Abstract: A valve-gating injection molding apparatus is disclosed. The valve gating injection molding apparatus has a manifold with a manifold channel extending therethrough and a nozzle coupled to the manifold and having a nozzle channel in fluid communication with the manifold channel A valve pin extends across the manifold and through the nozzle channel. An actuator coupled to the valve pin for translating the valve pin between open and closed positions. A plurality of mold plates forming an enclosure to house the manifold, the plurality of mold plates defining an egress passageway through which the valve pin extends and a diversion chute that intersects the egress passageway at an angle.

Abstract: A hot runner system having a nozzle received in a well in a mold plate. The nozzle has a melt channel, a nozzle body through which the melt channel extends, and a collar connected to and spaced apart from the nozzle body. A manifold is seated against the nozzle. The manifold has a melt channel in fluid communication between a source of moldable material and the nozzle channel. A bearing member against which a seating surface of the collar is supported is received in the well, and a biasing member is seated between a step in the well and the bearing member. The biasing member has plate loading surface and a nozzle loading surface. The nozzle loading surface and the plate loading surface are concentric with the seating surface of the collar and are circumferentially offset from the seating surface of the collar in opposite directions.

Abstract: A side-gate injection molding apparatus and a side-gate nozzle assembly are disclosed. The side-gate nozzle assembly delivers moldable material to a cavity insert that is beside the side-gate nozzle assembly. The side-gate nozzle assembly includes a nozzle body having a nozzle flow channel and a widthwise slot extending across a downstream side of the nozzle body. The nozzle flow channel has an outlet that ends at a wall of the slot. A load component is received in the slot and has a load component flow channel in fluid communication between the nozzle body outlet and an outlet at an end of the load component. A side-gate tip assembly is adjacent to the end of the load component and is in fluid communication between the load component flow channel and the cavity insert. In operation, thermal expansion of the load component presses the side-gate tip assembly towards the cavity insert.

Abstract: A hot runner nozzle tip and hot runner nozzle tip components are disclosed, the nozzle tip, and the assembled tip components, form a channel that has a first annular segment that has a cross-sectional area that increases in size away from a tip inlet, and a second annular segment that extends from the first annular channel segment. A hot runner tip assembly is also disclosed. The hot runner tip assembly includes a tip component having an attachment portion, an extension portion that projects from the attachment portion, and a bore that extends therethrough. A sleeve having a rib that extends outward therefrom surrounds the extension portion. The sleeve contacts the tip component at a first contact area and at a second contact area so as to create a void therebetween, and the first and second contact areas are offset from the rib.

Abstract: A melt delivery body is disclosed for an injection molding apparatus. The melt delivery body includes a manifold, housed in a manifold plate, having a melt network with an inlet for receiving melt from a machine nozzle and an outlet substantially axially aligned with the inlet. The melt delivery body further including an in-line valve gated nozzle having a nozzle melt channel, a valve pin in the nozzle melt channel, and a valve pin actuator coupled to the valve pin and positioned substantially axially aligned with the in-line valve gated nozzle and between the manifold and the in-line valve gated nozzle for controlling the movement of the valve pin within the nozzle melt channel. The melt delivery body further including a biasing member for biasing the in-line valve gated nozzle towards the manifold.

Abstract: A hot runner system having a nozzle received in a well in a mold plate. The nozzle has a melt channel, a nozzle body through which the melt channel extends, and a collar connected to and spaced apart from the nozzle body. A manifold is seated against the nozzle. The manifold has a melt channel in fluid communication between a source of moldable material and the nozzle channel. A bearing member against which a seating surface of the collar is supported is received in the well, and a biasing member is seated between a step in the well and the bearing member. The biasing member has plate loading surface and a nozzle loading surface. The nozzle loading surface and the plate loading surface are concentric with the seating surface of the collar and are circumferentially offset from the seating surface of the collar in opposite directions.

