Electric actuator drive for injection molding flow control

An injection molding apparatus comprising:

• an injection molding machine,
• a controller arranged to generate drive signals or cause a generation of drive signals,
• a manifold arranged to receive an injection material under pressure from the injection molding machine and to deliver at least some of the injection material into a cavity of a mold having a cavity,
• a valve pin having a shaft, the shaft having an axis (X),
• at least one actuator controllably drivable by electric power, the actuator having a driver arranged to drive the valve pin,
• the valve pin being interconnected at an upstream end to the driver in an arrangement wherein the valve pin is controllably drivable by the driver along a linear path of travel upstream and downstream through a downstream feed channel arranged to receive and deliver at least some of the injection material into the cavity, the valve pin and the downstream feed channel being adapted to interface with each other to vary rate or velocity of flow of the injection material to and through a gate leading to the cavity of the mold,
• an electrical drive device having an interface arranged to receive the drive signals and controllably distribute electrical energy to the driver in controllably varied amounts according to the drive signals,
• the electrical drive device and the controller being adapted to receive and transmit digital signals between the electrical drive device and the controller, wherein the digital signals include one or more drive signals received by the electrical drive device from the controller,
• the controller having a program that receives signals from one or more of a pressure sensor that senses pressure of the injection material or a position sensor that senses position of the actuator or the valve pin, the program having instructions that generate the drive signals based on the received signals, the drive signals being sent to the driver via the electrical drive device, the instructions controlling interfacing of the valve pin and the downstream feed channel to control the rate or velocity of flow of the injection material during the course of an injection cycle;
• wherein the actuator has a housing that houses the driver, the electrical drive device being housed within or by the housing or being mounted on or to the housing, wherein the housing is mounted in proximity or disposition relative to a heated manifold such that one or the other or both of the housing and the electrical drive is or are in substantial heat communication or contact with the heated manifold.