Portable sink with removable water plate

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.

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.

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 10show one embodiment of a portable sink10in the form of a table12with a work surface14supported by support posts16. An optional shelf18is joined to the support posts16below the work surface14.FIGS. 4B, 7 and 8show an alternative embodiment of a portable sink100in the form of a cabinet108with a table102having a work surface104supported by support posts106. In either embodiment, casters (not shown in the Figures) may be installed at the bottom of the support posts to allow the portable sinks10,100to be more readily moved from one location to another location.

Referring toFIGS. 1-4A, a back wall20extends upwardly from the rear of the work surface14of the portable sink10. The back wall20forms a back splash and defines a slot or opening22leading to an internal volume of a cassette50that directs liquid(s), such as water, to a trough in the cassette50and in turn to a drain pipe70to 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 spigot26and water control handles28are mounted to the portable sink10. Shown inFIG. 1, the faucet spigot26directs liquid(s) (e.g., water) toward the work surface14. The faucet spigot26and control handles28are mounted by customary hardware (not shown) to the back wall20of the portable sink10.

Shown inFIGS. 2 and 4A, a first embodiment of the cassette50has a front, a back wall64, bottom wall59and side walls56,58that together define an internal compartment of the cassette50. A rod support60extends along the length of the cassette50and is held in the internal compartment between the two side walls56,58at a location spaced apart from the back wall64. The rod support60may 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 support60is formed materials manufactured for durability and cleanliness within food service environments, such as stainless steel, a thermoplastic or a ceramic.

The cassette50is removably engaged to a rear surface32of the back wall20. The front of the cassette50is placed in abutting relation to the rear surface32of the back wall. The upper edges of the front, the back wall64and side walls56,58are placed into contact with a bottom surface of a cover66. The cover66is joined by fixed angle68and fasteners (e.g., screws or bolts) to the rear surface32of the back wall. An angle support54extends outwardly from the cassette50at or near its bottom wall59. The angle support54is removably affixed to the underside of the table12with fasteners (e.g., screws or bolts) (SeeFIGS. 5 and 6).

A drain pipe70is installed in fluid communication with the internal compartment of the cassette50. The bottom wall59of the cassette50forms a trough and may be slanted to direct liquid(s) received in the cassette toward the drain70. In one embodiment, the bottom wall59is slanted at an angle from horizontal of about 0.5° to about 10°.

An exemplary water plate40is shown inFIG. 9. The water plate has an upper surface48, a bottom surface opposite the upper surface, and a rear wall44extending upwardly from the upper surface at or near a rear portion of the upper surface. The upper surface defines a drain opening41. The rear wall44defines a slot opening46in communication with the drain opening41. The water plate40defines a bend42in its upper surface48to direct liquid(s) to the drain opening41. In one embodiment, the upper surface48is angled toward the rear wall44at an angle from horizontal in the range of from about 80° to about 110°, and the upper surface is bent toward bend42at angles in the range of about 5° to about 30°.

FIG. 10shows the portable sink10without a water plate installed therein. The back wall20defines an opening22, which in this embodiment has a generally straight upper edge and angled bottom edges. The angled bottom edges generally match the angle of bend42of water plate40. A removable trim support62may be installed over the bottom edge(s) of the opening22. The removable trim support62may extend outwardly from the face surface of the back wall20and further supports the bottom surface of the water plate when the water plate is installed into the portable sink10. The removable trim support62protects the bottom surface of the water plate from direct contact with the bottom edge(s) of the opening22.

Referring now toFIG. 5, the water plate40is shown installed in the portable sink10. The rear wall44of the water plate40is slidably engaged between the rod support60and the back wall64of the cassette50. The bottom surface of the water plate40contacts the trim support62. There are no fasteners to connect the water plate to the work surface14, the back wall20or the cassette50. The rear wall44of the water plate40is held between the rod support60and the back wall64of the cassette50without adhesives or other fasteners. The water plate40may be readily disengaged from the back wall64and the cassette50by sliding the rear wall44of the water plate out of engagement with the rod support60and removing it from the internal volume of the cassette through the slot22in the back wall20of the portable sink10.

Preferably the rear wall44of the water plate40has a substantially uniform thickness. The water plate40may 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 plate40can be separated from the portable sink10and cleaned or washed.

Preferably the work surface14and back wall20of the portable sink10are formed of materials manufactured for durability and cleanliness within food service environments, such as stainless steel or melamine. Preferably, the cassette50is formed of materials manufactured for durability and cleanliness within food service environments, such as stainless steel, melamine or laminated plywood. Because the cassette50can be removed from its connection with the table12, and because the cassette50is formed of materials manufactured for durability and cleanliness, the cassette50can more readily be cleaned or washed, such as in commercial dish washing equipment.

FIGS. 4B, 7 and 8show an alternative embodiment of a portable sink100and cassette50b. In this embodiment, the cassette50bhas a front, a back wall64, bottom wall59and side walls56,58that together define an internal compartment of the cassette50b. A rod support60extends along the length of the cassette50band is held in the internal compartment between the two side walls56,58at a location spaced apart from the back wall64. The cassette50bof this alternative embodiment is removably engaged to a rear surface32of the back wall20that extends up from the work surface104. The front of the cassette50bis placed in abutting relation to the rear surface32of the back wall. The upper edges of the front, the back wall64and side walls56,58are placed into contact with a bottom surface of a cover66. The cover66is joined by fixed angle68and fasteners (e.g., screws or bolts) to the rear surface32of the back wall20. A different angle support55extends outwardly from the front of the cassette50b. The angle support55is removably affixed to the underside of the back wall20that rises from the work surface104with fasteners (e.g., screws or nuts and bolts) (SeeFIG. 8).

Kitchen workers may use the work surface14,104of either embodiment as a work table, cutting table or food preparation table when the water plate40is removed, such as shown inFIG. 10. The water plate40may be mounted over the work surface14,104by inserting the rear wall44of the water plate40into the opening or slot in the back wall20of the portable sink10,100, and sliding the rear wall44between the support rod60and the back wall of the cassette50. The water plate40is held above the work surface14,104to convert the work table or cabinet into a portable sink10,100, such as shown inFIGS. 1, 2, 7 and 8.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

10portable sink12table14work surface16support posts18shelf20back wall22opening in back wall24top surface of back wall26faucet spigot28faucet handles40water plate41drain opening42bend/channel in water plate44rear wall of water plate46slot opening in rear wall48upper surface50cassette54angle support/flange55alternative angle support/flange56side wall of cassette58side wall of cassette59bottom wall of cassette60rod support62removable trim support64back wall of cassette66cap or cover of cassette68angle to support water plate70drain pipe100portable sink102table104work surface106support posts108cabinet/furniture