Accessory for a double basin kitchen sink

Abstract

An accessory for a double basin kitchen sink which comprises a first member and a second member together with an attachment on its bottom surface. The said first member rests on a sink divider and overhangs over both sides of the sink divider. The said first member has two legs that straddle the sink divider. The two legs of the first member are attached to the sink divider. The second member of the invention can be a cutting board or a bowl or a colander or a mounted blade, together with an attachment on its bottom surface. For example, the second member of the invention can be a cutting board that has an “S” shaped attachment on its bottom surface so that it engages said overhang portion of said first member of the invention. The second member of the invention is then slid along said first member so that it rests on the sink divider. If the second member of the invention is a cutting board, then part of the cutting board rests on the sink divider and part of it rests on the countertop located in front of the sink divider.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

Not Applicable

SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to an accessory for double basin kitchen sinks. The accessory can be in the form of a cutting board or a bowl or a colander or a mounted blade.

2. Prior Art

The prior art has cutting boards mounted over the sink divider in a double basin kitchen sink or they straddle across one of the basins or they are mounted on the kitchen countertop. The present invention is mounted over the sink divider and has many more uses. It can be a cutting board or a bowl or a colander or a mounted blade. In a small kitchen or in a commercial kitchen, such flexibility is important.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,625,162 shows a cutting board that is attached to the sink divider by using studs that fit into nuts mounted onto the underside of the cutting board. These nuts are slid into slots and nonrotatably mounted. The cutting surface so produced can be shaky and does not present other uses such as those shown in the present invention.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,341,770 B1 has a first cutting board that straddles a sink divider and a second cutting board that is connected to the first cutting board on one edge and the other edge rests on the countertop. This arrangement obstructs one of the two sinks and both cutting boards can be shaky. because they are supported at the edges.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,994,336 B2 shows a cutting board that is mounted on the counter edge. It uses the narrow counter space located at the front of the sink to provide a cutting surface. There is a good chance any spillage would end up onto the floor because the cutting board is right at the edge of the kitchen counter. Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 6,994,336 B2 can only provide a cutting board on the kitchen sink.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,182,305 B1 shows a cutting board that is movable side-to-side and front-to-back over a sink basin. It substantially obstructs the sink basin.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,041,964 shows a cutting board that is supported over one basin of a double basin kitchen sink. It substantially obstructs the sink basin.

The present invention is stable because it is supported by the divider of the kitchen sink and the countertop in front of the sink divider. One member of this invention is detachable. When removed, there is hardly any obstruction to the double basin kitchen sink.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a first member, and a second member with attachment(s) on its bottom surface. The first member rests on the sink divider and overhangs over both sides of the sink divider. Said first member has a top surface and a bottom surface. The bottom surface has two legs that straddle the sink divider. Bolts are used to attach the two legs of the first member to the sink divider. Other means of attachment may be used.

The second member of the invention can be a cutting board or a bowl or a colander or a mounted blade, together with attachment(s) on its bottom surface. For example, the second member of the invention can be a cutting board that has two “S” shaped attachments on its bottom surface so that it engages said overhang portions of said first member, as shown in FIG. 2. The second member of the invention is then slid along said first member so that it rests on the sink divider. If the second member of the invention is a cutting board, then part of the cutting board rests on the sink divider and part of it rests on the countertop located in front of the sink divider.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 a perspective view showing a first member and a second member of the invention where the second member is a cutting board.

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of the first member of the invention taken from the cut 2-2 as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a cutting board resting on a sink divider and on the countertop located in front of the sink divider.

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the first member, and the second member, which is a cutting board, together with its two attachments taken from the cut 4-4 as shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the cutting board as shown in FIG. 3 together with two “S” shaped attachments on its bottom surface.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a bowl together with a “C” shaped attachment on its bottom surface.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a blade mounted on a body together with a “C” shaped attachment on its bottom surface.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention comprises a first member, and a second member together with its attachment(s). The first member of the invention rests on and is attached to the sink divider. The second member of the invention may be a cutting board or a bowl or a colander or a mounted blade, together with its attachment(s). The second member, together with its attachment(s), is detachably attached to the first member of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a first member 10 and a second member of the invention. In this embodiment, the second member of the invention is a cutting board 12.

FIG. 2 shows a cross sectional, view of the first member 10 which comprises a member 14 resting on a sink divider 20 such that the said member 14 overhangs over both sides of the sink divider 20. The said member 14 has two legs 16 that straddle the sink divider 20. In this embodiment, bolts 18 are used to attach the two legs 16 to the sink divider 20. Other means of attachment may be used. For example, one may use screws or thumbscrews.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the second member of the invention. In this embodiment, the second member of the invention is a cutting board 12. Part of the cutting board 12 rests on the sink divider and part of it rests on the countertop located in front of the sink divider.

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view showing the cutting board 12, together with its two attachments 22, attached to the first member of the invention 10. On the underside of the cutting board 12 is a bottom surface 26. Bolts 24 attach two “S” shaped attachments 22 to the bottom surface 26 of the said cutting board 12. The two “S” shaped attachments 22 are then engaged with the overhang portions of said member 14, which is shown in FIG. 2. The cutting board 12 together with the two “S” shaped attachments 22 are then slid along said member 14 so that part of the cutting board 12 rests on the sink divider and part of it rests on the countertop located in front of the sink divider.

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the cutting board 12 together with two “S” shaped attachments 22 attached to its bottom surface 26.

FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of a bowl 30, together with a “C” shaped attachment 28. In this embodiment, the second member of the invention is a bowl 30. In another embodiment of this invention, the bowl 30 is perforated with holes so that it functions as a colander. For example, a pot of spaghetti boiled in water may be poured into the perforated bowl. The spaghetti is left in the perforated bowl and the hot water harmlessly flows out of the perforated bowl and into the kitchen sink.

The bowl 30 together with its “C” shaped attachment 28 is engaged with the overhang portions of the member 14, which is shown in FIG. 2. The bowl 30 together with its “C” shaped attachment 28 are then slid along the said member 14 so that the bowl 30 rests on the sink divider.

FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a blade 38 mounted on a body 34 together with a “C” shaped attachment 40. The “C” shaped attachment 40 is engaged with the overhang portions of the member 14, which is shown in FIG. 2. The blade 38 together with the body 34 and the “C” shaped attachment 40 are then slid along the said member 14 so that the blade 38 rests on the sink divider. The blade 38 may be used to sharpen knives. Alternatively, it may be used to remove the kernel from coconuts or used to saw meat.

Claims

1. An accessory for a double basin kitchen sink comprising:

a. a first member having first and second opposing edges, a top and bottom surfaces, a first and second legs connected to said bottom surface and straddle a sink divider of a double basin kitchen sink with first and second opposing edges of said first member overhanging both sides of said sink divider;

b. means to attach said first and second legs of said first member to said sink divider;

c. a second member having a bottom surface and an attachment on its bottom surface;

d. said attachment of said second member being engaged on said overhang portion of said first member;

e. whereby said second member being slid along said first member.

2. The accessory of claim 1 wherein said second member is a cutting board.

3. The accessory of claim 1 wherein said second member is a bowl.

4. The accessory of claim 1 wherein said second member is a bowl perforated with a plurality of holes.

5. The accessory of claim 1 wherein said second member is a blade mounted on a body.

6. The accessory of claim 1 wherein said means to attach said first and second legs of said first member to said sink divider comprises bolts.

7. The accessory of claim 1 wherein said means to attach said first and second legs of said first member to said sink divider comprises screws.

8. The accessory of claim 1 wherein said means to attach said first and second legs of said first member to said sink divider comprises thumbscrews.