Patent ID: 7654586

Claim:
A seal assembly for the prevention of leakage from between two pipes to be connected end to end, the seal assembly comprising: an elastomer seal element; a sheet metal housing at least partly containing said seal element and arranged to apply diametric pressure to seal said elastomer seal element against an outer surface of one of said pipes and against a flange having a first face to contact said seal element, said sheet metal housing having a curved edge, the curved edge having a surface contacting a second face of said flange, and wherein a curve of said curved edge creates a void; and a seal lip projecting into said void and beyond the outer diameter of said seal element wherein said seal lip contacts both said sheet metal housing and said flange, at all times, to stabilize said seal element and maintain its position prior to and during diametric compression and to seal a gap between said metal housing and said flange.