Abstract
A method of installing a sink in a worktop cut-out, including: (a) providing a sink with: a bowl with a bottom wall and a circumferential side wall; at least one outlet opening located in the bottom; a circumferential rim located at an upper edge of the bowl and extending outwardly from the side wall by an extent (E); resilient clamping elements arranged on the outside of the bowl adjacent the rim, that in a free or uncompressed state, extend outwardly beyond the extent (E), and which provide, in a loaded state, a clamping force outwardly from the side wall; (b) making the worktop cut-out larger in dimension than a rim area but smaller than an envelope around the uncompressed clamping elements while defining a cut-out side wall extending at right angles to upper and lower surfaces of the worktop; (c) placing the sink in the cut-out so that the cut-out side wall is located opposite the rim, the sink being centered within the cut-out by the clamping elements, which are compressed between the cut-out side wall and the sink.
Claims
1. A workplace comprising a sink (1), said sink comprising: at least one bowl (2) with a bottom wall (3) and a circumferential side wall (4); at least one outlet opening (3a) located in said bottom wall (3); a circumferential rim (5) located at an upper edge of said bowl (2) around an outside thereof, said rim (5) extending outwardly from said side wall (4) by a lateral extent (E); a plurality of resilient clamping elements (6) arranged on the outside of said bowl (2) adjacent said rim (5), said plurality of clamping elements (6), in a free or uncompressed state thereof, extend outwardly beyond the lateral extent (E) of said rim (5), and said plurality of clamping elements (6) are configured to provide, in a loaded or compressed state thereof, a clamping force outwardly from said side wall (4); a worktop (11), said worktop (11) having a cut-out (11a) therein, in which said sink (1) is installed, said cut-out (11a) defining a cut-out side wall (11b) extending at right angles with respect to an upper surface (11d) and a lower surface of said worktop (11), said cut-out side wall (11b) is located opposite said rim (5), and said sink (1) is centered within said cut-out (11a) by said plurality of clamping elements (6), which are compressed between said cut-out side wall (11b) and said sink (1); and an adhesive sealing joint located around an outward facing surface of said rim (5), between said sink (1) and said cut-out side wall (11b), and above said plurality of clamping elements (6), a distance or gap between said rim (5) and said cut-out side wall (11b) is uniform around said sink, and an upper face of said rim (5) defined along an outermost edge of the rim (5) is coplanar with said upper worktop surface (11d).
2. The workplace according to claim 1, wherein said rim (5) is configured in solid material or is configured by outward and downward bending of the side wall (4) material.
3. The workplace according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of clamping elements (6) are compressible inwardly toward said side wall (4) to an extent that said plurality of clamping elements (6) do not extend outwardly beyond said lateral extent (E) of said rim (5).
4. The workplace according to claim 1, wherein a clamping force per unit length of said side wall (4), as caused by said plurality of clamping elements (6) in said loaded or compressed state thereof, is evenly distributed around the sink (1), by at least one of adjusting a number of the plurality of clamping elements (6), a mutual spacing between individual clamping elements (6) of said plurality of clamping elements (6), or a clamping force of individual clamping elements (6) of said plurality of clamping elements (6).
5. The workplace according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of clamping elements (6) each comprise at least one spring element which is hook-shaped in cross section with a first leg (6a) extending parallel to said side wall (4) and downwardly from said rim (5), a second leg (6b) extending outwardly from said first leg (6a) and from said side wall (4), and a third leg (6c) extending outwardly from said second leg (6b) and from said side wall (4), said third leg (6c) at least partially overlapping with said first leg (6a).
6. The workplace according to claim 5, wherein a free end portion (6d) of said third leg (6c) is further angled outwardly from said side wall (4).
7. The workplace according to claim 1, wherein said cut-out side wall (11b) defines an opening that is larger than a perimeter defined by said lateral extent (E) of said rim (5).
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) Further features and advantages of the present invention will now be described in connection with exemplary embodiments thereof with relation to the drawings.
