Linear to linear valve pin drive during injection cycle

In an injection molding system (5) comprised of an injection molding machine (IMM), a distribution manifold (6) for receiving a selected injection fluid (F) from the injection molding machine (IMM), a valve (10) comprising a flow passage (15) receiving the injection fluid (F) from the manifold (6) having a longitudinal length (L) and a downstream tip end exit aperture (20), a mold (7) having a cavity (60) having a cavity entrance aperture (30), the exit aperture (20) being fluid sealably matable with the cavity entrance aperture (30) to form a gate aperture (50), wherein the injection molding machine (IMM) injects said injection fluid (F) to the manifold (6) which distributes the injection fluid for injection downstream through the flow passage (15) of the valve (10) and further downstream to and through the exit aperture (20) and further downstream to and through the gate aperture (50) into the cavity (60) of the mold (7),

• the valve (10) comprising an actuator (1000) that includes a linear drive member (150, 154, 158) that is reciprocally driven back and forth along a first linear path of travel (L1),
• a valve pin (80) that is adapted to travel linearly upstream and downstream within the flow passage (15) between pin upstream (81) and pin downstream (82) positions along a second linear path of travel (L2) that is non-coaxial relative to the first linear path of travel (L1),
• the actuator (1000) being interconnected to the valve pin (80) in an arrangement wherein movement of the linear drive member (150, 154, 158) along the first linear path of travel (L1) drives the valve pin (80) along the second linear path of travel (L2),
• wherein the linear drive member (150, 154, 158) is interconnected to an upstream end (502, 507u) of a linear to linear travel converter (500) and the valve pin (80) is interconnected to a downstream end (504) of the linear to linear travel converter (500), the upstream end (502, 507u) of the linear to linear travel converter (500) being driven along the first linear path of travel (L1) by the linear drive member (150, 154, 158) and the downstream end (504, 507d) of the linear to linear travel converter (500) being adapted to drive the valve pin along the second linear path of travel (L2),
• the linear to linear travel converter (500) comprising:
• a converter housing (505) stationarily mounted on to the manifold (6),
• a sliding body (507) fixedly interconnected to the linear drive member (150, 154, 158) and slidably mounted to a wall of the converter housing (505) such that the sliding body (507) is controllably drivable along the first linear path of travel (L1),
• a guide slot (509) within the sliding body (507),
• a follower pin (520) fixedly connected to an upstream end (80h) of the valve pin (80), the follower pin (520) being received within the guide slot (509) such that as the sliding body (507) is moved along the first path (L1) the guide slot (509) moves along the first linear path of travel (L1) and the follower pin (520) is forced by engagement against a moving guide slot surface (509s) of the guide slot (509) to move along the second linear path of travel (L2), while the guide pin (80) also moves along the second linear path of travel (L2),
• wherein the converter housing (505) has slots (511) aligned along the second linear path of travel (L2) in opposing walls (505w) of the converter housing (505) that receive and guide movement of the follower pin (520) along the second linear path of travel (L2).