Abstract:
A nail polish display system includes a case, which may take the form of a shelving system or platform, sized to hold and display multiple bottles of nail polish. The bottles are attached to coupling devices, such as clamps, sleeves, magnetic couplers, etc. to an agitator, which preferably takes the form of a rotatable rod. A motor operates the agitator to move, rotate or otherwise agitate the bottles and therefore sufficiently and continuously mix the nail polish within the bottles. The system may include one or more sensors configured to detect the presence of a patron, configured to detect a position of the motor or agitator, and/or configured to detect when a door to the case is being opened. Further, the motor may be programmable and receive instructions from either a controller or control logic using input from one or more of the sensors.

Description:
PRIORITY CLAIM 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/372,531 filed on Aug. 11, 2010, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention relates generally to a nail polish display system, and more specifically to a nail polish display system operable to continuously agitate nail polish. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Nail polish traditionally comes in clear bottles, which are usually made of glass and may be configured in a variety of shapes and sizes. The nail polish itself may come in many different colors. Regardless of the bottle shape or the polish color, one main objective is to catch the eye of a purchaser. Most often, this objective includes a point-of-sale display of different nail polish colors arranged on a multi-shelf or multi-platform system. For example, a beauty salon may have at least one point-of-sale display with various colors of a particular brand placed on shelves proximate a cashier. 
         [0004]    In such a conventional shelving display, the nail polish bottle tends to sit on the shelf until an interested consumer picks up the bottle to better examine its contents. Nail polish, similar to wall paint, is made up of different chemical components having different densities, which means that over time the heavier components (usually related to the specific color of the polish) settle on the bottom of the bottle or at least begin to settle thus causing the ambient light to be perceived differently than if the polish was in a fully mixed state. Accordingly, it is quite common for the interested consumer to pick up the bottle and shake it to see the actual polish color. Quite often, the consumer shakes the bottle and the color changes, which in turn prompts the consumer to pick up and shake another bottle in an attempt to find a desired shade. While the consumer shaking process may appear to achieve the fully mixed state having the actual polish color, it is equally common for the consumer to agitate the bottle too much and cause air bubbles to form in the bottle. In some cases, the over-agitation may cause the bottle to break because manufactures typically insert a small ceramic or glass marble inside the bottle to help mix the polish. Likewise, the marble may also break due to over-agitation. 
         [0005]    The air bubbles formed by over-agitation generally make it more difficult to smoothly apply the polish to a fingernail or toenail (hereinafter simply nail). While breakage of the bottle may be less common, breakage of the marble within the bottle leaves marble particulate inside the bottle and some of this particulate may be fine enough to be suspended in the polish. The suspended marble particulate may then be applied to the consumer&#39;s nail causing a granular or non-smooth finish. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    A nail polish display system includes a case, which may take the form of a shelving system or platform, sized to hold and display multiple bottles of nail polish. The bottles are attached to coupling devices, such as clamps, sleeves, magnetic couplers, etc. to an agitator, which preferably takes the form of a rotatable rod. A motor operates the agitator to move, rotate or otherwise agitate the bottles and therefore sufficiently and continuously mix the nail polish within the bottles. The system may include one or more sensors configured to detect the presence of a patron, configured to detect a position of the motor or agitator, and/or configured to detect when a door to the case is being opened. Further, the motor may be programmable and receive instructions from either a controller or control logic using input from one or more of the sensors. 
         [0007]    In one aspect of the invention, a nail polish display system for at least one nail polish bottle holding liquid nail polish includes a case; a coupling device for removably securing the nail polish bottle relative to the case; a rotating member connected to the coupling device; and a motor coupled to the rotating member, the motor configured to operate the rotating member to agitate the nail polish. 
