Self-skimming dish rinser

Claim 1

In combination, a sink having a well bounded by upstanding side walls spaced from one another a predetermined distance and being of a predetermined height and including a bottom with a central recessed drain opening; and a sink-skimming rinser sized for and received within the well, said rinser comprising a tray having a bottom and upstanding side walls of a predetermined height approximately equal to but less than the predetermined height of the sink side walls, said bottom having a drain opening to register with the sink drain opening, centering means extending downwardly from the tray bottom and received in the recessed drain opening for aligning the rinser and sink drain openings, a drain plug sized to cover and close the tray drain opening and feet means on the tray bottom spaced from the tray a predetermined distance from the sink bottom for supporting the tray bottom above the sink bottom, said centering means comprising downwardly extending finger-like projections and said tray being sized with respect to the centering means such that the walls of the tray are spaced inwardly from the walls of the sink to allow overflow water to drain past the rinser side walls and down between the sink side walls and the rinser side walls to the sink drain opening to flow between the finger-like projections; said sink bottom and tray bottom being angled inwardly and downwardly toward their repective drain openings; and said side walls of said tray being recessed inwardly from the side walls of the sink at a zone to facilitate lifting of the device out of engagement with the sink and pouring of matter from dishes directly into the sink such as coffee remaining in a cup.