Injection Molding Apparatus Having A Valve Pin Bushing
AssigneeMold-Masters (2007) Limited
InventorsFabrice Fairy, Vijay Kudchadkar
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An injection molding apparatus, such as a hot runner or hot half, includes a manifold having a manifold channel and a nozzle having a nozzle channel. The nozzle is coupled to the manifold, and the manifold channel and the nozzle channel are in communication to define a flow channel. A valve pin bushing has a flow restrictor disposed in the flow channel on an upstream side of the valve pin bushing. A moveable valve pin extends through a bore of the valve pin bushing.
Claims19
1-21. (canceled)
A valve pin bushing for use in an injection molding apparatus, the valve pin bushing comprising:
- a head portion;
- a body extending from the head portion;
- a projecting portion extending from the body opposite the head portion;
- a flow guiding surface disposed at an intersection of the body portion and the projecting portion;
- a bore disposed through the head portion, the body portion and the projecting portion, the bore including a bore central axis;
- and
- a flow restrictor formed on the projecting portion, wherein a central axis of the projecting portion at the flow restrictor is offset from the bore central axis.
A valve pin bushing for use in an injection molding apparatus, the valve pin bushing comprising:
- a head portion;
- a body extending from the head portion;
- a projecting portion extending from the body opposite the head portion;
- a flow guiding surface disposed at an intersection of the body portion and the projecting portion;
- a bore disposed through the head portion, the body portion and the projecting portion;
- and
- a flow restrictor formed on the projecting portion, wherein the projecting portion is generally tubular and includes an outer surface, an inner surface defining the bore, and a wall between the outer surface and the inner surface, wherein the outer surface at the flow restrictor is generally circular in cross-section, and wherein the flow restrictor comprises thickened portion of the wall projecting inwardly from the outer surface.
An injection molding apparatus, comprising:
- a back plate;
- an actuator coupled to the back plate;
- a mold plate coupled to the back plate;
- a manifold disposed between the back plate and the mold plate, the manifold comprising a manifold channel;
- a valve pin bushing coupled to the manifold and comprising a flow restrictor disposed in an annular section of the manifold channel, wherein the flow restrictor defines a restricted region of the annular section on an upstream side of the valve pin bushing with respect to an unrestricted region of the annular section on a downstream side of the valve pin bushing;
- and
- a valve pin connected to the actuator and extending through a bore of the valve pin bushing and through the manifold channel, the valve pin moveable in the bore of the valve pin bushing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.