CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No.

62/120,547, filed February 25, 2015 incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

[0002] The world has experienced a movement toward more environmentally friendly product packaging, which has gained momentum recently as the world begins to appreciate the ever-growing presence of non-biodegradable waste in the landfills and areas of waste disposal. Companies have tried to explore new options for controlling the amount of waste and costs associated with containers of products purchased every day. Packaging of products, including foods, beverages, personal care products, household cleaning products, and the like are a prime candidate for further action to protect the environment.

[0003] 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 result of the public's affection for the packaging that accompanies the product 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 significant waste and a higher cost to both the manufacturer and the customer for repeated purchasing of the same packaging. The trend, however, is for both companies and consumers to give credence to the need to conserve resources and reduce waste, and look for new and better ways to preserve both the environment and save money in the process.

[0004] One such way in which waste can be reduced is by reusable packaging, The present invention relates generally but not exclusively to the field of materials management, and more particularly to refill stations that are used in connection with refilling product containers such as cosmetics, creams, lotions, shampoos, gels, skin care products, hair care products, and the like, which are traditionally packaged and marketed in single use disposable plastic containers. A hand-held refillable material transfer system may be configured to move highly viscous materials from a remote point of manufacture to a point of sale. The material transfer system may be configured to dispense only the required amount of material without waste, which is especially important when fluids or materials are not easily handled and cannot be transmitted easily or safely from container to container without unwanted exposure. Preferably, such a material transfer system reduces or eliminates costs and expenses attendant to using traditional disposable personal packaging as well as the waste of material associated with most existing systems. Because certain materials are sensitive to contamination of one form or another, such a material transfer system may be a sealed or closed system to protect product quality and allow sampling without exposing the container to contamination. This provides an allocation of product quality to either the supplier or the user. A refillable material transfer system may further be configured to use low cost components, such as a non-pulsating solution for dispensing and transferring thick fluids and other such materials.

[0005] Refillable and reusable packaging for consumer goods will continue to emerge and become more prominent as the need to reduce packaging waste becomes a moral and economical imperative. Reducing packaging waste is a goal of businesses and governments alike, from municipalities that face the growing problem of landfills and waste management, to companies who need to remain competitive as competitors turn to refillable packaging. This issue will only continue to grow and move to the forefront of the public's consciousness as the problems associated with consumer packaging waste exacerbates.

[0006] One solution to the problem of consumer packaging waste is disclosed in United States Patent Publication No. 2011/0225106, where a refillable consumer packaging station can be used to refill consumer products in a specially designed refillable container. An example of a type of refillable container is disclosed in United States Patent Publication No. 2014/0209640. The contents of these references are fully incorporated by reference herein. A personal refillable container is brought to the station by the consumer after it is depleted, and the refill station can refill and recharge the container so that it can dispense the new product without the need for new packaging. The shared savings to the manufacturer and the consumers for this reduction in waste can be in the millions of dollars.

[0007] The benefits of such a refill station are multi-fold, as discussed in the incorporated patent applications. In addition to the elimination of waste, the refill stations can provide a wide variety of products that can be customized to the customer's preferences without stocking inventory for every conceivable variation. For example, the refill station may offer a shampoo product for refilling the personal container. In addition to the base shampoo, fragrances can be incorporated into the shampoo at the refill station, as well as options such as conditioner, oils, or other modifiers. The customer can personalize the shampoo product to his or her preferences, and create a shampoo that is specifically designed for that consumer. The shampoo provider can sell more product while reducing inventory, and the reusable container ensures that no waste is created once the shampoo is depleted. The consumer simply returns to the refill station, where it is preferably located in a mall, shopping center, or other convenient location, and the consumer's personal preferences are always available to refill the packaging.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] A refill station for refilling consumer packages includes one or more vessels of product housed in a sturdy shelter, and a cubby or suitable structure that receives a refillable personal container from the customer. The cubby can include a mechanical arm to grasp and maneuver the container into position to refill the container, a guide that aligns the container, or another mechanism such as a conveyor, robotic arm, void/recess for retaining the container, or the like. What is important is that the station can receive the personal refillable container and locate the container in the appropriate position in a reliable manner given that the operator may be a customer unfamiliar with the station. The positioning mechanism thereby establishes a reliable connection for a hermetically sealed transfer of the product from the station to the customer's refillable container.

