Sink

Abstract

In order to provide a sink comprising a first bowl and a second bowl with a web portion arranged between the first bowl and the second bowl wherein chalky deposits on the web portion are generally avoided, it is proposed that the web portion should not have a horizontally aligned flat surface.

Description

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the subject matter disclosed in PCT application No. PCT/EP02/04786 of May 2, 2002, the entire specification of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present invention relates to a sink which comprises a first bowl and a second bowl and a web portion arranged between the first bowl and the second bowl.

[0003] Such sinks are known from the state of the art.

[0004] In the case of the known sinks of this type, the web portion comprises a substantially flat, horizontally aligned surface upon which water can remain, this thereby leading to the formation of unsightly chalky deposits on the web portion.

[0005] Consequently, the object of the present invention is to provide a sink of the type mentioned hereinabove in which chalky deposits on the web portion are generally avoided.

[0006] In accordance with the invention, this object is achieved in the case of a sink having the features found in the preamble of claim 1 in that the web portion does not have a horizontally aligned flat surface.

[0007] Since the web portion does not have a horizontally aligned flat surface, water cannot remain on the web portion; but rather, any water reaching the web portion will always flow into one of the adjacent bowls so that chalky deposits produced by static water cannot be formed on the web portion.

[0008] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, provision is made for the web portion to have no flat surface at all.

[0009] In order to make it easier for the water to flow from the web portion into the adjacent bowls, provision may be made for substantially the entire surface of the web portion—as seen from above the web portion—to be convexly curved.

[0010] It is especially expedient if the convexly curved surface of the web portion has a radius of curvature along a central plane of the web portion of less than approximately 5 cm, preferably of less than approximately 1 cm.

[0011] Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment of the sink in accordance with the invention, provision is made for the first bowl and the second bowl to be arranged in a substantially horizontal sink surface and for an upper edge of the web portion to be lower than this horizontal sink surface.

[0012] Due to the lowering of the web portion relative to the horizontal sink surface, the web portion has an overflow function, since water can flow out from one of the two bowls into the respective other bowl over the upper edge of the web portion when the pertinent bowl is filled with water up to the upper edge of the web portion. The water can then flow away through the drain in that bowl into which the water has overflowed.

[0013] Due to the overflow function of the lowered web portion, it then becomes possible in this case to dispense with the provision of separate overflow openings in the side walls of the bowls.

[0014] The side walls of the first bowl and of the second bowl are therefore preferably formed without overflow borings.

[0015] In order to provide a barrier-less working facility in the area between the bowls, provision is advantageously made for the web portion lying lower than the horizontal sink surface to extend over substantially the entire length of a side wall of the first bowl which faces the second bowl.

[0016] Furthermore, it is expedient, if the web portion lying lower than the horizontal sink surface extends over substantially the entire length of a side wall of the second bowl which faces the first bowl.

[0017] Basically, the web portion between the two bowls could extend in any arbitrary horizontal direction.

[0018] In a preferred embodiment of the invention however, provision is made for the web portion to extend substantially perpendicularly relative to a front edge of the sink which, in the installed state of the sink, faces a person using the sink. In this case, both the first bowl and the second bowl are easily accessible to a person standing by the front edge of the sink.

[0019] In a preferred embodiment of the sink in accordance with the invention, the sink also comprises a sink accessory, which, for example, may be in the form of a cutting board which is adapted to be placed in a working position on the sink wherein the sink accessory partially covers both the first bowl and the second bowl. This central working position offers the advantage that one can work in the first bowl and also in the second bowl from the upper surface of the sink accessory.

[0020] Furthermore, provision may be made for the sink accessory to be displaceable from the working position into a stop position in which the sink accessory at least partially covers the first bowl but leaves the second bowl completely free so as to allow unhindered access to the second bowl.

[0021] As an alternative or in addition thereto, provision may also be made for the sink accessory to be displaceable from the working position into a stop position in which the sink accessory at least partially covers the second bowl but leaves the first bowl completely free so as to allow unhindered access to the first bowl.

