Method of making a collapsible tube with an integral cap

Claim 1

In a method for the production of a closed container having a body, an insert having a shoulder portion and a neck portion providing an outlet passage therefrom, and a cap for the insert, the steps comprising: at least partially disposing within a mold cavity a body having an opening therein, with at least the edge portion thereof defining said opening being in contact with the surface of said cavity; disposing a nozzle insert, having an externally threaded neck portion at one end providing an outlet passage and a shoulder portion with a peripheral element at the opposite end thereof, within said mold cavity with said neck portion extending-outwardly from said body into said mold cavity, and with said peripheral element within said body and in spaced-apart, proximate relationship to said edge thereof, said insert being spaced from said cavity surface to define a closure-forming space therebetween; introducing into said closure-forming space a flowable resinous material to provide a quantity of said material over at least substantially the entire outer surface of said insert and the outer end of said outlet passage thereof, to cover said insert therewith; and effecting the solidification of said resinous material to provide an integrally-formed closure member having a cap portion on said neck portion and a breast portion on said shoulder portion, with said breast portion sealingly joining said peripheral element of said shoulder portion to said body, said material, when solidified, being relatively non-adherent to threads of said insert to permit separation of said cap portion from said nozzle portion thereof.