Injection molding apparatus

An improved injection molding apparatus of the type having an injector portion including a plurality of mold cavities communicating with a source of molten plastic material and an ejector portion for removing the molded parisons from said cavities, the improvement comprising:

• manifold means including elongated shell means having an exterior surface defining inlet sprue means communicating with said source of plastic and a plurality of outlet gates communicating with said cavities,
• said shell means having an interior portion defining central longitudinal passage means therethrough,
• heating means positioned within said passage means for heating said interior portion, and
• said interior portion having a plurality of discrete spiral runners extending from said inlet sprue means to said outlet gates and spiraling about said heating means such that molten plastic material may flow from said inlet sprue means through said runners and about said heating means to said outlet gates and receive heat energy from said heating means;
• and
• a cavity module including an oblong block sized to be placed in abutting relationship to said manifold means and having a front face for engaging said ejector portion and a rear face for abutting said manifold means,
• a plurality of mold cavities mounted within said block and communicating with at least a portion of said outlet gates;
• said block having a plurality of transverse bores extending from said front face to said rear face, sized to receive said cavities and form annular coolant channels therewith;
• said block including a plurality of conduits intersecting said coolant channels for circulating coolant from an external source about said cavities mounted within said bores;
• and
• means for mounting said block to said manifold.

In an injection molding apparatus of the type having an injector portion including manifold means communicating with a source of molten plastic material and having a plurality of outlet nozzles, and a plurality of cylindrical mold cavities communicating with said outlet nozzles and an ejector portion for removing molded parisons from said cavities, a cavity module comprising:

• an oblong block having a front face for engaging said ejector portion and a rear face mounted to said manifold means;
• said block having a plurality of transverse bores extending from said front face to said rear face thereof, and sized to receive said cavities to form annular coolant channels therewith;
• and
• said block defining a plurality of conduits intersecting said coolant channels for circulating coolant from an external source about said cavities mounted within said bores.