SINK ATTACHMENT DEVICE, SINK PANEL DEVICE, AND SINK
The present disclosure relates to a basin or sink attachment device, basin or sink panel device, and a basin or sink. The basin or sink attachment device includes a plurality of item holders, an arm and a sink mount. The basin or sink panel device includes a sink mount and a plurality of panel. The basin or sink includes at least one an arm engager coupled to at least one of its side walls.
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Water basins, wash basins, and sinks have different shapes and sizes depending upon the application. Some sinks are built into cabinet bases and countertops. Other sinks are standalone units which are designed to be used in utility areas, such as laundry rooms and basements. When using a sink, users often have the need to scrub, wash, clean, rinse, dry, paint, hold or otherwise treat various items. When preparing to scrub items, it can be inconvenient to locate a stored-away washboard in a timely fashion. It can also be difficult to stabilize the washboard on sinks, especially when using standalone sink units. Furthermore, it can be difficult to store items, such as cleaning supplies, cleansed items and items to be cleaned, on sinks. In addition, sinks can enable water and liquid to splash outside of the sink, causing walls, appliances, furniture and other structures to become wet or splashed with water, paint or other liquids. Therefore, there is a need to overcome or lessen the effects of such difficulties and disadvantages. There is also a need to provide improvements applicable to sinks.
SUMMARYThe present disclosure relates to: a basin or sink attachment device; a basin or sink panel device; a sink attachment assembly; and a basin or sink configured to co-act with a sink attachment device.
In one embodiment, the basin or sink attachment device includes a body having a base wall and a side wall extending upward from the base wall. The base wall has a top and a bottom, and the side wall has a plurality of item holders. The sink attachment device has an arm configured to be movably coupled to the bottom of the base wall. Also, the sink attachment device has a sink mount movably coupled to the bottom of the body. The sink mount includes a sink wall receiver. The sink wall receiver defines a space configured to receive a portion of a wall of a sink. The sink mount also includes a plurality of spaced-apart arm engagers.
In one embodiment, the basin or sink panel device includes a panel body having a base. The sink panel device also has at least one sink mount coupled to the base of the panel body. The sink mount defines an opening sized to receive a portion of a sink. Also, the sink panel device has a plurality of spaced-apart panel couplers coupled to the panel body. Each panel coupler is: associated with a different sink size; and configured to couple the panel body to at least one additional panel body. In one embodiment, the basin or sink includes a base wall defining a drain opening. The sink also includes a side wall extending upward from the base wall. The side wall has an interior and an exterior. Also, the sink includes at least one arm engager coupled to the exterior of the side wall. The arm engager is configured to engage an arm of a sink attachment device when the sink attachment device is attached to the side wall.
Additional features and advantages are described herein, and will be apparent from, the following Detailed Description and the figures.
Referring now to
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Referring to
Referring to
In use, a user can scrub a washable item against the primary irregular portion 32 or secondary irregular portion 34 depending upon the type of scrubbing and degree of friction desired. As such, the irregular portions 32 and 34 are operable as a washboard with different friction devices and scrub patterns. The water, soap and liquid used in the scrubbing process flows from the primary irregular portion 32, through the main channels 42 and into the sink 12. The sub-channels 44 also divert water, soap and liquid from the top of the raised walls 40 into the main channels 42. In addition to providing a washing and scrubbing function, the peaks 36 and heads 46 also function to assist in the drying of objects supported on the sink body 22. For example, if a shoe or a pan were supported on the sink body 22, the shoe or pan would only come into contact with the peaks 36, the fingers 37 or the heads 46. Accordingly, part of the bottom of the object would remain exposed to air which would assist in drying.
In one embodiment, the primary irregular portion 32 is a polymeric or metallic sheet connected to the base wall 28. In another embodiment, the primary irregular portion 32 is integrally formed into the base wall 28 as part of a one-piece structure. In the embodiment illustrated, the secondary irregular portion 34 is integrally formed into the base wall 28. It should be appreciated, however, that the secondary irregular portion 34 can be a separate layer or component connected to the base wall 28 in any suitable fashion.
Referring to
The top section 50, in one embodiment, has slot walls 52 which define a plurality of elongated slots 54. A slot wall 52 and corresponding slot 54 defines an item holder for the top section 50. The top section 50 also has two item holder sets 56. Each item holder set 56 includes a plurality of inner walls 58, 60 and 62 which define a plurality of circular openings 64, 66 and 68, respectively. As illustrated, the openings 64, 66 and 68 are positioned adjacent to one another. Opening 64 has a greater diameter than opening 66, and opening 66 has a greater diameter than opening 68.
In addition, the top section 50 includes a plurality of item holder sets 70. Referring to
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The sink engager 100 has a downwardly extending wall 108. The interior of the downwardly extending wall 108 includes a plurality of protrusions or grips 110. Similarly, the upper section 112 of the rack 98 includes a plurality of protrusions or grips 114. The grips 110 are spaced apart from, and positioned opposite of, the grips 114. A space 116 defined by the sink engager 100 is sized to receive at least part of a sidewall 117 of the sink 12, as illustrated in
Referring again to
Once the sink mount 26 is mounted on the sink 12, the user can move the body 22 between the horizontal, or substantially, horizontal position 124 and a vertical, or substantially vertical, position 126. The user places the body 22 in the horizontal position 124 by inserting the lower end 96 of the arm 24 into an arm engager 128 which corresponds to the horizontal position 124. To achieve the vertical position 126, the user removes the arm 24 from the arm engager 128 and, as a result, both the body 22 and the arm 24 hang down in a vertical fashion, as illustrated in
With reference to
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In one embodiment, another one of the item holders 212 is a disposable towel roll holder 220. In the illustrated embodiment, the disposable towel roll holder 220 includes a plurality of arms 222, which are pivotally or moveably coupled to the panel body 202. Referring to
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As illustrated in
In addition, the side sink panel device 256 includes at least one sink mount 264. In the illustrated embodiment, the sink mount 264 includes a plurality of spaced apart, elongated guide walls 266. The space 268 between the guide walls 266 is configured to receive an upper edge or portion of the side 117 of the sink 12. Referring to
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In another embodiment not illustrated, the side sink panel device 256 includes a plurality of item holders, including, but not limited to, shelves, hooks, mounts, and fasteners. Such devices can be used to hang items or objects from the side sink panel device 256 or otherwise support them on the side sink panel device 256.