[0022] In order to increase the safety aspects when working on the sink accessory, especially when this is in the form of a cutting board, provision is made in a special embodiment of the sink in accordance with the invention for the sink accessory to be arrested in the working position in such a manner that it will not be displaceable in the horizontal direction.

[0023] In order to make it easier to clean the bowls and to make the bowls optically larger, provision may be made for the first bowl and/or the second bowl to have at least one—as seen from the interior of the bowl—concavely curved side wall.

[0024] This side wall is concavely curved, in particular, about a substantially vertical axis.

[0025] In order to obtain an especially strong concave curvature of the side wall, provision may be made for the pertinent side wall to have a radius of curvature which is smaller than the horizontal extent of the relevant bowl in a direction perpendicular to the side wall.

[0026] Basically, the concavely curved side wall could be any arbitrary side wall of the bowl.

[0027] However, in a preferred embodiment of the sink in accordance with the invention, provision is made for the at least one concavely curved side wall to be a rear side wall of the bowl that is remote from a front edge of the sink which, in the installed state of the sink, faces a person using the sink.

[0028] Furthermore, another object of the present invention is to provide a sink having a first bowl and a second bowl and a web portion arranged between the first bowl and the second bowl wherein the first bowl and the second bowl are arranged in a substantially horizontal sink surface, and wherein one can dispense with the provision of overflow borings in the side walls of the two bowls.

[0029] In accordance with the invention, this object is achieved in a sink having the features of the preamble of claim 18 in that an upper edge of the web portion lies lower than the horizontal sink surface and in that the web portion lying lower than the horizontal sink surface extends over substantially the entire length of a side wall of the first bowl which faces the second bowl, and/or over substantially the entire length of a side wall of the second bowl which faces the first bowl.

[0030] A sink constructed in this manner offers the further advantage that it enables barrier-less working to be effected between the two bowls and that a sink accessory, and in particular, a cutting board, can be placed in a central working position directly over the web portion whereat one can work in the first bowl and also in the second bowl from the sink accessory.

[0031] The further object of the present invention is to provide a sink having a first bowl and a second bowl and a web portion arranged between the first bowl and the second bowl wherein the first bowl and the second bowl are arranged in a substantially horizontal sink surface such that it is utilizable in a more flexible manner than conventional sinks.

[0032] In accordance with the invention, this object is achieved in a sink having the features of the preamble of claim 19 in that an upper edge of the web portion lies lower than the horizontal sink surface and in that the sink comprises a sink accessory, and in particular a cutting board, which can be placed in a working position on the sink whereat the sink accessory at least partially covers each of the first bowl and the second bowl.

[0033] The ability to place the sink accessory in this central working position on the sink offers the advantage that one can work in the first bowl and also in the second bowl from the upper surface of the sink accessory.

[0034] In this central working position, the sink accessory, and in particular the cutting board, is directly over the web portion which is lowered relative to the horizontal sink surface.

[0035] The features of the claims 2 to 17, which are dependent on claim 1, can also be combined in advantageous manner with the subject matters of the independent claims 18 or 19.

[0036] The sinks in accordance with the invention can be constructed from any arbitrary material, and in particular, from a composite material, from a synthetic material, from a ceramic material or from a metallic material.

[0037] Further features and advantages of the invention form the subject matter of the following description and the graphical illustration of exemplary embodiments.

IN THE DRAWINGS

[0038] FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective illustration of a sink having a first bowl and a second bowl, wherein the two bowls are formed symmetrically relative to a transverse central plane of the sink;

[0039] FIG. 2 a top view from above of the sink in FIG. 1;

[0040] FIG. 3 a front view of the sink in FIGS. 1 and 2 as viewed in the direction of the arrow 3 in FIG. 2;

[0041] FIG. 4 a schematic section through a web portion arranged between the first bowl and the second bowl along the line 4-4 in FIG. 2;

[0042] FIG. 5 a top view of the sink in FIGS. 1 to 4 with a cutting board laid on the sink in a left-hand stop position, in which the cutting board only covers the first bowl;

[0043] FIG. 6 a top view from above of the sink in FIGS. 1 to 4 having a cutting board laid on the sink in a central working position, in which the cutting board partially covers both the first bowl and the second bowl;

