FIELD OF THE INVENTION

Example embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to skin care product dispensers and, more particularly to foam skin care product (e.g., soaps) dispensers and compositions used therein.

BACKGROUND

Foam skin care product dispensers (e.g., foam hand soap dispensers) are often provided in washrooms, in bathrooms, on work sites, hotels, and at other locations for providing a foamed skin care product for personal care. In some cases, the dispensers may be mounted to a wall or may be mounted under a counter, such as in conjunction with a faucet or separate and proximate thereto.

The dispensers include a reservoir of skin care product (e.g., soap) that is formed into foam in the dispenser or upon exiting the dispenser and provided to the user. Current commercial foam dispensers and techniques utilize pumps that draw in air for mixing with the skin care product. This requires a balance between the amount of the skin care product and the amount of air provided (e.g., certain ratios of air to skin care product are needed) to form the desired foamed skin care product for dispensing (which is also a balance between how much to provide from a volume perspective and maintaining a desired cleaning effect). To explain, a high concentration of skin care product would require a large volume of air to properly foam the skin care product, which would cause a significant size/engineering problem for the dispenser mechanics for the pump to achieve the needed volume of air. This limits how highly concentrated the skin care product can be in the dispenser. On the other hand, lower concentrations of the skin care product means that more skin care product will be needed for each dispense (to achieve the desired cleaning effect) thereby affecting how much is provided to the user and further resulting in either increasing the size of the reservoir or forcing more frequent reservoir replacements. Increased reservoir replacement is undesirable for a number of reasons including, for example, increased costs for shipping additional reservoirs, increased labor for monitoring and replacing the reservoirs, and an increased opportunity for an “out” scenario. Increased reservoir size, on the other hand, requires design changes in the dispenser and a larger dispenser footprint that may negatively affect the ability of the dispenser to be utilized by certain customers or in certain areas. Further, shipping larger reservoirs carries additional costs as well.

Accordingly, a need exists for alternative foam skin care product dispensers and corresponding compositions utilized therein.

BRIEF SUMMARY

Current commercial dispensers that utilize pumps for providing air to form the foam skin care product provide limited control and, further, it is difficult to accurately monitor the amount of foamable skin care product that is actually dispensed from the reservoir. As noted above, such mechanically generated foam dispensers (e.g., dispensers that utilize one or more pumps to provide air to cause formation of foam) have limitations when it comes to holding more highly concentrated skin care product in their reservoirs.

Chemically generated foam compositions have heretofore been used primarily in industrial applications, but have found use in some consumer products such as shaving creams and pressurized beauty products. Shaving type foams expand to large volumes and have smooth, luxurious handfeel due to long-chain soaps and skin lubricants; however, they provide little cleaning and lather when combining with water and scrubbing hands. Shaving cream's associated pressurized dispensers often clog due to residual product being trapped and drying in the dispenser outlet.

Some of the example dispenser systems described herein are configured to take advantage of the characteristics of the chemically generated foam using highly accurate valve based dispensing to dispense more concentrated and cost effective skin care product.

Some example embodiments of the present invention provide various foam skin care product dispensers and corresponding self-foaming compositions that can be utilized to provide foam skin care product (e.g., foam hand soap) to a user at an increased efficiency allowing increased concentration of the skin care product stored in the reservoir(s). For example, by concentrating the skin care product composition, the same amount of active cleaning agent within the skin care product can be dispensed from a smaller dose, still producing a desirable amount of useful foam skin care product, while increasing the number of doses per reservoir/refill and/or resulting in a smaller footprint.

Various embodiments of the present invention contemplate different dispenser set-ups along with one or more associated skin care products having an appropriate chemistry to achieve commercially acceptable foaming. For example, the dispenser may be configured to dispense a skin care product composition that is held under pressure (e.g. 50 psi), where the skin care product composition includes one or more propellants that are configured to expel the corresponding skin care product, which foams upon expansion.

