Sink construction

Abstract

A sink having a base and at least one sidewall extending around and extending upwardly from the base. At least one fluid nozzle is attached to the sidewall adjacent its top so that, upon connection to a pressurized fluid source, the nozzle produces a fluid flow which is transverse to and intersects the sidewall adjacent its top. The nozzle thus produces a swirling action of the fluid around the sidewall of the sink thereby cleaning the sink.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

I. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a construction for a sink.

II. Description of Related Art

Sinks of the type used in kitchens are oftentimes used for the disposal of food waste. Such food waste is typically dumped into the sink and washed through the sink outlet for ultimate disposal in the sewage system. Oftentimes, a garbage disposal is fluidly connected to the outlet of the sink in order to reduce the food waste into smaller particles.

One disadvantage of these previously known sinks, however, is that the food waste oftentimes adheres to the sidewalls of the sink. When this occurs, it is necessary to manually wash the sidewalls of the sink in order to remove the food waste which is both time consuming and inconvenient.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention provides a sink construction, as well as an attachment for an existing sink, which overcomes all of the above-mentioned disadvantages of the previously known devices.

In brief, the present invention provides a sink construction having a base and at least one sidewall extending around and upwardly from the base. The sidewall together with the base forms the sink basin.

At least one fluid nozzle, and preferably a plurality of spaced nozzles, are secured to the sink sidewall adjacent the top of the sink sidewall. Each nozzle produces a fluid flow in a predetermined direction when connected to a pressurized source of fluid, such as water. These nozzles, furthermore, are arranged so that the fluid outlet from each nozzle is in a direction transverse to the sink sidewall and intersects the sink sidewall adjacent its top. Consequently, upon connection of the nozzle or nozzles to the pressurized fluid source, the effluent from the nozzle forms a swirling fluid flow around the sink sidewalls thus cleansing the sink sidewalls of waste food as well as any other foreign matter.

The nozzle may form either an integral part of the sink or an adapter which is positioned within an existing sink.

In a further embodiment of the invention, a water reservoir is open along at least a portion of the top of the sink through elongated slot(s). Upon activation, water from a pressurized source is connected to the reservoir so that water overflows through the slot(s) and along the sides of the sink.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

A better understanding of the present invention will be had upon reference to the following detailed description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational fragmentary view illustrating a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a top diagrammatic view illustrating the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIG. 2, but illustrating a modification thereof; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of a further embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

With reference first to FIGS. 1-3, a sink 10 is shown having a base 12 with a waste outlet 14. The waste outlet 14 is adapted to be connected to a waste disposal system and oftentimes includes a waste disposal in the event that the sink 10 is a kitchen sink.

At least one sidewall 16 extends around and upwardly from the base 12. The sink sidewall 16 together with the base 12 thus forms a sink basin 18. The sink 10 also includes a top 20 which is secured to and supported by a counter 22 or similar structure.

With reference now particularly to FIGS. 2 and 3, a fluid conduit 24 is mounted within a housing 26. Both the housing 26 and fluid conduit 24 are attached to the sink sidewall 16 adjacent its top 20 so that both the housing 26 and fluid conduit 24 extend around at least a portion of the sink sidewall 16 around the interior of the sink sidewall 16.

Any conventional means may be utilized to secure the housing 26 with its contained fluid conduit 24 to the sink sidewall 16 adjacent its top 20. For example, the housing 26 may be attached to the bottom of the counter 22 and thus secured to the top 20 of the sink sidewall 16 through the counter top 22.

As best shown in FIG. 3, the fluid conduit 24 is selectably coupled to a pressurized source of fluid, preferably water, through a diverter valve 28. Any conventional diverter valve 28 may be utilized so that no further description thereof is necessary.

Referring again to FIGS. 2 and 3, at least one, and preferably a plurality of fluid nozzles 30 are fluidly connected to the fluid conduit 24. Consequently, when the diverter valve 28 is opened to provide pressurized fluid to the conduit 24, the nozzles 30 each discharge the pressurized fluid in a predetermined direction.

