Adjustable support system for undermounted sinks

An adjustable support device for under-mounted sanitary fixtures which enables the installation of rimless and rimmed fixtures to a countertop without the use of counter attaching hardware. The system includes mounting brackets for attachment to under-counter support cabinetry and moveable carriages suspended from the mounting brackets by adjustable lift actuators. Length adjustable hanger beams are attached to the opposing moveable carriages to create a support surface for the fixtures. The moveable carriages and attached hanger beams are lowered by the lift actuators to accommodate the insertion of a sanitary fixture and then raised to position the supported, upward facing rim of the fixture to the desired position relative to the countertop.

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THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates generally to the field of devices for the installation of sanitary fixtures and appliances, and more specifically, devices used for the under-counter installation of sanitary fixtures.

Ceramic or metal cast or machined rimless sinks, sometimes called Farmhouse or Apron sinks, are very heavy fixtures which require robust support systems on which to mount them or suspend them so that they do not detach from the countertop to which they are mounted. Their substantial weight is due to the material from which they are manufactured and the significant volume of water the larger models of some of these sinks can accommodate. In addition to being very heavy, these sinks are often hand crafted and hence are not completely symmetrical in shape or even in height. Furthermore, it has become increasingly fashionable to mount these sinks underneath stone or masonry countertops in which it is difficult or impossible to attach mounting hardware without drilling receiving holes into the underside of the stone surface to accommodate the hardware. Even if mounting hardware can be effectively installed into the underside of the masonry or non masonry counters, the sinks have no rims or lips on the upper edge with which to engage this mounting hardware.

Information relevant to attempts to address these problems can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,096,520, 7,429,021, 5,743,501, 5,538,206 and Published Application No. 20050211852. However, each one of these references suffers from one or more of the following shortcomings: the disclosed devices are mounted on the floor or bottom of the cabinet beneath the sink thereby occupying much of the useful floor space beneath the sink; the devices although adjustable or sizeable prior to installation, are not easily adjustable once the sink or fixture is in place; the devices require shimming after the fixture is installed to ensure proper mating of the fixture to the underside of the counter; the device requires that the sink or fixture have a rim that can be engaged by a clip or similar fixing device.

As a result of the shortcomings of the aforementioned attempted solutions to this problem, a commonly encountered installation technique for these types of sinks relies primarily on the construction of wooden frames or boxes which rest on the floor beneath the sink or attach to the opposing vertical surfaces of the countertop support cabinetry and support the sink from beneath while relying on shims and caulk to ensure the sink is level and fully mated to the underside of the countertop. Again, these wooden support systems and the associated shims take up a significant amount of space beneath the sink, are not adjustable to accommodate non levelness in the sink or post installation shifting, and are prone to rot from exposure to water seepage.

What is needed is a robust, water resistant, adjustable sink support apparatus which allows a heavy ceramic, cast, molded, extruded or machined, rimless or rimmed sink to be mounted and adjusted for levelness under a masonry or non masonry countertop so that the upward facing edge of the sink engages with the underside of the countertop. This sink support apparatus needs to function without installing or adhering mounting hardware to the underside of the countertop and without consuming all the space beneath the sink with wooden framing that relies on the use of shims or other non precise gap filling measures to ensure the sink is properly engaged with the underside of the countertop.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure advantageously addresses one or more of the aforementioned deficiencies in the field of sanitary fixture support devices by providing a high strength, light weight, water resistant adjustable sink support apparatus that attaches to the opposing, surfaces of the under-counter support cabinetry and suspends rimless and rimmed sinks, as well as other sanitary fixtures, on vertically and horizontally adjustable supports beneath the countertop without the need for bulky framing, support boxes, or shim stock support from beneath the sink, nor the need for adhesive or attachment hardware to engage the top edge of the sanitary fixture to the underside of the counter.

The device includes mounting brackets for attachment to the vertical surfaces of the under-counter support cabinetry and moveable carriages suspended from the mounting brackets by adjustable lift actuators. Length adjustable hanger beams are attached to the opposing, moveable carriages to create a support surface for the sanitary fixture. The moveable carriages and attached hanger beams are lowered by adjustable lift actuators to accommodate the insertion of a sink or other sanitary fixture and then raised to position the upward facing rim of the fixture to the desired height with respect to the countertop it is being installed under; either pressed against the underside of the countertop or in a position flush with or protruding above the top surface of the counter.

