Sink clamp and methods

{
  "publication_number": "US9828754B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Sink clamp and methods",
  "abstract": "A clamping device for mounting a sink to a counter includes a clamp having a clamp body and a binding spring, a binding lip for insertion through a first slot in the bottom surface of the countertop adjacent to the sink, the clamp and binding lip connected to the clamp body and extending away therefrom at least partially over an edge of the sink, and a clamp screw for insertion through a first opening in the clamp body and against a solid portion of the binding spring interposed between the clamp screw and the edge of the sink.",
  "claims": [
    "1. An undercounter sink attachment system comprising: a sink having an outer edge configured to fit about an opening of a countertop having a generally vertical slot formed in a bottom surface of the countertop beside the sink, the slot extending generally alongside the outer edge of the sink when the sink is positioned about said opening under the countertop; and a clamping device for attaching the sink to the countertop, the clamping device having: a clamp body having an insertable end, said insertable end being configured to insert into the slot of the countertop above the clamp body in an upward insertion direction; and a clamping spring connected to the clamp body, the clamping spring in a relaxed state including a deflectable portion extending upwardly form the clamp body forming an upward angle, said upward angle of the relaxed deflectable spring portion configured to be deflected by contact of the deflectable spring portion with a peripheral portion of the sink toward an angle of the peripheral sink portion to transmit an upward clamping force to said portion of the sink when the insertable end is inserted into the slot, wherein the clamping spring has a hole and the clamping spring is connected to the clamp body by a fastener horizontally offset from the insertable end.",
    "2. The undercounter sink attachment system of claim 1 wherein the fastener comprising one of a screw and a rivet extending through the hole in the clamping spring and through a spring attachment opening in the clamp body.",
    "3. The undercounter sink attachment system of claim 2, further comprising a clamping screw extending threadably through a clamping screw opening in the clamp body, the clamping screw configured to transmit a generally upward force to one of the clamping spring and the portion of the sink to at least assist in holding the sink to the bottom surface of the countertop when the insertable end is inserted into the slot.",
    "4. The undercounter sink attachment system of claim 3 wherein the clamping screw and spring attachment openings are located on first and second respective portions of the clamp body, and said first and second portions are parallel.",
    "5. The undercounter sink attachment system of claim 3 the insertable end being comprised in a vertical portion of the clamp body bent approximately perpendicularly relative to a horizontal portion of the clamp body that comprises said clamping screw opening.",
    "6. The undercounter sink attachment system of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of similarly constructed clamping devices securing the sink to the countertop.",
    "7. The undercounter sink attachment system of claim 1, said clamp body including said insertable end being integrally formed from a single piece of material.",
    "8. The undercounter sink attachment system of claim 1, wherein the clamping spring is a leaf spring, and the deflected angle of the deflectable portion of the clamping spring is configured to be aligned with the angle of the peripheral sink portion when the insertable end of the clamping device is inserted into the countertop slot.",
    "9. The undercounter sink attachment system of claim 1, the clamping spring further comprising a generally flat connecting portion connected to the clamp body, and said deflectable spring portion comprising a generally flat portion of the clamping spring.",
    "10. The undercounter sink attachment system of claim 9, the clamping spring further comprising a sharp bend disposed between the connecting spring portion and the deflectable spring portion.",
    "11. A clamping device for mounting a sink to a countertop comprising: a clamp body; an insertable end of the clamp body, said insertable end being configured for insertion in an upward insertion direction into a slot in a bottom surface of a countertop about a perimeter of a sink, and a width of the slot extending generally alongside the perimeter of the sink; and a clamping spring connected to the clamp body, the clamping spring in a relaxed state including a deflectable portion extending at an upward angle, the deflectable spring portion in said relaxed state configured to contact a portion of the sink when the insertable end is partially inserted into said slot and to be deflected by contact with the portion of the sink to transmit an upward clamping spring force to the portion of the sink when the insertable end is further inserted into said slot, wherein the clamping spring has a hole and the clamping spring is connected to the clamp body by a fastener horizontally offset from the insertable end.",
    "12. The clamping device of claim 11 wherein the fastener comprising one of a screw and a rivet extending through the hole in the clamping spring and through a spring attachment opening in the clamp body.",
