Patent Abstract:
A retrofit or new installation kit or apparatus has a junction box, a supply pipe that attaches to a quick-connect fitting inside the junction box that attaches to a valve within the junction box. The valve within the junction box has a stub-out that connects to the quick-connect fitting.

Full Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    This application relates to plumbing fittings and more particularly to plumbing fittings that are disposed within walls. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Many homes are equipped with appliances, such as clothes washers, that require hot and cold water for proper functioning. Typically, pipes disposed between wall studs extend towards the washer. In older applications, water supply pipes and a drain pipe were threaded through the drywall. In newer applications, the water inlets and the drain pipe are disposed in a junction box disposed in the wall. Feeder hoses extend from the junction box to the appliance and vice-versa. The supply pipes are valved within the junction box to allow a user to turn the water supply to the washer on and off as needed. The valves are provided to minimize a possibility that a feeder hose from the junction box to the washer would rupture. 
         [0003]    Over time, the valves themselves may fail and need replacement. The valves were typically soldered to supply pipe outside the junction box. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    According to an embodiment of the invention, an apparatus for mounting a valve in a wall has a junction box having an opening for receiving a fluid therethrough, a body disposed within the opening, the body forming a seal for minimizing a flow of fluid through the opening, a first quick connect fitting integrally attaching to the body for removably attaching to a valve within the junction box and a second quick connect fitting integrally attaching to the body for removably attaching to a fluid supply outside of the junction box. 
         [0005]    According to another embodiment, an extension pipe is provided to channel water from a supply pipe to a valve within a junction box and attach to the supply pipe and the valve by means of a quick connect fitting. 
         [0006]    By using the quick-connect fittings and the right sized junction box, any further replacement of a valve will not require detailed construction or replacement. 
         [0007]    These and other features of the present invention can be best understood from the following specification and drawings, the following of which is a brief description. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  shows a prior art side view of an in-wall junction box housing valves to control flow to a washer or the like. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a perspective, exploded view of junction box and supply line. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2A  is a perspective, assembled front view of the junction box of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 2B  is a perspective, assembled side view of the junction box of  FIG. 2A . 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  shows a perspective view of a connector used in  FIGS. 2 ,  2 A and  2 B. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0013]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , the prior art embodiment of a water junction box  10  is shown. The prior art water junction box  10  shows a box  12 , a soldered joint  15  to which a valve  17  is connected within the box. The water junction box  10  attaches to the drywall  19  or studs  21  via flanges  22  as is known in the art. 
         [0014]    Referring now to  FIGS. 2 ,  2 A and  2 B, an embodiment of a junction box  25  and a kit therefore is shown. The junction box  25  has a back wall  30 , sidewalls  35 , a top wall  40  and a bottom wall  45 . The junction box  25  has a hot inlet opening  50 , a cold inlet opening  55 , as will be discussed herein, and a drain opening  65  in bottom wall  45  to carry water away from a clothes washer (not shown) to a drainpipe  66 . The drain opening  65  has a downward depending circular flange  85  that forms a tight fit with the drain fitting  66  so that leaks do not occur therearound. There is also a drain opening  65  in the top wall  40  as will be discussed hereinbelow. Each of the hot inlet openings and cold inlet openings have a pair of grooves  67  therein as will be discussed herein. 
         [0015]    Six tabs  70  anchor the junction box  25  to the drywall  19  by means of screws  75  as is known in the art. After the junction box  25  is placed in a hole in the wall, as will be discussed hereinbelow, the screws  75  rotate in holes  77  and into the tabs  70 . As the screws  75  rotate, the tabs  70  rotate to become perpendicular to the junction box  25  and are pulled towards the front of the junction box to clamp the drywall between a flange  79  attaching to the front  71  of the junction box  25  and the tabs  70  as is known in the art. 
         [0016]    Though use with a clothes washer is contemplated herein, a junction box  25  as disclosed herein may also be usable anywhere fluid, such as water or a gas, is transported for use from inside a wall to outside a wall and control of flow from inside to the outside of a wall is desired. 
