Patent ID: 7462313

Claim:
A method of forming snap closures, the method comprising: introducing moldable resin into a gap defined adjacent a rotatable mold roll defining snap-forming cavities in its peripheral surface, each cavity defining an undercut; pressing some of the resin into the cavities to mold a series of discrete, spaced-apart male snaps, each male snap having at least one molded feature corresponding to at least one of the cavities in the mold roll, a remainder of the resin remaining on the peripheral surface of the mold roll and forming at least part of a longitudinal base from which the male snaps extend; molding of the resin a series of female snaps on the base, each female snap having a plurality of molded features defining a central region, and each female snap being aligned with one of the male snaps and sized to releasably retain its associated male snap when the associated male snap is disposed in the central region of the female snap; stripping the base and molded male snaps from the mold roll, the molded features of each male snap overhanging the base on multiple sides outside the male snap, and the molded features of each female snap overhanging the base on multiple sides within the female snap; and separating the base to form multiple snap closures, each closure including at least one male snap and at least one associated female snap.