Mounting device for securing a sink to a countertop and...

Supports – Brackets – Specially mounted or attached

Reexamination Certificate

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Details

C004S633000, C248S027300, C248S201000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06216992

ABSTRACT:

SCOPE OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a mounting device which is used to secure sinks to countertops, and more particularly to a mounting device which is adapted for one hand clamping operation when operated to secure a sink in position.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conventional kitchen and bathroom sinks include a peripherally extending upper rim which, when installed, rests upon the top surface of the adjacent portion of the countertop. The sink is secured in place by a clamp construction which engages the underlying surface of the countertop to prevent the sink from being raised or moved sideways. Various types of mounting or clamping devices are known for securing sinks to countertops. Conventional sink clamp constructions, such as that shown in Canadian Patent No. 1,246,805 to Cappella which issued Dec. 20, 1988, typically consist of a weld bracket welded to the side of the sink and a movable clip arm member. The movable clip arm is in turn mechanically coupled to the bracket by a bolt mechanism which is threaded through an internally threaded aperture formed in the clip arm and which has a grooved end rotatably secured to the weld bracket. On rotation of the bolt, the bolt position remains constant relative to the sink. As a result, the clip arm moves axially as the bolt is turned by the threaded engagement between the bolt threads and internally threaded opening of the clip arm. Accordingly, the clip arm is moved vertically by rotating the bolt until the clip is brought into engagement with the underside of the countertop under compression to wedge the sink in place.
A disadvantage of the device disclosed in Canadian Patent No. 1,246,805 exists in that it requires the use of a customized bolt to movably couple the arm member to the weld bracket. The use of customized bolts increases the overall cost of the mounting device and hinders the simple substitution of longer or shorter bolts required to customize the mounting device for use with thicker or thinner countertops.
In addition to the increased costs associated with the manufacture of customized bolts, a further disadvantage with the Cappella mounting device exists in that as the bolt is tightened, the arm frequently turns together with the rotating bolt. This necessitates that two hands be used to operate the device when installing a sink. One hand is required to hold the clip arm in the correct orientation under the overhanging portion of the countertop and prevent its rotation out of alignment therewith, while the other hand turns the bolt. The necessity of using two hands to operate the mounting device may prevent an installer from securely holding the sink in the correct position during initial clamping. In addition, often the spacing between the rear edge of the sink bowl and the adjacent wall is insufficient to permit two-hand operation of the mounting device, with the result that as the clamp is tightened the clip arm member may rotate away from a position under the adjacent countertop overhang.
A further disadvantage of the Cappella sink mounting device exists in that as the clip arm is tightened and engages the underside of the countertop, the reaction forces at the end of the clip arm and the periphery of the screw head are concentrated on a very small area of contact with the side of the bowl. These reaction forces deform the side of the bowl, leaving an unsightly appearance.
As well, another disadvantage with the Cappella mounting device exists in that it may be used with only a limited number of sink designs. Because the weld brackets which are secured to the sides of the sink bowl often project radially therefrom up to 1 cm or more, they may interfere with the insertion of the sink bowl through the countertop hole. As such to ensure that the sink rim extends beyond the countertop hole, the Cappella mounting device may typically only be used on sinks which have a radially extending rim which extends at least 1.5 cm or more, and also the tolerance on the countertop hole must be tight to make it work.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention overcomes at least some of the disadvantages of the prior art by providing a sink mounting device for use in securing a sink to countertops of various thicknesses, which includes a movable clip arm member used to engage the underside of the countertop. The clip arm member includes a projecting finger portion which may be selectively moved against an overhanging part of the underside of a countertop to secure the sink in place; and a locating projection, web or finger to maintain the clip arm in an optimum clamping position aligned beneath the overhanging part while the clip arm member is moved theretowards.
Another object of the invention is to provide a mounting device used to secure a sink to a countertop which includes a clip arm having a finger portion which engages a countertop to clamp the sink in place, and which is adapted to rotate through approximately 90° from a nested position wherein one side of the finger portion substantially in abutting juxtaposition with the sink bowl, to an extended position rotated away therefrom, where the finger portion may optimally engage the underside of the countertop.
Another object of the invention is to provide a mounting device which is used to secure a sink to a countertop which may be fabricated easily and inexpensively.
A further object of the invention is to provide a bolt actuated clip arm used in a sink mounting device which is engaged by the bolt so as to minimize the deflection of the clip arm during sink installation.
Another object of the invention is to provide a mounting device used for clamping a sink in a hole formed in a countertop, which includes a bolt actuated movable clip arm which automatically orients itself in an optimum clamping position as the bolt is initially turned during tightening.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a mounting device where the projecting finger portion of the clip in contact with the underside of the countertop is intentionally allowed to bend at its weakest point when a predetermined torque on the screw is reached, as for example, where a weakening slot or necked down portion connects the longitudinal arm and the finger of the clip. This method prevents permanent deformation of the sink rim and/or the side of the bowl in case the screw is over torqued.
A further object of the invention is to provide the installer a user friendly mounting device where a movable clip cannot freely rotate from its nested position, during the process of dropping the sink into the countertop hole.
A further object of the invention is to provide a mounting device used to secure a sink to a countertop and which may be used to mount sinks having either narrow or wide sink rim designs.
The present invention provides a sink mounting device which includes a weld bracket, a movable clip member and a hanger assembly used to movably couple the clip member to the weld bracket. The weld bracket is adapted to be secured to a side portion of a sink bowl by crimping, welding or the like. The movable clip is used to engage an overhanging portion of the underside of the countertop. The clip arm includes a base portion having an axially positioned through-opening therethrough, an elongated arm member which extends longitudinally in a direction generally axially from the base, and a projecting finger, pawl or such toothed end which extends laterally from the end of the arm remote from the base. Most preferably the clip arm includes a weakening slot where the projecting finger connects to the longitudinal arm. The movable clip further includes a locating flange, finger web or the like which, when the sink mounting device is operated, is configured to engage at least one of the hanger assembly, weld bracket and/or sink bowl at a limit position and prevent further rotation of the movable arm about the axis. The movable clip may preferably also include in its base portion a shorter longitudinal member located opposite and parallel to the longitudinal arm which has a

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