Patent ID: 7578407

Claim:
A sealable container for holding a plurality of wafers, the container comprising: an enclosure portion defining an interior space for receiving the wafers, the enclosure portion having an open side defined by a door frame, the door frame presenting a frame periphery and having a seal engaging member disposed around the frame periphery and protruding outwardly from the door frame, the seal engaging member configured as a continuous rib having a tip, an inwardly facing surface and an outwardly facing surface; a door fittable in the door frame to sealingly close the open side of the enclosure portion, the door having an interior side and presenting a door periphery; and an elastomeric seal disposed on the interior side of the door around and inward of the door periphery, the elastomeric seal having an inside edge and an outside edge, the inside edge with an attachment structure for securement to a groove in the door extending therealong, a sealing head structure extending along the outside edge, and a bridging portion coupling the attachment structure and the sealing head structure, the bridging portion and sealing head structure have a T-shape with one arm of the T contacting the door and an opposing arm extending outwardly away from the inside surface of the door, the seal engaging member and the elastomeric seal cooperatively positioned so that when the door is engaged in the door frame, the tip of the seal engaging member first contacts the bridging portion of the elastomeric seal defining a first sealing line of contact along the door periphery, the engagement with the bridging portion pulling the one arm of the T opposite the door in a direction inwardly toward the attachment portion whereby said one arm of the T-shaped portion engages the outwardly facing surface of the seal engaging member defining a second sealing line of contact along the door periphery, and the sealing head structure being in contact with the door defining a third sealing line of contact along the door periphery.