         [0008]    In one aspect of the invention, a method for displaying nail polish includes the steps of (1) attaching a bottle of nail polish to a coupling device connecting to a rotating member; (2) rotating the bottle of nail polish relative to a display structure, a rotational speed and spatial orientation of the bottle controllable by a programmable motor, the rotational speed selected to sufficiently agitate nail polish within the bottle; and (3) selectively halting the rotation of the bottle to make the bottle accessible in a desired orientation and location relative to the display structure. 
         [0009]    In another aspect of the invention, a nail polish display system includes a coupling device configured to receivably retain a bottle of nail polish; an agitator connected to the coupling device; an actuation device configured to generate movement of the agitator sufficient to mix liquid nail polish within the bottle; and a first sensor in communication with the actuation device, the first sensor configured to detect motion. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    Preferred and alternative embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the following drawings. 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is perspective view a nail polish display system having agitators coupled to bottles located within a case according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is top plan view of the bottom row of bottles from  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is side, perspective view of a nail polish bottle retained by a coupling device according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the coupling device of  FIG. 3  according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a nail polish display system having coupling device according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a rear perspective view of one of the coupling devices from  FIG. 5  connected to a finger nail polish bottle according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a nail polish display system having coupling device according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  is a rear perspective view of one of the coupling devices from  FIG. 7  connected to a finger nail polish bottle according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a nail polish display system according to yet another embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0020]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a nail polish display system according to still another embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0021]      FIG. 11  is a block diagram of a nail polish display system according to an embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0022]      FIG. 12  is a block diagram of a nail polish display system according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0023]    The present invention generally relates, but is not limited, to a nail polish display system configured to rotate or otherwise agitate bottles of nail polish to maintain the polish in a sufficiently mixed state. In at least one embodiment, the nail polish display system includes a display case with agitators that hold one or more bottles of nail polish. The agitators and bottles may be arranged in a variety of configurations. A programmable motor may be used to drive the agitators, which may take the form of rotating members driven at a desired angular velocity. Coupling assemblies attached to the agitators may either support or clasp to the bottles. In one embodiment, the display case includes a touch or proximity sensor that signals the motor to stop when someone opens a door of the case, reaches inside the case, or makes some other detectable action to indicate that they want to handle one of the bottles of finger nail polish. Upon receiving such a signal either from the sensor or by way of a remote control, the motor may be commanded to move the agitators and thus position the bottles in a desired orientation, for example position the bottles oriented cap side up. 
         [0024]      FIG. 1  shows a nail polish display system  100  for a plurality of bottles  102 , each preferably containing a different color of nail polish (not shown). Each bottle  102  includes a polish-holding portion  104  and a cap portion  106 , the latter typically being threaded onto the polish-holding portion  104 . The bottle  102  may also include a neck portion  108 . The bottles  102  are located generally within a case  110 , which may have a transparent door  112  hingedly  114  attached to the case  110  according to one embodiment. A handle  116  may be coupled to the door  112  or the door may be spring and/or magnetically actuated to open and shut by pressing on the door  102 . A sensor  117  may be located on a front of the case  110 . The sensor  117  may take the form of a touch sensor, a proximity sensor or some other device capable of detecting the presence of a person in front of the case  110 . 
         [0025]    An agitator  118  coupled the case  110  may take the form of a rotatable rod attached to bottle-coupling assemblies  120 . In the illustrated embodiment, the agitators  118  include a drive arm  122 , an offset arm  124  and a bottle-support portion  126 .  FIG. 2  shows a top, plan view of the bottles  102  arranged in a lower row  128  of the case  110  of  FIG. 1 , but with the case structure removed for purposes of clarity. 