    "13. The clamping device of claim 12, further comprising a clamping screw configured to be inserted through a clamping screw opening in the clamp body, wherein, when the insertable end is inserted into the slot, the clamp body is located so that the clamping screw inserted through said clamping screw opening in the clamp body transmits a generally upward clamping screw force to one of the clamping spring and the portion of the sink to at least assist in holding the sink to the bottom surface of the countertop.",
    "14. The clamping device of claim 13 wherein the clamping screw and spring attachment openings are located on first and second respective portions of the clamp body, and said first and second portions are parallel.",
    "15. The clamping device of claim 13 the insertable end being comprised in a vertical portion of the clamp body bent approximately perpendicularly relative to a horizontal portion of the clamp body that comprises said clamping screw opening.",
    "16. The clamping device of claim 13, the clamping spring comprising an opening to permit the clamping screw to extend through the opening to contact directly said portion of the sink.",
    "17. The clamping device of claim 11 the clamping spring being removable from the clamp body, and the clamping screw configured to contact the portion of the sink directly, to transmit said generally upward force to the portion of the sink to at least assist in holding the sink to the bottom surface of the countertop, when the clamping spring is removed, the insertable end is inserted into the slot, and the perimeter of the sink is disposed alongside the slot.",
    "18. The clamping device of claim 11, said clamp body including said insertable end being integrally formed from a single piece of material.",
    "19. The clamping device of claim 11, the clamping spring further comprising a generally flat connecting portion connected to the clamp body, and said deflectable spring portion comprising a generally flat portion of the clamping spring.",
    "20. The clamping device of claim 19, the clamping spring further comprising a sharp bend disposed between the connecting spring portion and the deflectable spring portion.",
    "21. A method of installing a sink to a countertop, a perimeter of the sink being configured to fit about an opening of the countertop, comprising: forming a slot extending generally upwardly into a bottom surface of the countertop, the slot having a width longer than a thickness of the slot, the width of the slot extending alongside the perimeter of the sink when the sink is positioned under the countertop; inserting an insertable end of a clamp body of a clamping device into the slot; when the insertable end is partially inserted into the slot, contacting a portion of the sink with a deflectable end portion of a clamping spring connected to the clamp body, the deflectable portion extending away from the insertable end of the clamp body at an upward angle when the clamping spring is in a relaxed state; and when the insertable end is further inserted into the slot, deflecting said deflectable spring portion against the portion of the sink to transmit a generally upward clamping spring force to the portion of the sink, wherein the clamping spring has a hole and the clamping spring is connected to the clamp body by a fastener horizontally offset from the insertable end."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present invention relates to the countertop industry. More particularly, the present invention relates to mounting clamps which connect sinks to countertops.\n\nConventional clamp methods and systems for attaching an undercounter sink to the underneath side of a counter, especially when the counter is made of granite or another hard surface, are time consuming and of ten subject to failure due to human error. In one conventional system, a sink is attached a counter using clips, typically supplied with the sink, that require drilling into the hard surface of the counter with an oversize diamond drill, inserting a threaded insert into the hole drilled therein utilizing a two-part epoxy, and then attaching the sink to the threaded insert with a screw and a clip to clamp the sink into place. This conventional system is time-consuming to install, and overtightening of the screw may cause the insert to pull out of the counter, while attaching the screw and the clip in the confined space under the counter is often difficult.\n\nAnother conventional system requires wider undercutting a slot into the hard material of the countertop and then inserting a nut fastener into the slot with the head received and retained above the slot and the shaft extending downwardly through the slot. The sink is fit over the fastener from below, and then a clip and nut are required to clamp the sink to the countertop by the fastener. This system can create a strong clamping of the sink, but is also believed to be difficult and time consuming to implement.",
  "cpc": [
    "E03C 1/335"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "E03C 1/33"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "David Smith"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2014-12-10",
  "publication_date": "2017-11-28",
  "grant_date": "2017-11-28",
  "priority_date": "2014-12-10",
  "application_number": "US-201414566112-A",
  "family_id": "57398175",
  "cited_by_count": 2,
  "citations": [
    "US20030215304A1",
    "US20090307881A1",
    "US20120311780A1"
  ]
}