Patent Publication Number: US-7721362-B2

Title: Sink with removable divider

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates generally to plumbing fixtures and, more particularly, to a sink with a removable divider for selectively utilizing the entire basin or dividing the basin into two portions. 
   Most residential sinks have two adjacent basins and are particularly useful for washing and rinsing dishes in sequence. Many commercial sinks, on the other hand, present a single larger basin for washing larger items. In the residential context, however, it is often desirable to wash pets, infants, grills, or other large items. A bathtub is sometimes used for this purpose as it presents a much larger basin even though it would be desirable to accomplish this task in the kitchen where countertops could be used. Various sink designs have been proposed in the art. Although assumably effective for their intended purposes, these sink designs do not provide for a selectively and conveniently removable divider or do not provide a mechanism for sealing and unsealing the divider. 
   Therefore, it would be desirable to have a sink with a removable divider for selectively separating a large single basin into multiple compartments. Further, it would be desirable to have a sink with a removable divider having an electromagnet that seals the divider when actuated and unseals the divider when not actuated. In addition, it would be desirable to have a sink with a removable divider that is safe and easy to use. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Accordingly, a sink according to the present invention includes a relatively large basin having at least one side wall connecting a bottom surface with a top surface. The sink may be mounted in a counter, such as in a residential kitchen, and may be used conveniently for bathing infants or pets or for washing items too large for a traditional sink basin, such as large cooking pans and utensils, cooking grill grates, and the like. The sink further includes a divider that may be vertically positioned within the interior area of the sink basin for selectively dividing the interior area into multiple compartments. In this way, the sink may be used in a traditional way, such as to wash dishes in one compartment and rinsing them in the other compartment. 
   The sink includes an electromagnet positioned beneath the bottom surface of the sink and the divider includes a complementary ferrous material. Accordingly, the ferrous material of the divider is magnetically attracted to the electromagnet when the electromagnet is actuated. This enables the divider to be held tight against the bottom surface of the sink to prevent leakage of water between the now-separate compartments. Channels defined by the side wall of the sink guide the divider into position and ensure flush alignment with the bottom surface of the sink. Gaskets may also be positioned about the divider for a watertight fit when the electromagnet is activated. A sensor may also be included for activating the electromagnet automatically upon detection of a predetermined condition such as the pressure of the divider against the bottom of the sink. 
   Therefore a general object of this invention is to provide a sink having a divider for selectively dividing a large basin into multiple compartments. 
   Another object of this invention is to provide a sink, as aforesaid, in which the divider may be efficiently inserted into or removed from the sink basin. 
   Still another object of this invention is to provide a sink, as aforesaid, having an electromagnet which magnetically holds the divider in place when actuated. 
   Yet another object of this invention is to provide a sink, as aforesaid, that is easy and convenient to use. 
   A further object of this invention is to provide a sink, as aforesaid, that may be mounted into a residential kitchen countertop. 
   Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of this invention. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a sink according to the present invention with the divider removed; 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the sink as in  FIG. 1  with the divider inserted and with the entire sink mounted into a countertop; 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the sink as in  FIG. 2  removed from the countertop; 
       FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the sink as in  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 5  is a bottom perspective view of the sink as in  FIG. 1 ; and 
       FIG. 6  is a bottom perspective view of the divider as in  FIG. 3  removed from the sink; and 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the divider as in  FIG. 4  illustrating a gasket and other sealing components. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   A sink  100  according to the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to  FIGS. 1 through 7  of the accompanying drawings. More particularly, a sink  100  according to the current invention includes a basin  110 , a divider  120 , and an electromagnet  130 . 
   The basin  110  presents a bottom surface  112  spaced apart from a top surface  114 . At least one sidewall  116  connects the bottom and top surfaces  112 ,  114  to define an interior area  117  between the bottom surface  112 , the top surface  114 , and the at least one sidewall  116 . If only one sidewall  116  is used, the basin  110  may be oval or round, for example; if more than one sidewall  116  is used, the basin  110  may be rectangular, octagonal, or other various shapes. The sidewall(s)  116  may define opposed channels  118 , as shown throughout the drawings, and the channels  118  may have rounded lower corners  118   a.    
   The divider  120  is sized to be received in the basin interior area  117  to partition the basin interior area  117 . The divider  120  presents a bottom surface  122  generally complementary to the basin bottom surface  112 . As shown throughout the drawings, the divider  120  may be received generally vertically in the basin interior area  117 . The divider  120  has first and second sides  126   a,    126   b  generally complementary to the basin sidewall(s)  116  when the divider  120  is received in the basin interior area  117 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , the divider  120  may be sized to extend into the opposed channels  118  when received in the basin interior area  117 , and as shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the first and second sides  126   a,    126   b  of the divider  120  may meet the divider bottom surface  122  to form rounded corners  128   a  complementary to the rounded lower corners  118   a  in the channels  118 . A ferrous material  129  may be adjacent the divider bottom surface  122  for selective attraction to the electromagnet  130  as described below. 
     FIGS. 4 ,  6 , and  7  show that a gasket  125  may be attached to the divider  120  for sealing the divider  120  to the basin  110  when the divider  120  is received in the basin interior area  117 . The gasket  125  may extend along the entire divider bottom surface  122  and/or along a portion or all of the divider&#39;s first and second sides  126   a,    126   b.    
   The electromagnet  130  ( FIG. 5 ) may be lowerly adjacent (below) the basin bottom surface  112 , and the electromagnet  130  may be electrically connected to a power source, such as an AC or DC electrical current, with a traditional power cord  133 . Means for actuating the electromagnet  130  are included. More particularly, a switch  132  ( FIG. 2 ) may be electrically connected to the power source and the electromagnet  130  to selectively actuate the electromagnet  130 . A sensor  134  may alternately or additionally be electrically connected to the power source and the electromagnet  130  to selectively actuate the electromagnet  130 . The sensor  134  may be adjacent the basin bottom surface  112  as shown in  FIG. 1 , and the sensor  134  may be, for example, a pressure sensor, a water level sensor, or a moisture sensor. 
   In use, the basin  110  may be installed in a counter  10  ( FIG. 2 ), and plumbing fixtures may be added, as is known in the art. When the user wants to use the entire basin  110 , the divider  120  may be separated from the basin  110  as shown in  FIG. 1 . When the user wants to divide the basin  110  into multiple compartments  110   a,    110   b  (e.g., to save water, to use the compartments for different purposes, etc.), the divider  120  may be inserted in the basin interior area  117  so that the divider bottom surface  122  is adjacent the basin bottom surface  112  and so that the divider&#39;s first and second sides  126   a,    126   b  are adjacent the basin sidewalls  116  ( FIG. 3 ). More particularly, the divider&#39;s first and second sides  126   a,    126   b  may be in the channels  118 , and the rounded corners  128   a  of the divider  120  may be adjacent the rounded lower corners  118   a  in the channels  118 . The electromagnet  130  may then be actuated (e.g., by the switch  132  or the sensor  134 ), and the ferrous material  129  may be drawn to the electromagnet  130  to pull the divider  120  to the basin  110 . The switch  132  may actuate the electromagnet  130  manually, or the sensor  134  may actuate the electromagnet  130  upon a predetermined event (such as water being present in the basin). The gasket  125  may seal the divider  120  to the basin  110  when the electromagnet  130  is actuated, separating the compartments  110   a,    110   b.    
   It is understood that while certain forms of this invention have been illustrated and described, it is not limited thereto except insofar as such limitations are included in the following claims and allowable functional equivalents thereof.