An injection molding apparatus (10) comprising a signal converter (1500) interconnected to a machine controller (MC) of an injection molding machine (IMM) that generates standardized signals (VPS), the signal converter (1500) receiving and converting the standardized signals (VS) to a command signal (MOPCS, PDCVS) that is compatible with a signal receptor or interface of an electrically powered actuator (940e, 941e, 942e) or a signal receptor, interface or driver of a proportional directional control valve (V, V1, V2) that drives a fluid driven actuator (940p, 941p, 942p) to respectively operate the electrically powered actuator (940e, 941e, 942e) or the proportional directional control valve (V, V1, V2) to move in a direction that operates to either begin an injection cycle and to end an injection cycle.

A melt delivery body is disclosed for an injection molding apparatus. The melt delivery body includes a manifold, housed in a manifold plate, having a melt network with an inlet for receiving melt from a machine nozzle and an outlet substantially axially aligned with the inlet. The melt delivery body further including an in-line valve gated nozzle having a nozzle melt channel, a valve pin in the nozzle melt channel, and a valve pin actuator coupled to the valve pin and positioned substantially axially aligned with the in-line valve gated nozzle and between the manifold and the in-line valve gated nozzle for controlling the movement of the valve pin within the nozzle melt channel. The melt delivery body further including a biasing member for biasing the in-line valve gated nozzle towards the manifold.

An injection molding apparatus is disclosed. The injection molding apparatus includes a hot runner system having a manifold for receiving material from a source and a nozzle for delivering molding material received from the manifold to a mold cavity. A valve pin that is connectable to an actuator for translating the valve pin between open and closed positions is slidably received in a valve pin seal at an upstream end of the nozzle. Hot runner system includes a thermal bridge that is in conductive thermal communication with the valve pin seal and, a cooled mold plate.

An injection molding apparatus comprising a valve comprised of: an actuator having a rotor interconnected to a distal end of an elongated shaft adapted to drivably transmit rotational motion of the rotor to rotational motion of the shaft, the shaft being interconnected at a proximal end to a converter adapted to transmit rotational motion of the shaft directly to driven linear motion of a valve pin, the shaft having a length or configuration selected such that the actuator is mountable on the apparatus in a position or disposition that is isolated or insulated from significant or substantial exposure to or transmission of heat from a heated manifold.

An injection molding machine with an injection system and a clamping system. The injection system may include an injection module and an injection module receiver. The injection module is removably installed in the injection module receiver and includes a nozzle for introducing material into the mold. The injection module receiver may include a cooling system for cooling at least a portion of the nozzle. The cooling system may include a nozzle sheath fitted about the nozzle. The intermediate space between the nozzle sheath and the nozzle may define a coolant chamber through which liquid coolant may be moved to cool the nozzle. The nozzle and nozzle sheath may be configured to cooperatively define a coolant supply passage and a coolant return passage. The nozzle may include a nozzle tip that is fluted to provide a coolant flow path from the coolant supply passage to the coolant return passage.

A valve mechanism for at least one liquid plastic component or liquid plastic, includes a closure device that includes a needle to be pressed against a seat in order to close a valve opening in the valve mechanism. The needle and/or seat is designed or mounted in such a way as to be resilient.

A method of performing an injection cycle having a duration comprising: beginning the injection cycle with the valve pins associated with two or more nozzles in a gate closed position, selecting a first one of the two or more nozzles and controllably driving its associated valve pin from the gate closed position to a selected first axial upstream position, upon downstream flow of the injection fluid through a cavity the preselected distance, controllably driving the valve pin associated with the other of the two or more nozzles to a selected second axial position upstream, holding or controllably driving the valve pin associated with the first one of the two or more nozzles in or to one or more reduced flow axial upstream positions that are partially closed.

An injection molding apparatus comprising a valve comprised of: an actuator having a rotor interconnected to a distal end of an elongated shaft adapted to drivably transmit rotational motion of the rotor to rotational motion of the shaft, the shaft being interconnected at a proximal end to a converter adapted to transmit rotational motion of the shaft directly to driven linear motion of a valve pin, the shaft having a length or configuration selected such that the actuator is mountable on the apparatus in a position or disposition that is isolated or insulated from significant or substantial exposure to or transmission of heat from a heated manifold.

The present invention concerns an adaptor plate for connecting a cover plate to a plurality of piston housings of an injection molding machine, wherein the adaptor plate has a first fluid passage and a second fluid passage for feeding a first and a second control fluid into the piston housings, wherein the first fluid passage has at least one first fluid passage inlet for receiving the first control fluid and a plurality of first fluid passage outlets for discharge of the first control fluid to the piston housings and the second fluid passage has at least one second fluid passage inlet for receiving the second control fluid and a plurality of second fluid passage outlets for discharge of the second control fluid to the piston housings.

Injection unit for injection molding of plastic material including: an injection nozzle; a closure pin; and a guide and cooling assembly, interposed between the back driving plate and the hot distribution plate, in turn comprising: a guide and seal element for guiding the axial motion of the closure pin; a cooling ring; and pressure means configured to press the cooling ring directly and against the back driving plate; wherein the guide and seal element is slidably coupled, at an upper end, with a central hole of the cooling ring, and is fixed integrally, at the other end, to the hot distribution plate; and the cooling ring is able to slide laterally with respect to the back driving plate to recover the differences in thermal expansion between the hot distribution plate and the back driving plate and to transmit heat from the guide and seal element towards the back driving plate.