[0044] FIG. 7 a top view from above of the sink in FIGS. 1 to 4 with a cutting board laid on the sink in a right-hand stop position, in which the cutting board only covers the second bowl;

[0045] FIG. 8 a top view from below of the cutting board of the sink in FIGS. 1 to 7;

[0046] FIG. 9 a schematic perspective illustration of a second embodiment of a sink having a larger first bowl and a smaller second bowl;

[0047] FIG. 10 a top view from above of the sink in FIG. 9;

[0048] FIG. 11 a front view of the sink in FIGS. 9 and 10 as viewed in a direction along the arrow 11 in FIG. 10; and

[0049] FIG. 12 a top view from above of the sink in FIGS. 9 to 11 with a cutting board placed on the sink in a central working position, in which the cutting board partially covers the first bowl and also the second bowl.

[0050] Similar or functionally equivalent elements are provided with the same references in each of the Figures.

[0051] A sink bearing the general reference 100 is illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 9 and it comprises a substantially flat, substantially rectangular horizontal sink surface 102 wherein a front edge of the sink 104 is straight and, in the installed state of the sink 100, faces the user of the sink, a rear edge of the sink which extends in parallel relative to the front edge of the sink 104, and also a respective left-hand lateral edge of the sink 108 and a right-hand lateral edge of the sink 110 which connect the ends of the front edge of the sink 104 and the ends of the rear edge of the sink 106 together.

[0052] All the edges of the sink 104, 106, 108 and 110 are inclined, so that the edges of the sink fall away from the horizontal sink surface 102 towards the outer edges thereof.

[0053] In the left-hand area of the sink surface 102, there is a first bowl 112 which comprises a base of the bowl 114 and a drain 116, a substantially flat front side wall 118 which faces the front edge of the sink 104, a substantially flat left-hand side wall 120 which faces the left-hand lateral edge of the sink 108 and a rear side wall 122 which faces the rear edge of the sink 106 and which—as seen from the interior of the first bowl 112—is curved concavely about a vertical axis of curvature.

[0054] In the right-hand area of the sink surface 102, there is a second bowl 124 which is mirror-symmetrical to the first bowl 112 taken with reference to the transverse central plane 126 of the sink 100 that extends perpendicularly relative to the front edge of the sink 104 and perpendicularly relative to the rear edge of the sink 106.

[0055] Accordingly, the second bowl 124 comprises a base of the bowl 128 having a drain 130, a substantially flat front side wall 132 which faces the front edge of the sink 104, a substantially flat right-hand side wall 134 which faces the right-hand lateral edge of the sink 110, and a rear side wall 136 which faces the rear edge of the sink 106 and which—as seen from the interior of the second bowl 124—is curved concavely about a vertical axis of curvature.

[0056] The front side wall 118, the left-hand side wall 120, the rear side wall 122 of the first bowl 112, and the front side wall 132, the right-hand side wall 134 and the rear side wall 136 of the second bowl 124 merge at their respective upper edges via a curved bowl rim region 138 into the horizontal sink surface 102.

[0057] Between the first bowl 112 and the second bowl 124, there is a partition wall 140 which has the cross-section illustrated in FIG. 4 and which comprises a substantially flat right-hand side wall 142 of the first bowl 112 which faces the second bowl 124 and is inclined to the vertical, a substantially flat left-hand side wall 144 of the second bowl 124 which faces the first bowl 112 and is inclined to the vertical, and a web portion 146 which connects the upper edges of the right-hand side wall 142 and the left-hand side wall 144 together.

[0058] As can be seen from FIG. 4, the web portion 146—as seen from above the sink 100—comprises a convexly curved upper surface 148 which is curved about a horizontal axis of curvature.

[0059] The web portion 146 is mirror-symmetrical with respect to its longitudinal central plane which coincides with the transverse central plane 126 of the sink 100 and intersects the upper surface 148 of the web portion 146 in a horizontal apex line 150 of the web portion 146.

[0060] The radius of curvature of the upper surface 148 of the web portion 146 amounts to approximately 0.5 cm in the vicinity of the apex line 150.

