Patent ID: 8034272

Claim:
A method for preparing a closure comprising a cap, an interior seal and an exterior seal, said method comprising the steps of: (a) providing an apparatus having a mold zone, the mold zone comprising a molding unit, said molding unit comprising (1) at least one cavity half and at least one core half, the at least one cavity half comprising a mold cavity, and the at least one core half comprising a mold core, (2) a punch, and (3) a die; (b) providing a web comprising a material for preparing the interior seal of the closure; (c) indexing a portion of the web to the mold zone, so that the punch and the die are aligned with the portion of the web in the molding unit; (d) closing the molding unit, thereby enabling the punch and the die to cut the material of the web for forming the interior seal of the closure; (e) allowing the cut material of the web to be maintained on the mold core until the termination of a first molding cycle; (f) introducing polymeric material into the closed molding unit, so as to allow the cut material of the web to adhere to the polymeric material introduced into the closed molding unit; (g) opening the molding unit while allowing the assembly of the cap and the interior seal of the closure to remain on the mold core; (h) positioning the mold core to enable introduction of polymeric material into the molding unit so as to form the exterior seal of the closure in a second molding cycle; (i) closing the molding unit; (j) introducing polymeric material into the closed molding unit; and (k) opening the molding unit and removing the closure from the mold core.