Abstract:
A work table is converted to a portable sink by joining the work table to a faucet spigot for connection to a water source. A removable water plate has a rear wall that extends upwardly from the upper surface of the water plate. The water plate further defines an opening that directs liquid(s) (e.g., water) to a drain. The rear wall of the water plate is removably insertable into a space or gap in a back wall of the table or work surface to mount the water plate between the faucet spigot and the work surface. A cassette defining an internal compartment that leads to a drain may be mounted to a back surface of the back wall of the work table. When a cassette is so mounted, the rear wall of the water plate then may be held inside the cassette, slidably engaged between a rod support inside the cassette and an internal wall of the cassette.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The present invention relates to kitchen equipment that may be converted from a work table or cabinet to a portable sink, and back again to a work table or cabinet, by removably mounting a water plate between a faucet spigot and a work surface to direct water toward a drain. 
     Some home and commercial kitchens have limited floor space for installing various equipment for efficient preparation of food. As a result, some kitchen designers specify purchase of multi-functional equipment, particularly equipment mounted to casters that readily may be moved from one location to the other within a confined kitchen floor space. 
     Self-contained, compact and mobile portable sinks are known, such as offered by Eagle Group. Portable sinks generally have a fresh water tank, a soiled water tank and a sink compartment or bowl therein. Water from the fresh water tank is directed into the sink compartment, and exits the sink compartment via a drain to the soiled water tank or to a building drain to a public sewer. The portable sinks are often installed over caster-mounted cabinetry into which the tanks are held. In one prior art embodiment offered by Eagle Group, the sink compartment or bowl was not installed in the table top. Instead, the table top remained a flat work surface, and a removable water plate was joined by hooks to a back wall of the work table to convert the work table to a sink. Liquid(s) impinging on the surface of the water plate were directed to a trough that led to the soiled water tank. 
     Improvements to equipment for efficient food preparation and clean up and improvements to portable sinks continue to be sought. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY 
     According to one preferred embodiment, a portable sink has a work surface and a faucet spigot adapted to direct liquid(s) toward the work surface. A back wall that serves as a backsplash extends upwardly from the work surface at or near a back edge of the work surface. The back wall defines an opening, such as an elongated slot. A rod is mounted behind the back wall, in an orientation generally parallel to the plane of the work surface. A water plate that has an upper surface, a bottom surface and a rear wall extending upwardly from the upper surface, defines a drain opening through which liquids may pass. The rear wall of the water plate is removably insertable into the opening of the back wall for contact with the rod to mount the water plate between the work surface and the faucet spigot. When the water plate is mounted between the work surface and the faucet spigot, the water plate upper surface is slanted rearwardly to direct liquid(s), such as water, poured onto the upper surface of the water plate to the drain opening. 
     In one preferred embodiment, the water plate upper surface defines a bend or channel to direct liquids poured onto the upper surface of the water plate to the drain opening. The water plate may be formed of materials suitable for durability and cleanliness within food service environments, such as thermoplastics, acrylics, polycarbonates, metals, or stainless steel. 
     In another preferred embodiment, a trim support extends from the back wall at or near the opening defined in the back wall. The trim support is adapted to contact the bottom surface of the water plate when the water plate is installed to convert the work table to a portable sink. 
     In yet another preferred embodiment, a cassette is mounted behind the back wall of the portable sink. The cassette defines an internal compartment and the rod support is supported within the internal compartment of the cassette. At least a portion of the rear wall of the water plate is slidably engageable between an internal wall (such as a rear wall) of the cassette and the rod support to hold the water plate in position mounted above the work surface. The cassette further includes a drain for directing liquids out of the internal compartment of the cassette. The drain opening of the water plate is in fluid communication with the internal compartment of the cassette. The cassette may be joined to the back wall of the table by a fixed angle support extending from a rear surface of the back wall. A top portion of the cassette fits within the fixed angle support to align the cassette with the back wall. The cassette may be further joined to the back wall of the table or to the underside of the table by a flange extending from a bottom portion of the cassette and adapted to be fastened to a bottom surface of the work surface. 
