Abstract: An injection molding machine comprises a manifold plate, a nozzle extending through the manifold plate, and a gate pad. A valve stem is disposed within the nozzle and is movable between a first position in which the valve stem extends through an outlet of the nozzle, and a retracted position. The gate pad has an inlet end with an inlet opening and an outlet end with a gate aperture. The inlet end is removably attachable to the manifold plate so that the nozzle is received through the inlet opening and the outlet of the nozzle is in communication with the gate aperture, wherein the valve stem seals the gate aperture in the extended position. The outlet end of the gate pad abuts a mold insert and molding material is delivered from the nozzle to a cavity defined by the mold insert through the gate aperture.

Abstract: Disclosed is a side gate nozzle assembly (108) having a nozzle body (210) and at least one side gate nozzle tip assembly (112) wherein the nozzle body (210) and the at least one side gate nozzle tip assembly (112) are slidably engaged to each other.

Abstract: An in-mold shutter for embedding in an injection mold is described herein. The in-mold shutter includes a shutter actuator that is configured to selectively engage a first mold shoe of the injection mold with a platen of a mold clamping assembly to hold the first mold shoe in an extended position, along a mold-stroke axis, during a step of molding a first molded article in the injection mold. Also described herein is a molded article transfer device for use with the injection mold. The molded article transfer device includes a shuttle that is slidably arranged, in use, within the injection mold. The shuttle defines a first aperture, at least in part, that alternately accommodates: a first mold stack arranged therein; and (ii) a first molded article received therein with opening of the first mold stack.

Abstract: A mold-tool system (100), comprising: a nozzle tip assembly (200) having a tip-body assembly (206), the tip-body assembly (206) being configured for reduced axial tilting, at least in part.

Abstract: A method is provided of cleaning of a portion of a mold component, the portion of the mold component including a passage configured, in use, to allow passage of fluid and to prevent passage of melt, the method comprising: entering the mold component into a cleaning configuration, whereby a portion of the passage becomes part of a molding surface; performing a molding cycle to fill in at least the portion of the passage with molding material for incorporation and removal of a residue there from. Also provided is a mold having a first mold half and a second mold half, the halves being movable relative to each other. A mold shut height adjustment apparatus can provide for a change in the mold shut height.

Abstract: A method is provided of cleaning of a portion of a mold component, the portion of the mold component including a passage configured, in use, to allow passage of fluid and to prevent passage of melt, the method comprising: entering the mold component into a cleaning configuration, whereby a portion of the passage becomes part of a molding surface; performing a molding cycle to fill in at least the portion of the passage with molding material for incorporation and removal of a residue there from. Also provided is a mold having a first mold half and a second mold half, the halves being movable relative to each other. A mold shut height adjustment apparatus can provide for a change in the mold shut height.

Abstract: Disclosed herein, amongst other things, is a component of a molding system, and a related method for the manufacture thereof, that has a body with a support matrix defined in at least a portion thereof.

Abstract: An injection molding system having a shooting pot assembly is disclosed. In one embodiment, the shooting pot assembly is in fluid communication with a mold and has an actuation direction that is substantially perpendicular to an injection axis of material injected into a mold cavity. In another embodiment, a shooting pot actuation system is a mounted on a side of a hot runner. In certain embodiments, the shooting pot actuation system includes a linear actuator operatively coupled with the shooting pot assembly to actuate the shooting pot assembly.

Abstract: A screw-moving assembly (100) for a screw assembly (903), the screw-moving assembly (100) comprising: a screw-moving actuator (102); and a bias-adjustment mechanism (104); wherein the screw-moving actuator (102) and the bias-adjustment mechanism (104) are configured to connect to the screw assembly (903); the screw-moving actuator (102) is configured to transmit, in use, a screw-translation force (112) to a longitudinal central axis (905) of the screw assembly (903); and the bias-adjustment mechanism (104) is configured to transmit, in use, a biasing force (114) to the longitudinal central axis (905) of the screw assembly (903).

Abstract: A melt-delivery assembly (200), comprising: a frame assembly (202) being positioned outside of a platen envelope (153) being defined by a platen assembly (150), the frame assembly (202) being configured to receive a melt from a melt-preparation assembly (110), and the frame assembly (202), including: a multiple-outlet assembly (204) being configured to fluidly deliver the melt to multiple conduits (207) toward the platen envelope (153).

Abstract: A controller (501) is described herein that includes instructions (512) that are embodied in a controller-usable memory (510) of the controller (501), the instructions (512) for directing the controller (501) to execute a process (1000) of injection molding a first molded article (102A) using an injection mold (100, 200, 300, 800, 900). The process includes, amongst other things, a step of arranging (1008) a first stack portion (110) to eject the first molded article (102A) therefrom with holding a position of a stripper sleeve (116) of the first stack portion (110), along the mold-stroke axis (X), while retracting a mold core (111) of the first stack portion (110) along the mold-stroke axis (X), wherein the retraction of the mold core (111) causes a retraction thereof from the first molded article (102) in cooperation with the stripper sleeve (116) contacting the first molded article (102).

