Injection molding machine

An injection molding system comprising:

• a receiver having a manifold clamp, a needle cylinder and a latch assembly, the needle cylinder being mounted to the manifold clamp and configured to be selectively extended and retracted, the latch assembly coupled to the needle cylinder to move with extension and retraction of the needle cylinder;
• and
• an injection module removably mounted to the receiver, the injection module having an injection module inlet for receiving material from a supply of material and defining at least a portion of the flow path from the injection module inlet to a mold, the injection module having a nozzle defining an outlet for ejecting material from the injection module into a mold, the injection module further including a needle disposed within the nozzle, the needle being movable between extended and retracted positions to selectively open and close the nozzle outlet, the needle having a first tapered end closing the outlet when the needle is in the extended position, the needle having a head;
• wherein the manifold clamp is movable between open and closed positions to secure the injection module in place in the receiver, the latch assembly configured to automatically engage the head of the needle as the manifold clamp is moved from the open position to the closed position and to automatically disengage from the head of the needle as the manifold clamp is moved from the closed position to the open position, when the latch assembly and the head of the needle are engaged the latch assembly operatively couples the needle to the needle cylinder so that the needle moves with extension and retraction of the needle cylinder.

An injection module for an injection molding machine comprising:

• a manifold defining a material inlet and a manifold material flow path in communication with the material inlet;
• an injection cylinder mounted to the manifold, the injection cylinder having a longitudinal extent and defining an internal bore;
• an injection rod movably disposed within the internal bore;
• a valve mounted within the manifold, the valve defining a valve material flow path, the valve being movable within the manifold;
• a nozzle having a longitudinal axis, the nozzle defining a nozzle material flow path in communication with the valve material flow path, the nozzle having a nozzle tip defining a nozzle outlet, the exterior of the nozzle being fluted to provide a plurality of liquid flow paths, the nozzle tip defining a flow path providing communication between at least two of the liquid flow paths;
• and
• a needle disposed within the material flow path, the needle being movable within the internal material flow path to selectively open and close the nozzle outlet;
• and
• wherein the valve is movable between a fill position in which the internal bore of the injection cylinder is in communication with the material inlet via the manifold material flow path so that movement of the injection rod in one direction facilitates loading of the injection module with material and an inject position in which the nozzle material flow path is in communication with the internal bore of the injection cylinder and not in communication with the material inlet so that movement of the injection rod in a second direction ejects material from the injection module through the nozzle outlet.