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US 2011/0300331 A1Published application
Laminate countertop insert and template
AssigneeCounter-Seal Corp.
InventorsBryan Gordon Drozdowich, Peter Zurba
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In one aspect, the invention provides an insert that is incorporated into laminated countertops during fabrication of stock countertop material. Once installed, a guide portion of the insert serves as a template for the later removal of a selected cut-out portion of the insert, to leave an opening in the countertop defined at least in part by a remaining portion of the insert. In this way, the insert may for example serve as both a template for cutting a sink opening in a laminated countertop, and as a component of a sink undermounting system in the laminated countertop.
Claims28
A countertop mounting unit, comprising:
- a porous deck sheet having a generally planar top surface and a generally planar bottom surface, the sheet having a cross-sectional edge defining an aperture in the sheet;
- a non-porous insert occupying the aperture in the sheet, the perimeter of the insert being bonded by an adhesive to the cross-sectional edge in the sheet, the insert having a top surface and a bottom surface, the top surface of the insert being generally coplanar with the top surface of the deck sheet;
- a non-porous laminate sheet bonded to the top surface of the deck sheet and to the top surface of the insert, in sealing engagement with the top surface of the deck sheet and the top surface of the insert;
- and,
- a recessed portion of the bottom surface of the insert, formed above a plane defined by the bottom surface of the deck sheet, the recessed portion being circumscribed by a downwardly-projecting circumferential rim forming a portion of the bottom surface of the insert.
2 more elements
A method for inserting a mounting unit in a laminated countertop comprising:
- providing a porous deck sheet having a generally planar top surface and a generally planar bottom surface, the sheet having a cross-sectional edge defining an aperture in the sheet;
- inserting a non-porous insert to occupy the aperture in the sheet, adhesively bonding the perimeter of the insert to the cross-sectional edge in the sheet, the insert having a top surface and a bottom surface, the top surface of the insert being generally coplanar with the top surface of the deck sheet;
- bonding a non-porous laminate sheet to the top surface of the deck sheet and to the top surface of the insert, in sealing engagement with the top surface of the deck sheet and the top surface of the insert;
- and,
- wherein a recessed portion of the bottom surface of the insert is formed above a plane defined by the bottom surface of the deck sheet, the recessed portion being circumscribed by a downwardly-projecting circumferentially- continuous rim forming a portion of the bottom surface of the insert.
2 more elements
A deck sheet port in a laminated countertop, comprising:
- a porous deck sheet having a generally planar top surface and a generally planar bottom surface, the sheet having a cross-sectional cut defining a port in the sheet;
- a deck sheet port fitting occupying the port in the sheet, the perimeter of the port fitting being bonded by an adhesive to the cross-sectional cut in the sheet;
- the port fitting having a top surface and a bottom surface, the top surface of the port fitting being generally coplanar with the top surface of the deck sheet;
- a non-porous laminate sheet bonded to the top surface of the deck sheet and to the top surface of the port fitting, with a sealing adhesive bonding the laminate to the top surface of the deck sheet and the top surface of the port fitting;
- and,
- an relief hole in the top surface of the port fitting, adapted to permit passage of a fluid out of a space between the laminate and the top surface of the port fitting.
3 more elements
A method of installing a deck sheet port in a laminated countertop, comprising:
- providing a porous deck sheet having a generally planar top surface and a generally planar bottom surface, the sheet having a cross-sectional cut defining a port through the sheet, wherein a non-porous laminate sheet is bonded to the top surface of the deck sheet and covers the port;
- inserting a dick sheet port fitting to occupy the port in the sheet, so that a top surface of the port fitting is generally coplanar with the top surface of the deck sheet;
- bonding the port fitting with an adhesive to the cross-sectional cut in the sheet;
- and
- bonding the top surface of the port fitting to the laminate with a sealing adhesive while permitting passage of the sealing adhesive out of a space between the laminate and the top surface of the port fitting through a relief hole in the top surface of the port fitting.
2 more elements
A countertop mounting unit for a laminated countertop, comprising:
- a porous deck sheet having a generally planar top surface and a generally planar bottom surface, the sheet having a cross-sectional edge defining an aperture in the sheet;
- a non-porous insert occupying the aperture in the sheet, the perimeter of the insert being bonded by an adhesive to the cross-sectional edge in the sheet, the insert having a bottom surface;
- and,
- a circumferential drip groove water trap formed on the bottom surface of the insert, forming a discontinuity on the bottom surface of the insert.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.