Pipe joint seal for polymer piping

A polymer pipe joint comprising:

• a seal assembly comprising:
• an annular flexible seal body configured to be installed about an inner periphery of the polymer pipe joint, such that the seal body defines a flow path therethrough with a flow axis, the seal body comprising:
• a spigot-side sealing surface;
• a bell-side sealing surface angled with respect to the spigot-side sealing surface, both the spigot-side sealing surface and the bell-side sealing surface facing radially outwardly from the flow axis;
• and
• a main sealing lobe extending radially inwardly from the seal body;
• and
• a nose at a spigot-side terminus of the seal body;
• and
• a first polymer pipe having a bell end including a groove having the seal assembly received therein, the bell end having a first radial extent upstream and downstream of the groove, and the groove have a second radial extent larger than the first radial extent, the seal body received within the groove and the main sealing lobe extending radially inward of the first radial extent,
• wherein the nose of the seal body is radially outside of the first radial extent.

A method of configuring a seal assembly for use in sealing a bell of a first pipe and a spigot end of a second pipe comprising:

• providing a sealing body assembly including a spigot-side sealing surface, a bell-side sealing surface, a main sealing lobe, and a stiffener pocket;
• providing two or more annular stiffeners wherein each stiffener has a different size of an annular diameter;
• selecting one of the one or more annular stiffeners based on an annular diameter of the bell and an annular diameter of the spigot;
• inserting the selected annular stiffener into the stiffener pocket of the sealing body;
• and
• determining if a seal between the bell-side sealing surface, the spigot-side sealing surface, and the lobe is water tight after inserting the selected annular stiffener into the stiffening pocket.