Method of molding a single-piece hollow shell including perforations

1. A method of making a single-piece hollow shell, comprising:

providing a mold having a first mold surface;

inserting at least one perforator into a mold;

actuating an inner mold surface creator to move an expansion area to an expanded position and to create at least a portion of an inner mold surface; and

inserting a first material between the first mold surface and the inner mold surface.

2. The method of making a single-piece hollow shell according to claim 1 , further comprising curing the first material.

3. The method of making a single-piece hollow shell according to clam 1 , further comprising actuating the inner mold surface creator to cause the retraction of an expanded area.

4. The method of making a single-piece hollow shell according to claim 1 , further comprising removing the at least one perforator from the mold.

5. The method of making a single-piece hollow shell according to claim 1 , further comprising ejecting a formed shell from the mold.

6. The method of making a single-piece hollow shell according to claim 1 , further comprising inserting a plurality of perforators into the mold.

7. The method of making a single-piece hollow shell according to claim 6 , further comprising actuating a corresponding plurality of inner mold surface creators to cause corresponding expansion areas to move to their corresponding expanded positions.

8. The method of making a single-piece hollow shell according to claim 7 , further comprising selecting and orienting each of the plurality of inner mold surface creators so that the inner mold surface creators together create a substantially continuous inner mold surface.

9. The method of making a single-piece hollow shell according to claim 7 , further comprising selecting and orienting each of the plurality of inner mold surface creators so that the inner mold surface creators together create a substantially continuous spherical inner mold surface.

10. A method of making a single-piece hollow shell, comprising:

providing a mold having an inner surface;

inserting a plurality of perforators into a mold, each perforator having a free end being shaped and sized to contact a free end of at least one adjacent perforator; and

inserting a material into the mold.

11. The method of making a single-piece hollow shell according to claim 10 , further comprising tapering the free end of at least one perforator.

12. The method of making a single-piece hollow shell according to claim 10 , further comprising configuring the free ends of the perforators to interfit with one another.

13. The method of making a single-piece hollow shell according to claim 10 , further comprising curing the material.

14. The method of making a single-piece hollow shell according to claim 13 , further comprising removing the perforators.

15. The method of making a single-piece hollow shell according to claim 14 , further comprising configuring the free ends of the perforators to interfit with one another to be capable of forming a substantially spherical void within the material being molded.

16. The method of making a single-piece hollow shell according to claim 14 , further comprising configuring the free ends of the perforators to interfit with one another to be capable of forming a polygonal void within the material being molded.

17. A method of making a golf ball, comprising:

providing a first mold having a first mold surface;

inserting a movable molding surface into the first mold, the movable molding surface cooperating to create a second mold surface spaced from the first mold surface;

inserting a first material into the first mold between the first mold surface and the second mold surface;

curing the first material to form a single-piece perforated hollow shell;

inserting the shell into a second mold; and

inserting a second material into the second mold to interfit with the shell and form a golf ball inner part.

18. The method of making a golf ball according to claim 17 , further comprising inserting the golf ball inner part into a third mold to cover the golf ball inner part with a cover.

19. The method of making a golf ball according to claim 17 , further comprising tapering a free end of each movable molding surface.

20. The method of making a golf ball according to claim 17 , further comprising actuating an inner mold surface creator on each movable molding surface to create the second mold surface.