Granted Patent B2

US 12,297,633 · App. 18/178,892 · Granted May 13, 2025

Inventors: Jason R. Miller (Sheboygan Falls, WI); Ryan R. Detlaff (Sheboygan, WI)

Assignee: Kohler Co.

E03C1/182

Abstract

Claims (39)

1. A sink comprising:

a basin;

an apron extending from a front of the basin and having a plurality of walls including an upper wall, a lower wall, a first side wall, and a second side wall, the apron having a front surface defined by the plurality of walls, and a rear surface defining an opening in a front of the apron;

a panel assembly removably received in the opening and comprising:

a panel, wherein the panel is removably received in the opening in the front of the apron, and wherein a gap is formed between an outer perimeter of the panel assembly and each of the upper wall, the lower wall, the first side wall, and the second side wall of the apron,

wherein a front surface of the panel is recessed rearwardly from the front surface of the apron; and

a tray having a base and a lip extending around a perimeter of the base, wherein the panel is coupled to the base and surrounded by the lip of the tray,

wherein the panel assembly comprises a backer board coupled to a backside of the panel and received in the tray, and a filler layer disposed between the backer board and the tray, wherein the filler layer is coupled to and received in the tray.

2. The sink of claim 1 , wherein the backer board includes cement, the filler layer includes wood, and the panel includes one or more tiles grouted to the cement backer board.

3. The sink of claim 1 , wherein the panel includes a plurality of tiles mounted to the backer board.

4. The sink of claim 1 , wherein an outer perimeter of the lip of the tray is spaced apart from an inner perimeter of the plurality of walls of the apron.

5. The sink of claim 1 , wherein an outer perimeter of the lip of the tray is spaced apart from an inner perimeter defined by each wall of the plurality of walls of the apron.

6. The sink of claim 5 , wherein the lip of the tray comprises an upper wall, a lower wall, a first side wall and a second side wall; wherein a first gap is formed between the upper wall of the lip and the upper wall of the apron; wherein a second gap is formed between the lower wall of the lip and the lower wall of the apron; wherein a third gap is formed between the first side wall of the lip and the first side wall of the apron; and wherein a fourth gap is formed between the second side wall of the lip and the second side wall of the apron.

7. The sink of claim 6 , wherein at least two gaps of the first, second, third and fourth gaps are the same.

8. A panel assembly configured to be coupled to an apron of a sink, the panel assembly comprising:

a tray configured to be detachably coupled to an apron of the sink, the tray having a base and a lip extending around a perimeter of the base;

a panel coupled to the base opposite the apron and surrounded by the lip of the tray; and

a backer board having a front side coupled to the panel, the backer board having a back side coupled to a filler layer, wherein the filler layer is coupled to the tray,

wherein the panel comprises a plurality of tiles coupled to the backer board with grout, and

wherein, when the panel assembly is coupled to the apron of the sink, a gap is formed between an outer perimeter of the panel assembly and each of a plurality of walls of the apron.

9. The panel assembly of claim 8 , wherein the filler layer is detachably coupled to the tray.

10. The panel assembly of claim 9 , further comprising a first plurality of fasteners, each extending through one of a first plurality of bores in the tray and coupling the filler layer to a front side of the tray.

11. The panel assembly of claim 10 , further comprising a carrier configured to be detachably coupled to the apron on a first surface of the carrier, and the tray on a second opposite surface of the carrier, wherein the tray is removably coupled to the carrier.

12. The panel assembly of claim 11 , wherein the carrier comprises a second plurality of bores each aligned with an associated bore of the first plurality of bores, wherein each fastener extends through one of the first plurality of bores and one of the second plurality of bores and couples the backing board and the tray to the carrier.

13. The panel assembly of claim 12 , wherein:

the tray comprises a plurality of studs protruding from a back side of the tray; and

each stud extends through one of a third plurality of bores in the carrier and is configured to receive one of a plurality of nuts, the studs and nuts coupling the tray to the carrier.

14. The panel assembly of claim 8 , wherein the filler layer and the backer board are entirely received within a pocket defined by the base and the lip of the tray, such that the filler layer and backer board are each recessed rearwardly from an edge of the lip.

15. The panel assembly of claim 8 , wherein the backer board and the filler layer have the same height and width dimensions.

16. The sink of claim 1 , wherein the basin comprises a rim,

wherein the front surface of the apron is planar extending from the lower wall of the apron to the rim of the basin.

17. A sink comprising:

a basin;

an apron extending from a front of the basin and having a plurality of walls including an upper wall, a lower wall, a first side wall, and a second side wall, the apron having a front surface defined by the plurality of walls, and a rear surface defining an opening in a front of the apron; and

a panel assembly removably received in the opening and comprising:

a panel, wherein the panel is removably received in the opening in the front of the apron, and wherein a gap is formed between an outer perimeter of the panel assembly and each of the upper wall, the lower wall, the first side wall, and the second side wall of the apron,

wherein a front surface of the panel is recessed rearwardly from the front surface of the apron; and

a tray having a base and a lip extending around a perimeter of the base, wherein the panel is coupled to the base and surrounded by the lip of the tray,

wherein an outer perimeter of the lip of the tray is spaced apart from an inner perimeter of the plurality of walls of the apron.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (4)

References Cited (400)