GB2397520A

GB2397520A - Sink mat

Info

Publication number: GB2397520A
Application number: GB0313788A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Eric Mansfield
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-01-23
Filing date: 2003-06-16
Publication date: 2004-07-28
Anticipated expiration: 2023-06-16
Also published as: GB2397520B; GB0313788D0; GB0301514D0

Abstract

A collision prevention platform 10 or shatter prevention apparatus comprises a catchment region or catchment surface 12 and support means in the form of a plurality of support legs 14. In use, the collision prevention platform 10 is placed in a sink 20 in order to prevent glassware from being broken if inadvertently or otherwise dropped into the sink 20. If an item of glassware is dropped, then the item falls on to the catchment surface which flexes and/or the supports legs 14 flex in order to cushion the item and reduce the impact of the glassware to prevent or inhibit the item of glassware from breaking.

Description

COLLISION PREVENTION PLATFORM

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a collision prevention platform, an assembly comprising a collision prevention platform and an article and a method of preventing the collision of an item with an article.

lo Background to the Invention

Items for use in laboratories generally comprise glassware for example beakers, test tubes, flasks etc. This glassware may be expensive since it may be required to be made from a material having particular properties. In particular, Pyrex (Registered Trade Mark) glassware is frequently used. With laboratories such glassware is frequently broken and, in particular, due to glassware being dropped into sinks. Conventional sinks comprise ceramic material which is hard and thereby breaks glassware which is dropped thereon. Furthermore, the glassware is more likely to break when filled and this results in not only sharp fragments which pose a safety risk but also the contents of the glassware spills and may react with other substances in the sink thereby posing further safety risks. In particular, school laboratories where numerous pupils are using glassware not only is expensive for the school due to breakage but also poses safety risks to the pupils.

It is an aim of the present invention to overcome at least one problem associated with the prior at whether referred to herein or otherwise.

Summary of the Invention

According to a first aspect of the present invention there s is provided a collision prevention platform comprising a catchment region and support means wherein the support means is arranged, in use, to support the catchment region spaced from a surface of an article wherein the catchment region is arranged, in use, to prevent an object colliding with the surface of the article.

Preferably the collision prevention platform is arranged, in use, to prevent or inhibit an object breaking as a result of preventing the object colliding with the surface of the article.

Preferably the catchment region is provided by a catchment surface.

Preferably the catchment region is flexible.

Preferably the support means comprises resilient support means.

Preferably the support means comprises a plurality of support legs and more preferably a plurality of resilient support legs.

Preferably at least some of the support legs are located around the periphery of the catchment region or catchment surface. One or more of the support legs may be located inwardly from the periphery of the catchment region or catchment surface.

Preferably all of the support legs are located around the periphery of the catchment region or catchment surface.

Preferably the support legs comprise shaped legs.

The support legs may comprise discreet members.

A plurality of support legs may be provided by a support lo member. Preferably the support member is shaped to provide a plurality of support legs. The support member may be bent to provide a plurality of support legs. The support member may provide a plurality of generally arcuate or curved support legs. The support member may comprise a flexible material and preferably comprises a resilient material. Preferably the support member has securement means provided thereon. Preferably the securement means is arranged to engage with securement means provided on the catchment region. The support member may form a wavy or oscillating pattern, in use.

The support member may extend across the catchment region and may provide a plurality of support legs across the catchment region. The collision prevention platform may comprise a plurality of support members in order to provide a plurality of rows of support legs.

The support legs may comprise arcuate support legs. The arcuate support legs may extend downwardly and inwardly relative to the periphery of the catchment region or catchment surface.

The support legs may extend less than loam and preferably less than 5cm from the catchment region or catchment surface.

The support legs may extend more than lcm and preferably more than 2cm from the catchment surface.

The support legs may extend substantially 3cm from the catchment region or catchment surface.

The support legs may have feet located at the ends thereof.

Preferably the object is an item of glassware. The item of glassware may be a flask, beaker, test tube or the like.

Preferably the article comprises a recess.

Preferably the article is a sink and may be a ceramic sink.

Preferably the surface of the article is the bottom of a sink.

Preferably the collision prevention platform is arranged, in use, to prevent breakages of glassware in a laboratory and in particular a laboratory in a school or college or university and the like.

The periphery of the catchment region or catchment surface may be arranged to correspond with the shape of the periphery of the surface of the article or the sides of the recess in the article. The catchment region or catchment surface may be a square or may be rectangular or may be circular.

s Preferably the catchment region or catchment surface enables liquid to flow therethrough.

