US Patent 8668021 Energizing ring nose profile and seal entrance

A wellhead seal assembly that forms a metal-to-metal seal between inner and outer wellhead members. A metal seal ring has inner and outer walls separated by a slot. An elastomeric seal is located below the seal ring and has a bottom portion that contacts an upward facing shoulder of a hanger. An energizing ring with a tapered nose is moved into the slot. The tapered nose has a compound angle that determines how much the nose travels into the slot when a force is applied to the energizing ring. Once the elastomeric seal is compressed to a desired level, the load on the energizing ring has increased to the point that the tapered nose of the energizing ring will further enters the slot and force the outer and inner walls of the metal seal into sealing engagement with the inner and outer wellhead members.