Valve pin guide for a valve-gated nozzle
AssigneeMold-Masters Limited
InventorsRob Sicilia, Denis Babin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A valve pin guide is provided for guiding a valve pin from a nozzle into a gate of a mold cavity in an injection molding apparatus. The valve pin guide defines a guide aperture therethrough. The guide aperture is adapted to receive and guide the valve pin into alignment with the gate. The valve pin guide is positioned downstream from said nozzle and upstream from said gate.
Claims25
A valve pin guide positioned downstream from a nozzle for receiving and guiding a valve pin into a gate for a mold cavity in an injection molding apparatus, the valve pin guide comprising:
- a guiding portion in which a guide aperture is defined therethrough, wherein said guiding portion is made from a guiding portion material having a first thermal conductivity and said guiding portion is adapted to contact the nozzle;
- and
- an insulating portion, wherein said insulating portion is made from an insulating portion material having a second thermal conductivity, wherein said second thermal conductivity is lower than said first thermal conductivity and said insulating portion is adapted to contact a mold cavity block.
An injection molding apparatus, comprising:
- at least one nozzle having a nozzle melt passage therethrough for receiving a melt from a melt source;
- a nozzle tip secured to a downstream end of said nozzle by a nozzle tip retainer, wherein said nozzle tip receives the melt from said nozzle melt passage;
- a mold cavity block defining at least one mold cavity and a gate into said at least one mold cavity, wherein said gate is positioned downstream from said nozzle tip;
- a valve pin, wherein said valve pin is movable in said nozzle tip and said nozzle melt passage to open and close said gate;
- and
- a valve pin guide positioned downstream from said nozzle tip and upstream from said gate, wherein said valve pin guide defines a guide aperture therethrough that is adapted to receive and guide said valve pin into alignment with said gate.
An injection molding apparatus, comprising:
- a mold cavity block, wherein said mold cavity block defines a mold cavity therein, said mold cavity has a gate, wherein said mold cavity block has a first bore and a second bore, wherein said gate is positioned in said second bore and wherein said first bore is larger in diameter than said second bore;
- an injection nozzle having a nozzle tip secured thereto by a tip retainer, wherein a melt channel is defined in said injection nozzle and said nozzle tip to convey melt towards said gate;
- a valve pin, wherein said valve pin is positioned at least partially in said melt channel and is movable to control melt flow into said gate;
- and
- a valve pin guide, wherein said valve pin guide is adapted to receive and guide said valve pin into alignment with said gate, and wherein said valve pin guide is positioned in said first bore downstream from said nozzle tip.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.