Wax ring tray and method of use

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11447318-B2
Application number	US-202117331970-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 27, 2021
Priority date	Jun 3, 2020
Publication date	Sep 20, 2022
Grant date	Sep 20, 2022

Abstract

A wax ring tray configured to store a wax ring therein includes a base, a first flexible member and a second flexible member. The first and second flexible members are positioned radially outward from a center of the base, and extend from the base to respective first and second ends. The first flexible member and the second flexible member are configured to transition between respective first positions and second positions. In the first position of the first flexible member, the first end of the first flexible member is positioned radially outward relative to the first end in the second position. In the first position of the second flexible member, a second end of the second flexible member is positioned radially outward relative to the second end of the second flexible member in the second position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wax ring tray configured to store a wax ring therein, the wax ring tray comprising:
a base having an upper surface and an opposing lower surface;
a first flexible member positioned radially outward from a center of the base, the first flexible member extending at least partially in a first direction from the upper surface of the base to a first end, the first flexible member defining a first cavity that has a first opening defined by the lower surface of the base; and
a second flexible member positioned radially outward from the center of the base, the second flexible member extending at least partially in the first direction from the upper surface of the base to a second end, the second flexible member defining a second cavity that has a second opening defined by the lower surface of the base,
wherein the first flexible member and the second flexible member are configured to transition between respective first positions and second positions, wherein in the first position of the first flexible member, the first end is positioned radially outward relative to the first end of the first flexible member in the second position, and wherein in the first position of the second flexible member, the second end is positioned radially outward relative to the second end of the second flexible member in the second position.

2. The wax ring tray of claim 1 , further comprising:
an inner wall extending at least partially in a second direction from an outer periphery of the base, the second direction being opposite the first direction;
a bottom wall extending at least partially in a third direction from an outer periphery of the inner wall, the third direction being perpendicular to the first and second directions; and
an outer wall extending at least partially in the first direction from an outer periphery of the bottom wall,
wherein the inner wall, the bottom wall, and the outer wall form a ring cavity configured to receive the wax ring therein.

3. The wax ring tray of claim 2 , wherein a length of the outer wall in the first direction is at least as long as a length of the first flexible member in the first direction, and at least as long as a length of the second flexible member in the first direction.

4. The wax ring tray of claim 2 , wherein the inner wall defines at least one retaining element.

5. The wax ring tray of claim 1 , wherein the first flexible member includes a first radially outermost surface, the first radially outermost surface being angularly offset from the first direction, and wherein the second flexible member includes a second radially outermost surface, the second radially outermost surface being angularly offset from the first direction, the first direction being substantially perpendicular to the upper surface of the base.

6. The wax ring tray of claim 1 , wherein the first flexible member and the second flexible member are biased toward their respective first positions.

7. The wax ring tray of claim 1 , wherein the first and second cavities are sized to receive at least a portion of a finger therein.

8. The wax ring tray of claim 1 , wherein in the first positions of the first and second flexible members, the first and second flexible members are configured to retain the wax ring within the wax ring tray, and wherein in the second positions of the first and second flexible members the first and second members are configured to release the wax ring from the wax ring tray.

9. The wax ring tray of claim 1 , wherein the wax ring tray is configured to nest within a second wax ring tray such that the first flexible member and the second flexible member nest within a corresponding first cavity of a first flexible member and a corresponding second cavity of a second flexible member, respectively, of the second wax ring tray.

10. The wax ring tray of claim 1 , wherein the first flexible member is radially opposed to the second flexible member.

11. A packaging kit comprising:
a wax ring; and
a wax ring tray configured to store the wax ring therein, the wax ring tray comprising:
a base having an upper surface and an opposing lower surface;
a first flexible member positioned radially outward from a center of the base, the first flexible member extending at least partially in a first direction from the upper surface of the base to a first end, the first flexible member defining a first cavity that has a first opening defined by the lower surface of the base; and
a second flexible member positioned radially outward from the center of the base, the second flexible member extending at least partially in the first direction from the upper surface of the base to a second end, the second flexible member defining a second cavity that has a second opening defined by the lower surface of the base,
wherein the first flexible member and the second flexible member are configured to transition between a first position and a second position, wherein in the first position of the first and second flexible members, the wax ring is retained within the wax ring tray, and wherein in the second position of the first and second flexible members, the wax ring is released from the wax ring tray.

12. The packaging kit of claim 11 , wherein in the first position of the first flexible member, the first end is positioned radially outward relative to the first end of the first flexible member in the second position, and wherein in the first position of the second flexible member, the second end is positioned radially outward relative to the second end of the second flexible member in the second position.

13. The packaging kit of claim 11 , wherein the wax ring comprises an ingredient that substantially prevents the wax ring from sticking to the wax ring tray.

14. The packaging kit of claim 11 , wherein the wax ring tray further comprises an inner wall extending at least partially in a second direction from an outer periphery of the base, the second direction being opposite the first direction, the inner wall defining at least one retaining element configured to releasably retain the wax ring within the wax ring tray.

15. A method of removing a wax ring from the wax ring tray of claim 1 , the method comprising:
transitioning the first flexible member from the first position to the second position; and
transitioning the second flexible member from the first position to the second position.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
inserting a first finger into the first cavity of the first flexible member;
inserting a second finger into the second cavity of the second flexible member;
applying a first force by the first finger to the first flexible member within the first cavity in a radially inward direction to transition the first flexible member from the first position to the second position; and
applying a second force by the second finger to the second flexible member within the second cavity in a radially inward direction to transition the second flexible member from the first position to the second position.

Assignees

• Oatey Co

Inventors

• Davis Alexander Lee

Classifications

• B65D25/106 Primary

  Elements projecting into a recess or through a hole in the articles · CPC title

• B65D85/02

  for annular articles (for web or tape-like material wound in flat spiral form B65D85/671) · CPC title

• B65D75/366 Primary

  and forming one compartment · CPC title