1. Field of the Invention
This application relates to improved vanity assemblies, specifically vanity assemblies that include a combination sink and countertop with a drawer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Vanity assemblies are commonly used in homes, particularly in bathrooms. Vanity assemblies typically comprise a combination sink and countertop type structure, with some space below the sink and countertop for storage. Many vanity assemblies are generally box-like in structure, having a base and side walls, with the combination sink and countertop resting on and/or connected to the two side walls. The space below the sink, above the base, and defined by the side walls can be used to store bathroom supplies, cleaning supplies, or any other materials that might commonly be found in the bathroom area. Some vanity assemblies also include drawers.
An aspect of at least one of the embodiments disclosed herein includes the realization that the storage space below a sink in a vanity assembly can often be limited due to the size, shape, and/or particular features of the sink. For example, a sink may comprise a substantially recessed area, for example a deep sink bowl, which extends well below the countertop. The sink may additionally comprise a drain section at the bottom of the recessed area. A deep bowl and/or drain section can inhibit the amount of space that can be used for storage in the vanity assembly. Thus, it would be advantageous to have a vanity assembly that increases the amount of usable area underneath the sink for storage purposes.
Another aspect of at least one of the embodiments disclosed herein includes the realization that users of vanity assemblies often desire drawers, in addition to or in place of cabinet-like doors that open up to a storage space near the bathroom floor. While some vanity assemblies include drawers, these drawers are either located at inconvenient areas such as near the base of the vanity, where they are difficult to access, or they extend alongside the sink, thereby not taking full advantage of space that is left in front of the sink. It would be advantageous to have a drawer which is both convenient to use, and takes advantage of the space defined in front of the sink.
Thus, in accordance with an embodiment, a vanity assembly can comprise a combination sink and countertop, the sink having a recessed region extending below a portion of the countertop, a storage area comprising two sidewalls supporting the countertop and sink, and a base extending between the sidewalls. The vanity assembly can further comprise a drawer centered between and slidably connected to the sidewalls, the drawer being moveable generally horizontally relative the sink, the drawer comprising a front face with a top edge located near a bottom of the countertop.
In accordance with another embodiment, a vanity assembly can comprise a combination sink and countertop, the sink comprising a sloped section extending towards a drain section, the drain section extending within a storage area underneath the combination sink and countertop, and a drawer in front of the sink comprising a front face section, the drawer being connected to a structure supporting the combination sink and countertop, the drawer further comprising an angled top surface which corresponds with the sloped section of the sink.
In accordance with another embodiment, a vanity assembly can comprise a combination sink and countertop, the sink comprising a drain section below a rear area of the sink, and a drawer slidably connected to the a pair of sidewalls supporting the combination sink and countertop, the drawer configured to inhibit separation of the sidewalls, wherein the drawer extends within a small horizontal distance from the drain section, and a top edge of the drawer is within a small distance of a bottom of the countertop.
In accordance with another embodiment, a vanity assembly can comprise a combination sink and countertop, the sink comprising a drain section, and a drawer centered in front of the sink near a top of the vanity assembly and connected to a structure supporting the sink, the drawer being moveable horizontally relative the sink, wherein the drawer utilizes at least 50% of the storage volume space directly in front of the drain section.
These and other features and advantages of the present embodiments will become more apparent upon reading the following detailed description and with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments, in which:
An improved vanity assembly 10 is disclosed herein. The embodiments disclosed herein are described in the context of a vanity assembly for use in a bathroom because the embodiments disclosed herein have particular utility in this context. However, the embodiments and inventions herein can also be applied to types of vanity assemblies configured for other types of environments, including but not limited to garages, warehouses, kitchens, or any common storage areas.
With reference to
The countertop 16 can comprise a generally flat area surrounding the sink 18. The countertop 16 can be formed or casted from ceramic, plastic, metal, composite, or other suitable material.
The sink 18 can comprise a generally rectangular sink, although other shapes, sizes, and configurations of sinks are also possible. The sink can be formed of heated ceramic material, plastic, metal, composite, or other suitable material. The sink 18 can comprise a generally recessed region. For example, the sink 18 can comprise a generally recessed region defined by a drain area 20, drain collection section 21, sloped section 22, and back wall 24. The drain area 20 can comprise a generally rounded opening within the body of the sink 18. The drain area 20 can be formed anywhere along the sink. In a preferred arrangement, the drain area 20 can be located between the sloped section 22 of the sink 18 and back wall 24, along the drain collection section 21. The drain area 20 can be located generally towards the back of the sink 18, for example, adjacent the back wall 24.
