Plaster guard for a wall mounted faucet valve assembly

Abstract

A plaster guard for a wall mounted faucet valve assembly. The plaster guard includes a body having a central opening configured to receive the valve assembly, and a coupler configured to couple the body to the valve assembly.

1 . A plaster guard for a wall mounted faucet valve assembly, the plaster guard comprising: 
 a body including base having a central opening configured to receive a valve assembly having a longitudinal axis, and a flange supported by the base and positioned in spaced relation to the central opening, the flange extending in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis and having a substantially rectangular cross-section in a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis which surrounds the central opening; and    a coupler supported by the body and configured to couple the body to the valve assembly.    
   
   
       2 . The plaster guard of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the valve assembly includes a valve housing and a mounting bracket coupled to the valve housing; and    the coupler includes a plurality of retaining arms supported by the body and biased to releasably couple to the bracket.    
   
   
       3 . The plaster guard of  claim 1 , wherein the flange of the body has a square cross-section in a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis.  
   
   
       4 . The plaster guard of  claim 3 , wherein: 
 the flange of the body includes a first pair of parallel walls, and a second pair of parallel walls, the first pair of parallel walls being connected to, and disposed perpendicular to, the second pair of parallel walls; and    the first pair of parallel walls and the second pair of parallel walls being configured to provide an opening within a wall for receiving the valve assembly, the opening being of substantially the same size as a conventional wall tile.    
   
   
       5 . The plaster guard of  claim 4 , wherein the first pair of parallel walls and the second pair of parallel walls, each of the walls having a length substantially equal to four inches.  
   
   
       6 . The plaster guard of  claim 1 , further comprising a cover supported by and frictionally engaging the valve assembly, the cover being positioned in spaced relation to the body.  
   
   
       7 . The plaster guard of  claim 6 , wherein the cover is configured to operably couple with a test cap sealingly received within the valve housing.  
   
   
       8 . A plaster guard for a wall mounted faucet valve assembly, the plaster guard comprising: 
 a body including a central opening configured to receive a valve assembly, and a flange positioned in spaced relation to the central opening, the flange including a first pair of parallel walls and a second pair of parallel walls, the first pair of parallel walls being connected to and disposed perpendicular to the second pair of parallel walls; and    a coupler supported by the body and configured to couple the body to the valve assembly.    
   
   
       9 . The plaster guard of  claim 8 , wherein: 
 the valve assembly includes a valve housing and a mounting bracket coupled to the valve housing; and    the coupler includes a plurality of retaining arms supported by the body and biased to releasably couple to the bracket.    
   
   
       10 . The plaster guard of  claim 9 , wherein the first pair of parallel walls and the second pair of parallel walls are configured to provide a rectangular opening within a wall for receiving the valve assembly, the opening being of substantially the same size as a conventional wall tile.  
   
   
       11 . The plaster guard of  claim 8 , wherein the first pair of parallel walls and the second pair of parallel walls each have a length substantially equal to four inches.  
   
   
       12 . The plaster guard of  claim 8 , further comprising a cover supported by and frictionally engaging the valve assembly, the cover being positioned in spaced relation to the body.  
   
   
       13 . The plaster guard of  claim 12 , wherein the cover is configured to operably couple with a test cap sealingly received within the valve housing.  
   
   
       14 . A plaster guard for use in combination with a wall mounted faucet valve assembly, the plaster guard comprising: 
 a body including a base having a central opening configured to receive a valve assembly, and a flange extending outwardly from the base; and    a cover concentrically received over the valve assembly, the cover being uncoupled from the body and fully supported by the valve assembly.    
   
   
       15 . The plaster guard of  claim 14 , wherein the valve assembly includes a bonnet and a housing configured to threadably receive the bonnet, the inner surface of the cover being in frictional engagement with the bonnet.  
   
   
       16 . The plaster guard of  claim 14 , wherein the cover includes a plurality of radially inwardly extending engagement members configured to frictionally engage the valve assembly.  
   
   
       17 . The plaster guard of  claim 14 , wherein the cover is configured to operably couple with a test cap sealingly received within the valve housing.  
   
   
       18 . The plaster guard of  claim 14 , further comprising a coupler configured to releasably couple the body to the valve assembly.  
   
   
       19 . The plaster guard of  claim 14 , wherein the body includes a rectangular flange configured to provide an opening within a wall receiving the valve assembly.  
   
   
       20 . A valve mounting assembly comprising: 
 a valve housing;    a mounting bracket coupled to the valve housing and configured to couple the valve housing to a wall support;    a plaster guard including an opening configured to receive the valve housing; and    a coupler supported by the plaster guard and configured to releasably couple the plaster guard to the mounting bracket.    
   
   
       21 . The valve mounting assembly of  claim 20 , wherein the coupler includes a plurality of resilient arms, each arm including a catch configured to releasably engage the mounting bracket.  
   
   
       22 . The valve mounting assembly of  claim 20 , further comprising a cover supported by and frictionally engaging the valve assembly, the cover being positioned in spaced relation to the body.  
   
   
       23 . The valve mounting assembly of  claim 22 , further comprising a test cap sealingly received within the valve housing and operably coupled with the cover.