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 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.

An apparatus and method for actuating a valve stem between an open position and a closed position and for taking one or more valve gated nozzle out of service is disclosed. The hot runner includes a valve gated nozzle having a valve stem, the valve stem coupled to a piston that is held against an actuation plate via pressurized air. When a valve stem becomes stuck in a gate of the hot runner, the actuation plate can continue to move while the piston remains stationary. The valve stem may also be protected from an over force situation such as if the valve stem encounters an obstruction as the actuation plate is moving toward the closed position.

A linear actuator for use in an injection molding apparatus is provided. The linear actuator comprises an electric motor including a drive shaft; an anti-rotation mechanism including a restrictor and a captive member, the captive member attached to the pin, the restrictor and the captive member arranged for translating a rotational motion of the drive shaft to a linear motion of the captive member, and by extension the pin, relative to the restrictor; and an adapter coupling the drive shaft with the captive member to enable the drive shaft to transmit the rotational motion of the drive shaft and to be readily decoupleable from the captive member without needing to separate the captive member from the pin.

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.

Apparatus for injection moulding of plastic materials including a mould including a distributor of the plastic material to be injected, at least one injector including a nozzle with respect to which a valve pin is moveable, and a respective electric actuator for controlling displacement of the valve pin between a closing position and an opening position. The electric actuator is connected to a supply and control unit fixed to the mould and univocally associated thereto.

Injection molding system having a flow control apparatus and method that controls the movement and/or rate of movement of a valve pin over the course of an injection cycle to cause the pin to move to one or select positions and/or to control the rate of movement of the pin over the course of the injection cycle. In one embodiment the method includes steps of: a) first controllably operating the actuator to drive the valve pin upstream beginning from the first closed position (50) to be moved to and held in a first selected position (51) for a first selected period of time during the course of an injection cycle, the first selected position (51) being the full open position; b) second controllably operating the actuator to drive the valve pin, during the injection cycle, downstream beginning from the first selected position (51) to be moved to and held in a second closed position (52) for a second selected period of time; c) third controllably operating the actuator to drive the valve pin, during the injection cycle, upstream beginning from the second closed position (52) to be moved to and held in a second selected position (53) for a third selected period of time, the second selected position being an intermediate position or the full open position; and d) fourth controllably operating the actuator to drive the valve pin, during the injection cycle, downstream beginning from the second selected position (53) to be moved to a third closed position (54).

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.