[0061] As can also be seen from FIG. 4, the horizontal apex line 150 of the web portion 146 is lower than the horizontal sink surface 102 by the depth H.

[0062] As can be seen from FIG. 2, the web portion 146 that is lowered relative to the horizontal sink surface 102 extends over a length L, which substantially corresponds to the total length of the right-hand side wall 142 of the first bowl 112 and the left-hand side wall 144 of the second bowl 124 of the sink 100.

[0063] Due to the lowering of the web portion 146 relative to the sink surface 102, the partition wall 140 has an overflow function, since water can flow out from one of the two bowls 112, 124 into the respective other bowl over the apex line 150 of the web portion 146 when the pertinent bowl is filled with water to the height of the apex line 150.

[0064] Since the web portion 146 does not have a horizontally aligned flat surface, any water reaching the web portion 146 will always flow off into one of the adjacent bowls 112 or 124 so that no water will remain on the web portion 146 and, in consequence, chalky deposits cannot build up on the web portion 146.

[0065] Due to the overflow function of the lowered web portion 146, it becomes unnecessary to provide the side walls of the bowls 112, 124 with separate overflow openings. Consequently, overflow borings are not formed in the side walls of the first bowl 112 and the second bowl 124.

[0066] The lowered web portion 146 offers the further advantage, that a sink accessory, in the form of a cutting board 152 for example, can be placed in a working position on the sink 100, at which the sink accessory is arranged directly above the web portion 146 and partially covers both the first bowl 112 and the second bowl 124.

[0067] The cutting board 152, which is illustrated in FIG. 8 in the form of a top view from below, comprises a substantially parallelepiped lower region 154 having a flat lower face 155 and an upper region 156 having a flat upper face 158 that projects laterally over the lower region 154 (see FIGS. 5 to 7), wherein the region that projects over the lower region 154 of the cutting board 152 forms a peripheral placement edge 160 of the cutting board 152 so that the cutting board 152 can be placed on the flat sink surface 102 of the sink 100 by means of the lower placement surface 162 thereof.

[0068] The inner edge of the placement surface 162 is connected to the flat lower face 155 of the lower region 154 of the cutting board 152 via stop faces 164 that are aligned at an angle relative to the vertical.

[0069] At the rear edge thereof, the placement edge 160 is provided with a recess 166 so that the central region of the rear outer edge 168 of the placement edge 160 will conform to the upper edge of the rear stop surface 164a.

[0070] Furthermore, a plurality, for example four, of anti-slipping elements 170 made of a rubbery material are arranged on the lower face 155 of the cutting board 152, which elements serve to prevent the cutting board 152 from slipping when it is placed on a support surface.

[0071] In the region of the rear anti-slipping elements 170a, the lower region 154 of the cutting board 152 is arched rearwardly, as can be seen from the top view in FIG. 8.

[0072] Then, with the lower region 154 thereof to the fore, the previously described cutting board 152 can be placed in the working position on the sink 100 as illustrated in FIG. 6, wherein the rear region 162a of the placement edge 160 rests on the rear region 102a of the sink surface 102 which extends between the rear edges of the bowls 112, 124 and the rear edge of the sink 106, whilst a frontal region 162b of the placement edge 160 rests on a front region 102b of the sink surface 102 which extends between the front edges of the bowls 112, 124 on the one hand and the front edge of the sink 104 on the other.

[0073] The partition wall 140 between the bowl 112, 124 does not hamper the process of placing the cutting board 152 in this working position since the distance H, by which the apex line 150 of the web portion 146 is lowered relative to the sink surface 102, is greater than the height of the lower region 154 of the cutting board 152, i.e. it is greater than the vertical spacing between the lower face 155 and the placement surface 162 of the cutting board 152.

[0074] In the working position illustrated in FIG. 6, the cutting board 152 partially covers both the first bowl 112 and the second bowl 124 so that a left-hand edge 172a of the upper face 158 of the cutting board 152 extends transversely over the first bowl 112 whilst a right-hand side edge 172b of the upper face 158 of the cutting board 152 extends transversely over the second bowl 124 so that one can work in the first bowl 112 and also in the second bowl 124 from the upper surface of the cutting board 152.

