A method and apparatus for performing an injection molding cycle comprising drivably interconnecting a valve pin to an electric motor actuator and controllably operating the electric motor to drive the valve pin at one or more reduced rates of upstream or downstream travel based on either detection of the position of the pin or actuator or on a preselected length of time at which to drive the valve pin.

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.

A method is disclosed for micro-molding articles. The method comprises melting and pre-pressurizing thermoplastic material to a first level, within a plasticizing barrel. The melt pressure of the thermoplastic material is manipulated to a second level, within a hot runner. The melt pressure of the thermoplastic material is manipulated to an ultra-cavity packing pressure within a valve gate nozzle.

An apparatus for controlling the rate of flow of fluid mold material comprising: a manifold, a valve pin having a pin axis, a pin connector and a stem, the valve pin being drivable into and out of open and closed positions relative to the gate, an electric actuator comprising an electric motor comprised of a motor housing that houses a drive shaft having a drive gear and a drive axis, a transmission comprised of a transmission gear having a gear axis, the drive gear, the transmission gear and the valve pin being drivably interconnected and arranged such that the drive axis and the gear axis are non-coaxially mounted or disposed relative to each other and the valve pin is drivable linearly along the pin axis, wherein one or the other of the motor housing or the transmission housing are removably attached to a top clamping or mounting plate that is mounted upstream of the manifold and fixedly interconnected to a mold.

An injection molding apparatus including: a valve pin driven by an actuator, the valve pin extending axially through at least a portion of the channel length of the fluid flow channel, the fluid flow channel and the valve pin being configured or adapted such that the valve pin is movable axially upstream and downstream between an upstream position where the downstream flow of the injection fluid is restricted by a bulbous protrusion (B) of the pin being axially aligned (AL) with the throat (T) of the channel, an intermediate position where downstream flow of injection fluid is unrestricted (WG) and a fully downstream position where downstream flow of injection fluid is stopped at both the gate and at the throat.

An apparatus for controlling the rate of flow of fluid mold material comprising: a manifold, a valve pin having a pin axis, a pin connector and a stem, the valve pin being drivable into and out of open and closed positions relative to the gate, an electric actuator comprising an electric motor comprised of a motor housing that houses a drive shaft having a drive gear and a drive axis, a transmission comprised of a transmission gear having a gear axis, the drive gear, the transmission gear and the valve pin being drivably interconnected and arranged such that the drive axis and the gear axis are non-coaxially mounted or disposed relative to each other and the valve pin is drivable linearly along the pin axis, wherein one or the other of the motor housing or the transmission housing are removably attached to a top clamping or mounting plate that is mounted upstream of the manifold and fixedly interconnected to a mold.

A method for injection molding of plastic materials into a cavity of a mold by means of a molding apparatus including at least one injector having a pin valve displaceable between a fully closed position and a maximum opening position, and vice versa, in a controlled fashion in respect of its position and speed. In the opening displacement from the fully closed position to the maximum opening position, the pin valve is initially moved at a first speed and subsequently at a second speed, where the first speed is the highest opening displacement speed of the pin valve.

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 method for injection molding of plastic material by means of at least one injector whose pin valve can be displaced between a fully closed position and a maximum controlled fashion according to a position and speed of the pin valve. During displacement of the pin valve from the fully closed position to the maximum open position, and/or vice versa, the pin valve is stopped in intermediate positions and the displacement speed thereof is uniform and constant. An initial opening step at maximum speed and one or more steps of inversion of the motion of the pin valve can be provided for.

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).