Insert for an injection molding apparatus
AssigneeMold-Masters Limited
InventorHans Guenther
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An injection molding hot runner apparatus and insert assembly for use in a manifold of the apparatus. The apparatus includes a mold manifold, a cylindrical insert for redirecting melt within the mold manifold, and an expandable sleeve surrounding the insert. When the manifold, insert and sleeve are heated to an operational temperature (e.g. 300° C.), the sleeve expands to create a fluid tight seal between the manifold and the insert. The insert assembly including the insert and sleeve is mountable in the mold manifold to redirect melt.
Claims24
An injection molding apparatus comprising:
- a manifold having an inlet and at least one melt channel in fluid communication with the inlet;
- a cylindrical bore in the manifold intersecting the melt channel;
- an expandable cylindrical sleeve co-axial with and seated in the cylindrical bore, the sleeve having a sleeve opening in communication with the melt channel;
- and
- a cylindrical insert co-axial with and seated in the sleeve, the insert defining a melt duct with an insert inlet opening in fluid communication with the sleeve opening and an insert outlet opening opposite the insert inlet opening;
- wherein the sleeve has a coefficient of expansion and a thickness selected such that when the manifold, insert and sleeve are heated to an operational temperature, the sleeve expands to create a fluid tight seal between the manifold and the insert.
An injection molding insert assembly for redirecting melt from a manifold melt channel comprising:
- an expandable cylindrical sleeve having a sleeve opening for communication with the melt channel;
- and
- a cylindrical insert co-axial with and seated in the sleeve, the insert defining a melt duct with an insert inlet opening in fluid communication with the sleeve opening and an insert outlet opening opposite the insert inlet opening;
- wherein the sleeve has a coefficient of expansion greater than the coefficient of expansion of the insert.
An injection molding apparatus comprising:
- a manifold having an inlet and at least one melt channel in fluid communication with the inlet;
- a cylindrical bore in the manifold intersecting the melt channel;
- an expandable cylindrical sleeve co-axial with and seated in the bore, the sleeve having a sleeve opening in communication with the melt channel;
- and
- a cylindrical insert co-axial with and seated in the sleeve, the insert defining a melt duct with an insert inlet opening in fluid communication with the sleeve opening and an insert outlet opening opposite the insert inlet opening;
- wherein the outer diameter of the insert, thickness of the sleeve, inner diameter of the cylindrical bore, and material of the insert, sleeve and manifold, are each selected such that when the manifold, sleeve and insert are heated to an operational temperature, the sleeve expands to create a fluid tight seal between the manifold and the insert.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.