One embodiment of the present disclosure may include an adjustable lift actuator comprising an externally threaded, rotatable bolt with a head at one end to act as a keeper and a slot at the other for receiving a screw driver. The bolt is suspended by the bolt head through a hole in the horizontal suspension support surface of the mounting bracket where the diameter of the hole is larger than that of the threaded shaft of the bolt but smaller than that of the head of the bolt. The bolt further passes through a hole in the horizontally oriented hanger support platform of the moveable carriage situated below and aligned in parallel with the suspension support surface of the mounting bracket. A threaded nut permanently mounted beneath the hole in the hanger support platform threadably engages the shaft of the bolt passing through the hole and the nut. The hanger support platform of the moveable carriage is also attached to one end of a hanger beam which runs horizontally from one moveable carriage to a similar unit situated on the under counter support cabinetry on the opposite side of the fixture installation opening. When the threaded shaft of the bolt is turned by inserting and rotating a screw driver in the slot in the exposed end of the bolt, the moveable carriage and attached hanger beam travels up or down the thread to the desired height.

In another embodiment the adjustable lift actuator may take the form of a threaded lead screw with a rotatable, mating nut. In this embodiment the screw is permanently fixed to the suspension support surface of the mounting bracket so that is cannot rotate and may pass through an unthreaded hole in the horizontally-oriented hanger support platform of the moveable carriage which is situated below and aligned in parallel with the suspension support surface of the mounting bracket. The internally threaded, rotatable nut mates with the threaded lead screw and supports the underside of the hanger support platform of the moveable carriage. When the nut is turned on the fixed lead screw the moveable carriage is moved along the axis of the lead screw to the desired height.

In another embodiment the lift actuator may be a ratcheting device that allows the height of the moveable carriage to be ratcheted up or down to a desired height while loaded or unloaded.

In still another embodiment the lift actuator may be a chain suspended from a hook on the underside of the suspension support surface of the mounting bracket and attached to a hook on the topside of the hanger support platform of the moveable carriage. The height of the hanger support platform may be adjusted by selecting a different link of the chain to attach to the support plate of the moveable carriage.

In another embodiment, the hanger beam which contacts the underside of the supported fixture is adjustable in length so that it can be sized and locked to the desired length so as to accommodate a wide variety of fixture sizes.

A novel and non obvious feature of the device and associated method is the attachment of the apparatus to vertical surfaces of the under counter support cabinetry instead of the underside of the counter or the floor beneath the fixture.

Another novel and non obvious feature of the device is the in-situ, height adjustable moveable carriages which allow the apparatus to be easily lowered and raised with or without the fixture in place.

The device affords the user one or more of the following advantages. The device does not take up floor space beneath the fixture. Because the mounting brackets attach to vertical surfaces of under-counter support cabinetry, there is no need for the device to be supported by vertical bracing on the floor beneath the fixture. This leaves the area beneath the fixture free for storage.

The device requires no attachment to the counter itself. Because the mounting brackets attach to the vertical surfaces of the under-counter support cabinetry and the lift actuators move the sanitary fixture into contact with the underside of the counter, there is no need to drill holes in the underside of the counter for receiving hardware. This is especially significant where the counter is made of masonry or other hard material. Additionally, there is no need to use adhesive to hold the fixture to the underside of the counter.

Because no hardware is used to attach the sanitary fixture to the underside of counters, the device can be used to install rimless and rimmed sinks to the underside of the counter.

The device is easily adjustable both before and after the fixture is emplaced allowing for ease of installation and removal and precise positioning during installation, even for fixtures which may be asymmetric. Furthermore, because the device is highly adjustable when the fixture is in place, there is no need for the use of shims to optimize the positioning of the fixture. Furthermore, should any shifting or settling occur after installation, the positioning of the sanitary fixture can easily be adjusted due to the easy access to the lift actuators when the fixture is present. The adjustability of the hardware also means that initial positioning and attachment of the mounting brackets to the support cabinetry does not need to be precisely accomplished. If one bracket should be at a slightly different height than the others, this error in installation can be accommodated by adjusting the lift actuator for that bracket to a height which corrects for the error in bracket placement.

