Method of making an overmolded flexible valve

An overmolding process which comprises:

• inserting a flexible one-way valve into a plastic conduit;
• inserting the conduit with one-way valve at least partially onto a mold core, said mold core comprising:
• a mold body having a cylindrical void disposed therein at a distal end, and further comprising
• a pressure means in communication with the cylindrical void;
• a piston assembly which comprises
• a piston head dimensioned for axial movement within the first cylindrical void,
• a piston shaft extending axially from the head, the shaft having
• a first diameter and
• a second diameter at an end of the shaft,
• the second diameter being smaller than the first diameter, and
• the shaft having a taper defined by a difference between the diameters over at least a portion of the shaft;
• and
• piston retaining means with a bore disposed therethrough dimensioned so as to permit insertion of the shaft of the piston;
• and
• at least two collet bits adjacent to a tapered potion of the shaft, each bit comprising an inner cylindrical tapered surface segment, the inner surface being oblique to a longitudinal axis of the piston shaft, a degree of taper of the inner surface being essentially the same as the degree of taper of the piston shaft,
• an outer cylindrical surface segment, the outer surface dimensioned for insertion inside the flexible valve;
• applying an amount of pressure from the pressure means sufficient to move the piston assembly from a first axial position to a second extended axial position, with corresponding radial movement of the at least two collet bits from a first radial position to a second expanded radial position thereby positioning the flexible valve and the plastic conduit in place;
• overmolding a polymer over at least a portion of the main body and plastic conduit;
• decreasing the pressure sufficient to permit radial movement of the collet bits from the second expanded radial position essentially to the first radial position to permit removal from the mold body.