Hygienic Coupling and Fitting Seal System

Abstract

A seal system ( 10 ) includes a tail ( 14 ) having parallel, spaced, annular first and second surfaces ( 16, 18 ). The tail ( 14 ) further includes spaced, first and second peripheral edges ( 22, 28 ) extending between and adjoining the first and second surfaces ( 16, 18 ). An annular ring ( 40 ) integrally extends from a portion of the tail ( 14 ) from the first peripheral edge ( 22 ) towards but spaced from the second peripheral edge ( 28 ). The annular ring ( 40 ) and the portion of the tail ( 14 ) form a seal ( 54 ) that includes an exterior including the first peripheral edge ( 22 ). The exterior of the seal ( 54 ) has a thickness (D) parallel to a thickness (T) of the tail ( 14 ) between the first and second surfaces ( 16, 18 ). The thickness (D) of the seal ( 54 ) continuously increases and then continuously decreases from the first peripheral edge ( 22 ) towards the second peripheral edge ( 28 ). The exterior of the seal ( 54 ) is free of protrusions.

1 . A seal system comprising:
 a tail including an annular first surface and an annular second surface parallel to and spaced from the annular first surface in a first direction, with the tail having a first thickness between the annular first and second surfaces in the first direction, with the tail further including first and second peripheral edges extending between and adjoining the annular first and second surfaces, with the first and second peripheral edges spaced from each other in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; and   a first annular ring integrally extending from a portion of the tail for a first extent from the first peripheral edge towards but spaced from the second peripheral edge of the tail, with the first annular ring and the portion of the tail forming a seal, with the seal including an exterior including the first peripheral edge, with the exterior of the seal having a second thickness parallel to the first thickness, with the second thickness of the seal continuously increasing and then continuously decreasing from the first peripheral edge towards the second peripheral edge of the tail, and with the exterior of the seal free of protrusions.   
   
   
       2 . The seal system as claimed in  claim 1 , with the first annular ring integrally extending from the annular first surface, and with the exterior of the seal including the annular second surface for the first extent from the first peripheral edge towards but spaced from the second peripheral edge. 
   
   
       3 . The seal system as claimed in  claim 2 , with the seal having generally semicircular cross sections in a plane including the first and second directions. 
   
   
       4 . The seal system as claimed in  claim 1 , with the first annular ring integrally extending from the annular first and second surfaces. 
   
   
       5 . The seal system as claimed in  claim 4 , with the seal having generally circular cross sections in a plane including the first and second directions. 
   
   
       6 . The seal system as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising: a second annular ring integrally extending from another portion of the tail for a second extent from the second peripheral edge towards but spaced from the first peripheral edge, with the second annular ring and the other portion of the tail forming a seal element, with the seal element including an exterior including the second peripheral edge, with the exterior of the seal element having a third thickness parallel to the first thickness, with the third thickness of the seal element continuously increasing and then continuously decreasing from the second peripheral edge towards the first peripheral edge, and with the exterior of the seal element free of protrusions. 
   
   
       7 . The seal system as claimed in  claim 6 , with the second annular ring integrally extending from one of the annular first and second surfaces, and with the exterior of the seal element including another of the annular first and second surfaces for the second extent from the second peripheral edge towards but spaced from the first peripheral edge. 
   
   
       8 . The seal system as claimed in  claim 6 , with the seal element being of a size substantially equal to the seal. 
   
   
       9 . The seal system as claimed in  claim 6 , with the seal element being of a size smaller than the seal. 
   
   
       10 . The seal system as claimed in  claim 6 , with the first annular ring integrally extending from the annular first surface, and with the second annular ring integrally extending from the annular second surface. 
   
   
       11 . The seal system as claimed in  claim 10 , with the first annular ring integrally extending from the annular first and second surfaces. 
   
   
       12 . The seal system as claimed in  claim 6 , with the annular first and second surfaces being L-shaped and including first and second sections extending generally perpendicularly to each other, and with the first thickness of the first section being perpendicular to the first thickness of the second section. 
   