Since the skin care product composition can be held in such high concentration, in some embodiments, the dispenser is configured to dispense a very small, but accurate, amount of skin care product composition from the reservoir(s). Some typical soap dispensers utilize mechanical pumps to dispense approximately 0.7 g per dose, which correlates to about 7 mL of useable foamed soap. In some embodiments of the present invention, however, the dispensers dispense a smaller weight dose (e.g., 0.4 g per dose or less, for example, 0.3 g per dose or less, for example, 0.25 g per dose or less, for example, 0.2 g per dose or less) but deliver a similar volume of useable foam soap (e.g. about 6 mL to about 10 mL per dose). Thus, some embodiments contemplate utilizing a metered valve or a solenoid valve to release an accurate amount of skin care product composition from the reservoir(s). Indeed, since the amount of skin care product being released is so small, accuracy is important because too much being released can cause an undesirable over-dispensing (e.g., overwhelming) or under-dispensing (e.g., insufficient) amount of foam skin care product being dispensed to a user. Further, a notable benefit of the example dispensers is that a dispense valve can be used instead of a pump since the skin care product composition is held under pressure and, thus, no pumping action is needed to move the skin care product composition to the dispense outlet.

In some embodiments, the reservoir for holding the skin care product composition may be held at a consistent (e.g., constant or near constant) pressure during the lifecycle of the reservoir to ensure a constant flow rate through a valve, which may aid in accuracy of dispensing. In some embodiments, a controller may be configured to vary the dose size of the dispense by enabling different amounts of time for the valve to remain open, such as to enable selection of an appropriate dose size (e.g., a small amount, a medium amount, a large amount, etc.), such as by a user (e.g., a maintenance person and/or end user) or a controller.

In some embodiments, one or more features/components may be added to the system to control dispensing along the flow path, such as through the one or more flow path structures (e.g., tubing, tunnels, rods, etc.), the dispense valve, and/or the dispensing outlet during or after a dispense occurs (e.g., to flush out the line (such as to prevent clogging due to, for example, bridging), to eliminate run-off that trickles out of the dispensing outlet, etc.). For example, in some embodiments, a flush valve (e.g., a second solenoid or metered valve) may be positioned proximate the dispensing outlet and can be shut off to prevent leaking out of the dispensing outlet. In another example embodiment, an air pump (e.g., air piston) may be provided to flush air through the flow path structures, the dispense valve, and/or the dispensing outlet to ensure a complete dispense and clear the lines. In yet another example embodiment, a flush propellant composition (e.g., from a dedicated flush reservoir) may be fed into the flow path structures, the dispense valve, and/or the dispensing outlet to ensure a complete dispense and clear the lines.

In some embodiments, various dispensers and systems contemplated herein may be configured for monitoring and reporting usage data or other data (e.g., maintenance, location, etc.), such as for use in conjunction with overall monitoring and reporting. For example, one or more sensors or measuring devices may be utilized to monitor data corresponding to the dispenser. Notably, in embodiments that utilize a metered or solenoid valve, the amount of skin care product composition dispensed can be measured/monitored. Such data can be stored and used, such as for monitoring when a refill is needed and/or in overall system usage reports. In some embodiments, the dispenser may include a wireless or wired communication interface that can enable transmission of the data to a remote device (e.g., a cloud server), for use therefrom. The cloud server may be configured to utilize the data for various dispenser system reports and/or tasks. As an example, the remote device and/or local dispenser may monitor the amount of skin care product composition remaining within a reservoir and cause a notification (e.g., a visual alert, an audible alert, a text, an email, a report, etc.) as an indication that a refill is needed, such as via a building maintenance system, a washroom monitoring system, or a remote and/or mobile device associated with a maintenance person.

Various systems and methods of dispensing foam skin care product contemplated herein provide many benefits, including for example providing a dispenser for delivering a highly concentrated skin care product composition which may be on the order of 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and even as high as 12 times more concentrated (in terms of surfactant content) than current skin care product compositions—thereby providing for a longer life between necessary refill replacements and limiting maintenance personnel interaction with the dispenser. Such systems may also reduce overall cost, as the amount (but not the active level) of skin care product composition per dose dispensed is greatly reduced—significantly reducing the packaging costs from current foam skin care product dispensers that are available. Another benefit of possible systems contemplated herein is a reduction in the overall footprint of the dispenser as the size of the reservoir can be reduced due to the reduced amount of skin care product composition needed per dose, which may, for example, allow for small area under-counter installations due to plumbing configurations. Further, usage of dispense valves for dispensing, such as in various embodiments described herein, provides for more accurate, smaller doses per dispense and enables accurate measurements, such as may be useful for monitoring and reporting usage data.