The sloped section 22 can extend from an edge of the sink to the drain area 20. The sloped section 22 can have a substantially gradual slope. For example, the sloped section 22 can have a slope of approximately 10 degrees relative to the countertop 16. In some embodiments, the sloped section 22 can have a slope not greater than 10 degrees relative to the countertop 16. In some embodiments, the sloped section 22 can have a slope not greater than 15 degrees relative to the countertop 16. In some embodiments, the sloped section 22 can have a slope not greater than 20 degrees relative to the countertop 16. In some embodiments, the sloped section 22 can have a slope not greater than 25 degrees relative to the countertop 16. Other ranges of slopes are also possible. Additionally, the sloped section 22 can have a generally rectangular shape, although other shapes are also possible as well. For example, the sloped front surface can have a trapezoidal shape, or a generally triangular shape.
With continued reference to
The storage structure 14 can further comprise at least one door 28. The doors 28 can be located along a front side of the vanity assembly 10. The doors 28 can be located below the countertop 16 and sink 18, and can swing open to provide access to a storage area underneath the countertop 16 and sink 18. The doors 28 can be hinged to the sidewalls 26. The doors can provide at least one handle 30, such as for example a small door knob. The doors 28 can be arranged symmetrically underneath the sink 18, giving the vanity assembly 10 a desirable aesthetic appearance.
The storage structure 14 can further comprise a front base 32, an interior base 34, and a back panel 36. The front base 32 can provide support for the vanity assembly 10. The front base 32 can comprise a long, thin piece of wood, composite, or other material extending in a vertical plane along the bottom of the vanity assembly 10. The front base 32 can be in contact with the bathroom (or other room) floor. The front base 32 can extend between the sidewalls.
The interior base 34 can comprise a lower surface for placing household items such as buckets, cleaning supplies, bathroom items, or other materials. The interior base 34 can be located near the bottom of the vanity assembly 10, and near the floor of a bathroom or other room. The interior base 34 can extend between the sidewalls 26 in a horizontal plane.
The back panel 36 can be located near the top of the vanity assembly 10. The back paneling 36 can comprise a long, thin piece of wood, composite, or other material extending in a vertical plane along the top, back side of the vanity assembly 10.
With reference to FIGS. 1 and 4-7, the storage structure 14 can comprise a drawer 38. The drawer 38 can be used to store additional materials, such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, shaving cream, or other articles. The drawer 38 can be located near the top of the vanity assembly 10. In some embodiments, the drawer 38 can be located between the doors 28 and the countertop 16. The drawer 38 can extend the entire, or substantially the entire, width of the vanity assembly 10. In some embodiments, the drawer 38 can be centered between the sidewalls 26. The drawer 38 can be moved generally horizontally (e.g. parallel to the countertop 16) in and out of the storage assembly 14.
With reference to
With continued reference to
The drawer 38 can further comprise a drawer bottom section 46. The drawer front side section 40, side sections 44, back side section 42, and bottom section 46 can surround a storage area. The storage area formed by the drawer sections can be used to hold and store bathroom items (e.g. shaving cream toothbrushes), cleaning supplies, or any other items that might fit within a space defined by the drawer sections.
With reference to
The top surface 41 of front side section 40 can be positioned in close proximity to the countertop 12. For example, the top surface 41 can be positioned such that clearance is minimized between the top surface 41 and the countertop 12. For example, the top surface 41 can be within 1 inch of a bottom 51 of the countertop 12. In some embodiments, the top surface 41 can be within ½ inch of the bottom 51 of the countertop 12. In some embodiments, the top surface 41 can be within ¼ inch of the bottom 51 of the countertop 12. In some embodiments, the top surface 41 can be within ⅛ inch of the bottom 51 of the countertop 12. Other ranges are also possible.