The catchment region or catchment surface may comprise a mesh. The mesh may comprise a series of lateral members lo and a series of longitudinal members. The lateral members and longitudinal members may intersect to define apertures therebetween. The apertures may be square or rectangular.

The apertures may have a width or diameter or length of greater than Smm and preferably less than 20mm and more preferably substantially lOmm.

The catchment region or catchment surface may comprise a relatively rigid periphery. The relatively rigid periphery may substantially surround the catchment surface or catchment region or mesh.

Preferably the size and/or shape of the collision prevention platform is arranged to substantially co- operate with the size and/or shape of a sink and preferably with standard laboratory sinks.

The collision prevention platform may comprise securement means in order to secure a first collision prevention platform to a second adjacent collision prevention platform. The securement means may comprise a releasable fastener and preferably comprise a plurality of releasable fasteners. The securement means may comprise dovetail joints.

The securement means may enable a modular collision prevention platform to be constructed or assembled from a plurality of individual collision prevention platforms.

Preferably the collision prevention platform comprises a plastics. The collision prevention platform may comprise PVC or polythene or polypropene.

The collision prevention platform may comprise an integral unit with the catchment region or catchment surface and the support means comprising a single unit.

The support means may be separate or separable from the catchment region.

The collision prevention platform may comprise an injection moulded collision prevention platform.

Preferably the article comprises a recess.

Preferably the article is a sink and may be a ceramic sink.

Preferably the surface of the article is the bottom of a sink.

The catchment surface may have a length of lOOmm and may have a width of lOOmm. The catchment surface may be square.

The collision prevention platform may comprise side members. The side members may be arranged to prevent an object colliding with further surfaces, for example side surfaces, of the article. Preferably the side members prevent an object colliding with the sides of a sink.

The side members may be arranged, in use, to locate adjacent to but spaced from the side surfaces of the article. The side members may be spaced from the side surfaces by spacer members and preferably by resilient spacer members.

The side members may be integral with the collision prevention platform.

The side members may be releasably securable to the collision prevention platform.

The collision prevention platform including the side members may effectively provide a liner for the recess of an article (preferably for a sink) to prevent objects from breaking by colliding with the surfaces (preferably side and bottom surfaces) of the recess.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided an assembly comprising an article and a collision prevention platform wherein the collision prevention platform is in accordance with the first aspect of the present invention.

Preferably the article comprises a recess.

Preferably the article is a sink and may be a ceramic sink.

Preferably the surface of the article is the bottom of a sink.

lo Preferably the collision prevention platform is arranged, in use, to prevent breakages of glassware in a laboratory and in particular a laboratory in a school or college or university or the like.

According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of preventing an object colliding with a surface of an article comprising locating a collision prevention platform on a surface of the article such that a catchment region of the collision prevention platform is spaced from the surface of the article by support means.

Preferably the method prevents or inhibits the object from breaking as a result of preventing the object colliding with the surface of the article.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the drawings that follow, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a collision prevention platform.

Figure 2 is a perspective cut-away view of an embodiment of a collision prevention platform located within a sink.

Figure 3 is a side view of an embodiment of a collision prevention platform located within a sink.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a collision prevention platform comprising securement means.

Figure 5 is a side view of an embodiment of securement means in order to secure a first collision prevention platform adjacent to a second collision prevention platform.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a yet further embodiment of a catchment surface of a collision prevention platform.

Figure 7 is a side view of part of a yet further embodiment of a collision prevention platform.

Figure 8 is a side view of part of a yet further embodiment of a support means for a collision prevention platform.

Description of the Preferred Embodiments

As shown in Figure 1, Figure 2 and Figure 3 a collision prevention platform 10 or shatter prevention apparatus comprises a catchment region or catchment surface 12 and support means in the form of a plurality of support legs 14. The support legs 14 locate on the underside of the catchment surface 12 and support the catchment surface 12 spaced from a support surface 16, for example the lo catchment surface 12 provides a buffer and acts as a shock absorber. In use, the collision prevention platform 10 is placed on the support surface 16 in order to prevent items or objects from colliding with the support surface 16 and, in particular, the support surface 16 is the bottom of a sink. The support legs 14 are resilient support legs 14 and effectively dampen the collision force or cushion an object or item when it is dropped towards the support surface 16. In addition, the catchment surface 12 may also comprise a resilient or flexible material in order to further cushion an item or object as it is dropped towards the support surface 16.

