Sink with tri-mountable sink rim

Abstract

This invention is a novel sink rim that is readily adaptable to mounting by conventional drop in, under mount and flush mount methods. By incorporating a thicker and wider outwardly extending peripheral mounting flange, a tri-mountable sink rim is created. Having a flat surface on both the upper and lower surfaces of the outwardly extending peripheral mounting flange, the rim may be mounted as a drop in or an under mount sink assembly. By welding the separate pieces to form the sink assembly, substantially square exterior edges (of from about 85 to about 95 degrees, preferably from about 89 to about 91 degrees) are formed. These square exterior edges, as opposed to rolled or beveled edges, create a truly flush mountable rim, overcoming the limitations of prior art sinks. The additional thickness and width of the outwardly extending peripheral mounting flange provide adequate support for the sink assembly when flush mounted.

1 . A tri-mountable sink assembly comprising:
 a first sink basin, wherein said first sink basin comprises
 four downwardly depending basin walls, wherein said downwardly depending basin walls have a thickness, 
 a base member, wherein said base member has a thickness and comprises a drainage aperture, 
   an outwardly extending peripheral mounting flange, wherein
 said outwardly extending peripheral mounting flange comprises a generally rectangular shaped frame surrounding and outwardly protruding from said downwardly depending basin walls, said outwardly extending peripheral mounting flange has a thickness, 
 said outwardly extending peripheral mounting flange extends outwardly a distance of from about 0.5 to about 6.0 inches from the downwardly depending basin walls, 
 said outwardly extending peripheral mounting flange is disposed horizontally from the downwardly depending basin walls, said outwardly extending peripheral mounting flange is adapted to be mounted in a countertop by flush mount, under mount and drop in methods, 
 said outwardly extending peripheral mounting flange comprises an interior edge and an exterior edge, 
 said downwardly depending basin walls depend from said interior edge, 
   wherein said tri-mountable sink assembly comprises a unitary structure, and   wherein the quotient of a thickness of said downwardly depending basin walls divided by a thickness of said peripheral mounting flange is from about 0.08 to about 0.54.   
   
   
       2 . The tri-mountable sink assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said tri-mountable sink assembly comprises a material selected from the group consisting of stainless steel, copper, bronze and brass. 
   
   
       3 . The tri-mountable sink assembly of  claim 2 , wherein said outwardly extending peripheral mounting flange comprises from about 6 to about 6/0 gauge stainless steel. 
   
   
       4 . The tri-mountable sink assembly of  claim 3 , wherein said outwardly extending peripheral mounting flange comprises 3 gauge stainless steel. 
   
   
       5 . The tri-mountable sink assembly of  claim 2 , wherein said downwardly depending basin walls comprise from about 12 to about 20 gauge stainless steel. 
   
   
       6 . The tri-mountable sink assembly of  claim 4 , wherein said downwardly depending basin walls comprise from about 16 to about 18 gauge stainless steel. 
   
   
       7 . The tri-mountable sink assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the quotient of a thickness of said downwardly depending basin walls divided by a thickness of said outwardly extending peripheral mounting flange is from about 0.2 to about 0.25. 
   
   
       8 . The tri-mountable sink assembly of  claim 7 , wherein said outwardly extending peripheral mounting flange further comprises a distal flange portion, a proximal flange portion, a first transverse flange portion and a second transverse flange portion, and wherein
 said distal flange portion comprises a width of from about 1.5 to about 6 inches,   said proximal flange portion comprises a width of from about 1.5 to about 6 inches,   said first transverse flange portion comprises a width of from about 0.5 to about 3 inches,   said second transverse flange portion comprises a width of from about 0.5 to about 3 inches,   said first transverse flange portion and said second transverse flange portion comprise the same width, and said first transverse flange portion and said second transverse flange portion comprise a width that is less than the width of said distal flange portion or said proximal flange portion.   
   
   
       9 . The tri-mountable sink assembly of  claim 7 , wherein said basin further comprises at least one noise reducing device. 
   
   
       10 . The tri-mountable sink assembly of  claim 9 , wherein said outwardly extending peripheral mounting flange further comprises at least one aperture adapted to receive faucet controls. 
   
   
       11 . A tri-mountable sink assembly comprising
 A first sink basin, wherein said first sink basin comprises
 four downwardly depending basin walls, wherein said downwardly depending basin walls have a thickness, 
 a first base member, wherein said first base member has a thickness and comprises a first drainage aperture, 
   an outwardly extending peripheral mounting flange, wherein
 said outwardly extending peripheral mounting flange comprises a generally rectangular shaped frame surrounding and outwardly protruding from said downwardly depending basin walls, 
   said outwardly extending peripheral mounting flange has a thickness,   said outwardly extending peripheral mounting flange extends outwardly a distance of from about 0.5 to about 6 inches from the downwardly depending basin walls,   said outwardly extending peripheral mounting flange is disposed horizontally from the downwardly depending basin walls,   said outwardly extending peripheral mounting flange is adapted to be mounted in a countertop by flush mount, under mount and drop in methods,   said outwardly extending peripheral mounting flange comprises an interior edge and an exterior edge,   said downwardly depending basin walls depend from said interior edge,   said interior edge directly communicates with said downwardly depending basin walls,   said interior edge comprises a rounded edge with a radius of from about 1/32 inch to about ½ inch,   said exterior edge comprises a generally square edge,   wherein said tri-mountable sink assembly comprises stainless steel,   said outwardly extending peripheral mounting flange comprises 3 gauge stainless steel,   said downwardly depending basin walls comprise from about 16 to about 18 gauge stainless steel,   said first base member comprises from about 16 to about 18 gauge stainless steel, and   the quotient of a thickness of said downwardly depending basin walls
 divided by a thickness of said outwardly extending peripheral mounting flange is from about 0.2 to about 0.25, and 
   wherein said tri-mountable sink assembly comprises a unitary structure.   
   