Finally, because the device does not contain any wooden components, there is no danger of damage from exposure to water.

It is therefore the purpose of this device to serve as an adjustable support apparatus for sanitary fixtures which enables the installation of rimless and rimmed sanitary fixtures in under-mounted, flush-mounted or protruding positions relative to a counter without requiring attachment to the counter itself or support from the floor beneath the sanitary fixture.

The present invention will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are intended to be read in conjunction with both this summary, the detailed description, and any preferred or particular embodiments specifically discussed or otherwise disclosed. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided by way of illustration only so that this disclosure will be thorough, and fully convey the full scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.

DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure is directed to an adjustable support apparatus for under-mounted sinks. The device as shown inFIGS. 1 and 2consists of a plurality of mounting brackets20which are attached, in pairs, to opposing vertical surfaces of the surrounding under-counter support cabinetry17. A plurality of moveable carriages30equal in number to the amount of installed mounting brackets20are suspended from said mounting brackets20by means of a lift actuator40. Said carriages30slideably engage along a vertical plane with said mounting brackets20in a manner that ensures said moveable carriages30do not laterally displace beyond the surface covered by said mounting bracket20. A length adjustable hanger beam48, which is sized to accommodate horizontal distances between said opposing pairs of carriages30and is fixed in size by a locking mechanism73, attaches to said opposing carriages30thereby spanning the gap between the supports and completing the adjustable support system10for the sink13to rest on.

Mounting Bracket

The mounting bracket20as shown inFIG. 5comprises a mounting plate22, a suspension support surface24, guide flanges26and support braces27. The mounting plate22attaches to the opposing vertical surfaces of the counter-support cabinetry17by use of fasteners such as screws, nails or adhesive. The suspension support surface24extends perpendicularly from plane of the mounting plate22towards the opposing vertical surface of the supporting cabinets17and is joined to the mounting plate22at right angles. Support braces27reinforce the union between the mounting plate22and the suspension support surface24and maintain them at the desired angle of intersection with each other, preferably perpendicular. The suspension support surface24comprises an upward facing surface and a hole or slot25through which the adjustable lift actuator40passes. The guide flanges26extend orthogonally from the vertical edges of the mounting plate22for the purposes of preventing the lateral displacement of the slideably engaged carriage30.

The purpose of the mounting bracket20is to provide an immovable anchor for the carriage30to hang from. It is sized to allow a plurality of fastening hardware to be inserted through holes29far enough apart on the vertical mounting plate22to prevent localized deformation of the supporting cabinetry17and to allow easy access to the adjustable lift actuator40with common hand-tools. The thickness of the mounting bracket20depends on the material chosen to fashion it from but must be strong enough to support the anticipated load which itself is dependent on the size, volume and manufacturing material chosen for the sink.

Moveable Carriage and Adjustable Lift Actuator

The moveable carriage30as Shown inFIGS. 5 and 8comprises a sliding plate36, a hanger support platform34, which extends orthogonally from the plane of the sliding plate36, and a plurality of support braces37which reinforce the union of the two plates and maintain them at the desired angle of intersection, preferably perpendicular. The sliding plate36slideably engages with the exposed surface of the vertical mounting plate22of the mounting bracket20and fits between the guide flanges26of the vertical mounting plate22so that the sliding plate36does not displace horizontally when it slides up and down. The hanger support platform34comprises a horizontal surface with openings35for accommodating the adjustable lift actuator40such as holes, slots or hooks and structures for attaching the hanger beams48such as holes33for accommodating fasteners72or slots for accommodating straps. The attachment of the hanger beams48also prevents the moveable carriages30and associated lift actuator40from moving out of the vertical plane defined by the mounting plate22of the mounting bracket20.

