Injection molding apparatus with a thermal bridge

A hot runner system comprising:

• a manifold having a manifold channel for receiving material from a source, and the manifold channel extending between a manifold inlet and a manifold outlet;
• a cooled mold plate;
• a nozzle for delivering molding material to a mold cavity, the nozzle having a nozzle channel in fluid communication between the manifold channel and the mold cavity, and a valve pin seal at an upstream end of the nozzle;
• a valve pin slidably received in the valve pin seal, the valve pin extending through the manifold and the nozzle;
• an actuator connected to the valve pin for translating the valve pin between an open position and a closed position;
• a thermal bridge in conductive thermal communication with the valve pin seal and the cooled mold plate,
• another nozzle having another valve pin seal at an upstream end thereof, and wherein the thermal bridge includes a proximal portion in conductive thermal communication with the valve pin seal,
• another proximal portion in conductive thermal communication with the another valve pin seal, and
• a distal portion in conductive thermal communication with the cooled mold plate,
• wherein the distal portion is in conductive thermal communication with the cooled mold plate at a heat transfer interface adjacent to the nozzle, and wherein the thermal bridge includes another distal portion in conductive thermal communication with the cooled mold plate at another heat transfer interface adjacent to the another nozzle.

A hot runner system comprising:

• a manifold having a manifold channel for receiving material from a source, and the manifold channel extending between a manifold inlet and a manifold outlet;
• a cooled mold plate;
• a nozzle for delivering molding material to a mold cavity, the nozzle having a nozzle channel in fluid communication between the manifold channel and the mold cavity, and a valve pin seal at an upstream end of the nozzle;
• a valve pin slidably received in the valve pin seal, the valve pin extending through the manifold and the nozzle;
• an actuator connected to the valve pin for translating the valve pin between an open position and a closed position;
• and
• a thermal bridge in conductive thermal communication with the valve pin seal and the cooled mold plate, wherein the manifold and the nozzle define a walled passageway through which the thermal bridge extends, and wherein the walled passageway is spaced apart from the thermal bridge.