Dispensing – Processes of dispensing
Reexamination Certificate
2003-05-13
2004-08-24
Jacyna, J Casimer (Department: 3751)
Dispensing
Processes of dispensing
C222S144500
Reexamination Certificate
active
06779686
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention pertains to the field of and more particularly an interactive to cosmetic body powder selection system having a point of sale dispenser.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The cosmetic industry offers consumer cosmetic applications in many forms, such as for the nail polishes, creams, powders, other makeup, and combinations thereof. Many of these are offered in a large but finite selection of colors, hues, shades, tints, or other effects or additives.
In the typical scenario, these products are pre-packaged according to a predetermined fixed amount of different colors or effects. The products are then ordinarily displayed to reveal a limited number of points on a discontinuous spectrum of colors or effects. Consequently, the choices of color, effects, or both will be limited by the available stock at the point of sale, and also particularly by the specific colors and effects chosen for sale in advance by the manufacturer. The consumer is hardly afforded an opportunity if any to custom blend a color selection.
This has become particularly apparent in the line of body powders commonly used by individuals for cosmetic or limited medicinal purposes. Examples of such body powders may come in many forms, such as blush, face powder, foundation, cheek powder, eye shadow or the like. The body powders may also encompass customized medicated powder, foot powder or other types of powder used for medicinal purposes or any of the precious powder with medicinal additives.
In recent years, it has also become popular to modify the ultimate visual appearance of the skin by the addition of effects over some or all of the body, such as a metallic effect, sparkles, shapes (e.g., hearts, stars, etc.), texture or the like.
Frequently, these must be purchased and applied separately from an underlying base cosmetic. Once again, the consumer is faced with a finite selection and will be limited in choice by availability at the point of sale.
In view of the foregoing, a need has developed for a custom cosmetic color selection system, pursuant to which a consumer or other-customer (such as an intermediate retailer or wholesaler) can interact with the supplier to select a specific color, effect or both, to blend the resulting cosmetic product at or near the time of selection (e.g. on site at a point of sale location, or remotely such as by mail order, phone order or internet purchase).
An example of one such custom cosmetic color selection system is found in copending commonly owned U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 09/818,077, filed Mar. 27, 2001; 09/818,389, filed Mar. 27, 2001; and PCT Application Serial No. PCT/US01/09777, filed Mar. 27, 2001, hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes.
To date, cosmetic powders typically are sold as units pre-packaged at a remote packaging facility. Increasingly, there also has been a need for dispensing of cosmetics at the point of purchase, in order to improve, for instance, inventory control, product freshness and product selection, as well as to improve customer, interaction and development of product loyalty.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention meets the foregoing need by providing a system, particularly one employed at a point of sale, for the custom selection, design, blending, mixing or packaging of a body powder, and more particularly a cosmetic powder color, effect or both. The present invention includes one or a combination of components that facilitate a customer-interactive process of custom cosmetic selection, dispensing or both. Though applicable to the selection and preparation of cosmetics other than cosmetic powder (such as, lip gloss, eye gel, cheek gel, creams, lotions, nail polish, perfumes or the like), the present invention is illustrated by reference to one example of a system for customizing a cosmetic powder.
Pursuant to such example, the system includes a cosmetic powder dispenser that contains a plurality of different shades, tints or hues of colors or pigments, which can be dispensed in preselected proportions to create a custom color selection, afford point of purchase dispensing, or both. A user-interactive system is provided at a point-of-sale for allowing a user to custom choose or dispense a color, effect, or both. Information about the selection is employed for dispensing to the appropriate proportions of ingredients. Preferably the ingredients are dispensed manually into a powder canister having an integrated brush in fluid communication with the canister. In another embodiment, the system is automated.
REFERENCES:
patent: 967938 (1910-08-01), Krause
patent: D96564 (1935-08-01), Simpkins
patent: 2393371 (1946-01-01), Harris
patent: 2417677 (1947-03-01), Cohan
patent: D192180 (1962-02-01), Hodgman
patent: 3860015 (1975-01-01), Tarro
patent: 4160271 (1979-07-01), Grayson et al.
patent: 4176762 (1979-12-01), Scalera et al.
patent: 4434467 (1984-02-01), Scott
patent: 4561850 (1985-12-01), Fabbri et al.
patent: 4681546 (1987-07-01), Hart
patent: 4705083 (1987-11-01), Rossetti
patent: 4764044 (1988-08-01), Konose
patent: 4830218 (1989-05-01), Shirkhan
patent: 4846184 (1989-07-01), Comment et al.
