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US 2003/0151165 A1Published application
Valve pin locking mechanism
AssigneeMold-Masters Limited
InventorGino Colonico
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A locking mechanism for locking a valve pin of a nozzle of an injection molding apparatus in an extended position includes a generally oblong detent coupled to a pin. The pin extends through an aperture located at a first end of the detent to secure the detent to an inner wall of a recess, which is located adjacent the piston-receiving cavity of the valve pin. The detent is pivotable about the pin to rotate a second end of the detent into abutment with a return surface of the piston to restrict movement of the valve pin.
Claims9
An injection molding apparatus comprising:
- a manifold having a manifold channel for receiving a melt stream of moldable material under pressure and delivering said melt stream to a nozzle having a nozzle channel, said nozzle channel communicating with an outlet of said manifold channel to receive said melt stream;
- a mold cavity receiving said melt stream from said nozzle, said nozzle channel communicating with said mold cavity through a mold gate;
- a valve pin extending at least partially through said nozzle channel, said valve pin being movable by a piston between a retracted position and an extended position, said mold gate being closed when said valve pin is in said extended position;
- and
- a locking mechanism selectively actuatable to lock said valve pin in an extended position.
2 more elements
An injection molding method comprising the steps of:
- injecting a molten material through a plurality of valve gated nozzles;
- moving a valve pin through each of said plurality of nozzles between a retracted position and an extended position;
- and
- locking at least one valve pin in said extended position to prevent a flow of molten material from reaching a mold cavity, while at least another valve pin is in said retracted position.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.