     The work surface of the portable sink may be supported above a floor by one or more supports, such as support posts or casters mounted on support posts, or furniture or cabinetry. 
     The invention also comprises a water plate to convert a work table or food preparation table to a portable sink. The water plate has an upper surface defining a drain opening through which liquid(s) may pass, a bottom surface opposite the upper surface, and a rear wall extending upwardly from the upper surface, the rear wall defining a slot that communicates with the drain opening. Preferably, the upper surface of the water plate is slanted rearwardly to direct liquid(s) poured onto the upper surface of the water plate to the drain opening. Preferably, the upper surface of the water plate defines at least one bend or channel to direct liquid(s) poured onto the upper surface of the water plate to the drain opening. The water plate may be formed of materials suitable for durability and cleanliness within food service environments, such as thermoplastics, acrylics, polycarbonates, metals, or stainless steel. 
     The invention further comprises a cassette to convert a work table or food preparation table to a portable sink. The cassette comprises a compartment having a rear wall, a front wall defining an opening, side walls, and a bottom wall defining drain opening, wherein said rear wall, front wall, side walls and bottom wall define an internal volume of the cassette. Preferably, the bottom wall serves as a trough and is slanted toward the drain opening. A rod extends between the side walls in the internal volume and is supported in a position that is above the bottom wall and spaced apart from the rear wall. The rod is adapted for contacting a portion of a water plate of a portable sink. A flange extends outwardly of the front wall of the cassette for joining the compartment to a table or furniture element of a work surface. A top may be installed over the internal volume. Preferably, a second flange extends from the top for joining the top to a back wall of the table or furniture element of the work surface. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of the invention, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown in the drawings embodiments which are presently preferred. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown. 
       In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is a right front perspective view of a table with a portable sink according to the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a left rear perspective view of the table with portable sink of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a right front perspective view of a tabletop with a portable sink; 
         FIG. 4A  is a right front perspective view of a first embodiment of a cassette for a portable sink; 
         FIG. 4B  is a right front perspective view of a second embodiment of a cassette for a portable sink; 
         FIG. 5  is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line  5 - 5  in  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a left rear bottom perspective view of the tabletop with a portable sink of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a right front perspective view of a cabinet with a portable sink according to the invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a left rear perspective view of the cabinet with a portable sink of  FIG. 7 ; 
         FIG. 9  is a right front perspective view of a water plate; and 
         FIG. 10  is a right front perspective view of a tabletop with water plate removed. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Reference will now be made in detail to the present embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The same or like reference numbers may be used in the drawings to refer to the same or like features. It should be noted that the drawings are in simplified form and not drawn to a precise scale. 
     In reference to the disclosure herein, for purposes of convenience and clarity only, directional terms such as top, bottom, above, below, front, rear, right, left, inner, and outer, are used with respect to the accompanying drawings. Such directional terms used in conjunction with the following description of the drawings should not be construed to limit the scope of the invention in any manner not explicitly set forth herein. Unless specifically set forth herein, the terms “a”, “an” and “the” are not limited to one element but instead should be read as meaning “at least one”. The terminology includes the words noted above, derivatives thereof and words of similar import. 
     Turning in detail to the drawings,  FIGS. 1-4A, 5, 6 and 10  show one embodiment of a portable sink  10  in the form of a table  12  with a work surface  14  supported by support posts  16 . An optional shelf  18  is joined to the support posts  16  below the work surface  14 .  FIGS. 4B, 7 and 8  show an alternative embodiment of a portable sink  100  in the form of a cabinet  108  with a table  102  having a work surface  104  supported by support posts  106 . In either embodiment, casters (not shown in the Figures) may be installed at the bottom of the support posts to allow the portable sinks  10 ,  100  to be more readily moved from one location to another location. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-4A , a back wall  20  extends upwardly from the rear of the work surface  14  of the portable sink  10 . The back wall  20  forms a back splash and defines a slot or opening  22  leading to an internal volume of a cassette  50  that directs liquid(s), such as water, to a trough in the cassette  50  and in turn to a drain pipe  70  to direct used liquid(s), such as soiled water, to a holding tank or to drain used liquid(s) to a public sewer system. 