Referring to
Referring to
It should be appreciated that, depending upon the embodiment, the sink 400 can include any suitable number of arm engagers 406, and such arm engagers 406 can have any suitable configuration.
One embodiment includes an assembly or kit which has the sink attachment device 10, the sink panel device 200, and one or more side sink panel devices 256. These devices 10, 200 and 256 are configured to be removably connected to any suitable sink. In addition, the devices 200 and 256 are removably connectable to each other.
One embodiment includes a sink-related device or apparatus which has any suitable combination of any of the components, functionality and structure of the following elements: the sink attachment device 10, the sink panel device 200, one or more side sink panel devices 256, the modified version 402 of the sink attachment device 10, and the sink 400.
It should be understood that various changes and modifications to the presently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present subject matter and without diminishing its intended advantages. It is therefore intended that such changes and modifications be covered by the appended claims.
Claims
1. A sink attachment device comprising:
- a body having a base wall and a side wall extending upward from the base wall, the base wall having a top and a bottom, the side wall comprising a plurality of item holders;
- an arm configured to be movably coupled to the bottom of the base wall; and
- a sink mount movably coupled to the bottom of the body, the sink mount comprising: (a) a sink wall receiver, the sink wall receiver defining a space configured to receive a portion of a wall of a sink; and (b) a plurality of spaced-apart arm engagers.
2. The sink attachment device of claim 1, wherein the top of the base wall has a plurality of protrusions.
3. The sink attachment device of claim 1, wherein the top of the base wall defines a plurality of base channels.
4. The sink attachment device of claim 1, wherein the top of the base wall comprises a plurality of raised walls positioned on opposite sides of at least one of the channels, at least one of the raised walls defining a plurality of raised wall channels, each one of the raised wall channels extending along an axis which intersects with the channels.
5. The sink attachment device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the item holders comprises at least on removable container, the container having a base and a top which is larger than the base, the at least one item holder defining an opening sized to receive the base of the container, the opening being smaller than the top of the container.
6. The sink attachment device of claim 1, wherein a portion of the side wall lies in a plan which is substantially parallel to the base wall, a plurality of the item holders comprising a plurality of inner walls which define a plurality of openings in the portion of the side wall, the openings having different configurations.
7. The sink attachment device of claim 6, wherein one of the openings has an elongated configuration.
8. The sink attachment device of claim 6, wherein a plurality of the openings are positioned adjacent to one another, the openings having circular configurations of different diameters.
9. The sink attachment device of claim 1, which includes: (a) a first pattern of first protrusions connected to a first area of the base wall; and (b) a different second pattern of different second protrusions connected to a second area of the base wall.
10. A sink panel device comprising:
- a panel body having a base;
- at least one sink mount coupled to the base of the panel body, the at least one sink mount defining an opening sized to receive a portion of a sink; and
- a plurality of spaced-apart panel couplers coupled to the panel body, each one of the panel coupler being: (a) associated with a different sink size; and (b) configured to couple the panel body to at least one additional panel body.
11. The sink panel device of claim 10, which includes at least one shelf coupled to the panel body.
12. The sink panel device of claim 10, which includes at least one item holder coupled to the panel body.
13. The sink panel device of claim 10, which includes at least one additional mount coupled to the panel body, the additional mount defining an opening sized to receive a fastener.
14. The sink panel device of claim 10, wherein the panel body comprises a left side and a right side, a plurality of the panel couplers being positioned adjacent to the left side, a plurality of additional ones of the panel couplers being positioned adjacent to the right side, the additional panel body being configured to be interchangeably coupled to the left side and the right side.
15. The sink panel device of claim 10, which comprises:
- (a) the additional panel body, the additional panel body being configured to be removably coupled to the panel coupler, the additional panel body having a base; and
- (b) at least one additional sink mount coupled to the base of the additional panel body.
16. A sink comprising:
- a base wall defining a drain opening;
- a side wall extending upward from the base wall, the side wall having an interior and an exterior; and
- at least one an arm engager coupled to the exterior of the side wall, the at least one arm engager configured to engage an arm of a sink attachment device when the sink attachment device is attached to the side wall.
17. The sink of claim 16, which includes a plurality of arm engagers coupled to the side wall, the arm engagers being vertically spaced apart from one another.
18. The sink of claim 16, wherein one of the side walls comprises a faucet support.
19. The sink of claim 16, which comprises a plurality of legs coupled to the base wall.
20. The sink of claim 16, which includes: (a) a plurality of side walls extending upward from the base wall; (b) a front wall extending upward from the base wall, each one of the side walls having an interior and an exterior, the front wall having an interior and an exterior; (c) at least one an arm engager coupled to the exterior of each one of the side walls; and (d) at least one arm engager coupled to the exterior of the front wall, each one of said arm engagers being configured to engage an arm of the sink attachment device.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 30, 2007
Publication Date: Jun 4, 2009
Applicant: TALERICO CORPORATION (Palos Park, IL)
Inventor: James E. Talerico (Palos Park, IL)
Application Number: 11/948,665
International Classification: E03C 1/12 (20060101);