Seal member

Abstract

A seal for sealing between first and second grooves, the seal comprising a first sealing part for sealing against the first groove and a second sealing part extending from the first seal, the second sealing part having a convex cross-section relative to the seal for providing at least two sealing contact points against the second groove. The second sealing part provides a mandibular structure with chin-like protrusions which may improve conformation to the natural surface irregularities of the sealing surfaces.

1 . A cooler, comprising:
 a body having a body groove;   a lid having a lid groove, the lid mounted on the body;   a seal seated in one of the body and lid grooves and the seal engages between the lid groove and the body groove, the seal is configured to be more tightly fit in one of the lid groove and the body groove than the other.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . The cooler of  claim 1  in which the seal further comprises:
 a first sealing part for sealing against one of the body groove and the lid groove; and 
 a second sealing part extending from the first sealing part, the second sealing part having a convex cross-section relative to the seal for providing at least two sealing contact points against the other of the body groove and the lid groove. 
 
     
     
         4 . The cooler of  claim 3  in which the first sealing part seals against the lid groove. 
     
     
         5 . A seal for sealing between a body of a cooler having a body groove and a lid of the cooler having a lid groove, in which the lid is mountable on the body, and in which the seal is configured to seat in one of the body and lid grooves and the seal engages between the lid groove and the body groove, the seal is configured to be more tightly fit in one of the lid groove and the body groove than the other. 
     
     
         6 . The seal of  claim 5  in which the seal further comprises:
 a first sealing part configured to seat in the lid groove; 
 a second sealing part configured to seat in the body groove; 
 in which the first sealing part comprises a plurality of gripping fins, the fins when seated in the groove are oriented to resist movement of the seal out of the lid groove; and 
 the second sealing part having a convex cross-section relative to the seal for providing at least two sealing contact points against the body groove. 
 
     
     
         7 . The seal of  claim 6  in which the second sealing part further comprising rounded edges that contact walls of the body groove. 
     
     
         8 . A cooler comprising a lid and a body, the lid and the body each having one or the other of a first groove and a second groove and a seal for sealing between first and second grooves, the seal comprising:
 a first sealing part for sealing against the first groove; and   a second sealing part extending from the first seal, the second sealing part having a convex cross-section relative to the seal for providing at least two sealing contact points against the second groove.   
     
     
         9 . The cooler of  claim 8  in which the second sealing part further comprises a first protrusion and a second protrusion. 
     
     
         10 . The cooler of  claim 9  in which the first and second protrusions are rounded. 
     
     
         11 . The cooler of  claim 8  in which the first seal further comprises a first outwardly extending fin having an exterior end and the second sealing part extends from the exterior end of the first outwardly extending fin. 
     
     
         12 . The cooler of  claim 8  in which the first seal comprises a plurality of gripping fins, the fins when seated in the groove are oriented to resist movement of the seal out of the first groove. 
     
     
         13 . The cooler of  claim 9  in which the first protrusion is at a distal end of the second sealing part. 
     
     
         14 . The seal-cooler of  claim 13  in which the second protrusion is in a central position between the distal end of the second sealing part and a base of the second sealing part. 
     
     
         15 . The cooler of  claim 11  in which the first seal further comprises a second outwardly extending fin extending in the opposite direction from the first outwardly extending fin and having a concave surface facing the second sealing part. 
     
     
         16 . The cooler of  claim 15  in which the second sealing part further comprises a lower lip configured to contact the concave surface when in a sealing position. 
     
     
         17 . The cooler of  claim 14  in which a distance between the first and second protrusions is approximately the same as the distance between the second protrusion and the base on the second sealing part. 
     
     
         18 . The cooler of  claim 17  in which the angle formed between the first protrusion, the second protrusion and the base on the second sealing part is between 90 and 135 degrees. 
     
     
         19 . The cooler of  claim 8  in which, in use, the seal is used to seal between areas having different pressures and the second sealing part is connected to the first seal at a lower pressure side of the seal. 
     
     
         20 . The cooler of  claim 8  in which the seal comprises a flexible material. 
     
     
         21 . (canceled)