The adjustable lift actuator40comprises a vertical shaft41such as an externally threaded lead-screw, a chain or saw-toothed shaft, a load-bearing element44such as a shank head, cotter pin or keeper device, an adjusting device46,47, and a rotational drive feature42such as a slot for a screwdriver or a hex head or wing nut. The load bearing element44suspends the adjustable lift actuator40from the suspension support surface24of the mounting bracket20thereby preventing the actuator40from falling through the hole25in the suspension support surface24. The adjusting device46,47may take the form a nut positioned above or below a hole35in the hanger support platform34, or a hook for looping a chain link or a ratcheting mechanism and is used to adjust the distance between the suspension support surface24and the hanger support platform34by the interaction of the vertical shaft41with the adjusting device. The adjustable lift actuator40may also include a stop at the bottom of the vertical shaft41in the form of a cotter pin or nut to prevent the moveable carriage30from sliding past the bottom end of the vertical shaft41of the lift actuator40.

The function of the hanger support platform34and the lift actuator40is to raise or lower each corner of the supported sink independently thereby ensuring that the upward facing edge of the supported sink13is at the precise and desired height. The width of the sliding plate36and horizontal hanger support platform34are sized so that they are slightly narrower than the width defined by the guide flanges26of the mounting brackets20thereby enabling the sliding plate36to move vertically between the guide flanges26with minimal lateral displacement. The height of the sliding plate36must be proportional to the length of the vertical shaft41of the lift actuator40so that the sliding plate36remains slideably engaged with the mounting plate22when the lift actuator40is lowered to its minimum position defined by the length of the vertical shaft41. The thickness of the material chosen to fashion the carriage30and lift actuator40must be great enough to support the anticipated load which itself is dependent on the size, volume and manufacturing material chosen for the sink.

Hanger Beam

The hanger beam48as show inFIGS. 6 and 15comprises a length-adjustable device such as telescoping tubes, nesting slideably connected plates50,60capable of being attached to the hanger support platform34and spanning the distance between the opposing hanger support platforms34thereby providing a platform for the underside of the supported sink13. The beam48further comprises a mechanism for locking73the beam at a selected length and a device for increasing the friction between the beam48and the sink such as a rubber or foam strip18, so that the sink does not slide across the beams48after being positioned on the beams48.

The function of the hanger beam48is to provide a sturdy surface on which the underside of the sink13rests for support. The surface of the beam48presses against the underside of the sink thereby forcing the top edge of the sink into contact or close proximity with the underside of the counter16to which it is mounted. The force at which the beam48engages the underside of the sink13can be adjusted by shortening the effective length of the adjustable lift actuator40so that the hanger support platform34and supported hanger beam48move upward thereby engaging the underside of the supported sink13with increased pressure. The thickness of the material used to form a beam48is dependent on the type of material chosen and the presence of any reinforcing devices in the beam48, as well as the number of beams installed for support, but must be sufficient to support significant loads the magnitude of which depend on the size of the sink, weight of the material used to fashion it and the volume of water and other contents the sink can hold. The length of the beam sections50,60depends on the width that must be spanned which itself is determined by the distance between the opposing vertical mounting surfaces for the support system. The width can be chosen so that the beam48fits inside the guide flanges of the mounting bracket or it can be wider than the mounting bracket in order to provide a larger support surface.

The mounting brackets20, carriages30and lift actuators40can be made from a variety of materials but preferably machined, rolled or stamped metal or molded, extruded or machined high strength polymer or plastic. The hanger beams48are made from the same material.

The invention is used by installing the sink support apparatus10beneath the counter16at the location where the sink13is to be positioned as shown inFIG. 3. This is accomplished by fastening the mounting brackets20to the opposing, surfaces of the counter-support cabinets17located beneath the counter16on opposing sides of the sink's13intended location, said opposing, surfaces17being located either to the left and right or front and back of the sink13. From these mounting brackets20moveable carriages30are suspended from lift actuators40which raise and lower the carriages30within the confines of guide flanges26which extend perpendicularly from the vertically oriented edges of the mounting brackets20, said flanges26extending sufficiently to prevent the moveable carriages30from displacing laterally from the plains defined by the guide flanges26. Horizontal hanger beams48which are adjustable for length are then fastened to the hanger support platforms34of the moveable carriages30and are sized so that they span the distance between opposing hanger support platforms34. The sizing of the hanger beams48is fixed through a locking mechanism73and then the hanger beam48is attached to the opposing, moveable carriages30suspended by adjustable lift actuators40from suspension support surfaces24of mounting brackets20mounted in positions on the opposing, vertical, counter-support surfaces17. Additional hanger beams48are installed on other opposing pairs of carriages30which are themselves suspended from additional pairs of opposing mounting brackets20.

