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.

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 . 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 of nozzles when the cap is coupled to the head. 
     
     
         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 . The formulation delivery 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 . The formulation delivery 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 . 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 . The formulation delivery appliance of  claim 5 , wherein the shutter is at least partially disposed within distribution channels of the manifold. 
     
     
         8 . The formulation delivery appliance of  claim 4 , wherein the shutter is manually moveable between the open position and the closed position. 
     
     
         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 . 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 . The docking station of  claim 9 , wherein the mount is rotatably coupled to a base. 
     
     
         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 . The docking station of  claim 12 , wherein a valve is in fluid communication with the tube and limits flow of the fluid from the tube toward the storage tank. 
     
     
         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 . 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 . 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 . 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 . The docking station of  claim 9 , further comprising a power source configured to charge the delivery appliance.