US 2017/0246602 A1 · PERSONAL FORMULATION DEVICE

Abstract

A personal formulation device for mixing and dispensing customized formulations from ingredient reservoirs carried by the device. The device may include a plurality of miniaturized progressive pumps with a flexible coupling between the motor and the pump. The coupling may include a spring (40). The device may include a spacer sleeve (62) having an internal diameter tapered to closely follow the motion envelope of the spring (40). Each pump may include a retainer (60) that is threaded into the interior of the pump body (52) to retain the spacer sleeve (62) and the drive end (120) of the rotor (34). Each pump may include a stator with an integrated flange seal (36). The flange seal (36) may extend around the circumference of the stator and be sandwiched between portions of the pump body (52). The stator may have a noncircular shape that keys the stator within the pump body. The pump may include an optical metering system.

Claims32

Dependent claims

A device for dispensing ingredients in accordance with a formulation comprising:

a plurality of ingredient reservoirs, each of said reservoirs containing a supply of an ingredient;
a dispenser through which ingredients are dispensed from the device;
a plurality of pump assemblies, each of said pump assemblies having an inlet operatively coupled to a corresponding one of said plurality of pump assemblies, each of said pump assemblies having an outlet operatively coupled to said dispenser, each of said pump assemblies including a progressive pump with pump housing containing a stator and a rotor, said stator being manufactured from a resilient material and having an integrated external seal, said pump housing having a first portion and a second portion, said seal compressed between said first portion and said second portion to seal the pump housing and locate said stator with respect to said first portion and said second portion;
and
a controller for individually operating said plurality of pump assemblies to dispense said ingredients from said dispenser in accordance with the formulation.

2 more elements

A portable device for dispensing ingredients in accordance with various formulations comprising:

a plurality of pump assemblies, each of said pump assemblies having an inlet and an outlet, each of said pump assemblies including a motor operatively coupled to a progressive pump by a drive coupling, said progressive pump configured to draw ingredients into said progressive pump through said inlet and discharge ingredients through said outlet;
each of said progressive pumps including a pump housing having a first portion and a second portion that cooperatively house a stator and a rotor;
said stator defining a double-helical bore and having an integrated external seal compressed between said first portion and said second portion of said pump housing;
said rotor having a helical shaft and mounted for eccentric movement within said double-helical bore of said stator;
said drive coupling including an input shaft and a flexible coupling for joining said input shaft and said rotor, said flexible coupling translating rotation of said input shaft into eccentric rotation of said rotor;
a plurality of ingredient cartridges, each of said cartridges containing a supply of one of the ingredients and being uniquely coupled to said inlet of one of said plurality of pump assemblies;
a dispenser through which ingredients are dispensed from the device, said dispenser coupled to said outlet of each of said plurality of pump assemblies;
and
a controller for individually operating said plurality of pump assemblies to dispense said ingredients from said dispenser in accordance with the formulation.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Personal formulation device

Life of this patent

Personal formulation device

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims32