Fluid dispensing apparatus and method

Abstract

A fluid dispensing apparatus and method of operation is provided. The fluid dispensing apparatus has a housing, a central control unit positioned at least partially within said housing, the central control unit being in communication with a user interface. The apparatus houses a plurality of cartridges located at least partially within said housing for storing a plurality of liquid products and have an opening for the output of liquid. A plurality of engagement racks are within the housing, and the cartridges engage with the engagement racks to control output of the liquid based on commands from said central control unit. The apparatus also has a mixing dish for collecting output of the liquid products and removes excess fluid from cartridge openings during engagement of the apparatus.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A nail polish dispensing apparatus comprising:
 a housing;   a central control unit positioned at least partially within said housing, the central control unit being in communication with a user interface;   a plurality of cartridges located at least partially within said housing for storing a plurality of liquid products, said cartridges having an opening for output of liquid;   a plurality of engagement racks within said housing, wherein said plurality of cartridges engage with said plurality of engagement racks to control output of said liquid based on commands from said central control unit; and   a mixing dish for collecting output of said liquid products; said mixing dish for removing excess fluid from said cartridge openings during engagement of the nail polish dispensing apparatus.   
     
     
         2 . The nail polish dispensing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the nail polish dispensing apparatus has diameter between 4 and 10 inches. 
     
     
         3 . The nail polish dispensing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the mixing dish comprises a flexible dish. 
     
     
         4 . The nail polish dispensing apparatus of claim  4 , wherein the flexible dish comprising the mixing dish has a durometer between Shore A 10 and Shore A 60. 
     
     
         5 . The nail polish dispensing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein walls of said mixing dish are dimensioned and configured to engage with said openings of said cartridges of the nail polish dispensing apparatus. 
     
     
         6 . The nail polish dispensing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface comprises a plurality of switches that correspond with the dispensation of two different set volumes of fluid. 
     
     
         7 . The nail polish dispensing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of cartridges comprises between four and eight cartridges. 
     
     
         8 . The nail polish dispensing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said cartridges further comprise a container and plunger. 
     
     
         9 . The nail polish dispensing apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein said housing comprises corresponding upper and lower portions. 
     
     
         10 . A method of operating a nail polish dispensing apparatus comprising the steps of:
 communicating a plurality of user selection parameters, wherein the user selection parameters comprise product type and product volume;   receiving a command comprising a product type selection;   receiving a command comprising a product volume selection;   calculating whether said product type selection is available in an inventory of product types in a housing of said nail polish dispensing apparatus;   calculating whether said product volume selection is available based on the inventory of product types in the housing of said nail polish dispensing apparatus;   responsive to said product type selection being unavailable in said inventory of a plurality of product types, displaying a command indicating a lack of availability;   responsive to said product volume selection being unavailable based on said inventory of a plurality of product types, displaying a command indicating a lack of availability; and   responsive to said product type and volume selection being available in said inventory of a plurality of product types, dispensing liquids for creating said product into a mixing dish.   
     
     
         11 . The method of operating a nail polish dispensing apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein displaying a plurality of user selection parameters further comprises displaying user selections for product color and product finish. 
     
     
         12 . The method of operating a nail polish dispensing apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein calculating whether said product volume selection is available further comprises the steps of:
 calculating which cartridges of an inventory of the plurality of cartridges will be used to create said product type selection;   selecting first and second cartridges to create said product type selection based on the command received comprising product type selection;   measuring an available amount of product in said first and second cartridges that will be used to create said product type selection.   
     
     
         13 . The method of operating a nail polish dispensing apparatus of  claim 12  further comprising the step of:
 comparing the measurements of an available amount of product in said first and second cartridges to a pre-set formula to create said product type selection. 
 
     
     
         14 . The method of operating a nail polish dispensing apparatus of  claim 12  further comprising the steps of:
 selecting a third cartridge to create said product type selection based on the command received comprising product type selection; 
 measuring an available amount of product in said third cartridge that will be used to create said product type selection. 
 
     
     
         15 . The method of operating a nail polish dispensing apparatus of  claim 14  further comprising the steps of:
 selecting a fourth cartridge to create said product type selection based on the command received comprising product type selection; 
 measuring an available amount of product in said fourth cartridge that will be used to create said product type selection. 
 
     
     
         16 . The method of operating a nail polish dispensing apparatus of  claim 10  further comprising the step of: dispensing 1-3 mLs of fluid. 
     
     
         17 . A nail polish dispensing system comprising:
 a plurality of incrementally dispensable products housed within a plurality of product cartridges;   an upper and lower housing, the lower housing for holding said incrementally dispensable products;   a removably couplable mixing dish for collecting dispensation of said incrementally dispensable products;   a plurality of engagement racks that are selectively engageable with said plurality of removably couplable product cartridges; and   a central control unit for controlling the dispensing of said incrementally dispensable products into said mixing dish based on a selection made at a user interface, the central control unit performing an iteration to select an incrementally dispensable product based on selected choices from a plurality of user selection parameters and select a product volume based on a selected choice from said user selection parameters.   
     
     
         18 . The nail polish dispensing system of  claim 17 , wherein the central control unit is programmed with a set volume threshold that said incrementally dispensable products cannot exceed; wherein said central control unit terminates dispensation of said incrementally dispensable products after the set volume threshold has been reached. 
     
     
         19 . The nail polish dispensing system of  claim 17 , wherein the user interface comprises a plurality of toggle switches that trigger a plurality of dispensation volumes. 
     
     
         20 . The nail polish dispensing system of  claim 19 , wherein one of said plurality of toggle switches triggers a dispensation volume of 1-3 mL. 
     
     
         21 . The nail polish dispensing system of  claim 17 , wherein the user interface comprises an application for a wireless device that wirelessly communicates with said central control unit. 
     
     
         22 . The nail polish dispensing apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the upper housing further comprises a magnifying glass. 
     
     
         23 . The nail polish dispensing apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the lower housing is dimensioned and configured to house a removable storage apparatus. 
     
     
         24 . The nail polish dispensing apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein said removably couplable cartridges further comprise a product display window. 
     
     
         25 . The nail polish dispensing apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein said removably couplable cartridges house a plurality of differing fluids.