Injection molding apparatus having an elongated nozzle incorporating multiple nozzle bodies in tandem

Abstract

The present invention generally relates to an injection molding apparatus, comprising a manifold including a plurality of manifold channels and a plurality of nozzles. Each of the nozzles defines a nozzle channel in fluid communication with one of the manifold channels and including a plurality of nozzle bodies coupled in tandem by a removable and secure connection. The nozzle bodies include at least a upstream nozzle body and a downstream nozzle body. The upstream nozzle body has an upstream end adjacent said manifold channel, and the downstream nozzle body has a downstream end adjacent a mold plate. A removable nozzle tip is retained in a downstream end of each downstream nozzle body. The nozzles also include a plurality of heaters, wherein at least one heater is embedded into each nozzle body.

1. An injection molding apparatus, comprising:
 a hot runner manifold including at least two manifold channels;  
 at least two nozzles, each of said at least two nozzles defining a nozzle channel in fluid communication with a respective one of said at least two manifolds channels;  
 at least one of said at least two nozzles including nozzle bodies coupled together said nozzle bodies including at least an upstream nozzle body having an upstream end adjacent said manifold channel and a downstream end, and a downstream nozzle body having a downstream end adjacent a mold plate and an upstream end directly adjacent the downstream end of the upstream nozzle body;  
 a separate and removable nozzle tip retained in said downstream end of said downstream nozzle body; and  
 another nozzle tip coupled to another one of said at least two nozzles.  
 
     
     
       2. The injection molding apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a threaded connection configured to removably couple said nozzle bodies. 
     
     
       3. The injection molding apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein said threaded connection includes a first set of threads and a second set of threads, wherein said first set of threads are made of a material that is different from said second set of threads. 
     
     
       4. The injection molding apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of said upstream body or downstream nozzle body includes threads made from a material that is different from said nozzle bodies. 
     
     
       5. The injection molding apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said nozzles includes an intermediate nozzle body, wherein an upstream end of said intermediate nozzle body is removably fastened to said downstream end of said upstream nozzle body and a downstream end of said intermediate nozzle body is removably fastened to said upstream end of said downstream nozzle body. 
     
     
       6. The injection molding apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said nozzle tip is configured to be retained in said downstream nozzle body by a removably fastened connection. 
     
     
       7. The injection molding apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein said nozzle tip is configured to be retained in said downstream nozzle body via a threaded connection. 
     
     
       8. The injection molding apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of said nozzle bodies includes a heater attached thereto. 
     
     
       9. The injection molding apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein said nozzle tip does not have a heater attached directly thereto. 
     
     
       10. The injection molding apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said upstream end of said upstream nozzle body is threadably connected to said manifold. 
     
     
       11. The injection molding apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said upstream end of said upstream nozzle body is slidably connected with said manifold. 
     
     
       12. The injection molding apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said at least two nozzles includes a valve pin and an actuator, the actuator configured for extending and retracting said valve pin. 
     
     
       13. The injection molding apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein said at least one of said at least two nozzles includes at least one valve pin guide. 
     
     
       14. The injection molding apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein a pin support is disposed between said upstream end of said upstream nozzle body and said hot runner manifold. 
     
     
       15. The injection molding apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said nozzle tip is made from a different material than said nozzle bodies. 
     
     
       16. The injection molding apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the material making up said nozzle tip has a high thermal conductivity. 
     
     
       17. The injection molding apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the mold plate comprises a split mold plate that includes a plurality of mold plates. 
     
     
       18. The injection molding apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said nozzle tip includes an extended portion that is slidable within a bore in said mold plate. 
     
     
       19. An injection molding apparatus, comprising:
 a manifold defining at least two manifold channels;  
 at least two nozzles, each of said at least two nozzles defining a nozzle channel in fluid communication with a respective one of said at least two manifold channels an coupled to respective nozzle tips; and  
 at least one of said at least two nozzles including at least two nozzle bodies, the at least two nozzle bodies including an upstream nozzle body directly connected in tandem with a downstream nozzle body via a removably fastened connection, a respective one of the nozzle tips being disposed in a downstream end of said downstream nozzle body;  
 wherein each of said at least two nozzle bodies includes at least one heater attached thereto, and  
 wherein each of said nozzle tips does not have a separate heater connected directly thereto.  
 
     
     
       20. The injection molding apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein each of said at least two nozzle bodies has a first heater at least partially embedded therein. 
     
     
       21. The injection molding apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein each of said nozzle bodies includes at least two heaters. 
     
     
       22. The injection molding apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein each of said nozzle bodies includes a second heater at least partially embedded therein. 
     
     
       23. The injection molding apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein at lest one of said nozzle bodies includes a second heater embedded in a heating band coupled to said nozzle body. 
     
