Patent ID: 7341258

Claim:
A seal assembly adapted for use in sealing first and second mating operational surfaces spaced apart by a gap, said first surface including an annular seal assembly receiving groove, said groove being defined by a generally axial base surface and first and second generally radial side surfaces extending generally orthogonally from the base surface, the seal assembly comprising: a sealing element configured to be located in the seal assembly receiving groove, the sealing element having a foot portion which extends generally parallel to the base surface and which is positioned to at least partially engage the second operational surface and a leg portion extending from the foot portion toward the base surface, the leg portion having first and second surfaces, wherein a first included angle between the first surface of the leg portion and an upper surface of the foot portion is obtuse; a back-up ring made from a relatively hard material and configured to be located in the seal assembly receiving groove adjacent to the sealing element to prevent extrusion of the sealing element into the gap between the first and second operational surfaces, the back-up ring having first and second sides, and a third bottom surface extending between the first and second sides of the back-up ring, the first side of the back-up ring configured to at least partially and complementarily mate with the second surface of the leg portion of the sealing element, the second side of the back-up ring configured to at least partially mate with one of the first and second side surfaces of the seal assembly receiving groove wherein a second included angle between the second surface of the leg portion and the third surface of the back-up ring is acute; and an energizer element configured to be located in the seal assembly receiving groove between the base surface and the foot portion of the sealing element, wherein the energizer element applies uniform pressure to the leg portion and the foot portion of the sealing element when the energizer element is in a compressed state.