Apron front sink with interchangeable faces

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11286652-B2
Application number	US-201916545084-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 20, 2019
Priority date	Aug 21, 2018
Publication date	Mar 29, 2022
Grant date	Mar 29, 2022

Abstract

A sink is provided that includes a basin configured to hold water; an apron extending from a front of the basin and having a plurality of walls and a rear surface defining an opening in a front of the apron; and a panel assembly removably received in the opening, wherein an outer perimeter of the panel assembly is spaced apart from an inner perimeter of the plurality of walls of the apron.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sink comprising:
a basin configured to hold water;
an apron extending from a front of the basin and having an upper wall, a lower wall, a first side wall, a second side wall, and a rear surface defining an opening in a front of the apron; and
a panel assembly removably received in the opening and comprising:
a carrier detachably coupled to the apron with a first fastener;
and
a panel detachably coupled to the carrier,

wherein a gap is formed between an outer perimeter of the panel assembly and each of the upper wall, the lower wall, the first side wall, and the second side wall of the apron.

2. The sink of claim 1 , wherein the panel assembly includes a panel having at least one of an aesthetic or a material, which is different than an aesthetic or a material of the apron.

3. The sink of claim 2 , wherein a front surface of the panel is flush with or recessed rearwardly from a front surface of the apron.

4. The sink of claim 1 wherein:
the carrier includes a base and at least one flange extending away from the base of the carrier toward the rear surface of the apron; and
the at least one flange includes an opening for receiving a fastener.

5. The sink of claim 4 , wherein:
the at least one flange includes upper and lower flanges that extend from a top and a bottom of the base, respectively;
each of the upper and lower flanges includes an opening for receiving the fastener; and
the fastener extends through an opening in a bottom wall of the apron to engage the upper and lower flanges.

6. The sink of claim 5 , wherein a shoulder extends upwardly from a top surface of the bottom wall of the apron, and the shoulder includes a bore that receives the fastener.

7. The sink of claim 3 , wherein the panel assembly comprises:
at least one mount rail coupled to a backside of the panel, wherein each mount rail extends laterally across the backside of the panel;
a carrier disposed between each mount rail and the rear surface of the apron;
a first fastener coupling each mount rail to the carrier; and
a second fastener coupling the carrier to the apron.

8. The sink of claim 7 , wherein the first fastener extends in a first direction, the second fastener extends in a second direction, and the first and second directions are orthogonal.

9. The sink of claim 7 , wherein:
the at least one mount rail includes first and second mount rails coupled to the backside of the panel and vertically offset from one another; and
each of the first and second mount rails includes a pair of flanges, which protrude rearward and are separated by a channel.

10. A sink comprising:
a basin configured to hold water;
an apron extending from a front of the basin and having an upper wall, a lower wall, a first side wall, a second side wall, and a rear surface defining an opening in a front of the apron; and
a panel assembly removably received in the opening and comprising:
a carrier detachably coupled to the apron with a first fastener;
and
a panel detachably coupled to the carrier,

wherein an outer perimeter of the panel assembly is spaced apart from the upper wall, the lower wall, the first side wall, and the second side wall of the apron.

11. The sink of claim 10 , wherein the panel comprises a portion that is configured to be received in the opening.

12. The sink of claim 10 , wherein the carrier is disposed between a portion of the panel and a portion of the apron when the carrier is coupled to the panel and the apron.

13. The sink of claim 10 , wherein:
the opening is rectangular; and
the panel is rectangular.

14. The sink of claim 10 , wherein the panel comprises a plurality of bores, each of the plurality of bores configured to receive a portion of a second fastener for detachably coupling the panel to the carrier.

15. The sink of claim 10 , wherein an outer perimeter of the panel is spaced apart from the upper wall, the lower wall, the first side wall, and the second side wall of the apron when the carrier is coupled to the apron and the panel.

16. The sink of claim 10 , wherein:
the carrier contacts the apron when the carrier is coupled to the apron; and
the carrier contacts the panel when the carrier is coupled to the panel.

17. The sink of claim 10 , wherein the panel is made of at least one of a natural stone or a synthetic stone.

18. A sink comprising:
a basin configured to hold water;
an apron extending from a front of the basin and having a plurality of walls and a rear surface defining an opening in a front of the apron; and
a panel assembly removably received in the opening and comprising:
a carrier detachably coupled to the apron with a first fastener;
and
a panel detachably coupled to the carrier;

wherein the plurality of walls comprises an upper wall, a lower wall, a first side wall, and a second side wall;
wherein the panel comprises an upper wall, a lower wall, a first side wall, and a second sidewall;
wherein a first gap is formed between the upper wall of the panel and the upper wall of the apron when the carrier is coupled to the apron and the panel;
wherein a second gap is formed between the lower wall of the panel and the lower wall of the apron when the carrier is coupled to the apron and the panel;
wherein a third gap is formed between the first side wall of the panel and the first side wall of the apron when the carrier is coupled to the apron and the panel; and
wherein a fourth gap is formed between the second side wall of the panel and the second side wall of the apron when the carrier is coupled to the apron and the panel.

19. The sink of claim 18 , wherein at least two of the first gap, the second gap, the third gap, or the fourth gap are the same.

Assignees

• Kohler Co

Inventors

• Miller Jason R
• Detlaff Ryan R

Classifications

• E03C1/18 Primary

  Sinks, whether or not connected to the waste-pipe · CPC title

• E03C1/32

  Holders or supports for basins · CPC title

• E03C1/182 Primary

  connected to the waste-pipe · CPC title

• A47B77/06

  for incorporating sinks, with or without draining boards, splash-backs, or the like (constructional features of draining boards A47L19/02; sinks E03C1/18) · CPC title

• E03C1/186

  Separate partition walls, lids, protecting borders, or the like, for sinks · CPC title