Patent ID: 7565913

Claim:
A sealing system comprising: a valve body; a valve stem housed within the valve body; a bonnet member; a stem gasket positioned between the valve stem and the bonnet member, wherein the gasket has a first lip member and a second lip member each having an interior surface and an exterior surface, wherein the first and second lip members have upper portions and lower portions, and wherein the lower portion of each lip member has an exterior sloped surface; a wedge ring fitted between the interior surface of the first lip member and the interior surface of the second lip member; and at least one spring adjacent the wedge ring, wherein the spring applies a sufficient force to the wedge ring to cause the wedge ring to apply a sufficient contact pressure to the first and second lip members such that the exterior sloped surfaces of the first and second lip members rotate outwardly to extend, respectively, a first airtight seal contact area between the first lip member and the valve stem and a second airtight seal contact area between the second lip member and the bonnet member.