patent: 4871262 (1989-10-01), Krauss et al.
patent: 4887410 (1989-12-01), Gandini
patent: D306808 (1990-03-01), Thomas
patent: 4909632 (1990-03-01), Simpson
patent: 4953985 (1990-09-01), Miller
patent: 4966205 (1990-10-01), Tanaka
patent: 4967938 (1990-11-01), Hellenberg
patent: 5044520 (1991-09-01), Moisan
patent: D322542 (1991-12-01), Fontlladosa
patent: 5078302 (1992-01-01), Hellenberg
patent: 5083591 (1992-01-01), Edwards et al.
patent: 5116134 (1992-05-01), Edwards et al.
patent: 5119973 (1992-06-01), Miller et al.
patent: D327695 (1992-07-01), Edstrom
patent: D327895 (1992-07-01), Edstrom
patent: 5137367 (1992-08-01), Madonia et al.
patent: 5163010 (1992-11-01), Klein
patent: 5163484 (1992-11-01), Howlett et al.
patent: 5193720 (1993-03-01), Mayberry
patent: 5197802 (1993-03-01), Miller et al.
patent: 5203387 (1993-04-01), Howlett et al.
patent: 5268620 (1993-12-01), Hellenberg
patent: 5268849 (1993-12-01), Howlett et al.
patent: 5271628 (1993-12-01), Okada
patent: 5305917 (1994-04-01), Miller et al.
patent: 5310257 (1994-05-01), Altieri, Jr. et al.
patent: 5311293 (1994-05-01), MacFarlane et al.
patent: 5313267 (1994-05-01), MacFarlane et al.
patent: D347645 (1994-06-01), Miller
patent: D347646 (1994-06-01), Mayberry
patent: 5328057 (1994-07-01), Hellenberg et al.
patent: D349506 (1994-08-01), Caruso et al.
patent: 5356041 (1994-10-01), Hellenberg
patent: 5361812 (1994-11-01), Arneson et al.
patent: 5368196 (1994-11-01), Hellenberg et al.
patent: 5397134 (1995-03-01), Fishman et al.
patent: 5407100 (1995-04-01), Tracy et al.
patent: 5460297 (1995-10-01), Shannon et al.
patent: 5478238 (1995-12-01), Gourtou et al.
patent: D366304 (1996-01-01), Lewis
patent: 5480288 (1996-01-01), Hellenberg et al.
patent: 5495338 (1996-02-01), Gouriou et al.
patent: 5507575 (1996-04-01), Rossetti
patent: 5524656 (1996-06-01), Konarski et al.
patent: 5537211 (1996-07-01), Dial
patent: 5549372 (1996-08-01), Lewis
patent: D374677 (1996-10-01), Hodson et al.
patent: 5562109 (1996-10-01), Tobiason
patent: 5562643 (1996-10-01), Johnson
patent: 5566693 (1996-10-01), Gunderman et al.
patent: 5612868 (1997-03-01), Off et al.
patent: 5622692 (1997-04-01), Rigg et al.
patent: 5626155 (1997-05-01), Saute
patent: 5626260 (1997-05-01), Waldner
patent: 5632314 (1997-05-01), Koppe et al.
patent: 5636637 (1997-06-01), Guiolet et al.
patent: 5643341 (1997-07-01), Hirsch et al.
patent: 5647411 (1997-07-01), Koppe et al.
patent: 5668633 (1997-09-01), Cheetam et al.
patent: 5687322 (1997-11-01), Deaton et al.
patent: 5690252 (1997-11-01), Oleksiewicz et al.
patent: 5692291 (1997-12-01), Deevi et al.
patent: 5697527 (1997-12-01), Altieri, Jr. et al.
patent: 5711458 (1998-01-01), Langeveld et al.
patent: 5711601 (1998-01-01), Thomas et al.
patent: 5715314 (1998-02-01), Payne et al.
patent: 5716150 (1998-02-01), Gueret
patent: 5717750 (1998-02-01), Adams, Jr. et al.
patent: 5720017 (1998-02-01), Cheetam et al.
patent: 572442
Bartholomew Julie R.
Hines, Jr. Charles P.
Dobrusin & Thennisch PC
IMX Labs, Inc.
Jacyna J Casimer
LandOfFree
Point-of-sale body powder dispensing system does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Point-of-sale body powder dispensing system, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Point-of-sale body powder dispensing system will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3328841