Methods for constructing and repairing a tip heater for a runnerless injection molding probe

A method for constructing a heating probe having an attached tip heater for use in runnerless injection molding machines for opening and closing mold gates by ON-OFF switching of the tip heater, said probe having a metal body with a front end, a back end and a longitudinal bore, the method comprising the steps of:

• a. disposing a heating wire having a front end and a back end through the longitudinal bore in the metal body;
• b. attaching the front end of the wire to a socket in a cap;
• c. joining the periphery of the cap to the metal body;
• and
• d. machining the cap to a point.

A method for repairing a tip heater attached to a heating probe utilized in runnerless injection molding machines for opening and closing mold gates by ON-OFF switching of the tip heater, said probe having a metal body having a front end, a back end, and a longitudinal bore, said tip heater comprised of a tip attached to said metal body, a cap attached to said tip, a heating wire disposed within bores in said metal body and said tip, said wire attached within a socket of said cap and insulating material disposed between said metal body and said heating wire and said tip and said heating wire the method comprising:

• a.) cutting said cap away from said tip;
• b.) attaching said heating wire to a repair cap;
• c.) joining adjacent peripheries of said repair cap and said tip;
• d.) machining said repair cap to a point.

A method for repairing a tip heater attached to a heating probe utilized in runnerless injection molding machines for opening and closing mold gates by ON-OFF switching of the tip heater, said probe having a metal body having a front end, a back end, and a longitudinal bore, said tip heater comprised of a tip attached to said metal body, a cap attached to said tip, a heating wire disposed within bores in said metal body and said tip, said wire attached within a socket of said cap and insulating material disposed between said metal body and said heating wire and said tip and said heating wire the method comprising:

• a.) cutting said tip away from said metal body;
• b.) removing said wire and said insulating material from said longitudinal bore of said metal body;
• c.) inserting a repair wire into said metal body;
• d.) joining a repair tip to said body;
• e.) attaching a repair cap to said wire;
• f.) joining said repair cap to said repair tip;
• g.) packing insulating material between said repair heating wire and said metal body and between said repair heating wire and said repair tip;
• h.) machining said repair cap to a point.

A method for repairing a tip heater attached to a heating probe utilized in runnerless injection molding machines for opening and closing mold gates by ON-OFF switching of the tip heater, said probe having a metal body having a front end, a back end, and a longitudinal bore, said tip heater comprised of a generally conical shaped tip having a recess, a socket, a back end and a pointed front end;

• a heating wire disposed in said longitudinal bore of said metal body disposed in said tip recess and attached to said tip socket;
• and an insulating material disposed between said heating wire and said metal body and between said heating wire and said recess, the method comprising:
• a.) cutting said tip away from said metal body;
• b.) removing said wire and said insulating material from said metal body;
• c.) inserting a repair wire into said longitudinal bore of said metal body;
• d.) attaching a repair tip to said repair wire;
• e.) joining said repair tip to said metal body;
• f.) packing insulating material between said metal body and said repair wire and between said recess and said repair wire;
• g.) securing said repair wire within said socket of said repair tip.