     A faucet spigot  26  and water control handles  28  are mounted to the portable sink  10 . Shown in  FIG. 1 , the faucet spigot  26  directs liquid(s) (e.g., water) toward the work surface  14 . The faucet spigot  26  and control handles  28  are mounted by customary hardware (not shown) to the back wall  20  of the portable sink  10 . 
     Shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4A , a first embodiment of the cassette  50  has a front, a back wall  64 , bottom wall  59  and side walls  56 ,  58  that together define an internal compartment of the cassette  50 . A rod support  60  extends along the length of the cassette  50  and is held in the internal compartment between the two side walls  56 ,  58  at a location spaced apart from the back wall  64 . The rod support  60  may be a round rod (circular in cross-section) with a diameter in the range of from about ¼ inch to ½ inch. Optionally, the rod support may have other cross-sectional shapes, although a round rod is preferred. Preferably, the rod support  60  is formed materials manufactured for durability and cleanliness within food service environments, such as stainless steel, a thermoplastic or a ceramic. 
     The cassette  50  is removably engaged to a rear surface  32  of the back wall  20 . The front of the cassette  50  is placed in abutting relation to the rear surface  32  of the back wall. The upper edges of the front, the back wall  64  and side walls  56 ,  58  are placed into contact with a bottom surface of a cover  66 . The cover  66  is joined by fixed angle  68  and fasteners (e.g., screws or bolts) to the rear surface  32  of the back wall. An angle support  54  extends outwardly from the cassette  50  at or near its bottom wall  59 . The angle support  54  is removably affixed to the underside of the table  12  with fasteners (e.g., screws or bolts) (See  FIGS. 5 and 6 ). 
     A drain pipe  70  is installed in fluid communication with the internal compartment of the cassette  50 . The bottom wall  59  of the cassette  50  forms a trough and may be slanted to direct liquid(s) received in the cassette toward the drain  70 . In one embodiment, the bottom wall  59  is slanted at an angle from horizontal of about 0.5° to about 10°. 
     An exemplary water plate  40  is shown in  FIG. 9 . The water plate has an upper surface  48 , a bottom surface opposite the upper surface, and a rear wall  44  extending upwardly from the upper surface at or near a rear portion of the upper surface. The upper surface defines a drain opening  41 . The rear wall  44  defines a slot opening  46  in communication with the drain opening  41 . The water plate  40  defines a bend  42  in its upper surface  48  to direct liquid(s) to the drain opening  41 . In one embodiment, the upper surface  48  is angled toward the rear wall  44  at an angle from horizontal in the range of from about 80° to about 110°, and the upper surface is bent toward bend  42  at angles in the range of about 5° to about 30°. 
       FIG. 10  shows the portable sink  10  without a water plate installed therein. The back wall  20  defines an opening  22 , which in this embodiment has a generally straight upper edge and angled bottom edges. The angled bottom edges generally match the angle of bend  42  of water plate  40 . A removable trim support  62  may be installed over the bottom edge(s) of the opening  22 . The removable trim support  62  may extend outwardly from the face surface of the back wall  20  and further supports the bottom surface of the water plate when the water plate is installed into the portable sink  10 . The removable trim support  62  protects the bottom surface of the water plate from direct contact with the bottom edge(s) of the opening  22 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 5 , the water plate  40  is shown installed in the portable sink  10 . The rear wall  44  of the water plate  40  is slidably engaged between the rod support  60  and the back wall  64  of the cassette  50 . The bottom surface of the water plate  40  contacts the trim support  62 . There are no fasteners to connect the water plate to the work surface  14 , the back wall  20  or the cassette  50 . The rear wall  44  of the water plate  40  is held between the rod support  60  and the back wall  64  of the cassette  50  without adhesives or other fasteners. The water plate  40  may be readily disengaged from the back wall  64  and the cassette  50  by sliding the rear wall  44  of the water plate out of engagement with the rod support  60  and removing it from the internal volume of the cassette through the slot  22  in the back wall  20  of the portable sink  10 . 
