SINK

Abstract

A sink having a metallic material with at least one basin, preferably first and second basins, as well as with an edge section encompassing the at least one basin, which is embodied as a flat edge for a flat resting or flush assembly to a countertop. The at least one basin is produced in one piece with the remaining sink (1) by deformation by drawing.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLCATIONS

This application claims the benefit of German Patent Application No. 20 2011 105 625.6, filed Sep. 13, 2011, which is incorporated herein by reference as if fully set forth.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to a sink, preferably a kitchen sink comprising a metallic material with at least one basin, preferably with at least a first basin and with at least a second basin, as well as with an edge section encompassing at least one basin, preferably the first basin and the second basin, which is embodied as a flat edge for a flat resting or flush assembly at a countertop.

Such sinks are also called flat-edge sinks and they are very popular today due to their elegant appearance.

In another context the term “flat edge” refers to a sink edge which, unlike conventional integrated sinks with a circumferential edge area, is not angled downwards, thus during the assembly of a conventional rink at a countertop an elevated circumferential edge section develops. Today, for esthetic reasons, it is frequently desired to avoid such “elevated edges”.

Sinks of the type defined at the outset are known from prior art, with here reference is made for example to the sink Mythos Slim Top of the company of the applicant. Here, it was previously assumed that due to the even design of the flat edge to be achieved for esthetic reasons it is necessary to mount the basin, at least the second basin, subsequently in a material-to-material fashion, particularly by way of welding it to the remaining sink, which leads to increased production expenses and thus increased costs arising here. Particularly flat-edge sinks with more than one basin were therefore relatively expensive in the past.

SUMMARY

The invention is based on the objective to further develop a sink of the type mentioned at the outset such that the production is simplified and thus can be carried out more cost effectively than in the past.

The objective is attained with a sink having one or more features according to the invention. Advantageous further developments of the sink are described below and in the claims.

According to the invention a sink, particularly a kitchen sink, is made from a metallic material with at least one basin, preferably with at least a first basin and at least a second basin, as well as with an edge section encompassing at least one basin, preferably the first basin and the second basin, which is embodied as a flat edge for a flat resting or flush assembly of a countertop, characterized in that at least one basin, preferably both the first basin as well as the second basin, are produced in one piece with the remaining sink, preferably by deformation by drawing. This way, the present invention overcomes the preconception, according to which a flat edge sink can only be produced when at least the second basin is connected to the remaining sink subsequently in a material-to-material connection. According to the present invention the entire sink, if applicable including the first basin and the second basins, is produced in one piece, particularly by deformation by drawing, with this preferably representing a deep-drawing or a stretch-drawing process.

A further development of the sink according to the invention is characterized in the first basin being embodied as the larger primary basin or wash basin and the second basin as a relative smaller remnant basin. In addition to the two basins additionally an essentially planar drain board may be provided.

In order to allow the sink according to the invention to be assembled at a countertop another further development provides that at the bottom, in the area of the flat edge, at least one fastening element is provided, which serves to fasten the sink at a countertop. This fastening element may represent a bar element, which essentially exhibits an L-shaped cross-section and which is fastened with a first leg at the bottom of the sink so that the second leg of the bar element points perpendicularly downwards in reference to the plane of extension of the sink and thus can serve to fasten the sink at and/or in the cut-out of a countertop.

It has proven particularly advantageous when according to another further development of the sink according to the invention the fastening element is fastened to the sink in a material-to-material fashion, preferably welded thereto. In this context, it may particularly be provided that the fastening element is fixed to the sink by spot welding.

In order for the welding sites and/or welding spots to be no longer visible on the surface of the sink, which would represent an interference with the overall esthetic appearance, it is provided within the scope of another further development of the sink according to the invention that the edge area is embodied ground or polished, at least at the top.

The entire sink may be embodied from stainless steel within another further development of the present invention. Furthermore, the scope of the present invention includes to further develop the sink such that it is embodied partially or entirely with a coating and/or a polished surface and/or with a brushed finish. However, the present invention shall not be considered limited thereto. Rather, any other type of surface treatment known to one trained in the art may also be used for a sink according to the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Additional features and advantages of the present invention are discernible from the following description of exemplary embodiments based on the drawing, with the invention particularly not being restricted to sinks with more than one basin.

FIG. 1 shows a top view of a sink according to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows the sink of FIG. 1 in a first side view;

FIG. 3 shows the sink of FIG. 1 in a second side view;

FIG. 4 Shows a detailed view of a sink according to the invention in a flush assembly at a countertop;

FIG. 5 shows the sink of FIG. 4 in a resting assembly on a countertop; and

FIG. 6 shows a detailed view of a sink according to the invention in the area of its bottom.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows a sink according to the invention in the form of a kitchen sink in a top view, in its entirety marked with the reference character 1. The sink 1 produced from a metallic material comprises a first basin (primary basin) 2 and a second basin (remnant basin) 3, with the first basin 2 being embodied considerably larger than the second basin 3. According to the illustration in FIG. 1 the first basin (primary basin) 2 is arranged in the right area of the sink 1 and the second basin (remnant basin) 3 in the central area of the sink 1. At the side of the second basin 3 facing away from the first basin 2 an essentially planar area is provided like a drain board 4. The first basin 2 and the second basin 3 are arranged inside an exterior circumferential edge section 5, which is embodied as a so-called flat edge for a flat resting or even flush assembly at a countertop, not shown in FIG. 1.