The back side section 42 can be positioned such that is it is in close proximity to, or in contact with, a drain section 48. The drain section 48 can extend down from the drain area 20 in the sink 18 and into the storage area defined at least in part by the sidewalls 26. For example, and as illustrated in
In some embodiments, the surface 50 of the drain section 48 is positioned lower along a vertical direction than that of the top surface 45 of side section 44, such as illustrated in
With continued reference to
In some embodiments, the height of the front face 40 and side sections 44 can be based, at least in part, by the types of items to be stored. For example, the height of the front face 40 and side sections 44 can be made high enough to permit storage of bottles of shaving cream or other material within the drawer 38. For example, the height of the side sections 44, and also back side section 42, can be high enough to inhibit the bottles from falling out of the drawer 48. In some embodiments, the ratio of the height of the side sections 44 to the front side section 40 can be approximately 2:3. In some embodiments, the ratio can be less than 2:3. In some embodiments, the ratio can be less than 1:3. In some embodiments, the ratio can be less than 1:6. Other ranges are also possible.
In some embodiments, the height of the sink 18 can be defined as the distance between the bottom 51 of countertop 16 and the bottom surface 50 of the drain section. The ratio of the height of the front side section 40 to the height of the sink can be approximately 1:1. In some embodiments, the ratio can be greater than 1:1. Other ranges are also possible.
With reference to
In some embodiments, the top surface 45A can extend from the front side section 40 to the beginning of sloped section 22 of the sink 18. In some embodiments, the top surface 45A can be positioned within 0.5 inches of the bottom 51 of countertop 12. In some embodiments, the top surface 45A can be positioned within 1 inch of the bottom 51 of countertop 12. In some embodiments, the top surface 45A can be positioned within 1.5 inches of the bottom 51 of countertop 12. Other ranges are also possible.
With reference to
In some embodiments, the corner defined by the intersection of surfaces 45 or 45B, and back section 42, can be positioned within 0.5 inches of the sloped section 22. In some embodiments, the corner the corner defined by the intersection of surfaces 45 or 45B, and back section 42, can be positioned within 1 inch of the sloped section 22. In some embodiments, the corner defined by the intersection of surfaces 45 or 45B, and back section 42, can be positioned within 1.5 inches of the sloped section 22. Other ranges are also possible.
With reference to
With reference to
With continued reference to
Although these inventions have been disclosed in the context of certain preferred embodiments and examples, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present inventions extend beyond the specifically disclosed embodiments to other alternative embodiments and/or uses of the inventions and obvious modifications and equivalents thereof. In addition, while several variations of the inventions have been shown and described in detail, other modifications, which are within the scope of these inventions, will be readily apparent to those of skill in the art based upon this disclosure. It is also contemplated that various combinations or sub-combinations of the specific features and aspects of the embodiments can be made and still fall within the scope of the inventions. It should be understood that various features and aspects of the disclosed embodiments can be combined with or substituted for one another in order to form varying modes of the disclosed inventions. Thus, it is intended that the scope of at least some of the present inventions herein disclosed should not be limited by the particular disclosed embodiments described above.
This application claims benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/289,363, filed Dec. 22, 2009, which is incorporated in its entirety by reference herein.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
380038 | Holt | Mar 1888 | A |
399461 | Woodward | Mar 1889 | A |
1853989 | Gottlieb | Apr 1932 | A |
1891680 | Meldahl | Dec 1932 | A |
2050617 | Litner | Oct 1935 | A |
2130196 | Sakier | Sep 1938 | A |
2287657 | Wisckol | Jun 1942 | A |
2450305 | Shoemaker | Sep 1948 | A |
3292983 | Service | Dec 1966 | A |
4241963 | Seidel | Dec 1980 | A |
4729616 | Vogt | Mar 1988 | A |
4843680 | Cress et al. | Jul 1989 | A |
6427259 | Cawthon | Aug 2002 | B1 |
6726296 | McGilton | Apr 2004 | B2 |
7198339 | Baron | Apr 2007 | B2 |
7594706 | Styka et al. | Sep 2009 | B2 |
20050099101 | Lowe | May 2005 | A1 |
20080079339 | Hall | Apr 2008 | A1 |
20080263761 | Kohlmann et al. | Oct 2008 | A1 |
20110145988 | Le Duff | Jun 2011 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20110145988 A1 | Jun 2011 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
61289363 | Dec 2009 | US |