Patent ID: 8091864

Claim:
A plunger assembly for contacting soft drink syrup comprising: an elongate rod of a hard thermoplastic material, the rod having a proximal end and a distal end, the rod having a first annular flange and a second annular flange axially spaced from one another to define an annular channel therebetween, the first annular flange and the second annular flange each extending radially outwardly from the rod and are positioned at the distal end of the rod; the rod having an axially extending aperture through a portion thereof extending from the distal most end of the rod to an intermediate portion thereof, the aperture connected to a radially extending opening positioned within the annular channel, the distal end of the rod is dimensioned to cooperatively engage a fluid inlet to form a fluid tight seal of the inlet; and a Santoprene TPV material injection molded within the annular channel, the aperture and the opening, the Santoprene material within the annular channel defining an outer surface of the rod and having a generally flat surface at a distal end of the rod.