IP Library Granted Patent US 11,149,422
Granted Patent B1
US 11,149,422 · App. 17/073,127 · Granted Oct 19, 2021

Sink

Inventors: Paul Joseph Just (Glenview, IL); Michael Earl Hiser, Jr. (Yorkville, IL); Matthew D. Gjertson (Chicago, IL); John Joseph Wojcik (Des Plaines, IL); Glen William Trickle (Elm Grove, WI)
Assignee: ZURN INDUSTRIES, LLC
E03C1/182E03C1/264
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,149,422
App. No.
17/073,127
Granted
Oct 19, 2021
Kind
B1
Abstract

A sink including a vessel volume having an interior surface, where the vessel volume includes a base wall, a first side wall extending from the base wall to at least partially form a bowl, a second side wall extending from the base wall opposite the first side wall to at least partially form a cup, and a strainer plate extending from the second side wall opposite the base wall. The sink also including a first piece of sheet material at least partially defining the interior surface of the vessel volume, and a second piece of sheet material fused to the first piece of sheet material, where the second piece of sheet material at least partially defines the interior surface of the vessel volume.

Claims (23)

1. A method of making a sink having a vessel volume with an interior surface, the method comprising:

forming a first piece of material to produce a bowl base wall, a bowl side wall extending from the bowl base wall, and a cup side wall extending from the bowl base wall opposite the bowl side wall, wherein the cup side wall includes an inner surface at least partially defining the interior surface of the vessel volume, an outer surface, and an end surface;

forming a second piece of material to produce a strainer plate and an adapter extending from the strainer plate, wherein the periphery of the strainer plate produces an edge, and wherein the strainer plate includes an upstream surface at least partially defining the interior surface of the vessel volume;

positioning the first piece of material and the second piece of material so the end surface of the cup side wall is opposite the edge of the second piece of material; and

fusing the first piece of material to the second piece of material so the inner surface of the cup side wall becomes continuous with the upstream surface of the strainer plate.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first piece of material is welded to the second piece of material.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second piece of material is cast.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first piece of material is formed from a first material, and wherein the second piece of material is formed from a second material different than the first material.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first piece of material and the second piece of material have hygienic properties.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the interior surface of the vessel volume has hygienic properties.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cup side wall is frusto-conical in shape.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cup side wall forms a depression angle relative to the base wall of the bowl between 100 and 179 degrees.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the depression angle is between 100 and 130 degrees.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming at least one of the first piece of material and the second piece of material includes using a stamping process.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cup side wall defines a first critical dimension at a cup inlet, and wherein the cup side wall defines a second critical dimension proximate the strainer plate, and wherein the first critical dimension is larger than the second critical dimension.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first critical dimension is between 1.1 to 6 times greater than the second critical dimension.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the edge is a radiused edge.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the end surface of the second side wall is fused to the radiused edge.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the strainer plate defines at least one aperture.

16. The method of claim 1 , further comprising placing the end surface in contact with the edge.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the edge is an exterior edge.

18. The method of claim 1 , further comprising coupling the adapter to a drain pipe.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the adapter includes an annular wall.

Assignments (8)
NOTICE OF SUCCESSION OF AGENCY OF REEL/FRAME 057893/0121 Recorded Feb 20, 2026
From: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH, AS PRIOR AGENT (F/K/A CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH)
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS SUCCESSOR AGENT
Reel/Frame 074945/0935 →
NOTICE OF SUCCESSION OF AGENCY OF REEL/FRAME 066293/0879 Recorded Feb 20, 2026
From: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH, AS PRIOR AGENT (F/K/A CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH)
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS SUCCESSOR AGENT
Reel/Frame 074947/0479 →
CONVERSION Recorded Jan 16, 2024
From: ZURN INDUSTRIES, LLC
To: ZURN INDUSTRIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 066336/0603 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 16, 2024
From: ZURN INDUSTRIES, LLC
To: ZURN WATER, LLC
Reel/Frame 066337/0918 →
RELEASE OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS AT REEL 057893, FRAME 0121 Recorded Dec 19, 2023
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND COLLATERAL AGENT
To: ZURN INDUSTRIES, LLC (F/K/A ZURN INDUSTRIES, INC.)
Reel/Frame 066067/0937 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Dec 18, 2023
From: ZURN WATER, LLC
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 066293/0879 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 8, 2021
From: AMERICAN DRYER LLC; GREEN TURTLE AMERICAS LTD.; WORLD DRYER CORPORATION; ZURN PEX, INC.; ZURN INDUSTRIES, LLC
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 057893/0121 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 15, 2021
From: JUST, PAUL JOSEPH; HISER, MICHAEL EARL, JR.; GJERTSON, MATTHEW D.; WOJCIK, JOHN JOSEPH; TRICKLE, GLEN WILLIAM
To: ZURN INDUSTRIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 057494/0079 →
Cited By (1)
US 12,590,446