         [0026]      FIGS. 3 and 4  show the bottle-coupling assembly  120  according to an embodiment of the present invention. The assembly  120  includes a base member  130  connectable to a sleeve member  132 . The base member  130  is fixed to the agitator  118 . In the illustrated embodiment, the sleeve member  132  is configured to closely receive the bottle  102 . The sleeve member  132  may include an elastomeric, foam or synthetic liner, insert or seal  133  that suctions to the bottle  102 . In addition, the sleeve member  132  may include a magnetic plug  134  preferably embedded into the sleeve member  132 . Alternatively, the sleeve member  132  itself may be made from an iron-based substance and thus be magnetizable. Similarly, the base member  130  may also be made from a magnetizable material or include a magnetizable plug (not shown). In use, an interested person would select and remove a bottle  102  from the case  110  and the sleeve member  132  would stay attached to the bottle  102 . The person could examine the bottle  102 ; sample its contents, etc. Upon placing the bottle  102  back in the case  110 , the magnetic attraction between the base member  130  and sleeve member  132  would urge the bottle  102  back into place on the agitator  118 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 5  shows another display system  200  having bottles  202  arranged in a case  204 . The display system  200  may include many of the same aspects of the display system  100  as described above, but these same or similar components are not described in detail herein for purposes of brevity and may not be illustrated for purposes of clarity. In the illustrated embodiment, the system  200  includes agitators  206  and bottle-coupling assemblies  208 . As best shown in  FIG. 6 , each bottle-coupling assembly  208  includes a spine member  210  coupled to bottle support members  212  and a leverage member  214 , which in turn may be coupled to a base member  216 . The bottle support members  212  are configured to closely receive the polish-holding and cap portions, respectively. Moreover, at least one of the bottle support members  212  may provide a clamping action on the bottle  202 . The leverage member  214  may be welded, bonded or otherwise attached to the base member  216 . 
         [0028]      FIGS. 7 and 8  show yet another display system  300  having bottles  302  arranged in a case  304 . The display system  300  may include many of the same aspects of the display system  100  as described above, but these same or similar components are not described in detail herein for purposes of brevity and may not be illustrated for purposes of clarity. In the illustrated embodiment, the system  300  includes agitators  306  and bottle-coupling assemblies  308 . As best shown in  FIG. 8 , each bottle-coupling assembly  308  includes a spine member  310  coupled to a bottle support member  312  and to end-cap members  314 ,  316  (top and bottom, respectively). The bottle support member  312  is configured to closely receive the polish-holding, neck or cap portion of the bottle  302 . The spine member  310 , bottle support member  312 , and end-cap members  314 ,  316  may take the form of a one-piece component or may be attached together by welding, bonding or some other mechanical process. 
         [0029]      FIG. 9  shows yet another display system  400 . In the illustrated embodiment, bottles  402  are arranged on a plurality of tiered surfaces  404 . The bottles  402  are held by coupling members  406 , which in turn are actuated by agitators (not shown). To mix the polish in the bottles  402 , the surfaces  404  may be telescoped such that they may be lowered and then the bottles rotated in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction. A motor (not shown) for moving the agitators may also be coupled to a gearbox that moves the surfaces  404 . 
         [0030]    The cases described above may take a variety of forms and shapes, they may be wall mounted or placed on a surface, such as a countertop, desk or floor. The cases may be made out of virtually any material, for example, wood, plastic, metal, etc. In one embodiment, a backing for the case may be a mirrored surface for aesthetic reasons. While the cases may have doors, such doors may take a variety of forms such as hinged doors, sliding doors, etc. A light source such as a light bulb or light emitting diode may be located within the case to provide a desired amount of lighting. 
         [0031]      FIG. 10  shows yet another display system  500  in which bottles  502  are coupled to individual cases  504 . In turn, the cases  504  may be rotated with the bottles  502  fixed thereto or the bottles  502  may be rotated within each static case  504 . The bottles  502  are coupled to the cases  504  using attachment rods  506  in cooperation with coupling devices  508 . The shapes and arrangement of the cases  504  may take many forms. Further, the rods  506  may be removable and replaceable and/or interchangeable with different styles, shapes, contours, etc. 