In a preferred embodiment, the collision prevention platform 10 is placed within a sink 20, for example a ceramic sink within a school, university or college science laboratory in order to prevent glassware from being broken if inadvertently or otherwise dropped into the sink 20. If an item of glassware (for example a test tube, flask, beaker or the like) or breakable or shatterable item is dropped then the item falls on to the catchment surface 12 rather than onto the bottom of the sink (the support surface 16). The catchment surface 12 and/or the support legs 14 flex in order to cushion the item and reduce the impact on glassware to prevent or inhibit the item of glassware from breaking.

The catchment surface 12 has a number of apertures 30 or s openings 30 defined therein. These apertures 30 enable liquid to flow through the collision prevention platform or more specifically through the catchment region or catchment surface 12 in order for the sink 20 to perform its usual function. In addition, feet 32 on the end of lo the support legs 14 only contact the bottom of the sink in a limited area and thereby enables the liquid to flow into the plug hole as usual.

The catchment surface 12 comprises a mesh having a series of longitudinally extending support members 40 and a series of laterally extending support members 42. These support members 40, 42 intersect to form a mesh arrangement having a series of substantially square or rectangular or diamond apertures 30 for liquid to flow therethrough. However, the dimensions of the apertures 30 are such that the glassware will not pass therethrough.

In the preferred embodiment, the aperture 30 are square with a width or length of substantially lOmm.

The catchment surface 12 has a relatively rigid or firm periphery 44. This periphery 44 thereby helps the catchment surface 12 to retain its shape and to locate adjacent to the sides 21 of the sink 20 to prevent a substantial gap from being defined between the edge of the catchment surface 12 and the sides 21 of the sink 20.

Such a gap may still enable items of glassware to collide on to the base of the sink 16.

In another embodiment, as shown in Figure 4 and Figure 5 the collision prevention platform 10 may be modular such that a plurality of catchment surfaces 12 can be retained adjacent to each other to alter the shape and size of the overall area covered by the catchment surface 12. For example, each collision prevention platform may be a square with dimensions of loom by lOcm. The periphery of each catchment surface 12 may have securement means provided thereon in order to secure to an adjacent lo catchment surface 12.

The securement means comprises a shaped male member 50 which is arranged to be releasably engaged in a corresponding female member 52. The male member 50 :5 comprises a stem 54 having a head portion 56 located at the end thereof. The head portion 56 comprises a co- operating surface 58 and a retaining surface 60. The female member 52 comprises an aperture 62. The size of the aperture 62 may be adjustable. For example, a series of slots 63 may project outwardly at a normal to the periphery of the aperture 62. In use, the cooperating surface 58 of the head portion 56 is pushed into the aperture 62 such that the aperture 62 widens to enable the head portion 56 to pass therethrough. The retaining surface 60 thereby prevents the head portion 56 from being easily withdrawn back through the aperture 62. However, with an increased force the head portion 56 can be withdrawn from the female member 52.

Each collision prevention platform 10 may have one male member 50 and one female member 52 located on each edge thereof. The male member 50 may always be located to the same side relative to the female member 52 which thereby enables all of the collision prevention platforms 10 to be manufactured identically such that the securement means will always cooperate with each other, for example the male member 50 may always be located to the left of the female member 52 when viewed from in front.

The catchment surface 12 comprises a mesh which may be a polythene mesh. The support legs 14 are integral with the catchment surface 12 and may be formed by an injection lo moulding process.

The collision prevention platform 10 comprises a waterproof material and preferably a plastics and also preferably a material which is not likely to react with any contents to be poured into the sink, for example acids or weak acids or alkali solutions etc. The collision prevention platform may comprise PVC or polythene or polypropene.

The support legs 14 are arcuate and extend downwardly from the underside of the catchment surface 12 and inwards towards the centre of the catchment surface 12.

Accordingly, the support legs 14 do not project substantially outwardly from the periphery of the catchment surface 12. This enables the periphery of the catchment surface 12 to locate adjacent to the sides 21 of the sink 30 without any substantial gap appearing. In addition, the arcuate shape causes the legs 14 to naturally flex in order to cushion the fall of an item, i.e. as the item abuts the catchment surface 12, the legs 14 flex (and also the catchment surface may also flex) and the catchment surface 12 moves towards the support surface 16. This slowly decelerates the speed of fall of the item of glassware over a distance rather than sharply or abruptly stopping the fall as caused by a hard surface.

