Self cleaning sink basins

Abstract

A sink that has a self-cleaning basin generally includes a sink basin that is defined by a sink rim, a sink base drain, a sink basin outer surface, a sink basin inner surface, and a plurality of ramped channels recessed in the inner surface located within one inch from the sink rim. Each of the ramped channels is defined by a deep end that essentially evenly ramps to the inner surface at a ramp terminating end. Each of the ramped channels is angled essentially between 0° and 90° with the ramp terminating end further away from the sink rim than a back-channel side that is located at the deep end, so that the channels are hidden in an under-mounted sink. Each channel has an aperture located at the back-channel side of each of the ramped channels. Each of the apertures is configured to connect with a water line dispenses water through the aperture along the ramped channel and into the sink basin inner surface where the water moves over the inner surface to clean the sink basin.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A self-cleaning sink basin comprising:
 a sink basin that is generally defined by a sink rim, a sink base drain, a sink basin outer surface, and an angular-shaped sink basin inner surface;   a plurality of ramped channels recessed in the inner surface located within one inch from the sink rim,   each of the ramped channels is defined by a deep end that essentially evenly ramps to the inner surface at a ramp terminating end,   each of the ramped channels is angled essentially between 0° and 90° with the ramp terminating end further away from the sink rim than the deep end;   a rinse water dispensing aperture located at the deep end of each of the ramped channels,   each of the rinse water dispensing apertures configured to connect with a water line that provides rinse water adapted to flow through the rinse water dispensing aperture along each of the ramped channels and into the sink basin inner surface wherein the rinse water coats at least 90% of the sink basin inner surface.   
     
     
         2 . The self-cleaning sink basin of  claim 1  wherein the angular-shaped sink basin inner surface is rectangular. 
     
     
         3 . The self-cleaning sink basin of  claim 1  wherein the self-cleaning basin is an under mounted sink. 
     
     
         4 . The self-cleaning sink basin of  claim 3  wherein the plurality of ramped channels are essentially hidden from view when attached under a counter. 
     
     
         5 . The self-cleaning sink basin of  claim 1  wherein each of the plurality of ramped channels possess a ramp and two side walls, the ramp and the two side walls extend from the deep end to the ramp terminating end. 
     
     
         6 . The self-cleaning sink basin of  claim 5  wherein the ramp is planar. 
     
     
         7 . The self-cleaning sink basin of  claim 5  wherein the two side walls fan outwardly. 
     
     
         8 . The self-cleaning sink basin of  claim 5  wherein the two side walls have different lengths. 
     
     
         9 . The self-cleaning sink basin of  claim 1  further comprising a switch that turns the rinse water on and off. 
     
     
         10 . The self-cleaning sink basin of  claim 9  wherein the switch is selected from a group consisting of an optical switch, a manually actuating switch, a voice command responsive switch, a utility control hub switch, and a timer actuated switch. 
     
     
         11 . The self-cleaning sink basin of  claim 8  wherein the switch is configured with a timer that turns the rinse water on for predetermined amount of time. 
     
     
         12 . An operational self-cleaning sink method comprising:
 providing a sink basin that is generally defined by a sink rim, a sink base drain, a sink basin outer surface, a basin inner surface, and a plurality of ramped channels located at the basin inner surface within 1.25 inches from the sink rim;   supplying a stream of rinse water to the plurality of ramped channels via a water outlet aperture in each of the ramped channels, an elongated ramped portion extending from the water outlet aperture where the ramped channel is deepest to a terminating end that ramps into the basin inner surface; and   flowing the stream of rinse water from the water outlet aperture, along the elongated ramped portion and into the basin inner surface to the sink base drain, the stream of rinse water circulating over at least 90% of the sink basin inner surface below the plurality of ramped channels.   
     
     
         13 . The operational self-cleaning sink method of  claim 12  wherein the sink basin inner surface is angular-shaped. 
     
     
         14 . The operational self-cleaning sink method of  claim 12  wherein each of the plurality of ramped channels possess a ramp and two side walls, the ramp and the two side walls extend from the water outlet aperture to the ramp terminating end. 
     
     
         15 . The operational self-cleaning sink method of  claim 14  wherein the ramp is planar. 
     
     
         16 . The operational self-cleaning sink method of  claim 14  wherein the two side walls fan outwardly. 
     
     
         17 . The operational self-cleaning sink method of  claim 14  wherein the two side walls have different lengths. 
     
     
         18 . The operational self-cleaning sink method of  claim 14  further comprising biasing the stream of rinse water towards the sink base drain in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction via each of the plurality of ramped channels. 
     
     
         19 . The operational self-cleaning sink method of  claim 12  further comprising turning on the stream of rinse water for a preselected amount of time via a switch that turns the stream of rinse water on and off. 
     
     
         20 . A self-cleaning sink comprising:
 a sink basin that is generally defined by a sink rim, a sink base drain, a sink basin outer surface and a sink basin inner surface;   means for supplying rinse water to the sink basin from a plurality of outlet apertures within 1.5 inches from the sink rim;   means for channeling the rinse water from the outlet apertures to the sink basin inner surface; and   means for substantially coating the sink basin inner surface with the rinse water from the plurality of outlet apertures.