Actuator system for rotating valve pin

An injection molding apparatus comprising an injection molding machine, a manifold that receives injection fluid from the machine and routes the injection fluid through a flow channel communicating with a gate to a cavity of a mold, a first actuator and a second actuator, a closure valve pin having a pin axis, the closure valve pin being adapted to be controllably driven upstream and downstream along an axial path of travel through the flow channel such that a distal tip end of the valve pin is driven into and out of a position that closes flow through the gate,

• the first actuator having a linear or axial driver drivable along a reciprocal path of travel coincident or parallel to the axial path of travel,
• the closure valve pin being interconnected to the first actuator such that the valve pin is driven along the axial path of travel and reciprocally upstream and downstream into and out of the position that closes flow through the gate,
• the second actuator comprising a rotor having a rotation axis, the rotor being interconnected to either the closure valve pin or to a second valve pin such that either the closure valve pin or the second valve pin is rotatably driven in unison with the rotor around the rotation axis,
• the closure valve pin or second valve pin that is interconnected to the rotor being disposed and rotatable within the flow of injection fluid flowing through the flow channel, and
• a controller programmed to controllably drive the first actuator and the linear or axial driver and closure valve pin upstream and downstream between a fully closed position where flow of the injection fluid is stopped, a fully open position at which a rate of flow of the injection fluid is fully open and variable positions intermediate the fully open and fully closed positions at which rate of flow of the injection fluid varies between stopped and fully open.

A method of driving a valve pin in an injection molding apparatus comprised of an injection molding machine, a manifold that receives injection fluid from the machine and routes the injection fluid through a flow channel communicating with a gate to a cavity of a mold, a first actuator and a second actuator, a closure valve pin having a pin axis interconnected to at least the first actuator, a controller programmed with instructions adapted to controllably drive the closure valve pin upstream and downstream along an axial path of travel through the flow channel such that a distal tip end of the closure valve pin is driven into and out of a position that closes flow through the gate,

• the method comprising:
• interconnecting a closure valve pin to a first actuator having an axial driver drivable along a reciprocal path of travel coincident with or parallel to the axial path of travel such that the valve pin is driven reciprocally upstream and downstream into and out of the position that closes flow through the gate,
• interconnecting either the closure valve pin or a second valve pin to a second actuator comprising a rotor having a rotation axis such that the closure valve pin or the second valve pin is rotatably driven in unison with the rotor around an axis coincident with or parallel to the pin axis of the closure valve pin,
• adapting the pin that is interconnected to the rotor to be disposed within the flow of injection fluid that is routed from the injection molding machine to the gate,
• driving the first actuator to drive its interconnected pin into and out of the position that closes flow through the gate,
• driving the second actuator such that its interconnected pin is rotatably driven in unison with the rotor and such that a selectable portion of the interconnected pin is rotated within the flow of injection fluid that is routed to the gate,
• wherein driving the first actuator includes the controller driving the first actuator and the linear or axial driver and closure valve pin upstream and downstream between a fully closed position where flow of the injection fluid is stopped, a fully open position at which a rate of flow of the injection fluid is fully open and variable positions intermediate the fully open and fully closed positions at which a ate of flow of the injection fluid varies between stopped and fully open

An injection molding apparatus comprising an injection molding machine, a manifold that receives injection fluid from the machine and routes the injection fluid through a fluid flow channel communicating with a gate to a cavity of a mold, a first actuator and a second actuator, a valve pin having a pin axis interconnected to at least the first actuator, the actuators and the valve pin being arranged for controllably driving the closure valve pin axially upstream and downstream through the flow channel such that a distal tip end of the valve pin is driven into and out of a position that closes flow through the gate,

• the first actuator having an axial driver drivable along a reciprocal path of axial travel,
• the second actuator being mounted to the axial driver such that the second actuator is driven along the path of axial travel,
• the valve pin being mounted to the second actuator such that the valve pin is drivable along the path of axial travel,
• the second actuator comprising a rotor that is rotatably drivable around an axis coincident or parallel to the path of axial travel of the valve pin,
• the rotor of the second actuator being interconnected to the valve pin such that a selected portion of the valve pin is disposed within the fluid flow channel leading to the gate and the selected portion of the valve pin is rotatably drivable to rotate the selected portion of the pin within the fluid flow channel to agitate injection fluid flowing through the channel,
• a controller programmed to controllably drive the first actuator and the linear or axial driver and valve pin upstream and downstream between a fully closed position where flow of the injection fluid is stopped, a fully open position at which a rate of flow of the injection fluid is fully open and variable positions intermediate the fully open and fully closed positions at which rate of flow of the injection fluid varies between stopped and fully open.

An injection molding apparatus comprising an injection molding machine, a manifold that receives injection fluid from the machine and routes the injection fluid through a flow channel communicating with a gate to a cavity of a mold, a first actuator and a second actuator, a closure valve pin having a pin axis, the closure valve pin being adapted to be controllably driven upstream and downstream along an axial path of travel through the flow channel such that a distal tip end of the closure valve pin is driven into and out of a position that closes flow through the gate,

• the first actuator having a linear or axial driver drivable along a reciprocal path of travel coincident or parallel to the axial path of travel,
• the closure valve pin being interconnected to the first actuator such that the closure valve pin is driven along the axial path of travel and reciprocally upstream and downstream into and out of the position that closes flow through the gate,
• the second actuator comprising a rotor having a rotation axis, the rotor being interconnected to either the closure valve pin or to a second valve pin such that either the closure valve pin or the second valve pin is rotatably driven in unison with the rotor around the rotation axis,
• the closure valve pin or second valve pin that is interconnected to the rotor being disposed and rotatable within the flow of injection fluid flowing through the flow channel,
• a controller interconnected to the first actuator that controls movement of the first actuator at least in part according to instructions that instruct the first actuator to move the closure valve pin continuously upstream at one or more selected intermediate velocities over the path of travel of the closure valve pin from a downstream gate closed position to an intermediate upstream gate open position,
• the controller further controlling movement of the first actuator continuously upstream from the intermediate upstream gate open position to a fully open position at one or more velocities that are higher than the one or more selected intermediate velocities.