As best shown in FIG. 3, at least one, and preferably all, of the nozzles 30 are oriented relative to the sink sidewall 16 such that the direction of discharge 32 from the nozzles 30 extends in a direction that is transverse to the sidewall 16 and intersects the sidewall 16 adjacent its top 20. Consequently, upon pressurization of the conduit 24, the effluent from the nozzles 30 creates a swirling fluid or water flow along the sidewall of the sink 16 thus cleaning the sink sidewall 16 in the desired fashion. The flow along the sink sidewall 16 will ultimately flow across the sink base 12 and through the discharge opening 14 thereby also cleaning the base of the sink.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1-3 of the drawing may be accomplished by retrofitting an existing sink. In this case, the housing 26 together with its contained fluid conduit 24 is merely attached to the sink sidewalls 16 adjacent their top thereby retrofitting an existing sink. Conversely, however, as shown in FIG. 4, the nozzles 30 may also be secured to the sink 10 as a part of the original sink equipment. In this case, the fluid conduit 24 may be situated exteriorly of the sink sidewall 16 while the nozzles 30 protrude through openings 34 formed in the sink sidewall 16. The operation of the FIG. 4 embodiment of the invention, however, is the same as the FIG. 1 - FIG. 3 embodiment so that a further description thereof is unnecessary.

With reference now to FIG. 5, a further embodiment of the invention is shown in which a water reservoir 50 is formed around at least a portion of the sink 10. This reservoir 50 is open through one or more elongated slots 52 to at least a portion of an upper edge 54 of the sink.

A valve 56 is fluidly connected in series between a source 58 of water pressure and the reservoir 50. Upon activation, i.e. opening the valve 56, water overflows from the reservoir 50, through the slot(s) 52 and over the upper edge 54 of the sink 10 thus cleaning the sink sidewall 16.

From the foregoing, it can be seen that the present invention provides a sink which achieves automatic cleaning of the entire sink, including the sink sidewalls. Having described my invention, however, many modifications thereto will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which it pertains without deviation from the spirit of the invention as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A sink comprising: a base, at least one sidewall extending around and upwardly from said base, at least one fluid nozzle which, upon connection with a pressurized fluid source, produces a fluid flow in a predetermined direction, said nozzle being attached adjacent a top of said at least one sidewall so that said predetermined direction extends transversely across and intersects said at least one sidewall adjacent said top of said at least one sidewall.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said fluid comprises water.

3. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said at least one nozzle comprises a plurality of nozzles disposed around said top of said at least one sidewall, said nozzles being fluidly connected together.

4. The invention as defined in claim 3 and comprising a fluid conduit extending around said top of said at least one sidewall, said nozzles being fluidly connected to said fluid conduit.

5. The invention as defined in claim 3 wherein said sink sidewall includes a plurality of spaced openings formed around said top and wherein one nozzle is disposed through each opening.

6. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said sink comprises a kitchen sink.

7. An attachment for a sink having a base and at least one sidewall extending around and upwardly from said base comprising: a fluid conduit extending around at least a portion of the sink sidewall adjacent a top of said sink sidewall, at least one nozzle fluidly connected to said fluid conduit, said nozzle adapted to produce a fluid flow in a predetermined direction upon connection of the fluid conduit to a pressurized fluid source, said nozzle being positioned so that said predetermined direction extends transversely across and intersects the sink sidewall adjacent a top of the sink sidewall.

8. The invention as defined in claim 7 wherein said at least one nozzle comprises a plurality of spaced nozzles.

9. The invention as defined in claim 7 wherein the sink comprises a kitchen sink.

10. The invention as defined in claim 7 wherein the fluid comprises water.

11. A sink comprising: a base, at least one sidewall extending around and upwardly from said base, a fluid reservoir extending around at least a portion of said at least one sidewall, said reservoir being open through at least one elongated slot to at least a portion of an upper edge of said sidewall, a valve connected in series between a pressurized fluid source and said reservoir.

12. The invention as defined in claim 11 wherein said fluid comprises water.