     
       24. A manifold injection molding apparatus, comprising:
 a manifold defining at least two manifold channels;  
 at least two nozzles, each of said nozzles defining a nozzle channel in fluid communication with a respective one of said at manifold channels; and  
 at least one of said nozzles including at least two nozzle bodies, including at least a upstream nozzle body and a downstream nozzle body removably fastened in tandem;  
 wherein each of said nozzle bodies includes at least a first heater and a second hater, wherein each of at least said first heater is embedded into each of said nozzle bodies.  
 
     
     
       25. The injection molding apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein each of said second heater is embodied in a heating band surrounding an outside surface of each of said nozzle bodies. 
     
     
       26. The injection molding apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein said heating band comprises a material having a high thermal conductivity. 
     
     
       27. The injection molding apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein each of said first heater and said second heater have separate electrical connections extending therefrom. 
     
     
       28. The injection molding apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein said downstream nozzle body includes an electrical connection for at least one of said first and second heaters with leads exiting said injection molding apparatus through a bore between a first and second mold plate. 
     
     
       29. The injection molding apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein said downstream nozzle body includes an electrical connection for at least one of said first and second heaters with leads drawn along an opening in a mold plate into which said nozzle is inserted. 
     
     
       30. The injection molding apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein a nozzle tip is disposed in a downstream end of said downstream nozzle body. 
     
     
       31. The injection molding apparatus of  claim 30 , wherein said nozzle ti is not heated by a separate hater attached directly thereto. 
     
     
       32. The injection molding apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein both said first heater and said second heater are embedded in each of said nozzle bodies. 
     
     
       33. An injection molding nozzle apparatus, comprising:
 first and second nozzles each during a nozzle channel that is in fluid communication with corresponding in first and second manifold channels of a hot runner manifold, at least one of the first and second nozzles including upstream and downstream nozzle bodies coupled together, the upstream nozzle body having an upstream end adjacent the manifold channel and the downstream nozzle body having a downstream end adjacent a mold plate;  
 removable nozzle tips coupled to each of the first and second nozzles; and  
 a spacer having a first end threaded to the upstream nozzle body and a second end threaded to the downstream nozzle body.  
 
     
     
       34. The injection molding nozzle apparatus of  claim 33 , wherein said spacer is made from a different material than said upstream and said downstream nozzle bodies. 
     
     
       35. The injection molding nozzle apparatus of  claim 34 , wherein said spacer is an insulator.  
     
     
       36. The injection molding nozzle apparatus of  claim 34 , wherein said spacer is a heat sink.  
     
     
       37. An injection molding apparatus comprising:
   a manifold having a manifold channel;        a nozzle having a nozzle body including an upstream nozzle body, a downstream nozzle body, and a spacer disposed between said upstream nozzle body and said downstream nozzle body such that said upstream nozzle body, said downstream nozzle body, and said spacer collectively define a nozzle channel in fluid communication with said manifold channel, wherein said spacer is connected to said downstream nozzle body such that said spacer is not movable relative to said downstream nozzle body, and wherein said upstream and downstream nozzle bodies are heated and said spacer is devoid of a nozzle heater; and        a nozzle tip coupled to the downstream nozzle body, said nozzle tip for receiving melt from said nozzle channel and delivering the melt to a mold cavity.      
     
     
       38. The injection molding apparatus of  claim 37 , further comprising:
   a first thermocouple coupled to said upstream nozzle body; and        a second thermocouple coupled to said downstream nozzle body.      
     
     
       39. The injection molding apparatus of  claim 37 , wherein said spacer is removably connected to at least one of said upstream nozzle body and said downstream nozzle body.  
     
     
       40. The injection molding apparatus of  claim 37 , wherein said spacer is made from a material such that it acts as a heat sink.  
     
     
       41. The injection molding apparatus of  claim 37 , wherein said spacer is made from a material such that it acts as an insulator to avoid heat transfer between said upstream nozzle body and said downstream nozzle body.  
     
     
       42. The injection molding apparatus of  claim 37 , wherein said spacer is connected to said downstream nozzle body using a threaded connection.  
     
     
       43. The injection molding apparatus of  claim 37 , wherein said spacer is connected to said upstream nozzle body using a threaded connection and is connected to said downstream nozzle body using a threaded connection.  
     
     
       44. The injection molding apparatus of  claim 37 , wherein said nozzle tip is a single nozzle tip.  
     
     
       45. A nozzle for use in an injection molding apparatus having a manifold and a mold gate, said nozzle comprising:
   a first nozzle body disposed adjacent the manifold having a first melt channel;        a spacer having a spacer melt channel; and        a second nozzle body disposed adjacent the mold gate and having a second melt channel, said spacer being disposed between said first nozzle body and said second nozzle body such that said first, second and spacer melt channels collectively define a nozzle melt channel,        wherein said spacer is connected to said second nozzle body such that said spacer is not slidable relative to said second nozzle body, and wherein said first and second nozzle bodies are heated and said spacer is devoid of a nozzle heater.      
     
     
       46. The nozzle of  claim 45 , wherein said spacer is removably connected to at least one of said first nozzle body and said second nozzle body.  
     
