end of the cartridge 130 in a second direction, opposite of the first rotational motion, may close the nozzle 160 of the cartridge 130.
FIG. 3 is a top-down view of an example base of a dispenser device, in accordance with the present technology. The base 102 may be connected to the body 106 of the dispensing device 100 in a manner that allows it to be rotated open to expose a plurality of cartridge openings 140. In some embodiments, the base 102 is removed completely to access the cartridge openings 140. In some embodiments, the base 102 is attached to the body 106 with a hinge, screw, magnet, or other mechanism for attachment. As illustrated, one or more cartridges 130 can be inserted into the plurality of cartridge holes 140. Though three cartridge holes 140 are illustrated in FIG. 3 , any number of cartridge holes 140 can be in the body 106 of the dispensing device 100.
A nozzle 160 of each cartridge 130 is disposed inside one of the cartridge holes 140. Various additional substructures and covers may be disposed between the internal components of the hair care dispenser 100 and the dispenser body 106.
FIG. 4 is an exploded view of an example dispensing container 108 in accordance with the present technology. The dispensing container 108 may include a lid 113, a dispensing container base 182, and a bottom cover 184. The lid 113 is disposed above the dispensing container base 182, which is disposed above or within the bottom cover 184. The lid 113 may be secured to the dispensing container base 182 by magnets. The dispensing container base 182 includes a plurality of dispensing container through holes 138. In this example, there is one dispensing container through hole 138 for each cartridge 130 in the dispensing device 100. The bottom cover 184, having a plurality of bottom cover through holes 136, is disposed underneath the dispensing container base 182. In this example there is one bottom cover through hole 136 for each cartridge 114 in the hair care dispenser 100, and the bottom cover 184 is disposed such that each bottom cover through hole 136 corresponds to and is connected to a dispensing container base through hole 138 of the dispensing container base 182.
The dispensing container 108 is connected to the manifold 130, the manifold 180 connected to and disposed above a gear-housing in the dispenser 100, further disposed within the dispenser body 106 of the hair care dispenser 100, and the dispensing container 108 is disposed above both the manifold 180 and the dispenser body 106. The manifold 180 includes one manifold through hole 135 for each cartridge 130 in the hair care dispenser 100, and the manifold 180 is disposed such that each manifold through hole 135 corresponds to and is connected to a dispensing container base through hole 136 of the bottom cover 184. Further, each manifold through hole 135 of the manifold 180 corresponds to and is disposed above a gear-housing cartridge hole of the gear-housing, providing a passage by which hair care material can be dispensed from the nozzle 160 of each cartridge 130 through the manifold 180, the bottom cover 184, and into the dispensing container base 182.
The dispensing container 108 may have a form such that there is only one orientation by which the dispensing container 108 can connect to the hair care dispenser 100. In another example, it may be that the form of the dispensing container 108 can connect to the dispensing container 108 in more than one orientation.
Further, hair care material dispensed into the dispensing container 108 may be prevented from flowing back out by use of a one-way duckbill valve (not shown) disposed within each of the dispensing container base through holes 136 in the bottom lid 184 of the dispensing container 108.
FIGS. 5A-5C are top-down views of an example dispensing containers 108 in accordance with the present technology. In some embodiments, the dispensing container 108 includes a plurality of compartments 300. In some embodiments, the compartments 300 are distinct from one another to allow a user to determine which product is which. Examples of such distinction include, but are not limited to, the shape of the compartments 300, the color of the compartments 300, and the size or depth of the compartments 300. In some embodiments, the compartments may be labeled, such as with the type of product in each compartment 300, i.e. “shampoo”, “conditioner”, “detangler”, etc.
While FIGS. 5A-5C illustrate example layouts of compartments 300, the compartments 300 can take any number of forms. While all the compartments 300 illustrated are geometric shapes, the compartments 300 can take any shape, including a curved or organic shape. Additionally, while example configurations of dispensing container base through holes 138 are illustrated, there may be any number of dispensing container base through holes 138 in any configuration, for example four dispensing container base through holes 138 arranged as four corners in a square shape.
FIG. 5A is a top-down view of an example dispensing container 108 with two compartments 300 a, 300 b. In some embodiments, the compartments 300 a, 300 b are equal in size. In some embodiments the compartments 300 a, 300 b are configured to accept only a single cartridge's 130 hair care formula though a single dispensing container base through hole 138.
FIG. 5B is a top-down view of another example dispensing container with three compartments 300 a, 300 b, 300 c. In some embodiments, the compartments 300 a, 300 b, 300 c may be shaped distinctly from one another. In some embodiments, the compartments 300 a, 300 b, 300 c are different sizes from one another. In some embodiments, the distinction in size of compartments 300 a, 300 b, 300 c is directly related to the type of product being dispensed. For example, a user would only need a small amount of root touch up formulation but would need a larger amount of shampoo and conditioner. In such a case, the compartment for receiving root touch up formulation would be smaller to accommodate a smaller dose, while the compartments for shampoo and conditioner would be larger.
