Patents by Inventor Robert L. Steiner

Robert L. Steiner has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 5223182
    Abstract: An air freshener dispenser includes a two-part housing including a base and a separable cover. The base carries a control circuit and the cover carries a dispensing blower and a replaceable cartridge including the freshening agent to be dispensed and a battery for powering the blower. When the cover is removed from the base the blower is connected directly across the battery for test purposes, but when it is mounted on the base, contact structure on the cover and the base cooperate so that the blower is connected to the battery through the control circuit and is controlled thereby. The control circuit turns off the blower and triggers visible and audible alarm signals after a predetermined time period and/or when the battery voltage gets too low. A photocell turns off the blower and disables the audible alarm in the dark. The time-out period of the timer is selectively changeable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1993
    Assignee: Steiner Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert L. Steiner, Charles R. Holzner, Kenneth D. Hartman, Donald B. Owen
  • Patent number: 5209377
    Abstract: A disposable refill cartridge for a liquid soap dispenser having a closed container with a bottom wall portion and a rear wall portion and two opposes side wall portions. An outlet opening is formed in a cylindrical neck extending from the bottom wall portion, as is a frustoconical portion intermediate the bottom wall and the cylindrical neck. At least one boss extends outwardly from the frustoconical portion and the cylindrical neck with two elongated recesses respectively formed in the side wall portions adjacent to the rear wall portion. Each of the recesses extends downwardly to the bottom wall portion, and the container has stepped retaining surfaces at the upper end of the rear wall portion and at the lower ends of the side wall portions. A receptacle is formed in the rear wall having an apertured end wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1993
    Inventors: Robert L. Steiner, Charles R. Holzner, Sr., Allan J. Voth
  • Patent number: 5174476
    Abstract: A liquid soap dispensing system includes a housing and a discharge mechanism for dispensing repeated doses of liquid soap from an associated cartridge. A receptacle is positioned in the cartridge wall forming an air path between the inside and outside of the cartridge, and a plastic filter is frictionally disposed within the receptacle for permitting air to flow into the cartridge but preventing soap from flowing out of the cartridge. The filter permits sufficient air flow into the cartridge to limit the vacuum therein to not greater than about 12" upon repeated operation of the discharge mechanism to prevent the cartridge walls from distorting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1992
    Assignee: Steiner Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert L. Steiner, Charles R. Holzner, Allan J. Voth
  • Patent number: 5126078
    Abstract: An air freshener dispenser includes a two-part housing including a base and a separable cover. The base carries a control circuit and the cover carries a dispensing blower and a replaceable cartridge including the freshening agent to be dispensed and a battery for powering the blower. When the cover is removed from the base the blower is connected directly across the battery for test purposes, but when it is mounted on the base, contact structure on the cover and the base cooperate so that the blower is connected to the battery through the control circuit and is controlled thereby. The control circuit turns off the blower and triggers visible and audible alarm signals after a predetermined time period and/or when the battery voltage gets too low. A photocell turns off the blower and disables the audible alarm in the dark. The time-out period of the timer is selectively changeable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1992
    Assignee: Steiner Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert L. Steiner, Charles R. Holzner, Kenneth D. Hartman, Donald B. Owen
  • Patent number: 5082150
    Abstract: A liquid dispenser having a replaceable unvented liquid container with only an outlet opening, a discharge assembly in liquid communication with the liquid container outlet opening, and including a compressible nipple for accommodating a charge of liquid, a check valve for regulating the flow of liquid into the nipple and a semipermeable filter mounted in and substantially filling the inlet to the check valve, the filter element being permeable to air to introduce air into the liquid container through its outlet opening, the filter element being impermeable to liquid to prevent back flow of liquid through the air passageway, and having an opening therethrough which is aligned with the inlet of the check valve, defining a liquid passageway through the filter element to the check valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 21, 1992
    Assignee: Steiner Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert L. Steiner, Charles R. Holzner, Sr., Allen J. Voth
  • Patent number: 4743406
    Abstract: A self-contained battery-powered room deodorizer including a housing having an inlet portion through which ambient air is drawn into the housing by means of a battery powered fan. The air is passed about a quantity of vaporizable material contained within the housing, and then discharged therefrom into the ambient air carrying the vaporized portion of the product therewith. A replaceable deodorizing material containing cartridge is positionable within the housing, and provides a support well for supporting a replaceable battery, such that the deodorizing material and battery may be separately replaced when either of these items has become expended.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 10, 1988
    Assignee: Steiner Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert L. Steiner, Thomas R. Bajek
  • Patent number: 4646945
