EP-4734791-A1 - FORMULA DELIVERY APPLIANCE WITH ANTI-CLOGGING MECHANISM

Abstract

A formulation delivery appliance can be used for treatment of the hair and scalp, such as an appliance used to color hair. The appliance may include a delivery device having a pump configured to draw formulation from a container and discharge the fluid through a manifold to a head that includes at least one nozzle and a plurality of standoff protrusions. The delivery device may further include a blocking member that isolated formulation in delivery device from ambient air when the blocking member is in a blocking position and allows the pump to discharge formulation from the nozzle when the blocking member is in an open position. The delivery device is mountable to a docking station with a storage tank containing cleaning fluid. The docking station provides cleaning fluid to the delivery device when the delivery device is mounted thereto.

Inventors

• HONG, Juwan
• FELICIANO, Rafael
• CHARRAUD, Grégoire

Assignees

• L'OREAL
• Charraud, Grégoire

Dates

Publication Date

20260506

Application Date

20240628

Claims (18)

1. 1. A formulation delivery appliance, comprising: a container having an aperture and being configured to retain a volume of formulation; and a delivery' device having a pump configured to draw formulation from the container and discharge the fluid through a manifold to a head that includes at least one nozzle and a plurality of standoff protrusions; the delivery device further including a blocking member configured to selectively move between a blocking position and an open position, the blocking member isolating formulation in delivery device from ambient air when the blocking member is in the blocking position and allowing the pump to discharge formulation from the nozzle when the blocking member is in the open position.
2. 2. The formulation delivery appliance of Claim 1, wherein the blocking feature defines a cap selectively mountable to the standoff protrusions to demountably couple the cap to the head, an interior surface of the cap blocking an outlet of each of the plurality 7 of nozzles when the cap is coupled to the head.
3. 3. The formulation delivery appliance of Claim 2, wherein each standoff protrusion has an engagement feature formed on an end thereof, each engagement feature engaging a corresponding detent formed on the cap to when the cap is coupled to the head.
4. 4. The formulation delivery 7 appliance of Claim 1, wherein the blocking member includes a shutter that is closed in the blocking position and open in the open position.
5. 5. The formulation delivery 7 appliance of Claim 4, wherein the shutter blocks discharge of the formulation from the manifold to the head when the shutter is in the closed position.
6. 6. The formula delivery appliance of Claim 4, wherein the shutter moves along a linear path to reciprocate between the open position and the closed position.
7. 7. The formulation delivery' appliance of Claim 5, wherein the shutter is at least partially disposed within distribution channels of the manifold.
8. 8. The formulation delivery appliance of Claim 4, wherein the shutter is manually moveable between the open position and the closed position.
9. 9. A docking station for a formulation delivery' appliance, the appliance including an elongate engagement element having a channel in fluid communication with a pump configured to draw fluid through the engagement element and to discharge the fluid into a manifold that provides the fluid to at least one nozzle, the docking station comprising: a mount configured to sealingly receive the engagement member so that the pump is in fluid engagement with a storage tank filled with a cleaning fluid, wherein the pump is configured to draw cleaning fluid from the storage tank and to discharge the cleaning fluid into the manifold and through the at least one nozzle.
10. 10. The docking station of Claim 9, wherein the engagement element is disposed with a cavity of a delivery assembly, the mount being sized and configured to be received within the cavity.
11. 11. The docking station of Claim 9, wherein the mount is rotatably coupled to a base.
12. 12. The docking station of Claim 11, wherein the storage tank is disposed within the base and is in fluid connection with the engagement member through a tube when the engagement member is received by the mount.
13. 13. The docking station of Claim 12. wherein a valve is in fluid communication w ith the tube and limits flow' of the fluid from the tube toward the storage tank.
14. 14. The docking station of Claim 11, the base further including a recess configured to receive fluid discharged from the at least one nozzle.
15. 15. The docking station of Claim 11, wherein the mount is configured for reciprocating rotation between a vertical position and a horizontal position, the at least one nozzle at least partially extending into the recess when the mount is received within the cavity of the delivery assembly and is in the horizontal position.
16. 16. The docking station of Claim 14, wherein the recess is in fluid communication with the storage tank so that fluid discharged from the at least one nozzle is returned to the storage tank.
17. 17. The docking station of Claim 14, wherein the recess is in fluid communication with a collection tank disposed within the base so that fluid discharged from the at least one nozzle is collected by the collection tank.
18. 18. The docking station of Claim 9, further comprising a power source configured to charge the delivery appliance.

