Injection molding apparatus with insulated integrated actuator electronic drive

An injection molding apparatus, comprising:

• a heatable manifold arranged to receive molten injection fluid from an injection molding machine and substantially maintain the molten injection fluid at a selected temperature;
• one or more nozzles;
• a flow channel formed through the manifold and at least one of the one or more nozzles, the flow channel arranged to pass the molten injection fluid received by the manifold and deliver the molten injection fluid to a gate of a mold cavity;
• an electrical drive having an interface arranged to receive and distribute electrical energy in controllably varied amounts during an injection cycle;
• a valve pin;
• an actuator coupled to the valve pin and arranged to control a flow of molten injection fluid toward the mold cavity by controllably moving the valve pin,
• the actuator having:
• a driver arranged to receive the controllably varied electrical energy from the electrical drive and drive the actuator in response to the controllably varied electrical energy from the electrical drive;
• and
• an actuator housing that houses the driver, wherein the electrical drive is housed within or by the actuator housing or mounted on or to the actuator housing via a drive mount;
• a source of heat absorptive fluid;
• and
• at least one channel formed in or proximate one or the other or both of the actuator housing and the drive mount and sealably interconnected to the source, wherein concurrent the injection cycle, the heat absorptive fluid is routed through the at least one channel in a flow that absorbs heat from one or the other or both of the actuator housing and the drive mount;
• wherein one or the other or both of the actuator housing and the electrical drive are in substantial heat communication with the heatable manifold.