    Abstract: A dispenser for liquid soap includes a compressible nipple having an annular flange mountable on a soap container in communication with the outlet opening thereof, and clamping therebetween a valve assembly including a slitted flexible diaphragm and a backing disc. The disc has a discharge opening in alignment with a check valve slit in the diaphragm for controlling discharge of soap into the nipple for dispensing upon compression of the nipple. The disc and the nipple flange respectively have annular grooves formed in the facing surfaces thereof, a vent valve slit in the diaphragm being aligned with these grooves. The flange groove communicates with the outside of the nipple through a vent opening and the disc groove communicates with the outlet opening of a container through a vent orifice in the disc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 1985
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1987
    Assignee: Steiner Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert L. Steiner, Leslie G. Struck
  • Patent number: 4576313
    Abstract: A fluid refill pouch for use with a dispenser having a refill well with a refill opening therein and a piercing member disposed in the refill well, the pouch having a flexible wall hermetically sealed for containing fluid, and a docking adaptor loosely disposed in the pouch for insertion into the refill well so as to push the wall of the pouch upon the piercing member to pierce the wall and provide an opening for discharge of fluid from the pouch through the refill opening and into the dispenser; the inner wall of the refill well and the outer wall of the docking adaptor are shaped complementarily with flutes in the outer wall of the docking adaptor for easy grasping by the user, the parts having non-standard dimensions to provide anti-bootleg protection; there also is provided a fluid dispensing system incorporating such a refill pouch and dispenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 1980
    Date of Patent: March 18, 1986
    Assignee: Steiner Corporation
    Inventors: Randel P. Smith, Robert L. Steiner
  • Patent number: 4429812
    Abstract: A liquid soap dispensing system includes a closed soap container having a manually actuated dispensing pump carried therebeneath, the container being separated by a partition into a lower soap reservoir and an upper refill compartment, the latter adapted to enclose therein a removable refill cartridge and having a downwardly extending refill well with a pair of opposed keys extending thereinto. The cartridge has an outlet neck, the outer surface of which has a pair of opposed slots. The neck is closed by a pierceable membrane recessed therein and adapted to be received into the well so that a cartridge opening member pierces the membrane to accommodate free flow of liquid soap from the cartridge to the reservoir. The cartridge is entirely closed to define the liquid level in the reservoir at the bottom of the neck, and a drain hole in the reservoir wall above the bottom of the neck but below the tops of the keys prevents bootleg cartridges from being used in the soap dispenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 1981
    Date of Patent: February 7, 1984
    Assignee: Steiner Corporation
    Inventors: Robert L. Steiner, Randel P. Smith
  • Patent number: D272493
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1981
    Date of Patent: February 7, 1984
    Assignee: Steiner Corporation
    Inventors: Robert L. Steiner, Randel P. Smith
  • Patent number: D278887
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1982
    Date of Patent: May 21, 1985
    Assignee: Steiner Corporation
    Inventor: Robert L. Steiner
  • Patent number: D282347
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1982
    Date of Patent: January 28, 1986
    Assignee: Steiner Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert L. Steiner
  • Patent number: D282528
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1982
    Date of Patent: February 11, 1986
    Assignee: Steiner Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert L. Steiner
  • Patent number: D293752
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1985
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1988
    Assignee: Steiner Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert L. Steiner, Thomas Bajek
  • Patent number: D295676
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1986
    Date of Patent: May 10, 1988
    Assignee: Steiner Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert L. Steiner, Thomas R. Bajek
  • Patent number: D299427
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1985
    Date of Patent: January 17, 1989
    Assignee: Steiner Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert L. Steiner, Thomas Bajek
  • Patent number: RE33864
    Abstract: A self-contained battery-powered room deodorizer including a housing having an inlet portion through which ambient air is drawn into the housing by means of a battery powered fan. The air is passed about a quantity of vaporizable material contained within the housing, and then discharged therefrom into the ambient air carrying the vaporized portion of the product therewith. A replaceable deodorizing material containing cartridge is positionable within the housing, and provides a support well for supporting a replaceable battery, such that the deodorizing material and battery may be separately replaced when either of these items has become expended.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1992
    Assignee: Steiner Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert L. Steiner, Thomas R. Bajek
  • Patent number: D325312
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1987
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1992
    Assignee: Steiner Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert L. Steiner, Charles R. Holzner
  • Patent number: D332544
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1993
    Assignee: Steiner Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert L. Steiner, Charles R. Holzner, Allen J. Voth
  • Patent number: D342176
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 14, 1993
    Assignee: Steiner Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert L. Steiner, Charles R. Holzner