Sink mounting assembly, sink lighting assembly, and methods of installation

Abstract

A lighted sink includes a sink with a sink lighting assembly coupled to an upper end of the sink. The lighting assembly projects light downward and into the sink, which at the same time, protects the light emitting element from moisture and contaminants through a combination of protective walls that physically house the light emitting element and leave at least one side open to a transparent window that allows light to broadcast to and illuminate an interior of the sink.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A sink lighting assembly comprising:
 an outer wall that includes:
 a first vertical portion; 
 a second vertical portion; and 
 a horizontal portion coupled between the first and second vertical portions; 
   an inner wall having a first end and an opposing second end, the first end of the inner wall coupled to the first vertical portion of the outer wall and the inner wall spanning from the first vertical portion towards and past the second vertical portion of the outer wall; and   a lighting element disposed in an area located between the second end of the inner wall and the second vertical portion of the outer wall.   
     
     
         2 . The sink lighting assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the inner wall has a portion that is at an angle that is approximately 45 degrees in reference to the first vertical portion of the outer wall.   
     
     
         3 . The sink lighting assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the inner wall has a first portion that is approximately parallel to the horizontal portion of the outer wall.   
     
     
         4 . The sink lighting assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the inner wall has a second portion that is approximately parallel to the horizontal portion of the outer wall, the second portion being separated from the first portion by a non-horizontal portion of the inner wall.   
     
     
         5 . The sink lighting assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 The outer and the inner wall are continuous and form a sink lighting assembly frame.   
     
     
         6 . The sink lighting assembly according to  claim 5 , wherein:
 the sink lighting assembly frame has a shape that corresponds to an upper edge of a sink.   
     
     
         7 . The sink lighting assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the lighting element is a substantially continuous array of LED lights.   
     
     
         8 . A lighted sink comprising:
 a sink having at least one sink wall; and   a sink lighting assembly coupled to an upper end of the at least one sink wall, the sink lighting assembly having:
 a sink mating junction that includes:
 a first wall coupled to an upper portion of and substantially parallel to the at least one sink wall; 
 a second wall coupled to an upper portion of and substantially perpendicular to the at least one sink wall; and 
 a third wall coupled to the second wall and substantially parallel to the first wall; 
 
 a fourth wall coupled to the first wall and having at least a portion that is oriented at an angle that is neither parallel nor perpendicular to the first wall or the second wall; and 
 a lighting element disposed in an area formed by a lower portion of the fourth wall and a lower portion of the third wall. 
   
     
     
         9 . The lighted sink according to  claim 8 , wherein the fourth wall further comprises:
 a least one portion that is substantially perpendicular to the at least one sink wall.   
     
     
         10 . The lighted sink according to  claim 8 , wherein the fourth wall further comprises:
 a least one portion that is substantially parallel to the at least one sink wall.   
     
     
         11 . The lighted sink according to  claim 8 , wherein:
 the at least one sink wall is four sink walls.   
     
     
         12 . The lighted sink according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a support frame having four frame members, each frame member corresponding in size to one of the four sink walls and each having an elongated hollow body with two opposing wall elements and inwardly disposed lip elements forming a substantially U-shaped channel adapted to retain an end of a support bolt therein.   
     
     
         13 . The lighted sink according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 at least one bracket coupled to an outer surface of one of the four sink walls, wherein the support bolt attaches to the bracket at one end thereof and to the support frame at an opposite end thereof.   
     
     
         14 . The lighted sink according to  claim 13 , wherein the at least one bracket comprises:
 a bracket base; and   a bracket/bolt junction member that slidably engages with bracket base.   
     
     
         15 . The lighted sink according to  claim 14 , wherein the bracket base comprises:
 two opposing wall elements and inwardly disposed lip elements forming a substantially U-shaped channel that is sized and shaped to slidably mate with the bracket base.   
     
     
         16 . A method of installing a lighted sink in a countertop, the method comprising:
 providing a sink lighting assembly coupled to an upper portion of a sink, the sink having at least one wall and the sink lighting assembly including:
 a frame with a top cover wall that has at least a portion oriented at an angle that is not parallel to the at least one wall of the sink; and 
 a lighting element disposed in an area between and underside of the top cover wall and an inside surface of the at least one wall of the sink; 
   coupling a support frame to an underside of a countertop, the support frame including:
 frame members, each frame member corresponding in size to one of the at least one walls of the sink and each frame member having an elongated hollow body with two opposing wall elements and inwardly disposed lip elements forming a substantially U-shaped channel adapted to retain an end of a support bolt therein; and 
   mechanically coupling the sink to the support frame.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the step of mechanically coupling the sink to the support frame comprises the step of:
 coupling a bracket base to an outer surface of each one of the at least one walls.   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the step of mechanically coupling the sink to the support frame comprises the step of:
 slidably engaging a bracket/bolt junction member into the bracket base;   coupling a first end of the support bolt to the bracket/bolt junction member; and   coupling a second end of the support bolt to the support frame.   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the step of mechanically coupling the sink to the support frame comprises the step of:
 adjusting a distance between the uppermost extent of the lighting element and an upper surface of the countertop so that the uppermost extent of the lighting element is one of flush with the upper surface of the countertop and below the upper surface of the countertop.