System and method for forming an oral care implement

A system for forming a handle portion of an oral care implement, the system comprising:

• a first mold defining a first mold cavity having a first mold cavity axis, at least a portion of the first mold cavity having a shape that corresponds to the handle portion of the oral care implement;
• a first injection orifice formed into the first mold and providing a first passageway directly into the first mold cavity;
• a second injection orifice formed into the first mold and providing a second passageway directly into the first mold cavity, the second injection orifice spaced apart from the first injection orifice;
• a first hot runner sub-system fluidly coupled to the first injection orifice;
• a second hot runner sub-system fluidly coupled to the second injection orifice;
• and
• wherein the system is configured to dispense the first material into the first mold cavity via the first injection orifice with the first hot runner sub-system, and after passage of a predetermined period of time, to subsequently dispense the second material into the first mold cavity via the second injection orifice with the second hot runner sub-system, the second material being injected into the first material to displace the first material, thereby forming the handle portion of the oral care implement such that the second material forms a core component of the handle portion and the first material forms a shell component of the handle portion that surrounds the core component
• wherein the first mold comprises a first mold portion and a second mold portion, wherein at least one of the first and second mold portions is movable relative to the other of the first and second mold portions between an open state and a closed state, in the closed state the first and second mold portions collectively defining the first mold cavity, each of the first and second injection orifices formed into the first mold portion, wherein the first hot runner sub-system comprises a first hot runner nozzle having a first gate that is positioned within the first mold portion and fluidly coupled to the first injection orifice and wherein the second hot runner sub-system comprises a second hot runner nozzle having a second gate that is positioned within the first mold portion and fluidly coupled to the second injection orifice.