Once a sufficient number of hanger beams48have been installed, normally 2-3, the hanger beams48are lowered to the maximum extent allowed by the adjustable lift actuator40. As shown inFIG. 3, the sink13is then slid in place from a position in front of the support cabinets until the underside of the sink13rests securely on the suspended hanger beams48and the upward opening of the sink13is in the correct position with respect to the actual or planned location of the opening in the countertop16that is cut to align with the sink13. As shown inFIG. 4, the lift actuators40are then adjusted in a manner to move the hanger support platforms34and beams48and supported sink13upwards until the upward facing edge of the sink13is at the desired height relative to the countertop16, either pressed against the underside, or in a position that is flush with or protruding above the top surface. Individual lift actuators40are further adjusted to accommodate any non-levelness in the sink13observed upon installation. A bead of sealant19is then placed around the inner edge of the mating surface between the inside, upward facing edge of the sink13and the underside of the countertop16to prevent water seepage. The lift actuators40can then be adjusted after prolonged use to accommodate for any gaps that appear between the underside of the counter16and upward facing sink edge due to settling in the construction. They may also be easily adjusted downward to allow the sink13to be removed should it become cracked or should the owner wish to replace it with a different model.

One particular embodiment of the device may comprise four each mounting brackets20, carriages30, lift actuators40and four hanger beam sections50,60. As shown inFIG. 6-8, the mounting bracket20is shaped in the form of an inverted L consisting of a vertical mounting plate22and a horizontal suspension support surface24which extends orthogonally from the top edge of said mounting plate22. The suspension support surface24and the vertical mounting plate22are reinforced by a plurality of support braces27which are positioned to maintain the orthogonal positioning of the suspension support surface24to said vertical mounting plate22. Two guide flanges26extend orthogonally from the vertical edges of said vertical mounting plate22for the purposes of preventing the lateral displacement of the slideably engaged carriages30. A hole25is positioned in the center of the horizontal suspension surface24for purposes of passing through and retaining a threaded vertical shaft41. A plurality of holes are positioned in the vertical mounting plate22for purposes of permitting fastening hardware71to attach through the vertical mounting plate22to the support cabinetry17.

The carriage30is shaped in the form of an inverted L and comprises a vertical sliding plate36, a hanger support platform34which extends orthogonally from the top edge of the vertical sliding plate36, and a plurality of support braces37which reinforce the union of the plate and platform and maintain them perpendicular to each other. The sliding plate36slideably engages with the face of the mounting plate22of the mounting bracket20and fits between the guide flanges26of the mounting plate22so that it does not displace horizontally when it slides up and down. The hanger support platform34comprises a flat surface with a plurality of small holes for attaching the hanger beam48and a larger hole35in the surface, said hole being positioned in the support platform so that it aligns with the hole in the suspension plate24of the mounting bracket20when the hanger support platform34is positioned inside the guide flanges26of the mounting bracket20. The purpose of the hole35being to accommodate the passage of an externally threaded shaft41to be used as the lift actuator.

The externally threaded shaft41comprises a shaft which is threaded along its entire length with a load bearing head44at one end and a slotted end42designed to accept a screwdriver at the other. An internally threaded nut46is attached to the underside of the horizontal support platform34of the carriage30in such a manner as to align the threads of the nut46with the hole in the support platform35. The nut46is then fixed in place by use of a fixing medium such as adhesive, solder or weldment. The slotted end42of the shaft is then passed through the hole25in the suspension support surface24of the mounting bracket22until the keeper44that is permanently affixed to the shaft comes to rest on the top surface of the suspension support plate24thereby preventing the shaft41from falling through the hole25. The moveable carriage30is then positioned immediately below the slotted end42of the threaded shaft41and the shaft41is rotated so that the external threads of the shaft42mate with the internal threads of the nut46mounted on the underside of the hanger support platform34thereby causing the platform34to rise in relation to the surrounding hardware. By turning the threaded shaft from below or above in either direction, the moveable carriage30can hang at an adjustable distance from the suspension plate24. As the vertical position of the hanger support platform34is adjusted by turning the threaded shaft41inside the permanently mounted threaded nut46, the guide flanges26of the mounting bracket20maintain the horizontal alignment of the two components.