The support legs 14 may be substantially 3cm, that is the s catchment surface 12 is spaced from the support surface 16 by approximately 3cm, in use. The width of the legs 14 may be approximately 5mm wide whilst the thickness of the legs 14 may be substantially 2mm.

lo The collision prevention platform 10 can be easily removed from the sink 20 for example if the collision prevention platform 10 or sink 20 needs cleaning, or the collision prevention platform 10 is to be stored and is not required etc. The size and shape of the catchment surface 12 may be arranged to suit the size and shape of the sink 20 in which it is to be used, for example the catchment surface 12 does not have to be rectangular or square but may be circular or of any other suitable shape.

The support legs 14 are located adjacent to the periphery of the catchment surface 12. If the support legs 14 are located directly underneath a non-peripheral area of the catchment surface 12 then the support legs 14 may locate directly underneath the location where an item of glassware may fall on to the catchment surface 12. This may not cushion the fall of the item of glassware as effectively as support legs 14 located around the periphery of the catchment surface 12.

In a further embodiment (not shown) the collision prevention platform comprises side members that extend upwardly from the edges of the catchment surface or catchment region to prevent items of glassware from colliding with the sides 21 of the sink 20. The side members may be integral with the collision prevention platform or may be releasably secured to the collision prevention platform. The side members may comprise a surface, for example a mesh, similar or identical to the catchment surface. Spacer members may be arranged to space the surface of the side members from the sides 21 of lo the sink. For example the spacer members may effectively comprise the resilient support legs as previously described but arranged to extend horizontally, in use, rather than vertically. The surface of the side members together with resilient spacer members would cushion the fall of any items towards the sides of the sink to prevent or inhibit any breakages occurring.

Accordingly, the collision prevention platform including the side members effectively provides a protecting liner for a sink to prevent article colliding with the sides and bottom of a sink and possibly breaking as a result of the subsequent collision.

A yet further embodiment of a collision prevention platform 10 is shown in Figure 6, Figure 7 and Figure 8.

The collision prevention platform comprises a catchment surface 12 as previously described. However, the catchment surface 12 comprises securement means to secure a first catchment surface to a second catchment surface.

The securement means comprises dovetail securement means.

A catchment surface comprises a male dovetail member 80 to engage in a female dovetail member 82 provided on an adjacent catchment surface. A side of a catchment surface may include a male dovetail member and a female dovetail member to engage with corresponding male and female dovetail members 80, 82 on a side of an adjacent catchment surface. Accordingly, the relative positions of the male and female dovetail members 80, 82 on the catchment surface are identical in order for the respective male and female dovetail members 80, 82 to be correctly positioned when placed adjacent to each other. In particular, each 0 catchment surface is identical.

The male dovetail member 80 is arranged to be engaged in the female dovetail member 82 by a sliding movement. Once inserted therein, lateral movement and inadvertent removal of one catchment surface from an adjacent catchment surface is inhibited or prevented.

The support means may comprise an elongate support member 84 effectively providing a plurality of legs 86. The elongate support member 84 may be curved to undulate or oscillate upwardly (to engage the catchment surface 12) and downwardly (to engage or abut the support surface 16) . The elongate support member 84 comprises a number of securement members 86 provided thereon to engage with respective securement members 88 provided on the (or underside of) the catchment surface 12. The securement members 86 on the elongate support member 84 are spaced farther apart relative to the spacing of the respective securement members 88 on the catchment surface 12.

Accordingly, once secured thereto, the elongate support member 84 has excess length which curves downwardly to abut the support surface 16.

The securement members 86, 88 for the elongate support member 84 and catchment surface 12 comprise corresponding male and female dovetail members 86, 88. In particular, male dovetail members 86 are provided on an upper surface of the elongate support member to engage in female dovetail members 88 provided on the lower surface of the catchment surface 12. Accordingly, once the male and female members 86, 88 are engaged, the engagement will 0 prevent or inhibit the (inadvertent) removal of the support member 84 from the catchment surface 12.

The elongate support member comprises a flexible and preferably resilient material to cushion the fall of any article falling on to the catchment surface. Once secured the bent strip or bent elongate member provides curved legs to absorb shock on impact.

The catchment surface is preferably square with each side being substantially 100mm.

The elongate support member is preferably a continuous strip which is 5mm wide and lmm thick.

The elongate support member 84 may extend underneath a plurality of separate or separable catchment surfaces which are connected together by securement means and in particular by dovetail members, as previously described.

Once the catchment surfaces are connected together the elongate support member(s) 84 are then attached along the underside of the catchment surfaces to provide the legs.