A particular feature of the sink 1 shown according to FIG. 1 comprises that both the first basin 2 as well as the second basin 3 are produced in one piece with the remaining sink 1, preferably by deformation by drawing, particularly by deep-drawing or stretch-drawing, without being limited thereto, though. This way, the sink 1 shown differs from prior art, in which at least the second basin (remnant basin) 3 is regularly connected to the rest of the sink subsequently in a material-to-material fashion, preferably welded thereto.

As discernible by one trained in the art the sink 1 according to the invention is not limited to the configuration shown with a larger first basin 2 and a smaller second basin 3. In general, the scope of the invention also comprises a sink 1 with only one basin, with two identically sized basins, or with a larger number of identically sized and/or differently sized basins.

FIG. 2 shows a first side view of the sink 1 according to FIG. 1. Here, in FIG. 2 the reference character 1a marks the top of the sink 1, while the reference character 1b marks the bottom of the sink 1. For the rest, in all figures identical reference numbers mark identical elements or elements with identical functions.

From the illustration in FIG. 2, the different sizes of the basins 2, 3 as well as their depths are clearly discernible. Additionally, the side view in FIG. 2 illustrates the flat embodiment of the sink 1 in the above-mentioned edge section 5. In order to fasten the sink 1 in the cut-out of a countertop (again not shown) fastening element 6 are provided in the form of bar elements having an L-shape in the cross-section in the flat edge section 5 at the bottom 1b of the sink 1 at all four sides of the overall approximately rectangular embodied sink 1. The above-mentioned bar elements are fastened with their legs at the bottom 1b of the sink 1 in the area of the flat edges 5, preferably in a material-to-material fashion, most preferred by way of spot welding, so that the second leg of the bar elements extend downwards perpendicularly in reference to the plane of the sink. Here, the bar elements according to the illustration in FIG. 2 are aligned such that the leg respectively fastened at the sink 1 points inwardly. The fastening element and/or the bar elements 6 each comprise penetrations 7 at regular intervals, which serve for fastening at the countertop (not shown). As known by one trained in the art, for this purpose additional fastening elements may be used which cooperate with the sink 1 in the area of the penetrations 7.

FIG. 3 shows another side view of the sink 1 according to FIG. 1. The structural details shown have already been described in detail based on FIG. 1.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show illustrated details of a sink according to the invention in the area of the flat edge 5, with here a countertop also being shown with reference character 8. The reference character 2 once more marks in FIGS. 4 and 5 the first sink basin, while a stop is shown at the reference character 2a arranged around the basin 2. While FIG. 4 shows a flush installation of the sink, in which the top of the flat edge 5 and the top of the countertop 8 form a continuous plane, FIG. 5 shows a resting installation in which the sink only projects with its material thickness beyond the top of the countertop 8 in the section of its flat edge 5. In both cases the present sink differs from “classic” sinks installed, in which the sink edge is first angled upwards and then in the area of its edge angled back down so that an elevated installation edge results in reference to the material thickness in the edge section.

FIG. 6 shows an illustrated detail of the sink 1 according to FIGS. 1 through 3 in the area of its bottom lb so that the fastening element/bar elements 6 welded thereto are discernible particularly clearly. In FIG. 6 the flat edge section 5 is once more clearly discernible. The fastening element/bar elements 6 are connected to the sink 1 in a form-fitting fashion via regularly arranged welding spots 6a in the edge section 5. In order for the welding spots 6a not being visible at the top 1a (cf. FIG. 2) of the sink the sink is post-treated appropriately after fixation of the fastening element/bar elements 6 at its top 1a, at least in the edge section 5, for example ground or polished.

Preferably the sink 1 shown in formed from stainless steel. Additionally, at least sectionally, it may be provided with a coating and/or with a polished surface and/or with a brushed finish.

Claims

1. A sink (1), comprising a metallic material with at least one basin, as well as with an edge section (5) encompassing the at least one basin, which is embodied as a flat edge for a flat resting or flush assembly to a countertop (8), the at least one basin is produced in one piece with the remaining sink (1) by deformation by drawing.

2. The sink (1) according to claim 1, wherein there is at least a first basin (2) and a second basin (3), and the flat edge encompasses the first basin (2) and the second basin (3), and the first basin (2) and the second basin (3) are produced in one piece as a drawn part.

3. The sink (1) according to claim 2, wherein the first basin (2) is embodied as a larger primary basin and the second basin (3) as a smaller remnant basin.

4. The sink (1) according to claim 2, wherein in addition to the two basins (2, 3) an essentially planar drip board (4) is provided.

5. The sink (1) according to claim 2, wherein at a bottom (1b) in an area of the flat edge (5) at least one fastening element (6) is arranged, which is adapted to fasten the sink (1) to a countertop (8).

6. The sink (1) according to claim 5, wherein the fastening element (6) is embodied as a bar element, said bar element is fastened with a first leg at the bottom (1b) of the sink (1) and said bar element comprises at least a second leg, which is provided to fasten the sink (1) to the countertop (8).

7. The sink (1) according to claim 6, wherein the fastening element (6) is fixed at the sink (1) in a material-to-material fashion.

8. The sink (1) according to claim 7, wherein the fastening element (6) is fixed by way of spot-welding (6a) to the sink (1).

9. The sink (1) according to claim 2, wherein the edge section (5) is ground or polished at the top (1a).

10. The sink (1) according to claim 2, wherein the sink (1) is formed from stainless steel.

11. The sink (1) according claim 2, wherein the sink (1) has at least one of a coating, a polished surface, or with a brushed finish.