Abstract: A mold latch having a latch bar and a traveler with two linear followers that can co-act with the latch bar to enable a mold plate, to which the traveler is attached, to translate together in a direction with another mold plate, to which latch bar is attached.

Abstract: A fluid cooled mold plate is disclosed. The fluid cooled mold plate has a front side, a rear side, and a perimeter that extends between its front and rear sides. A cooling chamber is formed within the mold plate. The cooling chamber has a front wall, a rear wall, and a perimeter wall that extends between the front and rear walls. An inlet fluid duct extends from a first side of the mold plate perimeter to a first end of the cooling chamber and an outlet fluid duct extends from a second side of the mold plate perimeter to a second end of the cooling chamber. The cooling chamber is occupied by a turbulence generating dispersion mesh that is secured between the front and rear walls the cooling chamber.

Abstract: An injection molding apparatus including a stack mold tool and a ball screw centering device. The stack mold tool including a stationary mold block, a center mold block movable relative to the stationary mold block, and a distal mold block movable relative to the center mold block. The ball screw centering device includes a center bearing housing connected to the center mold block, a rotatable shaft having a first side ball track and a second side ball track, a first nut coupled to the stationary mold block, the first nut including a track portion cooperating with the first side ball track to define a passage for a first set of ball bearings, and a second nut coupled to the distal mold block, the first nut including a track portion cooperating with the second side ball track to define a passage for a second set of ball bearings.

Abstract: A fluid cooled mold plate is disclosed. The fluid cooled mold plate has a front side, a rear side, and a perimeter that extends between its front and rear sides. A cooling chamber is formed within the mold plate. The cooling chamber has a front wall, a rear wall, and a perimeter wall that extends between the front and rear walls. An inlet fluid duct extends from a first side of the mold plate perimeter to a first end of the cooling chamber and an outlet fluid duct extends from a second side of the mold plate perimeter to a second end of the cooling chamber. The cooling chamber is occupied by a turbulence generating dispersion mesh that is secured between the front and rear walls the cooling chamber.

Abstract: A reconfigurable melt delivery system is disclosed for use with a first injection unit and a second injection unit. The reconfigurable melt delivery system may include a first arm manifold configured to receive a moldable material from a second injection unit, an exchangeable second arm manifold in fluid communication with the first arm manifold that is configured to receive the moldable material from the first arm manifold and to transfer the moldable material to an outlet nozzle, and a repositionable and replaceable insert plate configured to be repositioned or replaced relative to remaining plates of the melt delivery system, wherein the outlet nozzle is secured within a mold facing surface of the insert plate and is radially offset from a central machine nozzle opening of the melt delivery system for delivering the moldable material to a corresponding offset mold gate of a two-material mold.

Abstract: An apparatus for facilitating removal and installation of mold insert members of a mold assembly from and into the clamp unit of an injection molding machine comprising a material distributing sub-assembly from which at least one material distributing nozzle projects, the apparatus comprises a two-part frame comprising an ejector part, an injection part being releasably connectable to the material distributing sub-assembly, and support pins spanning between the ejector part and the injection part when the injection part is separated from the material distributing sub-assembly, and guide elements projecting from the material distributing sub-assembly to engage a mold insert member received in the injection part and effective to align that mold insert member relative to the material distributing sub-assembly. The two-part frame comprises first clearance bores and second clearance bores allowing protrusion into the mold insert member of, respectively, the material distributing nozzles and the guide elements.

Abstract: A nozzle retaining clip for retaining a nozzle assembly with a material distributing manifold comprises an attachment portion for attaching the clip to the manifold and an engagement portion for engaging a nozzle assembly abutted to the manifold. Two clips located to engage opposite sides of a nozzle assembly abutted to the manifold member are effective to retain the nozzle assembly and to allow the manifold and nozzle assembly to move relative to one another while the clips and nozzle assembly remain engaged. A first alternative clip achieves only surface contact and a second alternative clip allows protrusion of a segment of a nozzle assembly periphery through the clip. Advantageously, the clip comprises at least one locating tap to restrain movement of the clip relative to a manifold. An apparatus for injection molding comprises a manifold and nozzle assembly construction comprising clips in accordance with the invention.

Abstract: An adaptor bushing for an injection molding apparatus comprising a manifold, a nozzle assembly and a nozzle retention device, comprises: (i) a bushing passage for fluid communication between a passage of the manifold and a nozzle passage; (ii) at least one transition region joining portions of the bushing passage; and, (iii) at least one alignment surface effective to (a) align longitudinal centerlines of the bushing passage, manifold passage and nozzle passage and (b) eliminate or reduce relative tilt of the adaptor bushing, nozzle assembly and manifold so that with the adaptor bushing clamped between the manifold and nozzle assembly, leakage of material at the interfaces of the bushing passage with the manifold passage and nozzle passage is eliminated or reduced to an acceptable level under normal operating conditions. A manifold and nozzle assembly construction comprises an adaptor bushing interposed between a manifold passage and a nozzle passage.

Abstract: A nozzle assembly for selectably conveying material in a flowable condition to a cavity of a mold assembly comprises a nozzle body, a removable nozzle tip, a valve pin member extending through the nozzle body and having a tip end for selectably forming a seal with a valve seat to selectably prevent passage of material into the mold cavity and a pin guide for guiding the valve pin member, the pin guide being partially received within the nozzle tip and partially received within the nozzle body and having at least one alignment surface on the exterior thereof and cooperating with an aligning surface of the nozzle body to align the pin guide relative to the nozzle body and with an aligning surface of the nozzle tip to align the nozzle tip relative to the pin guide whereby the nozzle tip is aligned relative to the nozzle body.

Abstract: An apparatus for injection molding using a stack mold comprising first and second mold assemblies interposed between a movable platen and a stationary platen comprises at least one centering device for coupling movement of the movable platen to intermediate mold members of the mold assemblies, the centering device comprising first and second helical gear mechanisms and a transmission coupling rotation of helical gear segments of the first and second helical gear mechanisms. Effective pitch of the helical gear mechanisms and the ratio of rotation coupled by the transmission are chosen to maintain the intermediate mold members centered in or offset from center in the separation between the movable platen and stationary platen.

Abstract: A rack and pinion centering device for stack molding has at least one attachment device comprising a base attached to a mold member and at least one releasable clamp member, an end of a rack of a centering device being interposed between the base and the releasable clamp member and being held in a longitudinal location relative to the base within a range of adjustment by the releasable clamp members, whereby the longitudinal location of the rack relative to the mold member is determined within the range of adjustment. The attachment device permitting machining of mold members for attachment of centering devices while a mold assembly is removed from the clamp unit of a molding machine.