EP2108749A2

EP2108749A2 - Sink

Info

Publication number: EP2108749A2
Application number: EP09003223A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Piergiorgio Rebusco
Original assignee: Niro Plan AG
Current assignee: Franke Technology and Trademark Ltd
Priority date: 2008-04-08
Filing date: 2009-03-05
Publication date: 2009-10-14
Also published as: EP2108749A3; ITBG20080007U1

Abstract

A sink comprising a four-sided base, characterised in that a first side of said four sides is inclined to a vertical axis; a second side of said four sides is positioned in front of said first side; the bottom of said first side lies at a first distance from said second side; the top of said first side lies at a second distance from said second side; said first distance being greater than said second distance.

Description

The present invention relates to a sink.
Sinks of various shapes exist provided with various accessories to facilitate kitchen operations.
Tap units are known comprising an extractable spray device for use in rinsing crockery. This spray device, which is very useful for the purpose, has the drawback of also spraying water to the outside of the sink, meaning that the user has to clean and dry the worktop in which the sink is positioned.
Systems for rinsing glasses are known, for which spray devices have to be inserted into the interior of the glass, but these cannot be used for other purposes.
An object of the present invention is to provide a sink which enables a spray device to be easily installed.
Another object is to provide a sink which enables crockery to be rinsed effectively, without at the same time disturbing and wetting the worktop in which the sink is positioned.
These and further objects are attained according to the present invention by a sink comprising a four-sided base, characterised in that a first side of said four sides is inclined to a vertical axis; a second side of said four sides is positioned in front of said first side; the bottom of said first side lies at a first distance from said second side; the top of said first side lies at a second distance from said second side; said first distance being greater than said second distance.
Further characteristics of the invention are described in the dependent claims.
By virtue of the present invention a sink is obtained having adequate dimensions to also contain the oven grids or the dripping pan without these emerging.
If these are of large dimensions they can be laid inclined, so as not to emerge from the sink.
The sink can hence be provided with a cover able to close, and even seal, the entire sink.
By inclining one side of the sink, its size is maintained very large, in particular at its base, while at the same time a greater space is formed to the rear of said side. Space is available in that area for the sink operating pipes positioned in the zone below the tap units.
Space also exists to insert a spray device for rinsing crockery. By closing the sink by means of the cover and operating the appropriate selector, water is supplied to the spray device so that crockery can be rinsed without wetting the kitchen worktop. The spray device can be used for rinsing crockery or for pre-rinse prior to its washing.
The characteristics and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the ensuing detailed description of a practical embodiment thereof, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic section through a sink according to the present invention;
Figure 2 is a schematic view of a sink of the present invention seen from above;
Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view of a sink of the present invention;
Figure 4 is a schematic section through a sink according to another embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 5 is a schematic frontal view of a spray device according to the present invention;
Figure 6 is a schematic side view of a spray device according to the present invention.

With reference to the accompanying figures, a sink 10 according to the present invention comprises a base 11, four sides 12, and lateral edges 13.
The rear side, i.e. that in proximity to the tap unit 16, is inclined to a vertical axis preferably by about 120°, any other angle being possible, while the other sides are substantially vertical such that the base 11 is of greater dimensions than the mouth 17 of the sink.
The rear edge 18, on which the tap unit 16 is to be positioned, is therefore of greater dimensions than the rear edge of a normal sink.
The area 19 lying between the rear edge 18 and the rear side 15 is consequently greater than the corresponding area of a normal sink.
The area 19 accommodates the hot and cold water feed pipes (not shown) and the overflow pipe (not shown).
According to the present invention, the area 19 also accommodates a spray device 20. This comprises a structure 21 to be positioned on the outside of the rear side 15, below the rear edge 18. The structure 21 comprises a water feed pipe 23.
It also comprises a structure 22 to be positioned inside the sink, and comprising a plurality of holes 24 preferably disposed aligned, however other geometrical arrangements are possible.
The holes 24 are of suitable size to produce water jets able to rinse the crockery on the basis of the available water pressure.
The structure 21 and the structure 22 are fixed together mechanically by screws 25 or other devices or methods, including gluing.
One or two spray devices can be present in a sink,
As an alternative to the structures 21 and 22, a structure could be provided only on the outside of the sink and be suitably fixed to outer surface of the rear wall 15. Water outlet holes would then be provided through the rear side 15 to emerge on the inside of the sink.
The tap unit 16 comprises the hot water tap 30, the cold water tap 31 and the dispenser 32, or alternatively a mixer (not shown). The tap unit 16 also comprises a change-over valve 33 for distributing water to the dispenser 32 or to the spray device 20. The pipe connections to the tap unit are not shown and described as they are of normal implementation for an expert of the art.
The sink 10 is also provided with a cover 35, able to close, and even seal, the entire sink. The cover 35 comprises a handle 36 for its positioning.
Alternatively the spray device 20 can also be installed on a sink of normal shape, i.e. which also has the rear side 15 substantially vertical.
The sink is produced by a process consisting of bending a stainless steel metal sheet to form the rear edge 18, the rear side 15, the base 11, the front side and the front edge. The two lateral sides are welded to the previously prepared metal sheet.
The sink 10 can also be of the type comprising two bowls 40 and 41. For example the bowl 40 could have larger dimensions than the bowl 41, and with (or without) a draining board. The spray device 20 can be positioned in the separation portion 43, inclined as the side 15, between the two bowls 40 and 41.
The portion 43, which is below the sink, is bounded by the two sides of the two bowls 40 and 41, and is inclined by about 20° to a vertical axis. The bowl 41 acquires a shape such as the sink 10.
The materials used and the dimensions can be chosen at will according to requirements.
The sink conceived in this manner is susceptible to numerous modifications and variants, all falling within the scope of the inventive concept; moreover all details can be replaced by technically equivalent elements.

Claims

A sink comprising a four-sided base, characterised in that a first side of said four sides is inclined to a vertical axis; a second side of said four sides is positioned in front of said first side; the bottom of said first side lies at a first distance from said second side; the top of said first side lies at a second distance from said second side; said first distance being greater than said second distance.
A sink as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that said second side is substantially vertical.
A sink as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that said sink comprises a cover.
A sink as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that said sink comprises a spray device having a plurality of water jets positioned on said first side.
A sink as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that said plurality of water jets are positioned in proximity to said top of said first side.
A sink as claimed in claim 4, characterised in that said plurality of water jets are positioned mutually aligned.
A sink as claimed in claim 4, characterised in that said sink comprises a tap unit for supplying water to said sink, and a change-over valve for supplying water to said spray device.
A sink as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that said first side is that side in proximity to the tap unit.
A sink as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that said sink comprises two bowls, the bowl of larger dimensions presenting a side inclined to a vertical axis.
A sink as claimed in claim 4, characterised in that said spray device is composed of a part on the outside and a part on the inside of said sink, these being connected together.
A sink as claimed in claim 9, characterised in that said first side is the side of separation between said two bowls.
A sink as claimed in claim 4, characterised in that said spray device can be provided totally on the inner surface of said first side by providing a plurality of holes through said first side.