Sink clamp and methods
AssigneeZ Keepers, LLC
InventorDavid C Smith
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A clamping device for mounting a sink to a counter includes a clamp having a clamp body and a binding spring of a flat-profile, bending type (“bending spring”), a binding lip for insertion through a first slot in the bottom surface of the countertop adjacent to the sink, the clamp and binding lip connected to the clamp body and extending away therefrom at least partially over an edge of the sink, and a clamp screw for insertion through a first opening in the clamp body and against a flange of the sink. The clamp screw may be covered by a screw cap, and a solid portion of the binding spring may be disposed between the clamp screw and the sink flange, or an opening in the binding spring may permit the clamp screw to press directly against the sink flange.
Claims26
An undercounter sink attachment system comprising:
- a sink having an outer edge configured to fit about an opening of a countertop having a generally vertical slot formed in a bottom surface of the countertop beside the sink, the slot extending generally alongside the outer edge of the sink when the sink is positioned about said opening under the countertop;
- and
- a clamping device for attaching the sink to the countertop, the clamping device having:
- a clamp body having an insertable end, said insertable end being configured to insert into the slot of the countertop above the clamp body in an upward insertion direction;
- and
- a clamping spring connected to the clamp body, the clamping spring in a relaxed state including a contacting portion extending upwardly from the clamp body forming an upward angle, said upward angle of the relaxed contacting spring portion configured to be deflected by contact of the contacting spring portion with a peripheral portion of the sink toward an angle of the peripheral sink portion to transmit an upward clamping force to said portion of the sink when the insertable end is inserted into the slot, wherein the clamping spring is connected to the clamp body by a fastener horizontally offset from the insertable end.
A clamping device for mounting a sink to a countertop comprising:
- a clamp body;
- an insertable end of the clamp body, said insertable end being configured for insertion in an upward insertion direction into a slot in a bottom surface of a countertop about a perimeter of a sink, and a width of the slot extending generally alongside the perimeter of the sink;
- and
- a clamping spring connected to the clamp body, the clamping spring in a relaxed state including a contacting portion extending at an upward angle, the contacting spring portion in said relaxed state configured to contact a portion of the sink when the insertable end is partially inserted into said slot and to be deflected by contact with the portion of the sink to transmit an upward clamping spring force to the portion of the sink when the insertable end is further inserted into said slot, wherein the clamping spring is connected to the clamp body by a fastener horizontally offset from the insertable end.
A method of installing a sink to a countertop, a perimeter of the sink being configured to fit about an opening of the countertop, comprising:
- forming a slot extending generally upwardly into a bottom surface of the countertop, the slot having a width longer than a thickness of the slot, the width of the slot extending alongside the perimeter of the sink when the sink is positioned under the countertop;
- inserting an insertable end of a clamp body of a clamping device into the slot;
- when the insertable end is partially inserted into the slot, contacting a portion of the sink with a contacting portion of a clamping spring connected to the clamp body, the contacting portion extending at an upward angle when the clamping spring is in a relaxed state;
- and
- when the insertable end is further inserted into the slot, deflecting said contacting spring portion against the portion of the sink to transmit a generally upward clamping spring force to the portion of the sink, wherein the clamping spring is connected to the clamp body by a fastener horizontally offset from the insertable end.
A clamping device for mounting a sink to a countertop comprising:
- a clamp body;
- an insertable end of the clamp body, said insertable end being configured for insertion in an upward insertion direction into a slot in a bottom surface of a countertop about a perimeter of a sink, and a width of the slot extending generally alongside the perimeter of the sink;
- a clamp screw extending threadably through a clamp screw hole in the clamp body;
- and
- a clamp screw cap disposed over an end of the clamp screw;
- the clamp screw being configured to transmit a generally upward force through the clamp screw cap to a portion of the sink to at least assist in holding the sink to the bottom surface of the countertop when the insertable end is inserted into said slot.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.