Modular countertop system

• US 5,253,932 A
• Filed: 12/05/1991
• Issued: 10/19/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Danilo N. Nesovic
• Original Assignee: Danilo N. Nesovic
• Inventors: Nesovic, Danilo N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dorner, Kenneth J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GREEN, BRIAN
• Application Number:
  US07/803,013
• Time in Patent Office: 684 Days
• Field of Search: 312/140.1, 312/140.3, 108/27, 108/90, 211/153, 211/183, 52/783, 52/784, 52/829, 52/830, 52/821
• US Class Current: 312/140.3
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2077/027 with integrated backsplash
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/18 Tops specially designed for working on table tops A47B13/08

Abstract

A modular countertop structure is described. It is supported by an underlying base and has a flat unedged surface-providing sheet supported by the base and having an edge including a peripheral recess, a preformed elongated edge facing with a rearward extending tongue which fits into the recess, and adhesive for directly bonding the sheet to the edge facing through their adjacent surfaces in the recess. The countertop sheet and the edge facing are made of materials which are impervious to moisture penetration, impact and scratching, including natural stone, synthetic stone-like material, ceramic, concrete, glass-like sheets, agglomerated stone, cement materials, metal or terrazzo. They may be made of the same or contrasting materials, so that the edge facing and the countertop present appearances which are the same or consistent with each other. In some embodiments, an underlying substrate will also be used to support the countertop sheets. The modular countertop structure or system of this invention has numerous advantages over the prior systems, such as ceramic tile systems. Components of the present system can be pre-fabricated by mass production methods for delivery and simple assembly at the job site and can be manufactured using automated procedures and specialized machinery, thus eliminating the need for the current hand grinding and shaping used to finish such materials, thus reducing the costs of manufacture and installation and insuring uniform fit and finish of the countertops.

Claims

1. A modular counter structure supported by an underlying base, which comprises:

at least one flat unedged surface-providing sheet member formed of a first material which is essentially impervious to moisture penetration, impact and scratching;

said member having a top surface, a bottom surface, a peripheral edge area having in at least a portion thereof a peripheral recess extending upwardly from said bottom surface and terminating below said top surface;

at least one preformed elongated edge facing member formed of a second material which is also essentially impervious to moisture penetration, impact and scratching;

said edge facing member having a front and a back;

said back comprising a rearward extending tongue portion fitted into said recess and in contact with said sheet member and said base;

said front of said edge facing member extending outwardly beyond said peripheral edge area of said sheet member and presenting an appearance which is substantially the same as or consistent with the appearance of said top surface of said sheet member; and

adhesive means for directly bonding said sheet member to said edge facing member;

whereby said tongue portion of said edge facing member is retained in said peripheral recess between said sheet member and said base and said sheet member is supported on said base at least in part through said edge facing member.

2. A modular counter structure as in claim 1 comprising a plurality of said edge facing members disposed in linear abutting relation and having interconnecting means between adjacent abutting members.

3. A modular counter structure as in claim 2 wherein at least one of said plurality of edge facing members has a straight configuration.

4. A modular counter structure as in claim 2 wherein at least one of said plurality of edge facing members has a curved configuration.

5. A modular counter structure as in claim 2 wherein said counter structure has at least one corner and at least one of said plurality of edge facing members is configured to conform to said corner.

6. A modular counter structure as in claim 5 wherein said corner is in the form of an angle.

7. A modular counter structure as in claim 5 wherein said edge facing member is in the form of a smooth curve.

8. A modular counter structure as in claim 7 wherein an outer surface of said edge facing member has a radius of 3, 6, 12 or 24 inches (71/2, 15, 30 or 60 cm).

9. A modular counter structure as in claim 5 further comprising a fillet in said corner between said edge facing member and said peripheral edge area of said sheet member.

10. A modular counter structure as in claim 1 further comprising said base having a top and there being a substrate disposed between said top and said base and said bottom of said sheet member, said substrate having an outward facing edge.

11. A modular counter structure as in claim 10 wherein at least a portion of said outward facing edge of said substrate forms one surface of said recess.

12. A modular counter structure as in claim 10 wherein said substrate comprises a plurality of layers.

13. A modular counter structure as in claim 1 wherein said recess is formed entirely in said sheet member.

14. A modular counter structure as in claim 1 wherein said first and second materials are each selected from the group consisting of natural stone, synthetic stone-like material, ceramic material, concrete, glass-like material, agglomerated stone material, cement material, metal or terrazzo.

15. A modular counter structure as in claim 14 wherein said first and second materials are each natural stone or synthetic stone-like material.

16. A modular counter structure as in claim 15 wherein said synthetic stone-like material comprises at least one polymeric material.

17. A modular counter structure as in claim 14 where said first and second materials are the same.

18. A modular counter structure as in claim 14 where said first and second materials are different.

19. A modular counter structure as in claim 1 wherein said edge facing member presents a curved visual appearance.

20. A modular counter structure as in claim 1 wherein said edge facing member presents a straight visual appearance.