An injection molding apparatus comprising: a pneumatically driven actuator, the piston forming first and second drive chambers, a source of pressurized gas that generates gas flow to the drive chambers, a gas metering mechanism, a controller including programmable instructions that: automatically controllably positions the gas metering mechanism such that the piston or valve pin is disposed or held in one or more selected intermediate positions for a selected period of time during the course of an injection cycle where the tip end of the valve pin restricts flow of injection fluid through the gate to the mold cavity.

Apparatus and method for performing an injection molding cycle using the apparatus where the apparatus comprises: a manifold, a pneumatic actuator driven by a pneumatic valve assembly, the actuator driving a valve pin between a gate closed position and a maximum injection fluid flow position, the pneumatic valve assembly having a spool supported within a cylinder driven by a drive device that is supported solely by and translates together with the spool, a controller that instructs the pneumatic valve assembly to cause the actuator to drive the valve pin either upstream or downstream to selected positions or at selected velocities during the course of a single injection cycle based on a feedback signal indicative of position of the pin or actuator or pressure of an injection fluid material.

An injection molding apparatus comprising: a pneumatically driven actuator having a piston mounted within a fluid sealed chamber for slidable axial movement along or against an interior surface of the fluid sealed chamber via a non-elastomeric engagement or with a non-elastomeric material disposed between the piston and the interior surface of the fluid sealed chamber, the piston forming first and second drive chambers within the fluid sealed chamber, each drive chamber having respective fluid flow ports, a source of pressurized gas that generates gas flow at a selected maximum pressure or flow rate, a gas metering mechanism, a controller interconnected to the gas metering mechanism, the controller controllably moving the gas metering mechanism to selectable positions that correspond to reduced pressures or reduced flow rates during the course of pin travel from the fully downstream gate closed position to the fully upstream gate open position.

An apparatus for controlling the rate of flow of a fluid mold material comprising: a manifold, an actuator interconnected to a valve pin, a position sensor that senses position of the valve pin, a controller that controls movement of the actuator according to instructions that instruct the actuator to drive the valve pin upstream at one or more selected intermediate velocities in response to receipt by the controller of a signal from the position sensor that the valve pin is disposed in the one or more intermediate upstream gate open positions.

An apparatus for controlling the rate of flow of a fluid mold material comprising: a manifold, an actuator interconnected to a valve pin, a position sensor that senses position of the valve pin, a controller that controls movement of the actuator according to instructions that instruct the actuator to drive the valve pin upstream at one or more selected intermediate velocities in response to receipt by the controller of a signal from the position sensor that the valve pin is disposed in the one or more intermediate upstream gate open positions.

A hot runner injection molding apparatus comprising an injection molding manifold having an inlet melt channel and a plurality of outlet melt channels and a plurality of hot runner nozzles coupled to the outlet melt channels. Each hot runner nozzle includes a nozzle body defining a first nozzle body melt channel having a first axis. A nozzle tip housing is coupled to the nozzle body which includes at least two auxiliary melt channel portions each auxiliary melt channel portion has a second axis which is angled with respect to the first axis. At least two nozzle tips are arranged at the nozzle tip housing and in the area of each nozzle tip a nozzle tip heater is arranged, which is oriented substantially along the first melt channel.

An apparatus for controlling the rate of flow of mold material to a mold cavity, the apparatus comprising: an injection molding machine and a manifold; an actuator interconnected to a valve pin having a tip end; a valve system in fluid communication with the actuator to drive the actuator at one or more rates of travel, the valve system having a start position, one or more intermediate drive rate positions and a high drive rate position, the start position holding the valve pin in a gate closed position; a controller that instructs the valve system to move from the start position to the one or more intermediate drive rate positions and to remain in the one or more intermediate drive rate positions for one or more corresponding predetermined amounts of time.

An apparatus for controlling the rate of flow of fluid mold material from an injection molding machine to a mold cavity, the apparatus comprising: a manifold having a delivery channel that delivers fluid material to a first gate; an actuator interconnected to a valve pin having a tip end drivable along a drive path, the actuator and the valve pin being translationally driven at a controllable rate of travel by a valve system comprised of a source of valve drive fluid that pumps the drive fluid at a maximum drive rate, a first valve interconnected to the source that is selectively adjustable to adjust rate of flow of the drive fluid from the source to a selected less than maximum drive rate and a second valve controllably movable between a first position and a second position.

An apparatus for controlling the rate of flow of fluid mold material from an injection molding machine to a mold cavity, the apparatus comprising: a manifold having a fluid delivery channel, an actuator interconnected to a valve pin having a tip end drivable between a first position, a second position upstream and a third position upstream of the second position, the actuator and the valve pin being translationally driven by a valve system adjustable between a start position, a plurality of intermediate drive rate positions and a high drive rate position, a pressure sensor and a controller, the pressure sensor sensing a metered pressure of a drive fluid, the controller instructing the valve system to drive valve pin continuously upstream and including instructions that instruct the valve system to move according to a predetermined profile of metered pressures from the start position to selected intermediate drive rate positions and subsequently to the high drive rate position.

Injection molding apparatuses and methods wherein a valve pin is controllably driven upstream and downstream along an axis between a first closed position where the tip end of the valve pin obstructs the gate to prevent the injection fluid from flowing into the cavity, a full open position and one or more intermediate positions, wherein the valve pin is drivable to be disposed or held in a selected intermediate position for a selected period of time during the course of an injection cycle where the tip end of the valve pin restricts flow of injection fluid through the gate to the mold cavity.