Manifold nozzle connection for an injection molding system

An injection molding system comprising:

• a manifold having a melt channel for receiving a melt stream of moldable material;
• a front-mountable nozzle having a melt channel in fluid communication with the manifold melt channel, the nozzle being disposed within an opening in a mold plate and having a plurality of nozzle tips radially extending from a downstream end, wherein each nozzle tip is in fluid communication with a respective mold cavity and wherein the nozzle only makes contact with the mold plate via a locator device position between a downstream surface of the nozzle and the mold plate, the locator device being of a height to align each nozzle tip with the respective mold cavity;
• a tubular connector device having a melt channel for receiving the melt stream from the manifold melt channel and delivering the melt stream to the nozzle melt channel, the tubular connector device having a first end received within the manifold and having a second end received within the nozzle and being of a length that bridges a space between the manifold and nozzle, wherein one of the ends of the tubular connector device is slidable within one of the manifold and nozzle melt channels;
• and
• a spacer member positioned between a downstream surface of the manifold and an upstream surface of the mold plate that maintains the space between the manifold and the nozzle such that the manifold and nozzle do not touch in operating and non-operating conditions.

An injection molding system comprising:

• a manifold having a melt channel for receiving a melt stream of moldable material;
• a front-mountable nozzle having a melt channel in fluid communication with the manifold melt channel and a plurality of nozzle tips radially extending from a downstream end such that each nozzle tip is in fluid communication with a respective mold cavity, the nozzle being disposed within an opening in a mold plate and having a tubular projection extending from an upstream surface of the nozzle, wherein the tubular projection of the nozzle is slidably received within the manifold and is of a length that bridges a space between the manifold and the nozzle, and wherein the nozzle only makes contact with the mold plate via a locator device positioned between a downstream surface of the nozzle and the mold plate, the locator device being of a height to align each nozzle tip with the respective mold cavity;
• and
• a spacer member positioned between a downstream surface of the manifold and an upstream surface of the mold plate that maintains the space between the manifold and the nozzle such that the only contact between the manifold and the nozzle is via the tubular projection of the nozzle.