Captive plastic static seal in ring joint groove

Claim 2

A sealed joint comprising: a first member having wall means defining a first groove therein, said first groove circumscribing a region of the first member; a second member including first and second projecting walls circumscribing regions of the second member and defining a second groove opening toward said first groove and circumscribing a region of the second member, said projecting walls being receivable in said first groove, at least one of said projecting walls being deformable toward the other of the projecting walls; cam means on said wall means of said first groove for camming said projecting walls toward each other as the projecting walls are advanced into the first groove; a seal of deformable sealing material in said grooves, said seal being cOmpressibly loaded and deformed by said projecting walls as said projecting walls are cammed toward each other; and at least one of said members defining a fluid carrying passage communicating with the other of said members.

Claim 3

A sealed joint as defined in claim 1 wherein said wall means includes opposed side walls forming at least portions of the sides of said first groove, said projecting walls being engageable with said side walls, respectively, said engagement between said side walls and said projecting walls occurring before the seal is substantially compressibly deformed.

Claim 4

A sealed joint as defined in claim 1 wherein said cam means includes a sloping surface on said wall means.

Claim 5

A sealed joint as defined in claim 1 wherein said wall means includes converging side wall portions and an end wall, said converging side wall portions converging as they extend toward the end wall, said cam means including said converging side wall portions, said first and second projecting walls being inner and outer peripheral walls, respectively, said inner and outer projecting walls having inner and outer peripheral surfaces, respectively, which converge as they extend toward said end wall, said converging side wall portions being engageable with the inner and outer peripheral surfaces, respectively, to cam the projecting walls toward each other.

Claim 6

A sealed joint as defined in claim 1 wherein said projecting walls and said wall means at least partially define a completely enclosed seal cavity, said seal completely filling said seal cavity.

Claim 7

A sealed joint as defined in claim 5 wherein said seal is constructed of a plastic material.

Claim 8

A sealed joint as defined in claim 6 wherein said wall means includes converging side wall portions and an end wall, said converging side wall portions converging as they extend toward the end wall, said cam means including said converging side wall portions, said first and second projecting walls being inner and outer projecting walls, respectively, said inner and outer projecting walls having inner and outer peripheral surfaces, respectively, which converge as they extend toward said end wall, said converging side wall portions being engageable with the peripheral surfaces, respectively, to cam the projecting walls toward each other, said projecting walls being resiliently deformable toward each other, said projecting walls engaging said converging sidewall portions prior to said seal being substantially deformed by said members.

Claim 9

A sealed joint comprising: a first member having wall means defining a first groove therein; a second member including first and second projecting walls defining a second groove opening toward said first groove, said projecting walls being receivable in said first groove, at least one of said projecting walls being deformable toward the other of the projecting walls; cooperating surfaces on said projecting walls and said wall means of said first groove for camming said projecting walls toward each other as the projecting walls are advanced into the first groove, said grooves defining a completely enclosed seal cavity; a seal of deformable sealing material in said seal cavity, said seal being compressibly loaded and deformed by said projecting walls as said projecting walls are cammed toward each other; and means for retaining said members in position with the projecting walls advanced into said first groove.

Claim 10

A sealed joint comprising: a first member having wall means defining a first groove therein; a second member including first and second projecting walls defining a second groove opening toward said first groove, said projecting walls being receivable in said first groove, at least one of said projecting walls being deformable toward the other of the projecting walls; cooperating surfaces on said projecting walls and said wall means of said first groove for camming said projecting walls toward each other as the projecting walls are advanced into the first groove, said grooves defining a completely enclosed seal cavity; a seal of deformable sealing material in said seal cavity, said seal being compressibly loaded and deformed by said projecting walls as said projecting walls are cammed toward each other; and means for retaining said members in position with the projecting walls advanced into said first groove.

Claim 11

A sealing assembly comprising: a retainer of generally ring-like configuration; said retainer having first and second pairs of legs projecting generally axially of the retainer in generally opposite directions and defining first and second circumferentially extending grooves, respectively; each of said pairs of legs including an inner leg and an outer leg; each of said legs extending circumferentially and being resiliently deflectable toward the other leg of the associated pair of legs; at least one leg of each of said pair of legs having a peripheral circumferentially extending surface which extends both axially and radially of the retainer to reduce the thickness of said one leg whereby said one leg can be more readily deflected; and first and second seals in said first and second grooves, respectively, each of said seals being constructed of deformable sealing material.