   
       13 . The seal system as claimed in  claim 12 , with the first annular ring integrally extending from the annular first surface, and with the exterior of the seal including the annular second surface for the first extent from the first peripheral edge towards but spaced from the second peripheral edge, with the second annular ring integrally extending from one of the annular first and second surfaces, and with the exterior of the seal element including another of the annular first and second surfaces for the second extent from the second peripheral edge towards but spaced from the first peripheral edge. 
   
   
       14 . A seal assembly comprising:
 a first fitting member extending in a first direction and having a first end face extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, with the first end face including an annular first groove;   a second fitting member including a second end face coupled to the first end face with an annular gap defined between the first and second end faces and in communication with the annular first groove, with the annular gap having a depth in the first direction, with the first and second fitting members adapted to be mounted in an environment containing a fluid, with the first and second fitting members including a side in contact with the fluid, with the annular gap having a spacing in the second direction to the side larger than the annular first groove of the first fitting member, with the first annular groove adjoining the side; and   a seal system mounted between the first and second end faces, with the seal system including a tail having an annular first surface and an annular second surface parallel to and spaced from the annular first surface in the first direction, with the tail received in the annular gap and having a first thickness between the annular first and second surfaces in the first direction equal to the depth of the annular gap, with the tail further including first and second peripheral edges extending between and adjoining the annular first and second surfaces, with the first and second peripheral edges spaced from each other in the second direction, with the seal system further including a first annular ring integrally extending from a portion of the tail for an extent from the first peripheral edge towards but spaced from the second peripheral edge of the tail, with the first annular ring and the portion of the tail forming a seal, with the seal including an exterior including the first peripheral edge, with the exterior of the seal having a second thickness parallel to the first thickness, with the second thickness of the seal continuously increasing and then continuously decreasing from the first peripheral edge towards the second peripheral edge of tail, with the first annular ring received in the annular first groove, and with the exterior of the seal system free of protrusions.   
   
   
       15 . The seal assembly as claimed in  claim 14 , with the second end face of the second fitting member including an annular second groove facing and aligned with the annular first groove, with the first annular ring of the seal integrally extending from the annular first and second surfaces, and with the seal having generally circular cross sections and received in the annular first and second grooves. 
   
   
       16 . The seal assembly as claimed in  claim 14 , with the first annular ring integrally extending from the annular first surface, and with the exterior of the seal including the annular second surface for the extent from the first peripheral edge towards but spaced from the second peripheral edge. 
   
   
       17 . The seal assembly as claimed in  claim 16 , with the seal having generally semicircular cross sections in a plane including the first and second directions. 
   
   
       18 . The seal assembly as claimed in  claim 14 , with the first fitting member further including an annular recess extending perpendicularly to and in communication with the annular gap, with the annular recess having a spacing to the side larger than the first annular groove, with the seal assembly further comprising: a second annular ring integrally extending from another portion of the tail from the second peripheral edge towards but spaced from the first peripheral edge, with the second annular ring and the other portion of the tail forming a seal element, with the seal element including an exterior including the second peripheral edge, with the exterior of the seal element having a third thickness parallel to the first thickness, with the third thickness of the seal element continuously increasing and then continuously decreasing from the second peripheral edge towards the first peripheral edge, and with the exterior of the seal element free of protrusions, and with the second annular ring received in the annular recess. 
   
   
       19 . The seal assembly as claimed in  claim 18 , with the annular gap being L-shaped and including first and second portions extending generally perpendicularly to each other, with the annular first and second surfaces being L-shaped and including first and second sections extending generally perpendicularly to each other and received in the first and second portions of the annular gap, and with the first thickness of the first section being perpendicular to the first thickness of the second section. 
   
   
       20 . The seal assembly as claimed in  claim 19 , with the seal element being of a size smaller than the seal, with the first annular ring integrally extending from the first annular surface of the first section, and with the second annular ring integrally extending from one of the annular first and second surfaces of the second section.