Each elongate support member therefore extends underneath a plurality of catchment surfaces and provides legs for a d plurality of catchment surfaces. Accordingly, the elongate support members also reinforce the securement between the catchment surfaces. In particular, the elongate support members prevent or inhibit upwards or downwards movement of the catchment surfaces relative to each other. For example, the elongate support members prevent the male dovetail members 80 sliding relative to the female members 82 in order to inhibit or prevent disengagement therebetween.

The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification

(including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features

disclosed in this specification (including any

accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed. no

Claims

Claims 1. A collision prevention platform comprising a catchment region

and support means wherein the support means is arranged, in use, to support the catchment region spaced from a surface of an article wherein the catchment region is arranged, in use, to prevent an object colliding with the surface of the article.
2. A collision prevention platform according to claim 1 in which the collision prevention platform is arranged, in use, to prevent or inhibit an object breaking as a result of preventing the object colliding with the surface of the article.
3. A collision prevention platform according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the catchment region is flexible.
4. A collision prevention platform according to any preceding claim in which the support means comprises resilient support means.
5. A collision prevention platform according to any preceding claim in which the support means comprises a plurality of resilient support legs.
6. A collision prevention platform according to claim 5 in which at least some of the support legs are located around the periphery of the catchment region.
7. A collision prevention platform according to any preceding claim in which a plurality of support legs are provided by a support member. it\
8. A collision prevention platform according to claim 7 in which the support member is shaped to provide a plurality of support legs.
9. A collision prevention platform according to claim 7 or claim 8 in which the support member provides a plurality of generally arcuate or curved support legs.
10. A collision prevention platform according to any one of claims 7 to 10 in which the support member forms a wavy or oscillating pattern, in use.
11. A collision prevention platform according to any one of claims 5 to 10 in which the support legs comprise arcuate support legs which extend downwardly and inwardly relative to the periphery of the catchment region or catchment surface.
12. A collision prevention platform according to any preceding claim in which the object is an item of glassware.
13. A collision prevention platform according to claim 12 in which the item of glassware is a flask, beaker, test tube or the like.
14. A collision prevention platform according to any preceding claim in which the article comprises a recess.
15. A collision prevention platform according to any preceding claim in which the article is a sink.
16. A collision prevention platform according to any preceding claim in which the surface of the article is the bottom of a sink.
17. A collision prevention platform according to any preceding claim in which the collision prevention platform is arranged, in use, to prevent breakages of glassware in a laboratory.
18. A collision prevention platform according to any preceding claim in which the periphery of the catchment region is arranged to correspond with the shape of the periphery of the surface of the article or the sides of the recess in the article.
19. A collision prevention platform according to any preceding claim in which the catchment region enables liquid to flow therethrough.
20. A collision prevention platform according to any preceding claim in which the catchment region comprises a mesh.
21. A collision prevention platform according to any preceding claim in which the catchment region comprises a relatively rigid periphery.
22. A collision prevention platform according to any preceding claim in which the size and/or shape of the collision prevention platform is arranged to substantially co-operate with the size and/or shape of a sink.
23. A collision prevention platform according to any preceding claim in which the collision prevention platform comprises securement means in order to secure a first collision prevention platform to a second adjacent collision prevention platform.
24. A collision prevention platform according to any preceding claim in which the collision prevention platform comprises a plastics.
25. A collision prevention platform according to any preceding claim in which the collision prevention platform comprises side members arranged to prevent an object colliding with side surfaces of the article.
26. A collision prevention platform according to claim 25 in which the collision prevention platform including the side members effectively provides a liner for the recess of an article to prevent objects from breaking by colliding with the surfaces of the recess.
27. An assembly comprising an article and a collision prevention platform wherein the collision prevention platform is in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 26.
28. A method of preventing an object colliding with a surface of an article comprising locating a collision prevention platform on a surface of the article such that a catchment region of the collision prevention platform is spaced from the surface of the article by support means.
29. A method according to claim 28 in which the method prevents or inhibits the object from breaking as a result of preventing the object colliding with the surface of the article.
30. A collision prevention platform substantially as herein described, with reference to, and a shown in, any of the accompanying drawings.
31. An assembly comprising an article and a collision prevention platform substantially as herein described, with reference to, and a shown in, any of the accompanying drawings.
32. A method of preventing an object colliding with a surface of an article substantially as herein described, with reference to, and a shown in, any of the accompanying drawings.