         [0017]    Some installations, like in basements, require the hot inlet pipe  76  and the cold inlet pipe  78  to descend to the junction box  25  from above. The junction box  25  is then upended so that the drain opening in the top wall  40  of the junction box  25  now extends beneath the junction box and the hot inlet pipe  76  and the cold inlet pipe  78  enter the junction box via the upended bottom wall  45  from above. Drains  65  that attach to drain fitting  66  are disposed downwardly. 
         [0018]    The back wall  30  and the sidewalls  35  have a length and width that is longer and wider than the prior art water junction box  12 . For example, comparing the drawings of  FIG. 1  and  FIGS. 2 ,  2 A and  2 B, the junction box  25  has extra length because after a worn valve  17  is removed and the soldered fitting  15  is removed, the hot and cold inlet pipes  76 ,  78  may not have enough length to extend through the water junction box  12 . A longer and wider junction box provides room to remove drywall to remove existing pipe without creating a major reconstruction project. A junction box cover  90  is provided that is designed to extend to a length and width that is greater than the length of the sidewalls  35  and the back wall  41  and width of the junction box  25  to cover any hole caused by such removal of the drywall (not shown). 
         [0019]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , a coupler  80  is shown. The coupler  80  has a body  81  that is disposed in openings  50  and  55 . The body  81  has a flange  84  and an integrally formed first male extension  82  extending upwardly and an integrally formed second male extension  83  extending downwardly therefrom. The flange has a groove  85  disposed therein for receiving an o-ring  86 . The flange  84  has a cylinder  87  extending downwardly therefrom having a pair of cam surfaces  88  extending outwardly therefrom. The body has a plurality of ridges  91  for grasping the body  81 . Each of the extensions  82 ,  83  have a plurality of raised portions  89  for cooperating with quick connectors as will be discussed herein. The cam surfaces  88  extend through grooves  67  to attach the body  81  to the bottom wall  45 . The body  81  is rotated by grasping and turning ridges  91  after insertion of cam surfaces  88  to lock the connector to the bottom wall  45  and seal the o-ring  86  against the bottom wall for minimizing a flow of fluid through said opening  50 ,  55 . The first and second male extensions  82 ,  83  are essentially quick connect fittings for removably attaching to a valve  100  (see  FIG. 1 ) and a hammer arrestor  105  within said junction box  25  and for removably attaching to a risers  110  removeably attaching to a fluid supplies such has the inlet pipes  76 ,  78  outside of said junction box  25 . 
         [0020]    The hot inlet pipe  76  and the cold inlet pipe  78  end behind the drywall  19 . A riser  110  attaches at a riser first quick connect fitting  115  to the hot inlet pipe  76  and at a riser second quick connect fitting  120  attaches to the second male extension  83 . The first male extension  82  attaches to the valve  100  having a valve quick connect fitting  125 . 
         [0021]    A quick-connect fitting, such as a compression fitting, or an easy-to-use fitting such as a SureConnect™ or a Pushconnect™ fitting as may be obtained from BrassCraft Manufacturing Company of Novi, Mich. may be used. Using an easy to use fitting allows a user to easily install the valve  100  and the risers  110  to the inlet pipes  76 ,  78  without having to manipulate wrenches that may twist and damage pipes in a in a small area. A junction box cover  90  clips on to the front of the junction box  25  as is known in the art. 
         [0022]    Although a combination of features is shown in the illustrated examples, not all of them need to be combined to realize the benefits of various embodiments of this disclosure. In other words, a system designed according to an embodiment of this disclosure will not necessarily include all of the features shown in any one of the Figures or all of the portions schematically shown in the Figures. Moreover, selected features of one example embodiment may be combined with selected features of other example embodiments. 
         [0023]    The preceding description is exemplary rather than limiting in nature. Variations and modifications to the disclosed examples may become apparent to those skilled in the art that do not necessarily depart from the essence of this disclosure. The scope of legal protection given to this disclosure can only be determined by studying the following claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 5