Claim 12

A sealing assembly comprising: a retainer of generally ring-like configuration; said retainer having first and second pairs of legs projecting generally axially of the retainer in generally opposite directions and defining first and second circumferentially extending grooves, respectively; each of said pairs of legs including an inner leg and an outer leg; each of said legs extending circumferentially and being resiliently deflectable toward the other leg of the associated pair of legs; at least one leg of each of said pair of legs having a peripheral circumferentially extending surface which extends both axially and radially of the retainer to reduce the thickness of said one leg whereby said one leg can be more readily deflected; and first and second seals in said first and second grooves, respectively, each of said seals being constructed of deformable sealing material.

Claim 13

A sealing assembly as defined in claim 9 wherein each of said seals is constructed of plastic material and said retainer is constructed of metal.

Claim 14

A sealing assembly as defined in claim 9 wherein each of said legs is generally wedge-shaped in cross section.

Claim 15

A sealed joint comprising: first and second conduits, each of said conduits having a passage adapted to carry a fluid and a flange, said flanges being in confronting relationship; means for drawing said flanges together to thereby interconnect said conduits with said passages being in communication; said flanges of said first and second conduits including wall means defining first and second flange grooves, respectively, each of said flange grooves having converging side wall portions and an end wall with the converging side wall portions converging as they extend toward the associated end wall; said flange grooves being in confronting relationship and opening toward each other; a retainer of generally ring-like configuration between said flanges, said retainer having first and second pairs of legs projecting generally axially of the retainer in generally opposite directions and defining first and second circumferentially extending retainer grooves, respectively; each of said pairs of legs including an inner leg and an outer leg, each of said legs extending circumferentially and being resiliently deflectable toward the other leg of the associated pair of legs; at least one leg of each of said pair of legs having a peripheral circumferentially extending surface which extends both axially and radially of the retainer so that said one leg is readily deflectable toward the other leg of the assocaited pair of legs; said first and second pairs of legs being receivable in said first and second flange grooves, respectively, said converging side wall portions of said flange grooves cooperating with the associated legs to cam the legs of each pair of legs toward each other as the flanges are drawn together; said first flange groove and said first retainer groove defining a first completely enclosed seal cavity and said second flange groove and said second retainer groove defining a second completely enclosed seal cavity; and first and second seals in said first and second seal cavities, respectively, each of said seals being constructed of a deformable sealing material and being compressively deformed by the retainer and the wall means, said first and second seals completely filling their respective seal cavity.

Claim 16

A sealed joint comprising: first and second conduits, each of said conduits having a passage adapted to carry a fluid and a flange, said flanges being in confronting relationship; means for drawing said flanges together to thereby interconnect said conduits with said passages being in communication; said flanges of said first and second conduits including wall means defining first and second flange grooves, respectively, each of said flange grooves having converging side wall portions and an end wall with the converging side wall portions converging as they extend toward the associated end wall; said flange grooves being in confronting relationship and opening toward each other; a retainer of generally ring-like configuration between said flanges, said retainer having first and second pairs of legs projecting generally axially of the retainer in generally opposite directions and defining first and second circumferentially extending retainer grooves, respectively; each of said pairs of legs including an inner leg and an outer leg, each of said legs extending circumferentially and being resiliently deflectable toward the other leg of the associated pair of legs; at least one leg of each of said pair of legs having a peripheral circumferentially extending surface which extends both axially and radially of the retainer so that said one leg is readily deflectable toward the other leg of the assocaited pair of legs; said first and second pairs of legs being receivable in said first and second flange grooves, respectively, said converging side wall portions of said flange grooves cooperating with the associated legs to cam the legs of each pair of legs toward each other as the flanges are drawn together; said first flange groove and said first retainer groove defining a first completely enclosed seal cavity and said second flange groove and said second retainer groove defining a second completely enclosed seal cavity; and first and second seals in said first and second seal cavities, respectively, each of said seals being constructed of a deformable sealing material and being compressively deformed by the retainer and the wall means, said first and second seals completely filling their respective seal cavity.