Abstract: A method is provided of cleaning of a portion of a mold component, the portion of the mold component including a passage configured, in use, to allow passage of fluid and to prevent passage of melt, the method comprising: entering the mold component into a cleaning configuration, whereby a portion of the passage becomes part of a molding surface; performing a molding cycle to fill in at least the portion of the passage with molding material for incorporation and removal of a residue there from. Also provided is a mold having a first mold half and a second mold half, the halves being movable relative to each other. A mold shut height adjustment apparatus can provide for a change in the mold shut height.

Abstract: An in-mold shutter (140) for embedding in an injection mold (100, 200, 300) is described herein. The in-mold shutter (140, 240, 340, 440, 540) includes a shutter actuator (148, 548) that is configured to selectively engage a first mold shoe (130) of the injection mold (100, 200, 300) with a platen of a mold clamping assembly (996) to hold the first mold shoe (130) in an extended position (E), along a mold-stroke axis (X), during a step of molding a first molded article (102A) in the injection mold (100, 200, 300). Also described herein is a molded article transfer device (150, 250) for use with the injection mold (100, 200, 300). The molded article transfer device (150, 250) includes a shuttle (154) that is slidably arranged, in use, within the injection mold (100, 200, 300).

Abstract: There is provided a molding stack (102). The molding stack (102) comprises a stripper sleeve (122) that is movable to contact a molded article (114) after the molding thereof; the stripper sleeve (122) having a first surface (204) and a second surface (206) for simultaneously contacting a side and an underside surface, respectively, of the molded article (114) during the stripping of the molded article (114).

Abstract: A hydraulic system is provided, having a pump, operably connected to a motor. It also comprises a controller-driven hydraulic actuator, operably connected to the pump and a hydraulic valve, operable to direct hydraulic fluid to and from either a rod side or a cylinder side of the hydraulic actuator. Rod and cylinder side pressures are pre-defined based on the instantaneous acceleration or deceleration required. Decelerating the hydraulic actuator could involve maintaining the current pressure in the meter-out side of the hydraulic actuator and decreasing the current pressure in the meter-in side by varying the speed of the pump. Deceleration of the hydraulic actuator could also include decreasing pressure on the meter-in side of the hydraulic actuator at a higher rate than on the meter-out side. Acceleration is achieved using a similar approach.

Abstract: A preform (200, 300, 400, 500, 800a, 800b, 900, 1000) suitable for blow-molding into a final-shaped article is provided. The preform (200, 300, 400, 5000, 800a, 800b) comprises a neck portion (202, 302, 402, 502); a gate portion (206, 306, 406, 506); and a body portion (204, 304, 404, 504) extending between the gate portion (206, 306, 406, 506) and the neck portion (202, 302, 402, 502); the body portion (204, 304, 404, 504) defining: a first portion (210, 310, 410, 510, 810), a second portion (212, 312, 412, 512, 812) and a third portion (214, 314, 414, 514, 814), the second portion being disposed in-between the first portion and the third portion located in sequence along one of: (i) substantially the whole circumference of the body portion and (ii) substantially the whole length of the body portion; one of the first portion, second portion and the third portion having a stretch ratio different that at least one of the other ones of the first portion, the second portion and the third portion.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is, amongst other things, a mold stack that includes a core insert, a core ring, and a split insert that are configured to cooperate, in use, to define a molding cavity. The core insert defines a ring seat on a medial portion thereof upon which the core ring may be seated, in use, in cooperation with a mounting interface thereon. The split insert defines a pocket that extends coaxially through a second projecting portion thereof within which to receive a projecting portion of the core ring. The core ring and the split insert being further configured to define a core ring-to-split insert parting line that is within the pocket of the split insert. The core ring further defines a first split insert seat for receiving the second projecting portion of the split insert.

Abstract: A mold-tool system (100), comprising: a nozzle position-adjustment assembly (104) being configured to selectively adjust position of a nozzle assembly (102) between: (i) a nozzle-loaded position, and (ii) a nozzle-unloaded position.

Abstract: A plasticizing system (100) for plasticizing a solidified-resin particle (202), the plasticizing system (100), comprising: (A) opposite-facing surfaces (104) being spaced apart from each other, and defining, at least in part, a convergence channel (105) being configured to receive the solidified-resin particle (202), and (B) a plunger assembly (124) being movable, at least in part, relative to the opposite-facing surfaces (104), the plunger assembly (124) being configured to move, at least in part, the solidified-resin particle (202) relative to the opposite-facing surfaces (104) along, at least in part, the convergence channel (105).