Hand wash wall hung sink to avoid spread of infectious disease

• US 9,009,882 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2010
• Issued: 04/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AS America Incorporated (LIXIL Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: AS IP Holdco, LLC
• Inventors: Bucher, Christophe
• Primary Examiner(s): BAKER, LORI LYNN
• Application Number:
  US12/975,357
• Publication Number:
  US 20120151672A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,581 Days
• Field of Search: 4619-660
• US Class Current: 4/619
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 1/04 Basins connected to waste pipe E03C1/12; Jugs; Holding devices therefor

Abstract

A sink is described herein which includes a basin including an upper rim having a back portion, and an interior surface having a sloped surface portion and a bottom surface portion, wherein the sloped surface portion extends from the back portion of the upper rim into the bottom surface portion; a faucet member extending upwardly from an upper portion of the sloped surface; and a drain opening extending through the bottom surface portion, wherein the faucet member is positioned such that liquid from the faucet member flows onto the sloped surface portion into the bottom surface portion and into the drain opening. A method for preventing splashing of a liquid from a sink is also provided herein.

Claims

1. A sink comprising

a basin including an upper rim having a back portion, and an interior surface having a sloped surface portion and a bottom surface portion, wherein the sloped surface portion extends from the back portion of the upper rim into the bottom surface portion, wherein the sloped surface portion and the bottom surface portion are configured to minimize the potential for splashing;

a faucet member extending upwardly from a location on an upper portion of the sloped surface, the faucet member being fixed in position; and

a drain opening extending through the bottom surface portion, wherein the faucet member is positioned such that liquid from the faucet member flows onto the sloped surface portion into the bottom surface portion and into the drain opening;

wherein the faucet member is transversely offset from the drain opening.

2. The sink according to claim 1, wherein the back portion of the upper rim is generally planar so as to be mountable on a wall.

3. The sink according to claim 2, wherein the upper rim extends away from the back portion in a generally U-shaped configuration.

4. The sink according to claim 1, wherein sloped surface portion has a generally flat section and a curved section approaching the bottom surface portion of the basin.

5. The sink according to claim 4, wherein the faucet member has a faucet opening positioned such that liquid exiting the faucet opening contacts the sloped surface portion at a lower end portion of the generally flat section thereof.

6. The sink according to claim 1, wherein the bottom surface portion slopes downwardly toward the drain opening.

7. The sink according to claim 1, wherein the faucet member comprises an automatic sensor.

8. The sink according to claim 1, wherein the sink further comprising a drain insert having a drain cover.

13. The sink according to claim 1, wherein the drain opening is located in a recessed portion of the bottom surface portion of the interior surface of the basin.

9. A method of preventing splashing of liquid from a sink, comprising

providing a sink including a basin, a faucet member and a drain opening, wherein the basin includes an upper rim having a back portion, and an interior surface having a sloped surface portion and a bottom surface portion having the drain opening extending therethrough, wherein the sloped surface portion extends from the back portion of the upper rim into the bottom surface portion, the faucet member extends upwardly from a location on an upper portion of the sloped surface and is fixed in position, the sloped surface portion and the bottom surface portion are configured to minimize splashing, and the drain opening is situated in the bottom surface portion of the basin, wherein the faucet member is transversely offset from the drain opening;

introducing liquid through the faucet member so that the liquid contacts the sloped surface before contacting the bottom surface portion of the basin, and then flows along the bottom surface portion of the basin into the drain opening.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the method further comprises minimizing the spread of germs and/or bacteria in the liquid or in a biofilm comprising the liquid.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the sloped surface portion has a generally flat section and a curved section approaching the bottom surface portion of the basin and the method further comprises contacting the liquid to a lower end portion of the generally flat section prior to flowing over the curved section.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein the bottom surface portion slopes downwardly toward the drain opening and the method further comprises flowing the liquid from the faucet leaving the sloped surface along the bottom surface downwardly into the drain opening.

14. The method according to claim 9, wherein the drain opening of the sink is located in a recessed portion of the bottom surface portion of the interior surface of the basin, and the method further comprises introducing liquid through the faucet member so after the liquid contacts the sloped surface and the bottom surface portion of the basin, it flows along the bottom surface portion of the basin into recess and into the drain opening.

15. A sink comprising

a basin including an upper rim having a back portion, and an interior surface having a sloped surface portion and a bottom surface portion having a recessed portion, wherein the sloped surface portion extends from the back portion of the upper rim into the bottom surface portion;

a faucet member extending upwardly from a location on an upper portion of the sloped surface, the faucet member being fixed in position; and

a drain opening in the recessed portion and extending through the bottom surface portion, wherein the faucet member is positioned such that liquid from the faucet member flows onto the sloped surface portion into the bottom surface portion, into the recessed portion of the bottom surface portion and into the drain opening;

wherein the faucet member is transversely offset from the drain opening.

16. A method of preventing splashing of liquid from a sink, comprising

providing a sink including a basin, a faucet member and a drain opening, wherein the basin includes an upper rim having a back portion, and an interior surface having a sloped surface portion and a bottom surface portion having a recessed portion, wherein the drain opening extends through the bottom surface, wherein the sloped surface portion extends from the back portion of the upper rim into the bottom surface portion, the faucet member extends upwardly from a location on an upper portion of the sloped surface and is fixed in position, and the drain opening is situated in the recessed portion in the bottom surface portion of the basin, wherein the faucet member is transversely offset from the drain opening;

introducing liquid through the faucet member so that the liquid contacts the sloped surface before contacting the bottom surface portion of the basin, and then flows along the bottom surface portion of the basin into the recessed portion of the bottom surface portion and into the drain opening.