Abstract: In an injection molding machine having first and second nozzles for delivering melt material from a common manifold to one or more mold cavities, apparatus for controlling delivery of the melt material from the nozzles to the one or more mold cavities, each nozzle having an exit aperture communicating with a gate of a cavity of a mold and being associated with an actuator interconnected to a melt flow controller, the apparatus comprising a sensor for sensing a selected condition of the melt material through at least one of the nozzles; an actuator controller interconnected to each actuator, each actuator controller comprising a computer interconnected to a sensor for receiving a signal representative of the selected condition sensed by the sensor, the computer including an algorithm utilizing a value corresponding to a signal received from the sensor as a variable for controlling operation of an actuator for the at least one nozzle; wherein the melt flow controller controls the rate of flow of the melt materi

Abstract: An injection molding apparatus and method are provided in which the rate of material flow during an injection cycle is controlled. According to one preferred embodiment, an injection molding apparatus is provided that includes a manifold, at least one injection nozzle coupled to the manifold, an actuator, and a valve pin adapted to reciprocate through the manifold and the injection nozzle. The valve pin has a first end coupled to the actuator, a second end that closes the gate in a forward position, and a control surface intermediate said first and second ends for adjusting the rate of material flow during an injection cycle. Retracting the valve pin tends to decrease the rate of material flow during the injection cycle and displacing the valve pin toward the gate tends to increase the rate of material flow during the injection cycle.

Abstract: In an injection molding machine having first and second nozzles for delivering melt material to first and second mold cavities of first and second molds respectively, apparatus for controlling delivery of the melt material from the nozzles to the mold cavities, each nozzle having an exit aperture communicating with a gate of a cavity of a respective mold and being associated with an actuator interconnected to a melt flow controller, the apparatus comprising a sensor for sensing a selected condition of the melt material through at least one of the nozzles; an actuator controller interconnected to each actuator, the actuator controller interconnected to the actuator associated with the at least one nozzle comprising a computer interconnected to the sensor, the computer receiving a signal representative of the selected condition sensed by the sensor, the computer including an algorithm utilizing a value corresponding to a signal received from the sensor as a variable for controlling operation of the actuator for

Abstract: An injection molding apparatus is provided in which the rate of material flow during the injection cycle is controlled. According to one preferred embodiment, a method is provided for use in an injection molding apparatus including a hot runner assembly comprising a manifold and at least first and second injection nozzles, the hot runner assembly to direct material injected into said manifold through said at least first and second injection nozzles through a corresponding at least first and second gates to one or more mold cavities. The method includes the steps of injecting material into the manifold, controlling, in the hot runner away from the first gate, a first rate at which material is injected through the first gate, and controlling, in the hot runner away from the second gate, a second rate at which material is injected through the second gate, independently from the first rate.

Abstract: An injection molding apparatus is provided for controlling the rate of material flow into a mold cavity or plurality of mold cavities during an injection cycle. The apparatus is, for example, a hot runner system for injecting plastic melt. A valve pin is provided for controlling the flow of material away from the gate. A gap is formed between the surface of the valve pin and the surface of the material flow bore away from the gate. Control of material flow is achieved by displacing the valve pin and thereby adjusting the size of the gap. A control system is provided that compares a sensed condition indicative of the rate of material flow into the mold cavity to a target profile of the sensed condition, and adjusts the valve pin during the injection cycle to mirror the target profile.

Abstract: An injection molding apparatus is provided in which the rate of material flow during an injection cycle is controlled. According to one preferred embodiment, an injection molding system is provided that includes a manifold adapted to receive material injected from an injection molding machine and distribute the material to a plurality of channels, a plurality of injection molding nozzles coupled to the manifold, each injection molding nozzle having a bore for passing material from one of said channels of the manifold to a respective gate of a respective separate mold cavity, and a controller to individually control respective rates at which material flows into each separate mold cavity during an injection cycle.

Abstract: An injection molding apparatus is provided in which the rate of material flow during the injection cycle is controlled. According to one preferred embodiment, an injection molding apparatus includes a manifold having an inlet for receiving material injected from an injection molding machine, a plurality of injection nozzles coupled to the manifold for distributing the material to a corresponding plurality of gates to one or more mold cavities, and a plurality of sensors respectively associated with each of said plurality of nozzles, each sensor to sense a condition related to the rate of material flow at a location between said inlet and said plurality of gates.

Abstract: In an injection molding machine having first and second nozzles for delivering melt material from a common manifold to one or more mold cavities, apparatus for controlling delivery of the melt material from the nozzles to the one or more mold cavities, each nozzle having an exit aperture communicating with a gate of a cavity of a mold and being associated with an actuator interconnected to a melt flow controller, the apparatus comprising: a sensor for sensing a selected condition of the melt material through at least one of the nozzles; and, an actuator controller interconnected to each actuator, at least one actuator controller comprising a computer interconnected to the sensor for receiving a signal representative of the selected condition sensed by the sensor, the computer including an algorithm utilizing a value corresponding to a signal received from the sensor as a variable for controlling operation of an actuator for the at least one nozzle.

Abstract: In an injection molding machine, an apparatus for controlling movement of a pin comprising a plastic melt flow channel having an output end for delivering molten plastic injected into the channel under pressure to a mold cavity, wherein the pin comprises an elongated rod having an axis and an end, the pin being slidably mounted within the channel for movement along its axis within the channel, an electrically driven motor drivably interconnected to an actuating mechanism, wherein the actuating mechanism is drivably interconnected to the end of the pin, the motor being controllably drivable to drive the pin through movement along its axis within the channel

Abstract: In an injection molding machine having first and second nozzles for delivering melt material from a common manifold to one or more mold cavities, apparatus for controlling delivery of the melt material from the nozzles to the one or more mold cavities, each nozzle having an exit aperture communicating with a gate of a cavity of a mold and being associated with an actuator interconnected to a melt flow controller, the apparatus comprising: a sensor for sensing a selected condition of the melt material through at least one of the nozzles; and, an actuator controller interconnected to each actuator, at least one actuator controller comprising a computer interconnected to the sensor for receiving a signal representative of the selected condition sensed by the sensor, the computer including an algorithm utilizing a value corresponding to a signal received from the sensor as a variable for controlling operation of an actuator for the at least one nozzle.

Abstract: An injection molding apparatus is provided in which the rate of material flow during an injection cycle is controlled. According to one preferred embodiment, an injection molding apparatus is provided that includes a manifold having an inlet for receiving material from an injection molding machine, at least one injection nozzle coupled to the manifold, an actuator, and a valve pin adapted to reciprocate through the manifold and the injection nozzle, the valve pin having a first end coupled to the actuator, a second end that closes the gate in a forward position, and a control surface intermediate said first and second ends for adjusting a rate of material flow during an injection cycle.