FIG. 5C is a top-down view of another example dispensing container with two compartments 300 a, 300 b. In some embodiments, more than one dispensing container base through holes 138 dispenses into a single compartment 300, so that hair care material from two or more cartridges can be mixed inside a single compartment 300 (such as compartment 300 b). For example, when dispensing a shampoo, the user may desire the shampoo to have an added active ingredient, such as argon oil. In this case, the dispenser 100 could dispense a shampoo formulation and the hyaluronic acid into a single compartment, such as 300 a, and allow the user to mix the two before use.
In operation, a user can remove the dispensing container 108 from the dispensing device 100 after the hair care material is dispensed. The user can then open the dispensing container 108 and view the compartments 300 a, 300 b, . . . 300 n, selecting the hair care formula they wish to apply. In some embodiments, the compartments are configured to line up with an extruder or extruders of a distributor (as explained in FIGS. 7A-7B).
FIGS. 6A-6C are examples of hair care dispensing systems in accordance with the present technology. In some embodiments, the hair care dispensing system also includes an applicator 120. In some embodiments, the applicator 120 is attached to the dispensing device 100 itself, as shown in FIG. 6A. In some embodiments, the applicator 120 is a brush attachment. In some embodiments, the applicator 120 is attached to the dispensing device 100 with a magnet. In operation, a user can remove the applicator and take it with them to apply the dispensed hair care formula in another location.
In some embodiments, such as illustrated in FIG. 6B, the applicator 120 is part of the dispensing container 108. In some embodiments, the dispensing container 108 includes an applicator acceptor 220. In some embodiments, the applicator acceptor 220 is a hole. In some embodiments, the applicator acceptor 220 is a threaded hole. In some embodiments, the applicator acceptor 220 is a groove, a snap, a magnet, or any other attachment mechanism. While the applicator acceptor 220 is illustrated on the side of the dispensing container 108, the applicator 220 acceptor may be on the top of the dispensing container 108 or even disposed inside the lid 113 of the dispensing container 108.
In some embodiments, the applicator 120 is a wand with bristles, such as a mascara-type applicator. In operation, the mascara-type applicator may be used to brush a portion of the user's hair with hair care material, such as for securing fly-away or baby hairs, touching up roots of dyed hair, or spot applying a hair care formula to a target area. The user can then return the applicator 120 into the applicator acceptor 220 on the dispensing container 108 to secure the hair care formula for a future use. In some embodiments, the applicator is a brush, a scoop, or other means of applying product to hair. FIG. 6C shows how the applicator 120 may fit into the dispensing container 108 when it is not in use.
FIG. 7A is an overall perspective view of an example distributor 250 in accordance with the present technology. The distributor 250 may be a bottle, such as a shampoo or conditioner bottle, but may take any other number of forms, such as a squeeze tube. In some embodiments, the distributor includes an extruder 255. The extruder 255 may be a mechanical pump (such as illustrated in FIG. 7A), a solenoid pump, an opening, a sprayer, or any other means of extruding a hair care formulation. The distributor 250 may also include an attachment 260. In some embodiments, the attachment 260 is a magnet or a suction cup.
The distributor 250 includes a cavity 265 that can accept a dispensing container 108. While the cavity 265 is illustrated as a cylindrical cavity, it may take any form capable of accepting the dispensing container 108, such as a rectangular prism. In some embodiments, the dispensing container 108 is slid into the cavity 265. In some embodiments, the cavity 265 has a cover (not pictured in FIG. 7B) to further secure the dispensing container 108 into the cavity 265 of the distributor 250.
FIG. 7B is an internal view of an example distributor 250, in accordance with the present technology. As described above, a dispensing container 108 may contain an opening 114 (as illustrated in FIG. 1B), or a plurality of openings 115 (as illustrated in FIG. 1C). In some embodiments, the opening 114 is on the top of the dispensing container 108, but it may be on any side of a dispensing container 108. In some embodiments, the opening 114 or the plurality of openings 115 may be configured to accept one or more extruder 255. In some embodiments, the plurality of openings 115 line up with the compartments 300 in the dispensing container 108, so that in operation, the extruders 225 line up with the compartments 300 in the dispensing container 108 and each extrude a different hair care material.
As illustrated in FIG. 7B, a dispensing container 108 with an opening 114, may be placed inside the cavity 265 of the distributor 250. The opening 114 of the dispensing container 108 lines up with the extruder 255 so that the extruder 255 can extrude one or more hair care formulas from the dispensing container 108. In some embodiments, there may be more than one extruder 255, for example, two or more mechanical pumps, for extruding two or more hair care formulas.
In operation, a user can use the attachment 260 to secure the distributor to a location, such as a wall, mirror, or shower/tub. The user can then extrude the hair care material at this desired location. For example, a user may dispense a shampoo formulation into the dispensing container 108. The user may then secure the dispensing container 108 into the cavity 265 of a distributor 250 so that an opening 115 in the dispensing container 108 lines up with an extruder 255 (such as a mechanical pump) in the distributor 250. The user can then attach the distributor 250 to the wall of their shower with the attachment 260 and use the extruder 255 to extrude the shampoo from the dispensing container 108 into their hand or onto their hair.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A system for dispensing hair care, the system comprising:

