Granted Patent B2

US 12,655,970 · App. 18/807,511 · Granted Jun 16, 2026

Inventors: Niels J. Eilmus (Sheboygan, WI); Steven F. Ellingsen (Plymouth, WI)

Assignee: Kohler Co.

F21V33/006E03C1/182F21V23/003F21V23/0442

Abstract

Claims (55)

1 . A sink system comprising:

a basin comprising:

a bottom wall, a drain disposed within the bottom wall, a front wall contiguous with the bottom wall, and a basin rim contiguous with the front wall and separated from the bottom wall by the front wall;

an apron coupled to the basin rim, the apron comprising an apron panel wall having an interior surface and an exterior surface opposite the interior surface, the interior surface being in confronting relation with the front wall; and

a lighting system comprising:

a lighting element coupled to the apron, the lighting element configured to provide illumination to an illumination target, and

a controller in electronic communication with the lighting element and configured to selectively cause the lighting element to provide illumination to the illumination target,

an apron receiver formed in the apron; and

a modular section configured to be inserted into the apron receiver from the rear via a translation along a direction from the interior surface toward the exterior surface.

2 . The sink system of claim 1 ,

wherein the lighting element is disposed within the modular section; and

wherein the illumination target is disposed within the modular section.

3 . The sink system of claim 1 , wherein the apron receiver comprises an apron receptacle.

4 . The sink system of claim 1 , wherein the lighting element comprises an apron lighting element.

5 . The sink system of claim 1 , wherein the modular section further comprises a lighting element cover, and the illumination target is disposed within the lighting element cover.

6 . The sink system of claim 1 , wherein the lighting system further includes:

a floor lighting element in electronic communication with the controller, and configured to provide illumination to a floor illumination target,

wherein the controller is configured to selectively cause the floor lighting element to provide illumination to the floor illumination target.

7 . The sink system of claim 1 , wherein:

the modular section comprises a modular section retainer;

the apron receiver comprises an apron receiver retainer;

the apron receiver retainer is configured to cooperate with the modular section retainer to facilitate coupling and decoupling of the modular section and the apron receiver; and

the modular section retainer is configured to cooperate with the apron receiver retainer to facilitate coupling and decoupling of the modular section and the apron receiver.

8 . The sink system of claim 1 , wherein:

the lighting system further comprises a sensor incorporated into the apron and configured to produce a signal after detecting at least one of: a motion proximate the apron or a change of light proximate the apron; and

the controller is configured to selectively cause the lighting element to provide illumination to the illumination target based on the signal.

9 . The sink system of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of lighting elements and a plurality of illumination targets, wherein the controller is configured to independently activate each one of the plurality of lighting elements to enable selective illumination of one or more of the plurality of illumination targets.

10 . The sink system of claim 1 , wherein the lighting system further includes:

a floor lighting element in electronic communication with the controller, and configured to provide illumination to a floor illumination target,

wherein the controller is configured to selectively cause the floor lighting element to provide illumination to the floor illumination target.

11 . A sink system comprising:

a basin;

an apron coupled to a portion of the basin; and

a lighting system comprising:

a lighting element coupled to the apron, the lighting element configured to provide illumination to an illumination target, and

a controller in electronic communication with the lighting element and configured to selectively cause the lighting element to provide illumination to the illumination target,

an apron receiver formed in the apron; and

a modular section configured to be inserted into the apron receiver from the rear via a translation along a direction from the basin toward the apron,

wherein the lighting element is disposed within the modular section; and

wherein the illumination target is disposed within the modular section.

12 . The sink system of claim 11 ,

wherein the lighting element is disposed within the modular section; and

wherein the illumination target is disposed within the modular section.

13 . The sink system of claim 11 , wherein the apron receiver comprises an apron receptacle.

14 . The sink system of claim 11 , wherein the lighting element comprises an apron lighting element.

15 . The sink system of claim 11 , wherein the modular section further comprises a lighting element cover, and the illumination target is disposed within the lighting element cover.

16 . An apron section configured to be selectively coupled to, and decoupled from, an apron receiver formed in an apron of a sink, comprising:

an apron lighting element disposed within the apron section, the apron lighting element configured to provide illumination to an apron illumination target, wherein the apron illumination target is disposed within the apron section,

wherein a controller is in electronic communication with the apron lighting element and configured to selectively cause the apron lighting element to provide illumination to the apron illumination target,

the apron section configured to be inserted into the apron receiver from the rear via a translation along a direction from an interior surface of the apron toward an exterior surface of the apron.

17 . The apron section of claim 16 , further comprising:

an apron section retainer, configured to cooperate with a corresponding retainer of the apron receiver so as to facilitate coupling and decoupling of the apron section with the apron receiver.

18 . The apron section of claim 16 , further comprising a sensor configured to produce a signal after detecting at least one of: a motion proximate the apron or a change of light proximate the apron,

wherein the controller is configured to selectively cause the apron lighting element to provide illumination to the apron illumination target based on the signal.

19 . The apron section of claim 16 , further comprising a plurality of apron lighting elements and a plurality of apron illumination targets, wherein the controller is configured to independently activate each one of the plurality of apron lighting elements to enable selective illumination of one or more of the plurality of apron illumination targets.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (3)

References Cited (400)