Safety Connector for Hot Runner, having Latch Releasably Interlocking Valve Stem with Actuation Plate

A hot runner for molding system, the hot runner comprising:

• a valve stem;
• an actuation plate;
• and
• a safety connector, including:
• a latch being associated with the actuation plate, the latch being configured to releasably interlock the valve stem with the actuation plate, the latch being movable between an interlocked position and a release position, and once the latch is moved to the interlocked position, the latch contacts the valve stem so that the latch interlocks the valve stem with the actuation plate, and the valve stem becomes movable in response to movement of the actuation plate in an absence of any other condition that inadvertently prevents the valve stem from become moved;
• and
• a latch mover being:
• (i) coupled with the latch, and (ii) configured to move the latch from the release position to the interlocked position, and in the interlocked position, once a predetermined undesired force acts on the valve stem and the latch, the latch overcomes the latch mover so as to permit the latch to move from the interlocked position to the release position, so that the latch releases the valve stem from the actuation plate.

A hot runner fro a molding system, the hot runner comprising:

• a hot runner nozzle having a melt channel being connected with a manifold, the melt channel for delivering a molten molding material to a mold;
• an actuation plate being offset from the hot runner nozzle, the actuation plate being configured to move responsive to becoming actuated to do so;
• a valve stem being positioned, at least in part, along the melt channel of the hot runner nozzle, the valve stem being configured to be moved, at least partially, along the melt channel of the hot runner nozzle;
• and
• a safety connector, including:
• a latch releasably interlocking the valve stem with the actuation plate so that in response to movement of the actuation plate, the valve stem becomes movable;
• and
• a latch mover being cooperative with the latch, and the latch mover being configured to move the latch responsive to a predetermined undesired force acting on the latch, so that so that the valve stem is released from the actuation plate.

A hot runner for a molding system, the hot runner comprising:

• a hot runner nozzle having a melt channel being connected with a manifold, the melt channel for delivering a molten molding material to a mold;
• an actuation plate being offset from the hot runner nozzle, the actuation plate being configured to move responsive to becoming actuated to do so;
• a valve stem being positioned, at least in part, along the melt channel of the hot runner nozzle, the valve stem being configured to be moved, at least partially, along the melt channel of the hot runner nozzle;
• and
• a safety connector releasably interlocking the valve stem with the actuation plate so that in response to movement of the actuation plate, the valve stem becomes movable, and the safety connector being configured to release the valve stem from the actuation plate responsive to a predetermined undesired force acting on the valve stem.

A molding system, comprising:

• a hot runner, including:
• a valve stem;
• an actuation plate;
• and
• a safety connector, including:
• a latch 140 releasably interlocking the valve stem 116 with the actuation plate 102, once the latch 140 has interlocked the valve stem 116 with the actuation plate 102, the valve stem 116 becomes movable in response to movement of the actuation plate 102;
• and
• a latch mover being cooperative with the latch, and the latch mover being configured to move the latch responsive to a predetermined undesired force acting on the latch, so that so that the valve stem is released from the actuation plate.