[0075] From the working position illustrated in FIG. 6, the cutting board 152 can, without having to be lifted from the sink surface 102, be moved along the horizontal direction of displacement indicated by the arrow 174 in FIG. 5 into the first stop position illustrated in FIG. 5, in which the left-hand stop surface 164c (which is illustrated to the right in the top view from below depicted in FIG. 8) strikes the upper edge of the left-hand side wall 120 of the first bowl 112 thereby preventing further movement of the cutting board 152 to the left along the direction of displacement 174. In this first stop position, the cutting board 152 only covers the first bowl 112, whilst the second bowl 124 is freely accessible from above the sink.

[0076] Furthermore, without having to be lifted from the sink surface 102, the cutting board 152 can also be displaced from the working position illustrated in FIG. 6, along the horizontal direction of displacement indicated by the arrow 174 in FIG. 7 into the second stop position illustrated in FIG. 7, in which a right-hand stop surface 164d (which is illustrated to the left in the top view from below depicted in FIG. 8) abuts the upper edge of the right-hand side wall 134 of the second bowl 124 thereby preventing further movement of the cutting board 152 towards the right.

[0077] In this second stop position, the cutting board 152 only covers the second bowl 124 of the sink 100 whilst the first bowl 112 remains freely accessible from above the sink 100.

[0078] Furthermore, in the rear region 102a of the horizontal sink surface 102, the sink 100 comprises a passage opening 176 in which a tap for the sink 100, for example a mixer tap assembly, can be arranged.

[0079] A second embodiment of a sink 100 that is illustrated in FIGS. 9 to 12 differs from the previously described first embodiment in that the two bowls of the sink are not of equal size, but the first bowl 112 arranged on the left-hand side of the sink 100 is made larger than the right-hand bowl 124 in this second embodiment.

[0080] Accordingly, in the second embodiment of the sink 100, as can best be seen from FIG. 10, the partition wall 140 between the two bowls 112, 124 together with the web portion 146 that is lowered relative to the horizontal sink surface 102 is displaced towards the right.

[0081] Furthermore, the rear side wall 122 of the first bowl 112 is arched out towards the rear edge of the sink 106 to a greater extent in the second embodiment, i.e. it is curved concavely to a greater extent than was the case in the first embodiment.

[0082] In particular, the radius of curvature of the rear side wall 122 in the second embodiment is smaller than the extent of the first bowl 112 in the horizontal direction extending perpendicularly relative to the front edge of the sink 104.

[0083] Due to the large concave arching of the rear side wall 122 of the first bowl 112, the side walls and the base of the bowl 114 of the first bowl 112 are particularly easily accessible for the cleaning thereof.

[0084] As can best be seen from FIG. 11, the smaller second bowl 124 of the second embodiment also has a bowl of lesser depth than that of the larger first bowl 112.

[0085] In the case of the second embodiment of the sink 100, a sink accessory, in the form of a cutting board 152 for example, can also be placed in a working position on the sink 100, in which the sink accessory is arranged above the web portion 146 so as to partially cover both the first bowl 112 and the second bowl 124. The cutting board 152 is illustrated in FIG. 12 in this working position.

[0086] However, in this second embodiment of a cutting board 152, the recess 166 at the rear outer edge 168 of the cutting board is much more pronounced and is not symmetrical relative to the side edges 172a, 172b of the upper face 158 of the cutting board, but rather, it is displaced towards the left-hand side edge 172a, thereby achieving the effect that the shape of the rear outer edge 168 of the placement edge 160 matches the shape of the upper edges of the rear side wall 122 of the first bowl 112 and the rear side wall 136 of the second bowl 124.

[0087] In this embodiment, the rear stop surface 164a of the lower region 154 of the cutting board 152 is parallel relative to the rear outer edge 168 of the placement edge 160, so that, in the working position of the cutting board 152 illustrated in FIG. 12, the rear stop surface 164a rests on the upper edges of the rear side wall 122 of the first bowl 112 and the rear side wall 136 of the second bowl 124 whereby the cutting board 152 is fixed in this working position and cannot be displaced parallel relative to the front edge of the sink 104.

