Patent ID: 7588714

Claim:
A method of making a dispensing valve that includes the steps of: (a) closing a mold having a first mold section including a stripper member with a mold core passage and a vacuum passage in communication with said mold core passage and said first mold section further including a mold core slidably received in said mold core passage to block said vacuum passage in a closed position of said mold core, and a second mold section including openings for feeding material to at least one mold cavity formed at a parting line between said first and second mold sections, (b) injection molding an elastomeric dispensing valve in said at least one mold cavity, (c) separating said mold sections along said parting line including retracting said mold core in said mold core passage to unblock said vacuum passage, while applying vacuum to said at least one mold cavity through said vacuum passage of said first mold section to retain said valve on said first mold section, (d) contacting said valve by a transfer mechanism, (e) applying vacuum to said valve through said transfer mechanism and releasing vacuum applied to said valve through said first mold section, and (f) removing said valve from said first mold section.