Patent ID: 7703773

Claim:
A method of sealing between first and second members each having a through bore in fluid communication with the throughbore in the other member, each member having a circumferential mating surface extending radially outward from the respective throughbore and a circumferential groove in the mating surface open to the circumferential groove in the other member and having a radially outer circumferential groove surface, a radially inner circumferential groove surface, and a circumferential base surface between a respective outer groove surface and inner groove surface, the outer groove surface being a tapered surface directed radially inward in a direction away from an interface of the first and second members, and the inner groove surface being a tapered surface directed radially outward in a direction away from the interface of the first and second members, and securing members arranged circumferentially about the first and second members to secure the first member to the second member, the method comprising: engaging a metal seal body with each of the outer groove surface on the first and second members when the securing members secure the first member to the second member; supporting a pair of flexible flanges on to the seal body and each extending radially inward such that a cantilevered end of a flexible flange provides substantially line contact engagement with one of the base surface and the inward groove surface on a respective first and second member, each of the flexible flanges having a maximum thickness which is substantially less than a maximum thickness of the metal seal body, each of the flexible flanges formed from a metal with a yield strength of 30,000 psi or less; and deforming each flexible flange beyond its elastic limit when the securing members secure the first member to the second member, and a spacing between the flexible flange and the metal seal body projecting radially outward of an inward facing body surface to increase flexibility of the flanges and providing for fluid pressure energization of the flexible flange, the spacing including a minimum spacing between a radially outward planar surface on the flexible flange and a radially inward planar surface of the metal seal body, the minimum spacing being greater than a maximum thickness of the metal flexible flange.