A side-gate injection molding apparatus and a side-gate nozzle assembly are disclosed. The side-gate nozzle assembly delivers moldable material to a cavity insert that is beside the side-gate nozzle assembly. The side-gate nozzle assembly includes a nozzle body having a nozzle flow channel and a widthwise slot extending across a downstream side of the nozzle body. The nozzle flow channel has an outlet that ends at a wall of the slot. A load component is received in the slot and has a load component flow channel in fluid communication between the nozzle body outlet and an outlet at an end of the load component. A side-gate tip assembly is adjacent to the end of the load component and is in fluid communication between the load component flow channel and the cavity insert. In operation, thermal expansion of the load component presses the side-gate tip assembly towards the cavity insert.

A method and apparatus for equalizing gate pressure of a hot runner nozzle are disclosed. The nozzle includes a nozzle housing defining a primary melt channel, a first nozzle tip having a first secondary melt channel in fluid communication with the primary melt channel, a second nozzle tip having a second secondary melt channel in fluid communication with the primary melt channel, and a valve disposed in the primary melt channel for selectively opening and closing a downstream end of the primary melt channel to control a flow of melt to the first and second secondary melt channels. In some embodiments, the valve is configured to selectively open when a pressure of the melt reaches a threshold peak pressure. In some embodiments, the valve includes a valve stem that cooperates with the primary melt channel to block a flow of melt therefrom until the threshold peak pressure is established.

An injection molding machine includes an edge gate nozzle with a nozzle body having a primary melt channel and a nozzle head having first and second secondary melt channels that feed melt to first and second nozzle tips. First and second heaters are disposed in the nozzle head to provide heat to the secondary melt channels. In some embodiments, the heaters are positioned adjacent to the secondary melt channels, with first heater is closer to the first secondary melt channel than to the second secondary melt channel. In some embodiments, the heaters are positioned adjacent to the nozzle tips, with the first heater closer to the first nozzle tip than to the second nozzle tip. In some embodiments, each heater is adjacent to both the respective nozzle tip and secondary melt channel. In some embodiments, each heater is individually controllable.

Disclosed is an edge gating injection molding apparatus for delivering a moldable material to an array of mold cavities, the array can have a first column and a last column of mold cavities, the edge gating injection molding apparatus comprising: a unidirectional delivery body for delivering a first stream of the moldable material to a different one of each mold cavity of the first column and the last column of mold cavities, via a first location of the different one of each mold cavity of the first column and the last column of mold cavities; and a bidirectional delivery body for delivering a second stream of the moldable material to the different one of each mold cavity of the first column and the last column of mold cavities, via a second location of the different one of each mold cavity of the first column and the last column of mold cavities.

An injection-molding apparatus for article formation. The injection-molding apparatus includes a single mold base supporting at least one grouping of a plurality of shape-forming configuration sets. Each set is shaped for forming one layer of a multilayered article comprising an asymmetric surface. Each set may include at least one cavity which retains each article region formed by the preceding injection-molding shot(s). The single mold base includes an internal movable part which moves within the single mold base with respect to a stationary part such that relative positions of the shape-forming configurations are advanced for each set to form a subsequent article region in the cavities. Each subsequent shot may be prior to full cooling of the article region formed in the previous shot.

A manifold device for an injection-molding nozzle for an injection-molding tool has a main manifold channel for an injection-molding compound, which main manifold channel extends from an inlet opening into the manifold device as far as at least two transfer openings, and at least two manifold channels for the injection-molding compound, which manifold channels each extend from a transfer opening to an outlet opening and are each fluidically connected by a transfer opening to the main manifold channel. Also disclosed are an injection-molding nozzle with such a manifold device and an injection-molding tool with such an injection-molding nozzle.

A side gate nozzle assembly for a hot runner apparatus comprises a disc shaped base body, a probe member, a sealing insulator, and a shape memory alloy washer. The probe member with a probe channel extends from the base body. A molten molding material is received through a melt channel of the nozzle body, and allowed to pass through the probe channel to be transferred to a cavity of a cavity member. The shape memory alloy washer is positioned between the base body and the sealing insulator. The shape memory alloy washer distorts linearly to push the sealing insulator and the probe member according to change in temperature due to transfer of the molten molding material from the melt channel to the cavity member via the probe channel. The distorted shape memory alloy washer prevents leakage of the molten molding material from the melt channel, and the probe channel.

Disclosed is an edge gating injection molding apparatus for delivering a moldable material to an array of mold cavities, the array can have a first column and a last column of mold cavities, the edge gating injection molding apparatus comprising: a unidirectional delivery body for delivering a first stream of the moldable material to a different one of each mold cavity of the first column and the last column of mold cavities, via a first location of the different one of each mold cavity of the first column and the last column of mold cavities; and a bidirectional delivery body for delivering a second stream of the moldable material to the different one of each mold cavity of the first column and the last column of mold cavities, via a second location of the different one of each mold cavity of the first column and the last column of mold cavities.

The present disclosure is directed to an injection nozzle for an injection molding device comprising a drive train for at least one closure element arranged movable in a nozzle head in a first direction. The drive train comprises a cam mechanism with a cam head comprising a wedge and at least one side plate. The wedge and the side plate are together arranged moveable in a second direction. Per closure element the wedge comprises at least one first drive surface which interacts with a second drive surface arranged at the closure element at least during closing of the closure element. The at least one side plate comprises a third drive surface which interacts with a fourth drive surface arranged at the closure element at least during opening of the closure element.

The present disclosure is directed to an injection nozzle with a nozzle head including at least one discharge opening for injecting molding material into a mold cavity of a thereto interconnected injection mold and forming therein a molded body. At least one positively controlled closure element movably supported in the nozzle head for closing a communication opening in the connected injection mold. An actuator cylinder comprises a first piston which is interconnected to the closure element. The first piston is arranged movable between a first position, in which the closure element is fully closed, and a second position in which the closure element is fully open. A second piston is interconnected to the closure element, and is arranged movable between a third position in which the second piston is not interconnected to the closure element and a fourth position in which the closure element is limited in an intermediate position.