(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sink according to the present invention, further illustrating the optional method step of placing a bead of an adhesive sealing material around the sink rim;
(3) FIGS. 2a through 2d show the sink of FIG. 1 together with an installation device according to the present invention;
(4) FIG. 3 shows a worktop with a cut-out, prior to installing a sink according to the present invention;
(5) FIG. 4 shows the worktop of FIG. 3 after applying a removable protective cover according to a preferred method step;
(6) FIG. 5 shows an intermediate state during installation of the sink according to FIG. 1 or FIGS. 2a through 2d according to the inventive method;
(7) FIG. 6 shows a detail from FIG. 5; and
(8) FIGS. 7a through 7d show successive method steps for completing the sink installation process.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
(9) In FIG. 1, the sink according to the present invention is denoted by means of reference numeral 1. Said sink 1 canwithout limitationbe devised as a kitchen sink. It comprises a bowl 2 with a bottom wall 3 and a circumferential side wall 4. At least one outlet opening, which cannot be seen in FIG. 1, is located in said bottom wall 3 (cf. FIG. 2b). A circumferential rim 5 is located at an upper edge of said bowl 2 around an outside thereof, as can be readily seen from FIG. 1. Said rim 5 extends outwardly from said side wall 4 by an extent (cf. e.g. FIG. 6). Furthermore, the sink 1 comprises a number of resilient clamping elements 6 arranged on the outside of said bowl 2 adjacent said rim 5. In FIG. 1, said clamping elements 6 are shown in a free or uncompressed state, in which they extend outwardly beyond the extent of said rim 5 (refer to FIGS. 5 and 6 for more details) The clamping elements 6 are devised for providing, in a loaded or compressed state thereof, a clamping force directed outwardly from said side wall 4, for holding the sink in a corresponding worktop cut-out, as will be explained in more detail below.
(10) Referring now to FIG. 6, the above-mentioned extent, by which the rim 5 extends outwardly from said side wall 4, has been denoted by reference numeral E. Furthermore, it can be easily gathered from FIG. 6 that the clamping element 6, in its unloaded state, does extend outwardly beyond the extent E of said rim 5. In a preferred embodiment, a value of said extent E can be comprised between 2.5 mm and 6 mm, preferably between 2.5 mm and 5 mm, and more preferably equals about 4 mm.
(11) As can further be gathered from FIG. 6, the clamping elements 6 can comprise at least one spring element which is hook-shaped in cross section, with a first leg 6a extending essentially parallel to said side wall 4 and preferably downwardly from said rim 5, a second leg 6b extending outwardly from said first leg 6a and from said side wall 4, and a third leg 6c extending outwardly from second leg 6b and from said side wall 4 as well as parallel to said first leg 6a, in said free or uncompressed state of the clamping elements 6, as shown in FIG. 6. Furthermore, said third leg 6c at least partly overlaps with said first leg 6a. A free end portion of said third leg 6c is angled outwardly from said side wall 4, as shown at reference numeral 6d.
(12) As can further be gathered from FIG. 6, the rim 5 is configured in solid material for increased mechanical strength. Alternatively, it could be configured by outward and downward bending of the side wall 4 material.
(13) Furthermore, from FIG. 6 it can be gathered that the clamping elements 6 are compressible inwardly toward the side wall 4 to an extent that they do no longer extend outwardly beyond said extent E of the rim 5. This enables easy installation of the sink 1 from above a worktop, as will be explained in detail below.
(14) Referring again to FIG. 1, it can be seen that a clamping force per unit length of the side wall 4, as caused by said clamping elements 6 in their loaded or compressed state, is essentially evenly distributed around the sink, by adapting the number of the clamping elements 6. According to the embodiment of FIG. 1, all of the clamping elements 6 are essentially identical; however, more clamping elements have been placed along the longer side walls of the rectangular sink 1, thus enabling centering of the sink 1 within a worktop cut-out. In this context, the number of clamping elements 6 at opposing side walls 4 of the sink 1 should be identical, which cannot be seen in FIG. 1.
(15) Further according to FIG. 1, by use of a suitable device 7, a bead 8 of an adhesive sealing material is placed around the rim 5, which adhesive sealing material can bewithout limitationa silicone material. The effect of said bead 8 will be explained below. Preferably, said bead 8 is placed around the entire periphery of the rim 5 around the sink 1, more preferably with a bead diameter of approx. 7 mm.
(16) FIGS. 2a through 2d show the sink 1 of FIG. 1 (without bead 8) and its interaction with a special installation device denoted by reference numeral 9. The installation device 9 comprises and installing jig 9a and a so-called jig counterpart or counterpart 9b. The installing jig 9a can be best seen in FIGS. 2a and 2c, whereas the counterpart 9b can be best seen in FIGS. 2b and 2d. The installing jig 9a and its counterpart 9b can be madefor instancein plastic or wood-composite material, without limitation. The installing jig 9a has a flat, sheet-like configuration of overall rectangular shape with circumferentially protruding flaps 9c and grip openings 9d, which are located in vicinity of an edge portion of the installing jig 9a. Further comprised are two connecting openings 9e which are located near a center of the installing jig 9a. As can be seen from FIG. 2c, the installing jig 9a can be placed on top of the sink 1, so that it rests on an upper edge or upper face of the rim, while said flaps 9c protrude outwardly from the sink 1 with respect to the rim. Preferably, the location of each flap 9c corresponds to the location of a clamping element 6.