The hanger beams48as shown inFIGS. 6, and7comprise a plurality of sections including a bottom section50and a top section60which nests inside the bottom section50and is slideably engaged with the bottom section50. The bottom section50is comprised of a rectangular sheet of material with a first end and a second end, one or more reinforcing channels and a plurality of flanges55that run the length of the rectangular sheet. The reinforcing channels comprise a web52surrounded on both sides by a vertical or angled side54which extend upward to the flange55of the bottom section50. The sides of the reinforcing channel54are of a depth necessary to provide adequate strength to the rectangular sheet so that it will not deform under the anticipated load and may be oriented at angles between 45 and 90 degrees from the web to facilitate nesting of the bottom and top sections. The web52of the reinforcing channel contains holes58to accommodate fastening hardware73needed for fixing the size of the hanger beam48with the top section60nested inside the bottom50section. At least one end of the bottom section50contains a u-shaped notch53removed from the material to allow the end of the section to partially surround the threaded shaft41when the end of the section is position and attached to the horizontal support plate of the hanger supports. The second end of the bottom section50may also have the notch removed so that the section can be oriented in either direction. As shown inFIGS. 6 and 8, the ends of the bottom section50further comprise fastening holes to allow the end to be fastened to corresponding holes33in the hanger support platform34of the carriage30by the use of fastening hardware72.

As shown inFIGS. 6 and 7, the top section60of the hanger beam48comprises a rectangular sheet of material with a first end and second end, a reinforcing channel and a plurality of flanges65that run the length of the section. The reinforcing channel comprises a web62surrounded on both side by vertical or angled sides64which extends upward to the flange65. The sides of the reinforcing channel64are of a depth necessary to provide adequate strength to the section so that it will not deform under the anticipated load and may be oriented at angles between 45 and 90 degrees from the web to facilitate nesting of the bottom50and top60sections. In the case where the sides64of the reinforcing channel of the top section are vertical, the channel is of a width and depth slightly less than the width and depth of the reinforcing channel of the bottom section50so that the two sections can nest together and slideably engage thereby forming a sturdy horizontally adjustable hanger beam48. The web of the reinforcing channel62contains slots68which are aligned with the holes58located in the web52of the bottom section50, said slots68accommodating fasteners73which pass through the slots of the bottom section50and fix the position of the two sections relative to each other at a prescribed length. At least one end of the top section60contains a u-shaped notch removed from the material to allow the end of the section to partially surround the threaded shaft41when the end of the section is position and attached to the horizontal support platform of the carriage. A cushioning material18is attached to the upward facing surfaces of the flange55,65of the hanger beams48and serve to provide a soft, high friction surface with which to engage the supported sink13. In cases where the sink13rests partially on the top section60and partially on the bottom section50of the hanger beams48, additional cushion material or other solid gap filling devices may be applied to the flange of the bottom section50so that the sink rests level on the hanger beam48.

The mounting bracket20, support brace27and hanger beam48sections are comprised of stamped stainless steel sheet metal and are formed to their final shape through machine breaking of the components. Where the support braces27and suspension support surface24of the mounting bracket20meet, the unions are welded together for increased strength. The support braces37of the carriage30are also welded to the face of the sliding plate36of the carriage30as is the edge of the hanger support platform34that intersects with the top of the sliding plate36of the carriage30. The externally threaded shaft41is formed from a steel shaft which has been threaded and notched by tool and die processes.

While the present invention has been described above in terms of specific embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to these disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and other embodiments of the invention will come to mind to those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains. These other embodiment are intended to be and are covered by this disclosure. It is intended that the scope of the invention should be determined by those of skill in the art relying upon the disclosure in this specification and the attached drawings.