Patent ID: 7185376

Claim:
A mount for securing a sink within an opening in a countertop, said mount comprising: a body portion including: a leg segment having a first longitudinal axis and proximal and a distal ends disposed at generally opposite ends of said leg segment, a lip segment having a second longitudinal axis disposed substantially parallel to said first longitudinal axis and a proximal and a distal end disposed along generally opposite ends of said lip segment; a first base segment having a third longitudinal axis, wherein said proximal end of said lip segment is secured to said base segment such that said third longitudinal axis is disposed substantially perpendicular to said first and second longitudinal axes, wherein said first base segment includes a proximal and a distal end disposed along generally opposite ends of said first base segment, and wherein said lip segment is secured to said proximal end of said first base segment and a proximal end of said leg segment is secured to said distal end of said first base segment such that said leg segment is disposed substantially parallel to said lip segment; and a second base segment having a fourth longitudinal axis, wherein a distal end of said leg segment is secured to a first end of said second base segment such that said fourth longitudinal axis of said second base segment is disposed substantially parallel to said third longitudinal axis of said first base segment; means for securing said body portion to said sink prior to installation of said sink in said countertop opening; and a flexible sink engagement section including: a first portion having a first end secured to a second end of said second base segment of said body potion; and a second portion having a first end secured to a second end of said first portion, said second portion having a tip adapted to engage a substantially vertical face of said countertop opening when said sink is disposed within said countertop opening, wherein said flexible sink engagement section is configured to directly and deflectably engage against said vertical face of said countertop opening such that said flexible sink engagement section is disposed at a first angle relative to said fourth longitudinal axis of said second base segment when in an uninstalled position and is disposed at a second angle relative to said fourth longitudinal axis of said second base segment when in said installed position, wherein said second angle is less than said first angle.