[0088] Due to the cutting board 152 being fixed in the working position, it is ensured in the second embodiment of a sink that the cutting board 15 will provide a stable, secure working platform since the cutting board 152 can be displaced neither towards the front, nor to the rear and nor to the side whilst working on the cutting board 152, this thereby increasing the safety aspects when working on the cutting board 152.

[0089] In other respects, the second embodiment of a sink 100 corresponds exactly to the first embodiment as regards the construction and functioning thereof so that, insofar as these are concerned, reference may be made to the preceding description thereof.

Claims

1. A sink, comprising a first bowl and a second bowl and a web portion arranged between the first bowl and the second bowl, wherein the web portion does not have a horizontally aligned flat surface.

2. A sink in accordance with claim 1, wherein the web portion does not have a flat surface.

3. A sink in accordance with claim 1, wherein substantially the entire surface of the web portion is convexly curved.

4. A sink in accordance with claim 3, wherein the convexly curved surface of the web portion has a radius of curvature along a central plane of the web portion of less than approximately 5 cm, preferably of less than approximately 1 cm.

5. A sink in accordance with claims 1, wherein the first bowl and the second bowl are arranged in a substantially horizontal sink surface and in that an upper edge of the web portion is lower than this horizontal sink surface.

6. A sink in accordance with claim 5, wherein the web portion lying lower than the horizontal sink surface extends substantially over the entire length of a side wall of the first bowl which faces the second bowl.

7. A sink in accordance with claim 5, wherein the web portion lying lower than the horizontal sink surface extends substantially over the entire length of a side wall of the second bowl which faces the first bowl.

8. A sink in accordance with claim 1, wherein, in the installed state of the sink, the web portion extends substantially perpendicularly relative to a front edge of the sink facing the user of the sink.

9. A sink in accordance with claim 1, wherein the sink comprises a sink accessory which is adapted to be placed in a working position on the sink whereat the sink accessory partially covers each of the first bowl and the second bowl.

10. A sink in accordance with claim 9, wherein the sink accessory is displaceable from the working position into a stop position whereat the sink accessory at least partially covers the first bowl whilst leaving the second bowl entirely free.

11. A sink in accordance with claim 9, wherein the sink accessory is displaceable from the working position into a stop position whereat the sink accessory at least partially covers the second bowl whilst leaving the first bowl entirely free.

12. A sink in accordance with claim 9, wherein the sink accessory is arrested in the working position in such a manner that it is not displaceable in the horizontal direction.

13. A sink in accordance with claims 1, wherein the first bowl and/or the second bowl does not have an overflow opening.

14. A sink in accordance with claim 1, wherein, as seen from the interior of the bowl, the first bowl and/or the second bowl has at least one concavely curved side wall.

15. A sink in accordance with claim 14, wherein the side wall is concavely curved about a substantially vertical axis.

16. A sink in accordance with claim 14, wherein the concavely curved side wall has a radius of curvature which is smaller than the horizontal extent of the bowl in a direction perpendicular to the side wall.

17. A sink in accordance with claim 14, wherein, in the installed state of the sink, the at least one concavely curved side wall is a rear side wall of the bowl which is remote from a front edge of the sink facing the user of the sink.

18. A sink, comprising a first bowl and a second bowl and a web portion arranged between the first bowl and the second bowl, wherein the first bowl and the second bowl are arranged in a substantially horizontal sink surface, wherein an upper edge of the web portion is lower than the horizontal sink surface and in that the web portion lying lower than the horizontal sink surface extends substantially over the entire length of a side wall of the first bowl which faces the second bowl, and/or over substantially the entire length of a side wall of the second bowl which faces the first bowl.

19. A sink, comprising a first bowl and a second bowl and a web portion arranged between the first bowl and the second bowl, wherein the first bowl and the second bowl are arranged in a substantially horizontal sink surface, wherein an upper edge of the web portion is lower than the horizontal sink surface and in that the sink comprises a sink accessory which is adapted to be placed in a working position on the sink whereat the sink accessory partially covers each of the first bowl and the second bowl.