Sink organizer and splash guard

• US 7,578,399 B1
• Filed: 11/29/2006
• Issued: 08/25/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Azanaw Mulaw
• Original Assignee: Azanaw Mulaw
• Inventors: Mulaw, Azanaw
• Primary Examiner(s): NOVOSAD, JENNIFER ELEANORE
• Application Number:
  US11/564,587
• Time in Patent Office: 1,000 Days
• Field of Search: 211/13.1, 211/70.6, 211/10, 211/94.01, 211/90.01, 211/90.02, 211/37, 211/90.04, 465/8, D32/638, D32/654, D32/546, D32/559, 248/27.5, 248/146, 248/152, 248/211, 248/213.2, 248/205.5, 248/309.3, 312/140.4, 312/228.1
• US Class Current: 211/10
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 47/20 Grids, racks or other supports removably mounted in, on or over sinks splash guards for sinks E03C1/181, E03C1/186
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/181 Anti-splash devices in sinks, e.g. splash guards jet regulators E03C1/08
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/186 Separate partition walls, lids, protecting borders, or the like, for sinks

Abstract

A splash guard organizer for a sink work space. The splash guard organizer includes a vertical back panel with a number of spaced horizontal slots, a flexible water seal located at the bottom of the panel, and a hand access for operation of the water valve. The back panel is supported by a pair of feet extending forward from opposite ends of the panel. A number of fixtures, that have rearwardly extending tabs selectively secured in the slots, are supported in a cantilevered manner. The fixtures are designed to hold a number of individual items useful in the work space, such as bottles, brushes, sponges, towels, and cleaning pads.

Claims

1. A splash guard organizer, comprising:

a sink having a peripheral top surface and a water flow control valve extending up from a rear portion of the top surface;

a vertically disposed thin planar back panel having a front and a rear surface, and having a plurality of vertically spaced horizontally disposed narrow slots with a vertical dimension, wherein the back panel includes a series of solid horizontally disposed sections having a vertical dimension larger than the vertical dimension of the slots, the back panel including a flexible seal disposed at a lowermost portion of the back panel, and being disposed in sealing contact with the rear portion of the top surface of the sink forward of the water valve, and a hand access opening disposed above the seal forward of the water valve;

a pair of support feet each of the feet having one end attached to a bottom section of the panel, and another free end extending forward of the panel, the support feet being in contact with opposing side portions of the top surface of the sink, whereby the back panel is stabilized and supported in a vertical position; and

a plurality of fixtures, each of the fixtures having a rearwardly extending tab disposed to selectively extend through a section of one of the plurality of slots and being in contact with the rear surface of back panel to support each of the fixtures in a cantilevered manner extending forward of the front surface of the back panel.

2. The organizer of claim 1 wherein the back panel is formed of translucent material.

3. The organizer of claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of fixtures includes drain openings to prevent water from accumulating in the at least one fixture.

4. The organizer of claim 1 wherein the support feet are attached to the back panel by a frictionally secured snap fitting.

5. The organizer of claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of fixtures comprises a wash towel rack.

6. The organizer of claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of fixtures comprises a ring.

7. The organizer of claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of fixtures comprises a divided ring.

8. The organizer of claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of fixtures comprises a flat dish.

9. The organizer of claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of fixtures comprises a dish.

10. The organizer of claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of fixtures comprises a sponge rack.

11. A splash guard organizer comprising:

a sink installed in a countertop and having a peripheral top surface and a water flow control valve extending up from a rear portion of the top surface;

a vertically disposed thin planar back panel having front and a rear surface, and having a plurality of vertically spaced horizontally disposed narrow slots with a vertical dimension, wherein the back panel includes a series of solid horizontally disposed sections having a vertical dimension larger than the vertical dimension of the slots, the back panel including a flexible seal disposed at a lowermost portion of the back panel, and being disposed in sealing contact with the countertop adjacent the rear portion of the top surface of the sink rearward of the water valve, and a hand access depression disposed above the seal rearward of the water valve;

a pair of support feet each of the feet having one end attached to a bottom section of the panel, and another free end extending forward of the panel, the support feet being in contact with the countertop adjacent opposing side portions of the top surface of the sink, whereby the back panel is stabilized and supported in a vertical position; and

a plurality of fixtures, each of the fixtures having a rearwardly extending tab disposed to selectively engage a section of one of the plurality of slots and being in contact with the rear surface of the back panel to support each of the fixtures in a cantilevered manner extending forward of the front surface of the back panel.

12. The organizer of claim 11 wherein the back panel is formed of translucent material.

13. The organizer of claim 11 wherein at least one of the plurality of fixtures includes drain openings to prevent water from accumulating in the at least one fixture.

14. The organizer of claim 11 wherein the support feet are attached to the back panel by a frictionally secured snap fitting.

15. The organizer of claim 11 wherein the fixtures are selected from a group consisting of a wash towel rack, a ring, a divided ring, a dish, and a sponge rack.

16. A splash guard organizer, comprising:

a sink installed in a countertop and having a peripheral top surface and a water flow control valve extending up from a rear portion of the top surface;

a vertically disposed thin planar back panel having a front and a rear surface, and having a plurality of vertically spaced horizontally disposed narrow slots with a vertical dimension, wherein the back panel includes a series of solid horizontally disposed sections having a vertical dimension larger than the vertical dimension of the slots, the back panel including a flexible seal disposed at a lowermost portion of the back panel, and being disposed in sealing contact with the countertop adjacent the rear portion of the top surface of the sink rearward of the water valve;

a pair of support feet each of the feet having one end attached to a bottom section of the panel, and another free end extending forward of the panel, the support feet being in contact with the countertop adjacent opposing side portions of the top surface of the sink, whereby the back panel is stabilized and supported in a vertical position; and

a plurality of fixtures, each of the fixtures having a rearwardly extending tab disposed to selectively engage a section of one of the plurality of slots and being in contact with the rear surface of the back panel to support each of the fixtures in a cantilevered manner extending forward of the front surface of the back panel.

17. The organizer of claim 16 wherein the back panel is formed of translucent material.

18. The organizer of claim 16 wherein the support feet are attached to the back panel by a frictionally secured snap fitting.