a dispensing device;

at least one cartridge containing a hair care material configured to fit inside the dispensing device; and

a dispensing container removably attached to the dispensing device wherein the dispensing container is configured to accept a portioned amount of the hair care material from the at least one cartridge.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the dispensing container further comprises a cap.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the dispensing container is a flexible tube.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the dispensing container is a rectangular prism.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the dispensing container further comprises an opening.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the dispensing container further comprises a plurality of openings.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the plurality of openings are brush-like openings configured to be brushed through hair while extruding the hair care material.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the dispensing container further comprises a lid.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the dispensing container further comprises a mirror disposed inside the lid.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the dispensing container further comprises an applicator.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the dispensing container further comprises an applicator acceptor configured to hold the applicator.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the applicator is a brush.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the applicator is a wand with bristles.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the dispensing container further comprises two or more compartments for receiving the hair care material.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the dispensing container is configured to accept a first portioned amount of a first hair care material from a first cartridge in a first compartment and a second portioned amount of a second hair care material, different from the first hair care material, from a second cartridge into a second compartment.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the two or more compartments are configured to accept the hair care material from two or more cartridges so that the two or more hair care materials mix in a single compartment.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the two or more compartments are shaped distinctly from one another.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the two or more compartments are colored distinctly from one another.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a distributor, wherein the distributor comprises:

a cavity configured to accept the dispensing container; and

an extruder configured to extrude the hair care material.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the distributor is a bottle.