Abstract: An injection molding apparatus includes an injection unit; a clamping unit; a mold assembly including a mold plate, a manifold, an actuator mounted on and upstream of the manifold, and at least one nozzle coupled to and downstream of the manifold, the actuator for reciprocating a valve pin between an open position allowing a melt to pass through the nozzle and a closed position preventing the melt from passing through the nozzle, the mold assembly further including a biasing mechanism biasing the actuator upstream towards the mold plate.

Abstract: A side-gate injection molding apparatus and a side-gate nozzle assembly are disclosed. The side-gate nozzle assembly delivers moldable material to a cavity insert that is beside the side-gate nozzle assembly. The side-gate nozzle assembly includes a nozzle body having a nozzle flow channel and a widthwise slot extending across a downstream side of the nozzle body. The nozzle flow channel has an outlet that ends at a wall of the slot. A load component is received in the slot and has a load component flow channel in fluid communication between the nozzle body outlet and an outlet at an end of the load component. A side-gate tip assembly is adjacent to the end of the load component and is in fluid communication between the load component flow channel and the cavity insert. In operation, thermal expansion of the load component presses the side-gate tip assembly towards the cavity insert.

Abstract: A melt delivery body is disclosed for an injection molding apparatus. The melt delivery body includes a manifold, housed in a manifold plate, having a melt network with an inlet for receiving melt from a machine nozzle and an outlet substantially axially aligned with the inlet. The melt delivery body further including an in-line valve gated nozzle having a nozzle melt channel, a valve pin in the nozzle melt channel, and a valve pin actuator coupled to the valve pin and positioned substantially axially aligned with the in-line valve gated nozzle and between the manifold and the in-line valve gated nozzle for controlling the movement of the valve pin within the nozzle melt channel. The melt delivery body further including a biasing member for biasing the in-line valve gated nozzle towards the manifold.

Abstract: A hot runner nozzle tip and hot runner nozzle tip components are disclosed, the nozzle tip, and the assembled tip components, form a channel that has a first annular segment that has a cross-sectional area that increases in size away from a tip inlet, and a second annular segment that extends from the first annular channel segment. A hot runner tip assembly is also disclosed. The hot runner tip assembly includes a tip component having an attachment portion, an extension portion that projects from the attachment portion, and a bore that extends therethrough. A sleeve having a rib that extends outward therefrom surrounds the extension portion. The sleeve contacts the tip component at a first contact area and at a second contact area so as to create a void therebetween, and the first and second contact areas are offset from the rib.

Abstract: A drop-in hot runner system includes a first runner component having a first channel aperture extending into a first runner component sliding surface, and a second runner component having a second channel aperture extending into a second runner component sliding surface. A depressible protrusion is associated with the first runner component, and a receiver is associated with the second runner component. The depressible protrusion and the receiver are positioned such that when the first runner component and the second runner component are coupled together along the first and second runner component sliding surfaces the depressible protrusion is received in the receiver, and the first and second channel apertures are misaligned.

Abstract: A coinjection molding apparatus is disclosed that provides a skin material melt stream and a core material melt stream to a nozzle. The skin material melt stream forms an inner and outer layer of a molded article with the core material melt stream forming a core layer between the inner and outer skin material layers. A volume of the core material for forming the core layer may be manually adjusted between injection cycles to change a thickness of the core layer between a first molded article and a second molded article. Alternatively, a volume of the core material for forming the core layer may be automatically adjusted during an injection cycle to change a thickness of the core layer during formation of the molded article, such that the molded article will have a core layer with at least a first thickness and a second thickness.

Abstract: Stack mold transfer device are disclosed that include first and second transfer members having respective first and second transfer channels, first and second valve seats, and first and second valve members. The first valve member defining a flow portion and a first sealing surface and the second valve member defining a second sealing surface and a receiving pocket. When the first and second transfer members are in an engaged configuration, the first and second transfer channels form a common transfer channel. When the transfer device is in a closed-flow configuration, the flow of molding material is blocked, and when the transfer device is in an open-flow configuration, the first sealing surface of the first valve member is slidably received in the receiving pocket of the second valve member and the flow portion of the first valve member is positioned to allow molding material flow within the common transfer channel.