   
       12 . The tri-mountable sink assembly of  claim 11 , wherein said first basin comprises a generally rectangular shape. 
   
   
       13 . The tri-mountable sink assembly of  claim 11 , wherein said tri-mountable sink assembly further comprises a second basin. 
   
   
       14 . The tri-mountable sink assembly of  claim 12 , wherein said second basin comprises a generally rectangular shape. 
   
   
       15 . A tri-mountable countertop sink rim comprising
 A first sink basin, wherein
 said first sink basin comprises four downwardly depending basin walls and a base member, 
 said downwardly depending basin walls have a thickness, and 
   an outwardly extending peripheral mounting flange, wherein
 said outwardly extending peripheral mounting flange comprises a generally rectangular shaped frame surrounding and outwardly protruding from said downwardly depending basin walls, said outwardly extending peripheral mounting flange has a thickness, 
 said outwardly extending peripheral mounting flange is adapted to be mounted in a countertop by flush mount, under mount and drop in methods, 
 said outwardly extending peripheral mounting flange comprises an interior edge and an exterior edge. 
 said downwardly depending basin walls depend from said interior edge, 
 said interior edge comprises a rounded edge with a radius of from about 1/32 inch to about ½ inch, 
 said exterior edge comprises a generally square edge, and and 
   wherein the quotient of a thickness of said downwardly depending basin walls divided by a thickness of said outwardly extending peripheral mounting flange is from about 0.08 to about 0.54.   
   
   
       16 . The tri-mountable countertop sink rim of  claim 15 , wherein said outwardly extending peripheral mounting flange comprises 3 gauge stainless steel, wherein said downwardly depending basin walls comprise from about 16 to about 15 gauge stainless steel, and wherein the quotient of a thickness of said downwardly depending basin walls divided by a thickness of said outwardly extending peripheral mounting flange is from about 0.2 to about 0.25. 
   
   
       17 . The tri-mountable countertop sink rim of  claim 16 , wherein said peripheral mounting flange uniformly extends outwardly a distance of from about 0.5 to about 6 inches from said downwardly depending basin walls. 
   
   
       18 . The tri-mountable countertop sink rim of  claim 17 , wherein said outwardly extending peripheral mounting flange uniformly extends outwardly a distance of about 1.5 inches from said downwardly depending basin walls. 
   
   
       19 . The tri-mountable countertop sink rim of  claim 16 , wherein said outwardly extending peripheral mounting flange further comprises a distal flange portion, a proximal flange portion, a first transverse flange portion and a second transverse flange portion, and wherein
 said distal flange portion comprises a width of from about 1.5 to about 6 inches,   said proximal flange portion comprises a width of from about 1.5 to about 6 inches,   said first transverse flange portion comprises a width of from about 0.5 to about 3 inches,   said second transverse flange portion comprises a width of from about 0.5 to about 3 inches,   said first transverse flange portion and said second transverse flange portion comprise the same width, and said first transverse flange portion and said second transverse flange portion comprise a width that is less than the width of said distal flange portion or said proximal flange portion.   
   
   
       20 . The tri-mountable countertop sink rim of  claim 15  further comprising
 a countertop and a cabinet, wherein said sink rim is flush mounted about said countertop.   
   
   
       21 . A sink mountable in a countertop according to a selected one of a plurality of mounting styles, comprising:
 a basin having a mouth; and   a mounting flange fixed to and extending outward from the basin mouth, the mounting flange dimensioned to support the sink when mounted and comprising:
 a top surface dimensioned to cooperate for under mounting style with a bottom surface of the countertop and to lie for flush mounting style in the same plane as the top surface of the countertop; and 
 a bottom surface dimensioned to cooperate for drop in mounting style with the top surface of the countertop and to cooperate for flush mounting style with an upper surface of a sunken mounting ledge in the countertop. 
   
   
   
       22 . The sink of  claim 21 , wherein the mounting flange is generally rectangular. 
   
   
       23 . The sink of  claim 22 , wherein the mounting flange comprises a peripheral surface extending between the top and bottom surfaces. 
   
   
       24 . The sink of  claim 23 , wherein the peripheral surface is a vertical exterior edge. 
   
   
       25 . The sink of  claim 24 , wherein the top and bottom surfaces of the mounting flange are each generally horizontal when mounted. 
   
   
       26 . The sink of  claim 25 , wherein the mounting flange is metallurgically integral with the basin. 
   
   
       27 . The sink of  claim 26 , wherein the mounting flange comprises a plurality of members. 
   
   
       28 . The sink of  claim 27 , wherein the mounting flange comprises four members. 
   
   
       29 . The sink of  claim 28 , wherein the mounting flange extends from about 0.5 to about 6 inches outward from the basin mouth. 
   
   
       30 . A sink assembly comprising:
 a countertop having a cutout; and   the sink of  claim 21  mounted in the countertop according to a style selected from the group consisting of under mounting, flush mounting and drop in mounting..   
   
   
       31 . The sink assembly of  claim 30 , wherein the cutout is dimensioned to have a periphery that is vertically flush with the interior walls of the basin when the sink is mounted according to the under mounting style. 
   
   
       32 . The sink assembly of  claim 30 , wherein the cutout is dimensioned to have a periphery that is adjacent to the basin when the sink is mounted according to the drop in mounting style. 
   
   
       33 . The sink assembly of  claim 30 , wherein the cutout is dimensioned to have a periphery that is adjacent to the periphery of the mounting flange when the sink is mounted according to the flush mounting style, the countertop further comprising a sunken mounting ledge for cooperating with the bottom surface of the mounting flange to support the sink.