Seal Member for Joint of Machine

A joint assembly for a machine, the joint assembly comprising:

• a shaft defining a rotational axis and including a shoulder portion projecting radially therefrom;
• a pivot member, the pivot member mounted with respect to the shaft such that the pivot member is pivotable about the rotational axis with respect to the shaft;
• and
• a seal member, the seal member mounted to the pivot member and pivotable about the rotational axis with respect to the shaft, the seal member including:
• a ring, the ring including a distal ring face, a proximal ring face, an inner circumferential ring surface, and an outer circumferential ring surface, the distal ring face and the proximal ring face both being annular and being disposed in spaced relationship to each other along the rotational axis, the inner circumferential ring surface and the outer circumferential ring surface extending along the rotational axis between the distal ring face and the proximal ring face at an inner ring perimeter and an outer ring perimeter thereof, respectively, the inner circumferential ring surface defining a ring opening, the shaft extending through the ring opening, the distal ring face in contacting relationship with the shoulder portion of the shaft,
• a flange, the flange being mounted to the pivot member, the flange including a pair of flange faces disposed in spaced relationship to each other along the rotational axis, the flange including an inner circumferential flange surface extending along the rotational axis between the pair of flange faces at an inner flange perimeter thereof, the inner circumferential flange surface defining a flange opening, the shaft extending through the flange opening, and
• an intermediate portion interposed between the ring and the flange along the rotational axis, the intermediate portion being resiliently flexible, the intermediate portion having a ring end and a flange end, the ring end of the intermediate portion circumscribing, and connected to, the outer circumferential ring surface of the ring, and the flange end of the intermediate portion connected to the inner circumferential flange surface of the flange such that the ring is relatively movable with respect to the flange, the intermediate portion defining an intermediate passage, the shaft extending through the intermediate passage.