         [0032]      FIG. 11  shows a block diagram  600  of a display system  602 . As described above, the display system  602  includes some form of a case with bottles of finger nail polish. By way of example, each bottle is coupled to a rotating member  604 , which is moved through operation of a motor  606 . Optionally, a gearbox  608  or equivalent mechanism may be employed to reduce, increase or otherwise modify the speed of the rotating member  604 . An optical sensor  610  may be positioned to detect a rotational position of the rotating member  604  and this positional information communicated to a controller or microprocessor  612 . By knowing the rotational position of the rotating member  604 , the motor may be controlled to move the bottles into a desired position and/or orientation when a touch sensor  614  is triggered by a patron or employee. 
         [0033]    For example and briefly referring to  FIGS. 1 and 11 , a patron may trigger the touch sensor  117 / 614 , which in turns provides a signal to the controller/processor  612 . The optical sensor  610  correspondingly provides the rotational position of the rotating members  604  to the controller  612 , which in turn commands the motor  606  to move the bottles into an upright position for removal by the patron. Alternatively, the case may be maintained in a locked configuration inaccessible by a patron until an employee commands the case to open using a remote control device  616 . So if a patron wants to sample a bottle of nail polish, the employee sends a signal using the remote  616 , which opens the case, provides a signal to the controller  612 , and consequently operates the motor  606  to move the rotating members  604  into the desired position and/or orientation. In one embodiment, the rotating members  604  may be configured to make the bottles continue to rock slowly rather than come to a complete stop after the touch sensor  614  is triggered. 
         [0034]      FIG. 12  shows a block diagram  700  of a display system  702 . Like components already described, specifically the rotating member  704 , the optional gearbox  708 , and the remote control device  716 , are not be re-described herein. The system  702  includes a proximity sensor  714  to detect a presence of a person near the system  702 , for example the presence of a patron ready to open a door on the display case. The proximity sensor  714  may take a variety of forms and may be located in a variety of places on the case. The rotational speed and position of the rotating member  704  is controlled by a motor  706  having motor control logic  712  in cooperation with a position sensor  713 . The position sensor  713  determines a rotational position of a motor shaft or some other motor component and then provides this rotational position information to the control logic  712 . In one embodiment, the motor  706  takes the form of a stepper motor and operates to quickly rotate the rotating member  704  either clockwise or counterclockwise to position the bottles in the desired position and/or orientation relative to the case. 
         [0035]    The inclusion of the motor and controller or control logic permits the bottles to be positioned and oriented in a manner that makes them aesthetically pleasing and readily accessible. The motor may be programmable to modify the agitation speed of the bottles, the rotational direction, etc. The remote can be used to stop the rotation of the bottles from a distance. Alternatively, a sensor may be positioned on the case to detect movement by an interested patron. Upon sensing such movement, the sensor communicates with the controller or control logic, which in turn instructs the motor to stop rotating the bottles so the patron may view and possibly remove the nail polish bottles when they are in an upright position. To prevent the patron from waiting too long, the motor may be commanded to accelerate in the same or reverse direction to orient the bottles within milliseconds of the movement detected by the sensor. In another embodiment, the controller or control logic may include a timing module that instructs the motor to restart after a set period of time. The set period of time may be a certain time after the door to the case has been closed, in which such closure may be detected by a contact sensor, or a certain time after no more movement is detected by the proximity sensor on the case. 
         [0036]    While the illustrated embodiments show cases with multiple bottles and rotating members, it is appreciated that the invention may be a case configured to hold and agitate a single bottle. Such a case may be advantageous at a technician&#39;s work station or by individuals in their home. While the technician or individual is preparing nails for painting, they can place the nail polish bottle into the case and then allow the bottle to be agitated for an adequate amount of time to sufficiently mix up the polish. Once the polish is mixed, the bottle will stop agitating and the technician/individual will know the polish is now ready for use. 
         [0037]    While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, as noted above, many changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited by the disclosure of the preferred embodiments. Instead, the invention should be determined entirely by reference to the claims that follow.