     Preferably the rear wall  44  of the water plate  40  has a substantially uniform thickness. The water plate  40  may be made of transparent sheet materials, such as, but not limited to, glass, acrylic, polycarbonate and thermoplastic sheet materials, and particularly sheet materials manufactured for durability and cleanliness within food service environments. The water plate  40  can be separated from the portable sink  10  and cleaned or washed. 
     Preferably the work surface  14  and back wall  20  of the portable sink  10  are formed of materials manufactured for durability and cleanliness within food service environments, such as stainless steel or melamine. Preferably, the cassette  50  is formed of materials manufactured for durability and cleanliness within food service environments, such as stainless steel, melamine or laminated plywood. Because the cassette  50  can be removed from its connection with the table  12 , and because the cassette  50  is formed of materials manufactured for durability and cleanliness, the cassette  50  can more readily be cleaned or washed, such as in commercial dish washing equipment. 
       FIGS. 4B, 7 and 8  show an alternative embodiment of a portable sink  100  and cassette  50   b . In this embodiment, the cassette  50   b  has a front, a back wall  64 , bottom wall  59  and side walls  56 ,  58  that together define an internal compartment of the cassette  50   b . A rod support  60  extends along the length of the cassette  50   b  and is held in the internal compartment between the two side walls  56 ,  58  at a location spaced apart from the back wall  64 . The cassette  50   b  of this alternative embodiment is removably engaged to a rear surface  32  of the back wall  20  that extends up from the work surface  104 . The front of the cassette  50   b  is placed in abutting relation to the rear surface  32  of the back wall. The upper edges of the front, the back wall  64  and side walls  56 ,  58  are placed into contact with a bottom surface of a cover  66 . The cover  66  is joined by fixed angle  68  and fasteners (e.g., screws or bolts) to the rear surface  32  of the back wall  20 . A different angle support  55  extends outwardly from the front of the cassette  50   b . The angle support  55  is removably affixed to the underside of the back wall  20  that rises from the work surface  104  with fasteners (e.g., screws or nuts and bolts) (See  FIG. 8 ). 
     Kitchen workers may use the work surface  14 ,  104  of either embodiment as a work table, cutting table or food preparation table when the water plate  40  is removed, such as shown in  FIG. 10 . The water plate  40  may be mounted over the work surface  14 ,  104  by inserting the rear wall  44  of the water plate  40  into the opening or slot in the back wall  20  of the portable sink  10 ,  100 , and sliding the rear wall  44  between the support rod  60  and the back wall of the cassette  50 . The water plate  40  is held above the work surface  14 ,  104  to convert the work table or cabinet into a portable sink  10 ,  100 , such as shown in  FIGS. 1, 2, 7 and 8 . 
     As such, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes could be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the broad inventive concept thereof. It is understood, therefore, that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but it is intended to cover modifications within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. 
     REFERENCE NUMERALS 
     
         
           10  portable sink 
           12  table 
           14  work surface 
           16  support posts 
           18  shelf 
           20  back wall 
           22  opening in back wall 
           24  top surface of back wall 
           26  faucet spigot 
           28  faucet handles 
           40  water plate 
           41  drain opening 
           42  bend/channel in water plate 
           44  rear wall of water plate 
           46  slot opening in rear wall 
           48  upper surface 
           50  cassette 
           54  angle support/flange 
           55  alternative angle support/flange 
           56  side wall of cassette 
           58  side wall of cassette 
           59  bottom wall of cassette 
           60  rod support 
           62  removable trim support 
           64  back wall of cassette 
           66  cap or cover of cassette 
           68  angle to support water plate 
           70  drain pipe 
           100  portable sink 
           102  table 
           104  work surface 
           106  support posts 
           108  cabinet/furniture