Patent ID: 7901186

Claim:
A seal assembly for sealing first and second static parts with opposed slots together forming a pocket having a ceiling and a floor positioned substantially perpendicular to an expected-leakage-path direction; said seal assembly comprising: a floor strip having a central portion, a first end portion, a first hinge portion between the central portion and the first end portion, a second end portion, and second hinge portion between the central portion and second end portion; a ceiling strip having a central portion, a first end portion, a first hinge portion between the central portion and the first end portion, a second end portion, and second hinge portion between the central portion and second end portion; a connection connecting the central portions together and forming a relatively flat hinge between the first hinge portions, separating them by a first hinge angle and also a hinge between the second hinge portions, separating them by a second hinge angle; wherein the first hinge portions are convergable to narrow the first hinge angle for insertion of the first portions into the first slot, and the second hinge portions are convergable to narrow the second hinge angle for insertion of the second portions into the second slot, for installation of the seal assembly into the pocket; and wherein the converged first hinge portions are biased to diverge within the pocket to widen the first hinge angle, and the converged second hinge portions are biased to diverge within the pocket to widen the second hinge angle, to thereby seat the end portions of the floor strip against the pocket's floor and to seat the end portions of the ceiling strip against the pocket's ceiling.