(17) As can be gathered from FIG. 2b, the square-shaped counterpart 9b is placed over an outlet opening 3a of sink bottom wall 3. In this context, the overall dimensions of counterpart 9b are devised such that it completely covers said outlet opening 3a, without passing therethrough. Preferably, sink 1 has an edge contour 3b around said opening 3b, which contour 3b corresponds to a shape of the counterpart 9b in form fitting manner.
(18) As can further be seen from FIG. 2b, said counterpart 9b has a central opening 9f which can be devised as a threaded bore.
(19) FIG. 2c illustrates how a screw (or other connector) 10 can be inserted through opening 9e for connecting the installing jig 9a and its counterpart 9b mutually and in connection with the sink 1 (cf. FIG. 2d). To this end, the screw 10 is screwed into threaded bore 9f of counterpart 9b. In this way, the installing jig 9a and its counterpart 9b are securely and removably attached to sink 1, as shown in FIG. 2d. Sink 1 can then be manipulated by simply engaging grip openings 9d.
(20) FIG. 3 shows a worktop 11 having an essentially rectangular cut-out 11a, which cut-out 11a is intended to be fitted with a sink 1 as described above in connection with FIGS. 1 and 2a through 2d as well as FIG. 6. To this end, the cut-out 11a is made larger in dimension than an area circumscribed by said rim but smaller than an envelope around said clamping elements in their uncompressed state while defining a cut-out side wall 11b extending essentially at right angles with respect to an upper and lower surface of said worktop. Worktop 11 can be made of wood, metal, stone or any other suitable (composite) material. It should be noted that the side wall 11b of cut-out 11a needs not to be polished or otherwise treated when installing sink 1 as described above by using an installation method according to the present invention.
(21) According to FIG. 4, worktop 11 has been provided, adjacent a contour of cut-out 11a, with a removable protective cover 11c made from strips of a suitable tape material.
(22) Referring now to FIG. 5, sink 1 with installation device 9 and bead 8 (not shown; cf. FIG. 1) is inserted downwardly (arrow D) in the cut-out (cf. FIG. 3, 4) of worktop 11. In this way, as shown in FIG. 6, the clamping elements 6 are compressed by interaction with the cut-out side wall 11b, thus generating a force for holding sink 1 within the cut-out 11a. Methodwise, sink 1 is pushed downwardly D until the flaps 9c of installing jig 9a make contact with an upper surface 11d of worktop 11. Then, edge 5 of sink 1 is located within cut-out 11a opposite side wall 11b, and sealing material of bead 8 is located between said side wall 11b and said rim 5 for sealing a gap therebetween and for durably holding the sink after setting or curing of the adhesive sealing material, while further protecting side wall 11b.
(23) FIG. 7a shows the state of the installation after said contact between installing jig 9a and worktop 11. An upper face or upper edge (not shown) of the sink rim is now coplanar with worktop upper surface 11d.
(24) Then, according to FIG. 7b, connector or screw 10 is removed from installation device 9, thus separating installing jig 9a and its counterpart 9b. As can be easily gathered from FIG. 7b (cf. also FIG. 5 and FIG. 2c), connector 10 has an abutment 10a which comes into contact with installing jig 9a (cf. FIG. 7a) for defining a maximum distance between connected installing jig 9a and counterpart 9b.
(25) Then, according to FIG. 7c, the installation device 9 is completely removed from sink 1 on worktop 11.
(26) Finally, in the method step illustrated in FIG. 7d, the protective cover 11 is removed, thus achieving a complete workplace according to an aspect of the present invention. In this context, it should be checked whether or not the gap between the sink bowl and the worktop is filled properly with the sealing material. If not, some adjustment could be made. The clamping elements will hold the sink in position until the sealing material has dried (set or cured).
(27) With reference to FIG. 1, the sealing material (silicone) could be applied with a bead diameter of approximately 7 mm all around the sink rim.
(28) With respect to FIGS. 2a through 2d, said screw 10 can be devised with an M8 thread. The same holds for the threaded bore 9f of counterpart 9b.
(29) Preferably, the dimensions of cut-out 10a according to FIGS. 3 and 4 should correspond to a sink bowl length+2 mm and to a sink bowl width+2 mm, respectively. However, any concrete dimensions will also depend on the respective dimensions of clamping elements 6 and rim 5 (extent E) according to FIG. 6.
(30) Accordingly, protective cover 11c according to FIG. 4 could be applied with a respective width of 20 through 30 mm, without limitation.
