Patent ID: 6887066

Claim:
An apparatus for molding a plastic closure having a top wall portion and an annular skirt portion, the apparatus comprising: a male mold assembly comprising a central forming pin, an outer pin sleeve within which said forming pin is positioned, and disposed coaxially about said forming pin and said outer pin sleeve, an ejector sleeve comprising: (i) a surface to sealingly engage a free end of said annular skirt portion of a closure molded upon said male mold assembly, said sealing engagement being characterized by its ability to maintain sufficient pressure in the closure during closure ejection to sustain a bulge in the closure annular skirt; and (ii) means to engage a closure molded upon said male mold assembly when moved axially relative to said mold assembly, thereby ejecting said closure from said male mold assembly; and a female mold which cooperates with said male mold assembly to define a mold cavity in which to form said plastic closure, wherein said male mold assembly and said female mold are characterized further in that they are axially moveable relative to each other and, said male mold assembly is further characterized in having at least one air passageway in fluid communication with an inside surface of said skirt portion of a closure molded thereupon, said passageway being positioned to permit pressurized gas conveyed through said passageway to contact at least a portion of said inside surface of said skirt portion.