Apron front sink panel assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11324318-B2
Application number	US-201916589967-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 1, 2019
Priority date	Oct 4, 2018
Publication date	May 10, 2022
Grant date	May 10, 2022

Abstract

A panel assembly for providing an apron-front aesthetic for a sink installed in a cabinet. The panel assembly includes a mounting body configured for coupling to a cabinet and a cover panel coupled to the mounting body to provide an apron-front aesthetic for a sink coupled to the cabinet. The mounting body may include an opening and the cover panel may be located within the opening. The mounting body may be configured to couple to a portion of the cabinet where a false drawer would normally be located. The panel assembly may include a fastener configured to extend through a portion of the mounting body to engage the cover panel so as to secure the cover panel in place with respect to the mounting body. The cover panel may be generally planar and have a metallic finish or a textured surface finish.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A panel assembly for providing an apron-front aesthetic for a sink installed in a cabinet, the panel assembly comprising:
a mounting body separate from a sink and configured for coupling to a cabinet in which the sink is installed; and
a cover panel coupled to the mounting body and separated from the cabinet by the mounting body and configured to provide an apron-front aesthetic for the sink when the sink is installed in the cabinet.

2. The panel assembly of claim 1 , wherein the mounting body includes an opening and the cover panel is located within the opening.

3. The panel assembly of claim 2 , wherein a cover panel back faces a front of the mounting body when the cover panel is coupled to the mounting body.

4. The panel assembly of claim 1 , wherein the mounting body is configured for coupling to a portion of the cabinet in front of the sink.

5. The panel assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a fastener configured to extend through a portion of the mounting body to engage the cover panel so as to secure the cover panel in place with respect to the mounting body.

6. The panel assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cover panel is generally planar.

7. The panel assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cover panel has a metallic finish.

8. The panel assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cover panel has a textured surface finish.

9. The panel assembly of claim 1 , wherein the mounting body is formed of a first material and the cover panel is formed of a second material that is different from the first material.

10. The panel assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the mounting body comprises a base wall comprising:
a back,
a front opposite the back,
a top contiguous with the back and the front,
a first side contiguous with the top, the front, and the back,
a second side contiguous with the top, the front, and the back, and
a bottom contiguous with the back, the front, the first side, and the second side;

the top, the first side, the second side, and the bottom cooperate to define an opening; and
at least a portion of the cover panel is received within the opening.

11. The panel assembly of claim 10 , wherein:
the top is planar;
the bottom is planar and parallel to the top;
the first side is planar; and
the second side is planar and parallel to the first side.

12. The panel assembly of claim 11 , wherein:
the front is planar; and
the back is planar and parallel to the front.

13. The panel assembly of claim 11 , wherein the front is planar and orthogonal to the first side, the second side, the top, and the bottom.

14. The panel assembly of claim 11 , wherein the back is planar and orthogonal to the first side, the second side, the top, and the bottom.

15. The panel assembly of claim 11 , wherein:
the cover panel comprises:
a cover panel back,
a cover panel front opposite the cover panel back,
a cover panel top contiguous with the cover panel back and the cover panel front,
a first cover panel side contiguous with the cover panel top, the cover panel front, and the cover panel back,
a second cover panel side contiguous with the cover panel top, the cover panel front, and the cover panel back, and
a cover panel bottom contiguous with the cover panel back, the cover panel front, the first cover panel side, and the second cover panel side;

a portion of the cover panel top is received within the opening and in confronting relation with the top;
a portion of the cover panel bottom is received within the opening and in confronting relation with the bottom;
a portion of the first cover panel side is received within the opening and in confronting relation with the first side; and
a portion of the second cover panel side is received within the opening and in confronting relation with the second side.

16. The panel assembly of claim 15 , wherein:
the cover panel top is planar;
the cover panel bottom is planar and parallel to the cover panel top;
the first cover panel side is planar; and
the second cover panel side is planar and parallel to the first cover panel side.

17. The panel assembly of claim 16 , wherein:
the cover panel front is planar; and
the cover panel back is planar and parallel to the cover panel front.

18. The panel assembly of claim 15 , wherein the cover panel front is planar and orthogonal to the first cover panel side, the second cover panel side, the cover panel top, and the cover panel bottom.

19. The panel assembly of claim 15 , wherein:
the cover panel top is planar;
the top is planar and parallel to the cover panel top;
the cover panel bottom is planar and parallel to the cover panel top;
the bottom is planar and parallel to the cover panel bottom;
the first cover panel side is planar;
the first side is planar is parallel to the first cover panel side;
the second cover panel side is planar and parallel to the first cover panel side; and
the second side is planar is parallel to the second cover panel side.

20. The panel assembly of claim 1 , wherein a back of the cover panel faces a front of the mounting body when the cover panel is coupled to the mounting body.

21. A panel assembly for providing an apron-front aesthetic for a sink installed in a cabinet, the panel assembly comprising:
a mounting body separate from a sink and configured for coupling to a cabinet in which the sink is installed; and
a cover panel coupled to the mounting body to provide an apron-front aesthetic for the sink when the sink is installed in the cabinet;
wherein the mounting body includes an opening and the cover panel is located within the opening.

22. A panel assembly for providing an apron-front aesthetic for a sink installed in a cabinet, the panel assembly comprising:
a mounting body separate from a sink and configured for coupling to a cabinet in which the sink is installed;
a cover panel coupled to the mounting body to provide an apron-front aesthetic for the sink when the sink is installed in the cabinet; and
a fastener configured to extend through a portion of the mounting body to engage the cover panel so as to secure the cover panel in place with respect to the mounting body.

Assignees

• Kohler Co

Inventors

• Miller Jason R

Classifications

• A47B77/06 Primary

  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

• A47B96/205 Primary

  Composite panels, comprising several elements joined together · CPC title

• A47B96/20

  Furniture panels or like furniture elements · CPC title

• E03C1/18

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

• A47B2096/207

  Furniture panels consisting of a frame with interchangeable insertable panel · CPC title