In an example embodiment, a foam skin care product dispenser comprising a reservoir configured to hold, under pressure, a foamable skin care product composition is provided. The skin care composition includes a surfactant or a plurality of surfactants and at least one propellant. The dispenser further includes an activation sensor configured to detect a user. The dispenser includes a flow path leading to a dispensing outlet. The dispenser includes a dispense valve in fluid communication with the reservoir and the flow path. The dispense valve is movable between an open configuration and a closed configuration. The dispenser includes a controller configured to cause, in response to the activation sensor detecting the user, the dispense valve to move to the open configuration to release a portion of the skin care product composition under the pressure of the reservoir into the flow path downstream of the dispense valve. The portion of the skin care product composition released through the dispense valve is less than 0.4 grams, and wherein the portion of the skin care product released through the dispense valve comprises at least 7%, by weight, of the surfactant or the plurality of surfactants. The portion of the skin care product composition is configured to, after being released through the dispense valve, form a foamed skin care product that dispenses through the dispensing outlet.

In some embodiments, the portion of the skin care product composition released through the dispense valve is within a range of about 0.20 grams to about 0.30 grams.

In some embodiments, the portion of the skin care product composition released through the dispense valve is about 0.25 grams.

In some embodiments, the skin care product composition is held within the reservoir at a pressure ranging from about 50 psi-75 psi.

In some embodiments, the portion of the skin care product composition released through the dispense valve is consistent across a number of dispenses. In some embodiments, the number of dispenses comprises a range of 1500-2500 doses.

In some embodiments, a portion of the flow path leading from the dispense valve to the dispensing outlet defines a length of at least 100 mm.

In another example embodiment, a foam skin care product dispenser configured for mounting to a counter is provided. The foam skin care product dispenser comprises a dispensing spout positioned above the counter, wherein the dispensing spout comprises a dispensing outlet. The dispenser includes an undercounter receiving portion configured to removably receive a reservoir. The reservoir is configured to hold, under pressure, a foamable skin care product composition. The skin care composition includes at least one surfactant and at least one propellant. The dispenser includes an activation sensor configured to detect a user. The dispenser further includes a flow path leading to the dispensing outlet. The dispenser further includes a dispense valve in fluid communication with the reservoir and the flow path, wherein the dispense valve is movable between an open configuration and a closed configuration. The dispenser further includes a controller configured to cause, in response to the activation sensor detecting the user, the dispense valve to move to the open configuration to release a portion of the skin care product composition under the pressure of the reservoir into the flow path downstream of the dispense valve. The portion of the skin care product composition is configured to, after being released through the dispense valve, form a foamed skin care product that dispenses through the dispensing outlet.

In some embodiments, the dispense valve is one of a solenoid valve or a metered valve.

In some embodiments, a portion of the flow path leading from the dispense valve to the dispensing outlet defines a length of at least 100 mm.

In some embodiments, the portion of the skin care product composition released through the dispense valve is within a range of about 0.2 grams to about 0.3 grams.

In some embodiments, the undercounter receiving portion comprises a receiving valve configured to extend into an installed reservoir and cause the reservoir to be in a released state such that the skin care product composition enters a portion of the flow path leading to the dispense valve. In some embodiments, the reservoir defines a female outlet valve for receiving a portion of the receiving valve of the undercounter receiving portion.

In some embodiments, the reservoir includes an adapter configured to be removably mounted to the undercounter receiving portion. In some embodiments, the adapter defines a top wall that interacts with the undercounter receiving portion to ensure a desired installation position of the reservoir. In some embodiments, the adapter is configured to be removably mounted to the undercounter receiving portion via a threaded connection. In some embodiments, the adapter is configured to be removably mounted to the undercounter receiving portion via one or more snap features.

