Side gate nozzle assembly with a washer made of a shape memory alloy

A side gate nozzle assembly for a hot runner apparatus, the side gate nozzle assembly positioned between a cavity member of a mold plate, and a nozzle body of a manifold, the side gate nozzle assembly comprising:

• a generally disc shaped base body;
• a probe member extending forward from the base body, wherein the probe comprises a probe channel along the length of the probe to allow passage of a molten molding material, wherein the molten molding material is received through a melt channel of the nozzle body, and allowed to pass through the probe channel to transfer the molten molding material to a cavity of the cavity member;
• a sealing insulator positioned proximal to the distal end of the probe member;
• and
• a shape memory alloy washer inserted along the probe member, and positioned between the base body and the sealing insulator, wherein the shape memory alloy washer distorts linearly to push the sealing insulator and the probe member apart as a response to the rise in temperature due to the transfer of the molten molding material from the melt channel to the cavity of the cavity member via the probe channel, thereby preventing leakage of the molten molding material from the melt channel, and the probe channel.