Two-piece vanity top

Abstract

The two-piece vanity top includes a granite top piece having a sink opening. A sink member having a flange is joined to an undersurface of the granite top piece to align with the sink opening. The sink flange thus extends along the undersurface of the top piece. A plurality of clamping assemblies are bonded to the undersurface of the top-piece without penetrating the top-piece and without threading any fasteners into the granite surface. Each of the clamping assemblies includes an adjustable clamping member that is engageable with the sink flange to force the sink flange against the undersurface of the top-piece.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A vanity top comprising, 
 a) a granite top piece having a sink opening with a peripheral edge, said top piece including a top surface and an undersurface,    b) a sink member having a water receiving bowl with a top portion and a sink flange that extends outwardly from the top portion and away from the water receiving bowl, said sink member being joined to the undersurface of said top piece such that said sink flange extends outwardly beyond the peripheral edge of the sink opening in said top piece along the undersurface of said top piece, said sink flange having an outer edge, an upper surface and a lower surface, and    c) means for joining said sink member to the undersurface of said top piece such that the water receiving bowl aligns with the sink opening in said top piece, said joining means including a plurality of clamping assemblies located at selected positions around the top portion of said sink member, said clamping assemblies being bonded to the undersurface of said top piece without penetrating the top piece, and said clamping assemblies are spaced from the outer edge of said sink flange such that each said clamping assembly is engagable with the lower surface of said sink flange to force said sink flange against the undersurface of said top piece, whereby said sink member is held against and joined to the undersurface of said top piece.    
     
     
         2 . The vanity top as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the clamping assembly includes an adjustable clip member and means for moving the adjustable clip member against the lower surface of said sink flange, to forcibly engage said sink flange, said clamping assembly being positioned on the undersurface of said top piece such that said clip member overlays the lower surface of said sink flange whereby movement of said adjustable clip member against the lower surface of said sink flange enables said clip member to exert a force against said sink flange that clamps said sink flange against the undersurface of said top piece.  
     
     
         3 . The vanity top as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the clamping assembly further includes a stem portion engagable with the clip member.  
     
     
         4 . The vanity top as claimed in  claim 3  wherein the stem portion is threaded and the means for moving the clip member against the lower surface of the sink flange include a threaded nut member movable on the stem portion toward the lower surface of said sink flange to urge the clip member against the lower surface of said sink flange.  
     
     
         5 . The vanity top as claimed in  claim 3  wherein the stem portion includes a base section that is bonded to the undersurface of said top piece, proximate the outer edge of said sink flange, to permit said clip member, when engaged with said stem portion, to overlie the lower surface of said flange.  
     
     
         6 . The vanity top as claimed in  claim 4  wherein the stem portion includes a base section that is bonded to the undersurface of said top piece, proximate the outer edge of said sink flange to permit said clip member, when engaged with said stem portion, to overlie the lower surface of said sink flange.  
     
     
         7 . The vanity top as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the clamping assembly includes a stem portion having a base section bonded to the undersurface of said top piece, and a clip member is engageable with the stem portion, said base section being positioned on the undersurface of said top piece proximate the outer edge of said sink flange to permit said clip member, when engaged with said stem portion, to overlie the lower surface of said sink flange.  
     
     
         8 . The vanity top as claimed in  claim 7  wherein the stem portion is threaded and a nut member is threaded on the stem portion, the clip member being positioned between the nut member and the base section such that movement of the nut member on the stem portion toward the lower surface of said sink flange, urges the clip member against the lower surface of the sink flange.  
     
     
         9 . The vanity top as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the adjustable clip member includes a stepped offset portion that overlies the lower surface of said sink flange.  
     
     
         10 . The vanity top as claimed in  claim 9  wherein the clamping assembly includes a base section bonded to the undersurface of said top piece and the sink flange has a first height or thickness, and the stepped offset portion has a height that is less than the sink flange thickness to enable the adjustable clip member to form an angle with the base section when the clip member is in a tightened condition against the sink flange.  
     
     
         11 . A vanity top comprising, 
 a) a granite top piece having a sink opening with a peripheral edge, said top piece including a top surface and an undersurface,    b) a sink member having a water receiving bowl with a top portion and a sink flange that extends outwardly from the top portion and away from the water receiving bowl, said sink member being joined to the undersurface of said top piece such that said sink flange extends outwardly beyond the peripheral edge of the sink opening in said top piece along the undersurface of said top piece, said sink flange having an outer edge, an upper surface and a lower surface, and    c) means for joining said sink member to the undersurface of said top piece such that the water receiving bowl aligns with the sink opening in said top piece, said joining means being bonded to the undersurface of said top piece proximate the outer edge of said sink flange without penetrating the top piece, and said joining means including at least two spaced clamping members engagable against the lower surface of said sink flange to force said sink flange against the undersurface of said top piece, whereby said sink member is clamped to the undersurface of said top piece.    
     
     
         12 . The vanity top as claimed in  claim 11  wherein the joining means includes a stem portion having a base section bonded to the undersurface of said top piece, proximate the outer edge of said sink flange, to permit said clamping member to overlie the lower surface of said sink flange.  
     
     
         13 . The vanity top as claimed in  claim 12  wherein the stem portion is threaded and a threaded nut member is movable on the stem portion toward the lower surface of said sink flange to urge the clamping member against the lower surface of said sink flange.  
     
     
         14 . The vanity top as claimed in  claim 12  wherein the sink flange has a first height or thickness, and the clamping members have a stepped offset portion with a height that is less than the sink flange thickness to enable the clamping members to form an angle with the base section when the clamping members are in a tightened condition against the sink flange.  
     
     
         15 . A method of making a vanity top, comprising, 
 a) forming a granite top piece with a sink opening having a peripheral edge, a top surface and an undersurface,    b) providing a sink member having a water-receiving bowl and a top portion with a sink flange having an upper surface, a lower surface and an outer edge,    c) positioning the sink member at the undersurface of the top piece such that the sink flange extends outwardly beyond the peripheral edge of the sink opening along the undersurface of the top piece,    d) joining the sink member to the top piece by, 
 (i) bonding a plurality of threaded stem pieces to the undersurface of the top piece in spaced arrangement around the top portion of the sink member such that a free end of the threaded stem pieces project away from the undersurface of the top piece, and are a selected distance from the outer edge of the sink flange and do not penetrate the top piece,  
 (ii) providing each stem piece with an elongated clamping member that fits onto the stem piece via an opening in the clamping member,  
 (iii) arranging the clamping member while on the stem piece, to overlie the lower surface of the sink flange,  
 (iv) threading a nut onto the stem piece for tightening against the clamping member to force the clamping member against the lower surface of the sink flange to thereby clamp the sink flange against the undersurface of the top piece and secure the sink to the top piece.  
   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the bonding step includes providing the stem piece with a base section, and bonding the base section to the undersurface of the top piece.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15  including forming the clamping member with a stepped portion to overlie the lower surface of the sink flange.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16  including forming the clamping member with a stepped portion having a height or offset that is less than the sink flange thickness to enable the clamping member to form an angle with the base section when the clamping member is in a tightened condition against the sink flange.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15  including providing the undersurface of the top piece with four stem pieces and flour clamping members.