Patent ID: 8678696

Claim:
A seal assembly adapted for use in sealing a joint having a first member pivotable about a rotational axis relative to a second member thereof, the first member including a load ring engagement surface defining, at least in part, an axially-extending seal cavity about the rotational axis, the seal assembly comprising: a seal ring, the seal ring having an axial flange, extending parallel to the rotational axis, and a radial flange, extending along a radial axis perpendicular to the rotational axis; and a load ring, the load ring including a main body comprising a seal ring engagement surface and a first member engagement surface, and a neck extending outwardly from the main body along a neck axis; the seal ring engagement surface including a radial segment in proximate relationship with the radial flange of the seal ring and an axial segment in proximate relationship with the axial flange of the seal ring, the first member engagement surface adapted to engage the load ring engagement surface of the first member, the first member engagement surface including a radial segment and an axial segment, the radial segment of the first member engagement surface being in distal relationship with the radial segment of the seal ring engagement surface, and the neck axis disposed at an angle with respect to the axial segment of the seal ring engagement surface, and passing between the axial segment of the first member engagement surface and the radial segment of the seal ring engagement surface; wherein when the load ring is in an uninstalled state, such that the load ring is uncompressed: the axial segment of the first member engagement surface includes a convex rounded portion extending over at least half the length, measured along the rotational axis, of the axial segment of the first member engagement surface.