Abstract: A drop-in hot runner system includes a first runner component having a first channel aperture extending into a first runner component sliding surface, and a second runner component having a second channel aperture extending into a second runner component sliding surface. A depressible protrusion is associated with the first runner component, and a receiver is associated with the second runner component. The depressible protrusion and the receiver are positioned such that when the first runner component and the second runner component are coupled together along the first and second runner component sliding surfaces the depressible protrusion is received in the receiver, and the first and second channel apertures are misaligned.

Abstract: A drop-in hot runner system includes a first runner component having a first channel aperture extending into a first runner component sliding surface, and a second runner component having a second channel aperture extending into a second runner component sliding surface. A depressible protrusion is associated with the first runner component, and a receiver is associated with the second runner component. The depressible protrusion and the receiver are positioned such that when the first runner component and the second runner component are coupled together along the first and second runner component sliding surfaces the depressible protrusion is received in the receiver, and the first and second channel apertures are misaligned.

Abstract: A coinjection molding apparatus is disclosed that provides first and second material melt streams to a nozzle. The nozzle defines a first material melt passage for receiving the first material melt stream, a second material melt passage for receiving the second material melt stream and an outer layer melt passage, which receives a portion of the first material melt stream from the first material melt passage. The first material melt stream from the first material melt passage forms an inner layer of a molded article, the second material melt stream from the second material melt passage forms a core layer of the molded article, and the first material melt stream from the outer layer melt passage forms an outer layer of the molded article, wherein the three melt streams combine prior to entering a mold cavity.

Abstract: A drop-in hot runner system includes a first runner component having a first channel aperture extending into a first runner component sliding surface, and a second runner component having a second channel aperture extending into a second runner component sliding surface. A depressible protrusion is associated with the first runner component, and a receiver is associated with the second runner component. The depressible protrusion and the receiver are positioned such that when the first runner component and the second runner component are coupled together along the first and second runner component sliding surfaces the depressible protrusion is received in the receiver, and the first and second channel apertures are misaligned.

Abstract: A valve bushing having an actuator portion and a pin guiding component is disclosed. The actuator portion has a cup-shaped body with a stepped bore that defines a chamber in which a piston for opening and closing a valve gate disposed, and also defines a transfer bore extending through a base portion of the cup-shaped body. A stand-off member elevates the cup-shaped body from the manifold. The pin guiding component defines a sealing bore that extends between a body portion and a boss that extends rearward from the body portion. The boss is received in the transfer bore of the cup-shaped body to define a thermal transfer area between the pin guiding component and the actuator portion that is spaced apart from the manifold, and the actuator portion is located relative to the pin guiding component by engagement between the pin guiding component and the stand-off member.

Abstract: An edge-gated injection molding apparatus is disclosed for distributing a melt stream to a plurality of mold cavities aligned on opposing sides of an injection manifold assembly. The injection manifold assembly includes melt outlets aligned on opposing sides thereof with a nozzle seal in fluid communication with each melt outlet for transferring the melt stream to a corresponding mold cavity. A sliding relationship between each nozzle seal and its respective melt outlet while the nozzle seal is securely held relative to the mold gate permits misalignment between the nozzle seal and its respective melt outlet in the cold condition without causing stress on the nozzle seal. Under operating conditions, the sliding relationship permits subsequent alignment between the nozzle seal and its respective melt outlet. The nozzle seal has a two-piece gate seal with components thereof threadably coupled to each other such that relative rotation therebetween applies a sealing preload.

Abstract: A coinjection molding apparatus is disclosed that provides first and second material melt streams to a nozzle. The nozzle defines a first material melt passage for receiving the first material melt stream, a second material melt passage for receiving the second material melt stream and an outer layer melt passage, which receives a portion of the first material melt stream from the first material melt passage. The first material melt stream from the first material melt passage forms an inner layer of a molded article, the second material melt stream from the second material melt passage forms a core layer of the molded article, and the first material melt stream from the outer layer melt passage forms an outer layer of the molded article, wherein the three melt streams combine prior to entering a mold cavity.