Description

FORMULA DELIVERY APPLIANCE WITH ANTI-CLOGGING MECHANISM CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims the benefit of Provisional Application No. 63/511,281, filed June 30, 2023. This application also claims priority to French Application No. 2309674, filed September 14, 2023. The entire disclosures of both applications are hereby incorporated by reference herein for all purposes. SUMMARY [0002] This summaiy 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. [0003] In an aspect, the present disclosure is directed to, among other things, representative embodiments of a formula delivery appliance. In one example, the formula delivery appliance is a hair coloring appliance having a consumable assembly. The embodiments described herein relate generally to hair and scalp treatment appliances. The consumable assembly of the appliance may be configured to incorporate various components of the hair and scalp treatment appliance, a portion of which may be consumed and then replaced by a user. In this regard, the consumable assembly may include one or more formulation delivery packets, nozzles, manifold chambers, distribution heads, and the like. The formula delivery appliance may also include a degassing feature that vents gases from the consumable assembly when mounted to a delivery device. [0004] In accordance with one embodiment described herein, a formulation delivery appliance includes a container having an aperture and being configured to retain a volume of formulation. The formula delivery appliance further includes a delivery device having a pump configured to draw formulation from the container and discharge the fluid through a manifold to a head. The head includes at least one nozzle and a plurality of standoff protrusions. The delivery device further includes a blocking member configured to selectively move between a blocking position and an open position. The blocking member isolates formulation in delivery device from ambient air when the blocking member is in the blocking position and allows the pump to discharge formulation from the nozzle when the blocking member is in the open position. [0005] In accordance with any of the embodiments described herein, the blocking feature defines a cap selectively mountable to the standoff protrusions to demountably coupled the cap to the head, an interior surface of the cap blocking an outlet of each of the plurality of nozzles when the cap is coupled to the head. [0006] In accordance with any of the embodiments described herein, each standoff protrusion has an engagement feature formed on an end thereof, each engagement feature engaging a corresponding detent formed on the cap to when the cap is coupled to the head. [0007] In accordance with any of the embodiments described herein, the blocking member includes a shutter that is closed in the blocking position and open in the open position. [0008] In accordance with any of the embodiments described herein, the shutter blocks discharge of the formulation from the manifold to the head when the shutter is in the closed position. [0009] In accordance with any of the embodiments described herein, the shutter moves along a linear path to reciprocate between the open position and the closed position. [0010] In accordance with any of the embodiments described herein, the shutter is at least partially disposed within distribution channels of the manifold. [0011] In accordance with any of the embodiments described herein, the shutter is manually moveable between the open position and the closed position. [0012] In accordance with one embodiment described herein, a docking station is suitable for use with a formulation delivery appliance. The appliance includes an elongate engagement element having a channel in fluid communication with a pump configured to draw fluid through the engagement element and to discharge the fluid into a manifold. The manifold provides the fluid to at least one nozzle. The docking station may include a mount configured to sealingly receive the engagement member so that the pump is in fluid engagement with a storage tank filled with a cleaning fluid. The pump is configured to draw cleaning fluid from the storage tank and to discharge the cleaning fluid into the manifold and through the at least one nozzle. [0013] In accordance with any of the embodiments described herein, the engagement element is disposed with a cavity of a delivery assembly, the mount being sized and configured to be received within the cavity. [0014] In accordance with any of the embodiments described herein, the mount is rotatably coupled to a base. [0015] In accordance w ith any of the embodiments described herein, the storage tank is dispose