In some embodiments, the dispenser further comprises a check valve positioned along the flow path between the reservoir and the dispense valve, wherein the check valve is configured to enable liquid from the reservoir to pass through the check valve along a flow direction leading to the dispense valve and prevent liquid from passing back through the check valve in a direction opposite to the flow direction.

In some embodiments, the reservoir is configured to maintain a constant pressure between dispenses such that there is a constant flow rate through the dispense valve.

In some embodiments, the dispenser further comprises a communication interface configured to communicate with a remote device, wherein the controller is configured to monitor usage data corresponding to the skin care product dispenser and transmit the usage data via the communication interface to the remote device.

In some embodiments, the dispenser further comprises a flush valve positioned along the flow path downstream of the dispense valve and configured to close following a dispense occurrence to prevent leaking of residue out of the dispensing outlet.

In some embodiments, the dispenser further comprises an air pump configured to provide air to the flow path downstream of the dispense valve after or in conjunction with the occurrence of a dispense to aid in full evacuation of the released skin care product through the dispensing outlet.

In some embodiments, the dispenser further comprises a flush valve configured to provide fluid from a flush reservoir to the flow path downstream of the dispense valve after or in conjunction with the occurrence of a dispense to aid in full evacuation of the released skin care product through the dispensing outlet.

In yet another example embodiment, a skin care product dispenser is provided. The skin care product dispenser comprises a reservoir configured to hold a skin care product composition under pressure. The skin care product composition includes at least one surfactant and at least one propellent. The at least one surfactant comprises at least 7%, by weight, of the skin care product composition. The skin care product composition maintains a concentrated form under pressure and foams upon release from the pressure into a foamed skin care product. The skin care product dispenser includes an activation sensor configured to detect a user and a flow path in fluid communication with a dispensing outlet. The skin care product dispenser further includes a dispense valve positioned along the flow path between the reservoir and the dispensing outlet. The dispense valve is configured to open and close. The skin care product dispenser further includes a controller configured to cause, in response to the activation sensor detecting the user, the dispense valve to open such that the skin care product composition is released into the flow path toward the dispensing outlet. The controller is further configured to cause the dispense valve to close to cause a dose of the skin care product composition to have been released into the flow path toward the dispensing outlet. The dose of the skin care product composition released through the dispense valve is less than 0.4 grams.

In another example embodiment, a self-foaming skin care product composition is provided. The composition includes at least one anionic surfactant and at least one zwitterionic surfactant, wherein together, the at least one anionic surfactant and the at least one zwitterionic surfactant comprise a total surfactant. The composition further includes at least one hydrocarbon propellant and at least one C1-C6alkyl ether propellant, wherein together, the at least one hydrocarbon propellant and the at least one C1-C6alkyl ether propellant comprise a total propellant, wherein the total propellant is held at a pressure of between about 50 psi and about 75 psi until dispersed into atmospheric pressure.

In some embodiments, the anionic surfactant comprises an alkyl sarcosinate and the zwitterionic surfactant comprises an alkyl betaine.

In some embodiments, the anionic surfactant comprises sodium lauroyl sarcosinate and the zwitterionic surfactant comprises lauryl betaine.

In some embodiments, the hydrocarbon propellant comprises isobutane and the C1-C6alkyl ether propellant comprises dimethyl ether.

In some embodiments, the composition comprises between about 7% and about 12%, by weight, of total surfactant.

In some embodiments, a dose is between about 0.20 grams and about 0.30 grams of self-foaming skin care product composition and the dose comprises between about 0.02 g and about 0.03 g of total surfactant per dose.

In some embodiments, the composition comprises between about 10% and about 15%, by weight, of total propellant.

In some embodiments, the ratio of the anionic surfactant to the zwitterionic surfactant is between about 2:1 and about 4:1.

In some embodiments, the ratio of the hydrocarbon propellant to the C1-C6alkyl ether propellant is about 1:3.

In some embodiments, the composition comprises a self-foaming hand soap.

In some embodiments, upon dispersal into atmospheric pressure, the composition blooms to a foam skin care product which is at least twice the volume of the skin care product composition which was dispersed.