[0009] Once the container is in position, the refill station will engage the refillable container at a multi-port nozzle adapted to exchange the product from the station to the personal refill container. In order to communicate the product to the refillable container, the nozzle must engage the refill station's port and the refill container's port in an airtight relationship in a quick and reliable manner. This engagement must account for some residue on the ports, as material may build up on the port over time. This engagement is best achieved by a press-engagement with an elastic O-ring fitting inside to prevent air from entering into the nozzle. The fitting or connector can be plastic, metal, or a resilient material, such as those offered by Lenz Inc. of Dayton, Ohio.

[0010] The nozzle forms a key component in the fluid transfer operation. A multi-port configuration allows for one or more "additives" or "modifiers" such as fragrance, oils, conditioners, dyes, supplements, enhancers, and the like to be incorporated and mixed into the product at the refill station. The ability to introduce fragrances, dyes, and other additives in an aseptic and controlled manner downstream of the refill station prevents contamination at the refill station outlet and permits the exchange of the fluid product to be automated and accomplished by a customer with no working knowledge of the refill station. This provides an advantage over other product distribution stations that expose the product to the atmosphere and eliminate the possibility of an aseptic transfer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the refill station, nozzle, arrangement and refill bottle during filling into the refill bottle;

[0012] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram view of the refill bottle and nozzle arrangement during dispensing out of the bottle;

[0013] Figure 3 is a side view of the personal container and nozzle combination;

[0014] Figure 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a first preferred embodiment of the present invention; and

[0015] Figure 5 is a top view of a decal/sticker that can be used as a tamper

indicator/content indicator for the refillable container.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0016] Figure 1 illustrates a refill station 10 that can be used with a multi-port nozzle 20 for managing and transferring product and additives in a sterile environment to a refillable bottle or container 12. The refill station 10 includes one or more vessels storing the product(s) that is (are) to be sold and transferred to the personal refill bottle 12. Between the refill station 10 and the refill bottle 12 is a multi-port nozzle 20 that can transfer product from the refill station to the personal refill bottle without exposing the transferred product to the atmosphere. This engagement must account for some residue on the ports, as material may build up on the port over time. The coupling of the nozzle 20 with the refill station 10 is best achieved by a press-engagement with an elastic O-ring fitting 77 inside to prevent air from entering into the nozzle 20. In a preferred embodiment, the nozzle will have an angled upper portion 75 to make the reception of the nozzle 20 to the refill station 10 more accessible. Product enters the nozzle 20 from the refill station outlet 15 at a connector 14, which may be adjusted by a flow controller 26 upstream of a mixing chamber 34. A second line 16 into the nozzle 20 from the refill station 10 enters the nozzle 20 through a second, peripheral orifice or "injection port" 18, where a second connector 22 receives the second line coupler, engagement piece, or an "injection needle" 27. The secondary flow path can be regulated by a one way check valve, such as a ball and spring check valve 24, that prevents material in the mixing chamber 34 from entering the secondary flow path. Ball and spring check valves include those offered by Blue-White Industries of Huntington Beach, California. Actuation of the second path can be exercised by movement of a projection or handle on an actuator 28, that opens and closes the valve 24. The movement of the actuator handle 28 can be mechanical, manual, or controlled by the processor (not shown) of the refill station using a lever or other biasing component.

[0017] A secondary material, scent, or additive is supplied to the multi-port nozzle 20 from the refill station, such as a fragrance, conditioner, oil, lotion, etc. The main and secondary materials enter the mixing chamber 34 via their respective streams and fluid lines, and mix in a designated area such as a Tee, Wye, static mixer, or the like, where the mixing may be further promoted by baffles 29, oscillators 31, or other devices to disperse the secondary material into the primary material. It should be understood that there can be a tertiary supply line that simultaneously (or subsequently) delivers a third constituent to the personal refill container to reduce the customer's wait time and present more options to the customer as far as customization of the product. It should also be understood that there can be multiple injection ports 18 (two or more) in the nozzle 20 in horizontal and/or vertical configurations for two or more "modifiers" to be incorporated and mixed into the product at the mixing chamber at the same time. It should also be understood the personal refill container 12 may have one valve for both filling and dispensing, or one valve for filling and another separate valve for dispensing. It should also be understood there may numerous configurations and embodiments in addition to that shown in the above illustration.

[0018] The nozzle 20 connects to the refill bottle 12 via a third connector 40, which preferably locks onto the port 39 of the refillable bottle 12 without contaminating the interface. The connection with the refill bottle 12, since it has been used by the consumer previously, provides for the greatest opportunity for a break in the hermetic condition of the transfer. This may be overcome by a disposable sheath or fitting 42 that is placed over the port of the refillable bottle 12 to reduce the opportunity for non-hygienic material to contaminate the multi-port nozzle 20. The nozzle 20 may, in the alternative, have a plastic mold 51, decal/sticker, or other indicator that indicates its hygienic condition. Once the decal/sticker is removed, the mold 51 is broken, or the like, the port is no longer considered hermetically sealed and a new nozzle 20 must be used. It should be understood the subsequent absence of the mold 51, decal/sticker, or other indicator may serve as tangible evidence that the refill container has been used or tampered with as a vital component of ensuring product integrity and product safety. This option eliminates the need for cleaning the nozzle between uses, which may require steam, disinfectant, or other flammable or toxic cleaners that would affect the condition of the product. It should also be understood the mold, decal/sticker, or other indicator may include information 50 on the refill transaction, such as a bar code sticker printed by the refill station and indicating the type and amount of product(s) and modifier(s) the refill container was filled with, for scanning the bar code at a check-out station or check-out register for the customer to pay for the refill transaction.

[0019] The flow control 26 for the nozzle can be actuated by a magnetic field through magnetic coupling, a battery or a readily supplied current, or other suitable means, and be controlled by a processor in the refill station. Similarly, the pumping of the secondary fluid line 16 is preferably controlled by the processor of the refill station in conjunction with the position of the actuator/handle/toggle 28.

[0020] The nozzle 20 may be uncoupled from the refill station (see Figure 2), but the nozzle may remain coupled with and attached to the personal refill bottle 12 for subsequently dispensing the product(s) with any modifier(s) from the refill container. It should be understood the nozzle 20 may function as the mechanical/physical actuator for interfacing with the toggle valve 52 on the personal refill bottle 12 and for opening and closing the valve to dispense the product(s) with any modifier(s) from the refill container. It should also be understood the nozzle may be uncoupled from the refill station and also the nozzle may be uncoupled from the refill bottle, and a different nozzle coupled with and attached to the refill container subsequently dispensing the product(s) with any modifier(s) from the refill container.

[0021] Figure 3 illustrates a side view of the refill bottle 12 and the multi-port nozzle 20. The nozzle 20 mates with the bottle 12 at a toggle valve 52 and can dispense the product through the outlet 80. A decal 53 can be placed over the nozzle 20 and extending to the edge of the bottle 12 to indicate a hermetic condition. The decal 53 (Figure 5) can include a bar code or other machine reading indicia that describes the content of the container, including any additives, scents, etc. The bar code may also include customer information, payment information, or other data or information to facilitate the transaction. The decal 53 may further include perforations 55 that allow the decal to be torn when the refill bottle 12 is used after the refill operation. In this manner, the status of the bottle can observed in that the nozzle may not be considered hermetic once the seal has been broken.

[0022] Figure 4 illustrates a first preferred embodiment of a nozzle 20 in cross section. The connector 14 may also become the dispenser port 80 depending on whether the nozzle is in refill or dispenser mode. In the refill operation, material flows from the refill station 10 to the nozzle and enters the mixing chamber 34. At the same time, an additive is supplied through the secondary line 18 and enters at the connector 22. Note that the decal 51a may also be located over the connector 22 in lieu of the decal 51 discussed above and used for the same purpose. As an additive flows into the mixing chamber 34 past the flow control valve 24, the additive mixes with the product and flows out the port 39 via the connector 40. An O- ring or seal 59 may be disposed at the connector 40 to prevent air or other contaminants from entering the refill bottle 12. As the combination product/additive flows through the nozzle, baffles 29 can be used to "mix" the fluid for better consistency. These baffles 29 can be magnetically actuated to move radially inward and either control the flow rate of the fluid moving through the nozzle or increase the mixing through oscillation or other motion of the baffles 29. Other actuation means can be used to move the baffles 29, or they may be stationary and use the movement of the fluid over the baffles to increase the mixing.

[0023] The present invention provides a nozzle to be used in a refillable fluid exchange between a refill station and a refillable container under hermetic conditions. The use of a secondary port for providing an additive allows customization of the product to the customer's specifications, without long wait times and without otherwise contamination the process. The use of a mixing chamber downstream of the secondary line, preceded by a one way check valve, promotes thorough mixing of two or more constituents as selected by the customer.