Patent ID: 6948715

Claim:
A seal assembly for high pressure applications, said assembly comprising: a female member having a longitudinal bore and an annular shoulder in the bore; a male member insertable into the female member bore, having an annular shoulder on the outer surface thereof, wherein the male and female members are joined and define a seal gland. between the shoulders thereof; a ring seal positioned within the seal gland, wherein the ring seal has a non-metallic portion which is axially compressed to sealingly engage the male member and the female member bore in the set position and wherein the non-metallic portion is a major portion of the ring seal and is susceptible to explosive decompression effects; and an accumulator ring positioned within the seal gland on the side of the ring seal to be exposed to a high pressure fluid, wherein said accumulator ring has an exterior and an interior, wherein the interior has a void fraction defining an accumulator volume and said accumulator ring has at least one channel providing communication between the exterior of the accumulator ring and the accumulator volume, wherein in an installed position exposed to high pressure fluids, the accumulator volume fills with fluid and during an explosive decompression event, the at least one channel allows the fluid in the accumulator ring to escape at a rate sufficient to allow the exterior to compress the ring seal for a sufficient amount of time to minimize the explosive decompression effects on the non-metallic portion of the ring seal.