An injection molding apparatus includes an injection unit; a clamping unit; a mold assembly including a mold plate, a manifold, an actuator mounted on and upstream of the manifold, and at least one nozzle coupled to and downstream of the manifold, the actuator for reciprocating a valve pin between an open position allowing a melt to pass through the nozzle and a closed position preventing the melt from passing through the nozzle, the mold assembly further including a biasing mechanism biasing the actuator upstream towards the mold plate.

The invention relates to a system for controlling a shutter arranged to slide in a plastic material injection nozzle, comprising: a hydraulic or pneumatic actuating cylinder (1) coupled to said shutter to make it slide between a shutting off position of the nozzle and a maximum opening position of the nozzle, a device (2) for controlling the actuating cylinder (1), comprising at least two elements among: an element adapted to regulate the stroke of the actuating cylinder to a first constant speed, an element adapted to regulate the stroke of the actuating cylinder to a second constant speed, greater than the first speed, an element adapted to selectively block the stroke of the actuating cylinder, a sequential control unit comprising at least two control paths (30, 31, 32) configured to send selectively an electrical control signal to the device (2) via one and/or the other of said control paths (30, 31, 32) such that: under the effect of a first signal sent via the first control path (30), one of the elements is activated, under the effect of a second signal sent via the second control path (31), another element is activated.

An apparatus includes a stem connector configured to connect a movable piston with a valve stem, in which the movable piston is slidably receivable in a cylinder, and in which the cylinder is mountable to a distribution manifold of a molding system. The stem connector maintains connection between the movable piston and the valve stem while the valve stem is moved to selectively open or close a mold gate of a mold assembly installed in the molding system. The stem connector urges the movable piston to tilt at a tilt angle while the movable piston is moved along an interior of the cylinder, and in which the tilt angle is formed between a central piston axis extending through the movable piston and a central stem axis extends through the valve stem.

An injection molding system comprising: a first selected valve, one or more downstream valves, delivering a fluid to a mold cavity, at least one fluid property sensor, each valve associated with a position sensor that detects opening of a gate at an actual open gate time to the controller, the controller automatically adjusting time of instruction to open the gates on a subsequent injection cycle by an adjustment time equal to any delay in time between a predetermined open gate target time and an actual open gate time, wherein the system forms a first one or more parts or objects, the user inspecting or measuring the first one or more parts or objects and manually adjusts the predetermined open gate target time.

An injection molding apparatus (5) comprising a clamp plate (80), a heated manifold (20), an actuator (10) interconnected to a valve pin (17) drivable along an axis (A), a mold (300) and a cooling device (500) that cools the actuator, the actuator (10) comprising a thermally conductive housing body (12) that is mounted in direct heat or thermally conductive contact with one or more mounts (60, 50, 803) that are in turn mounted in direct heat conductive contact or communication with the manifold (20), the cooling device (500) comprising a heat transmitter comprised of an arm (502) comprised of a thermally conductive material having a distal end surface (502s) for making thermally conductive contact with the clamp plate (80), the proximal surface (502b) of the arm (502) being slidably engageable against a complementary surface (12ls) of the actuator that is spaced laterally (12ld) from the valve pin axis (A) for transmitting heat from the housing body (12) to the proximal surface (502b) and in turn to the distal end surface (502s) of the arm (502).

An injection molding apparatus comprising a clamp plate, a heated manifold, an actuator, a mold and a cooling device, wherein the cooling device comprises: a heat transmitter comprising a distal arm or member and a proximal base or member, the distal arm or member being mounted by a spring loadable interconnection or engagement to or with the proximal base or member, the clamp plate, the mold, the manifold, the actuator and the heat transmitter being assemblable together in an arrangement wherein the spring loadable interconnection is loaded urging the distal end surface of the distal arm or member into compressed engagement with the clamp plate.

An injection molding apparatus (5) comprising a clamp plate (80), a heated manifold (20), an actuator (10) interconnected to a valve pin (17) drivable along an axis (A), a mold (300) and a cooling device (500) that cools the actuator,

the actuator (10) comprising a thermally conductive housing body (12) that is mounted in direct heat or thermally conductive contact with one or more mounts (60, 50, 803) that are in turn mounted in direct heat conductive contact or communication with the manifold (20),

the cooling device (500) comprising a heat transmitter comprised of an arm (502) comprised of a thermally conductive material having a distal end surface (502s) for making thermally conductive contact with the clamp plate (80),

the proximal surface (502b) of the arm (502) being slidably engageable against a complementary surface (12ls) of the actuator that is spaced laterally (12ld) from the valve pin axis (A) for transmitting heat from the housing body (12) to the proximal surface (502b) and in turn to the distal end surface (502s) of the arm (502).

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.

An injection molding apparatus comprising a clamp plate, a heated manifold, an actuator, a mold and a cooling device, wherein the cooling device comprises: a heat transmitter comprising a distal arm or member and a proximal base or member, the distal arm or member being mounted by a spring loadable interconnection or engagement to or with the proximal base or member, the clamp plate, the mold, the manifold, the actuator and the heat transmitter being assemblable together in an arrangement wherein the spring loadable interconnection is loaded urging the distal end surface of the distal arm or member into compressed engagement with the clamp plate.

An injection molding apparatus comprising a clamp plate, a heated manifold, an actuator, a mold and a cooling device, wherein the cooling device comprises: a heat transmitter comprising a distal arm or member and a proximal base or member, the distal arm or member being mounted by a spring loadable interconnection or engagement to or with the proximal base or member, the clamp plate, the mold, the manifold, the actuator and the heat transmitter being assemblable together in an arrangement wherein the spring loadable interconnection is loaded urging the distal end surface of the distal arm or member into compressed engagement with the clamp plate.