     
       47. The nozzle of  claim 45 , wherein said spacer is made from a material such that it acts as a heat sink.  
     
     
       48. The injection molding apparatus of  claim 45 , wherein said spacer is made from a material such that it acts as an insulator.  
     
     
       49. The nozzle of  claim 45 , wherein said spacer is connected to said second nozzle body via a threaded connection.  
     
     
       50. The nozzle of  claim 45 , wherein said spacer is connected to said first nozzle body using a threaded connection and is connected to said second nozzle body using a threaded connection.  
     
     
       51. An injection molding apparatus having a plurality of mold gates, said apparatus comprising:
   a manifold; and        a plurality of nozzles disposed between said manifold and the mold gates, wherein at least one of said plurality of nozzles has a nozzle body including an upstream nozzle body adjacent said manifold, a spacer, and a downstream nozzle body adjacent one of the mold gates, said spacer disposed between said upstream nozzle body and said downstream nozzle body, and wherein at least two of said nozzles are of different lengths,        wherein said upstream and downstream nozzle bodies of said at least one nozzle are heated and said spacer does not have a heater in contact with it.      
     
     
       52. The injection molding apparatus of  claim 51 , wherein at least two of said nozzles are in fluid communication with separate mold cavities.  
     
     
       53. The injection molding apparatus of  claim 51 , wherein said spacer is connected to each of said upstream and downstream nozzle bodies using a threaded connection.  
     
     
       54. An injection molding apparatus comprising:
   a manifold having a heater and a manifold melt channel for distributing melt from a manifold inlet to a plurality of manifold outlets;        a nozzle having a nozzle melt channel, the nozzle being coupled to the manifold for receiving the melt from a manifold outlet, the nozzle including:      an upstream nozzle body forming a portion of said nozzle melt channel,        a downstream nozzle body forming a portion of said nozzle melt channel,        a spacer forming a portion of said nozzle melt channel and disposed between said upstream and downstream nozzle bodies such that said upstream nozzle body, said downstream nozzle body, and said spacer are coupled together along a common axis, wherein said spacer is made from a material such that it acts as an insulator as compared to said upstream and downstream nozzle bodies, and        a heater coupled to said upstream and downstream nozzle bodies; and          a nozzle tip coupled to a downstream end of said downstream nozzle body, said nozzle tip for receiving the melt from said nozzle melt channel and delivering the melt to a mold cavity.      
     
     
       55. The injection molding apparatus of  claim 54 , wherein said upstream and downstream nozzle bodies are made of the same material.  
     
     
       56. The injection molding apparatus of  claim 55 , wherein said upstream and downstream nozzle bodies are made of steel.  
     
     
       57. The injection molding apparatus of  claim 54 , wherein said nozzle heater comprises a first heater coupled to said upstream nozzle body and a second heater coupled to said downstream nozzle body.  
     
     
       58. The injection molding apparatus of  claim 57 , further comprising a first thermocouple coupled to said upstream nozzle body and a second thermocouple coupled to said downstream nozzle body.  
     
     
       59. The injection molding apparatus of  claim 58 , wherein said first heater and said second heater are independently controllable.  
     
     
       60. The injection molding apparatus of  claim 54 , wherein an upstream end of said spacer is directly connected to a downstream end of said upstream nozzle body, and a downstream end of said spacer is directly connected to an upstream end of said downstream nozzle body.  
     
     
       61. The injection molding apparatus of  claim 60 , wherein said spacer is connected to said upstream and downstream nozzle bodies by threads.  
     
     
       62. The injection molding apparatus of  claim 54 , wherein said spacer is coupled to said upstream and downstream nozzle bodies by threads.  
     
     
       63. An injection molding apparatus comprising:
   a manifold having a heater and a manifold melt channel for distributing melt from a manifold inlet to a plurality of manifold outlets;        a nozzle having a nozzle melt channel, said nozzle being coupled to said manifold for receiving the melt from a manifold outlet, said nozzle including:      an upstream nozzle body forming a portion of said nozzle melt channel,        a downstream nozzle body forming a portion of said nozzle melt channel,        a spacer forming a portion of said nozzle melt channel, said spacer being disposed between and coupled to said upstream and downstream nozzle bodies such that the spacer substantially limits heat transfer between said upstream nozzle body and said downstream nozzle body, and        a heater coupled to said upstream and downstream nozzle bodies; and          a nozzle tip coupled to a downstream end of said downstream nozzle body, said nozzle tip for receiving the melt from said nozzle melt channel and delivering the melt to a mold cavity.      
     
     
       64. The injection molding apparatus of  claim 63 , wherein said spacer is formed from an insulative material.  
     
     
       65. The injection molding apparatus of  claim 63 , wherein said upstream and downstream nozzle bodies are made of the same material.  
     
     
       66. The injection molding apparatus of  claim 65 , wherein said upstream and downstream nozzle bodies are made of steel.  
     
     
       67. The injection molding apparatus of  claim 63 , wherein said spacer is coupled to said upstream and downstream nozzle bodies by threads.