Abstract:
An internally heated injection molding nozzle has a unitary head portion and body portion. The nozzle has opposed, generally planar, lateral faces and front and back sides. A melt passageway is defined by a bore extending through the head portion and body portion, and a heater core is received in an elongated cavity that is in generally parallel alignment with, and spaced from, the melt passageway.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of the filing date of Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/496,936, filed Aug. 21, 2003. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention generally relates to internally heated, injection molding nozzles. More particularly, this invention relates to an improved injection molding nozzle wherein a nozzle body, a heater core, and a thermocouple are of an integral, unitary construction, and said heater core and said thermocouple are positioned on one side of, rather than concentrically enclose, a melt duct, thereby allowing opposing lateral surfaces of said nozzle body to be generally flat and generally parallel to one another, resulting in a nozzle that is narrow in width and that is particularly suitable for use in close cavity spacing injection molding applications.  
         [0003]     In certain injection molding applications, such as the molding of complex or multiple small parts, it is desirable to arrange the injection molding nozzles as close together as possible in side-by-side relationship. This ensures that the complicated mold cavity can be quickly and completely filled, or that smaller molds may be used when making multiple small parts.  
         [0004]     In conventional hot runner injection molding nozzles, the melt passageway is located interior of and concentric with a heater coil. This relationship dictates the width of the nozzle and, consequently how closely adjacent nozzles can be spaced.  
         [0005]     Accordingly, it is the object of the present invention to provide a hot runner injection molding nozzle that allows for closer spacing of a plurality of nozzles than can be obtained with presently available nozzles.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     This object, as well as others which will become apparent upon reference to the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, are provided by an internally heated injection molding nozzle having a unitary head portion and body portion with opposed, generally-planar lateral faces and front and back sides. A melt passageway is defined by a bore extending through the head portion and the body portion. A heater core is received in an elongated cavity in generally parallel alignment with and spaced away from the melt passageway. In a preferred embodiment, the distance between the heater the cavity and the back side of the nozzle is less than the distance between the melt passageway and the front side of the nozzle which, in turn, is less than the distance between the melt passageway and the heater cavity. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]     The present invention is now described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and photographs in which like reference numerals designate like parts and wherein:  
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a side elevational view, partially in phantom, of the nozzle of the present invention;  
         [0009]      FIG. 2  is a top plan view of the nozzle of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0010]      FIG. 3  is a top plan view of the nozzle of the present invention showing the melt duct inlet in greater detail;  
         [0011]      FIG. 4  is a side elevational view of the nozzle shown in  FIG. 3 , with portions thereof broken away to show detail, in a mold partially shown in schematic form; and  
         [0012]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged fragmentary view, partially in section, showing the tip portion of the nozzle shown in  FIG. 4 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0013]     As shown in the drawings and, with particular reference to  FIG. 2 , the nozzle of the present invention is generally designated by the reference number  10  and includes a head portion  12  and body portion  14 . A melt duct  16  having a melt inlet  16   a  extends through the head  12  and body  14  of the nozzle. As best shown in  FIGS. 1 and 4 , the lower portion  12   a  of nozzle head  12  is spaced away in surrounding relation to the upper most portion  14   a  of the nozzle body  14  to define a captive insulative air space  18 .  
         [0014]     An insulative air space  20  ( FIGS. 4 and 5 ) surrounds the nozzle body and functions to minimize heat transfer between the heated nozzle and the cooled mold  22 . In the illustrated embodiment ( FIG. 5 ), nozzle tip component  24  is shown and includes a hollow inner piece  26  having a tip  26   a  and a hollow outer piece  28 . It will be appreciated that other variations and configurations and types of nozzle tip components will be apparent to those skilled in the art.  
         [0015]     Nozzle  10  includes a heater cavity  30  in which a heater core  32  and thermocouple  34  are located. As described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,055,028, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, the volume of the cavity not occupied by the thermocouple and the heater core is filled with a substantially void free, compacted particulate ceramic refractory material such as, for example, magnesium oxide. As described in that patent, the ceramic refractory material of choice, magnesium oxide, provides excellent heat transfer capabilities at high temperatures when it is compacted. After the heater core  32 , thermocouple  34  and ceramic refractory material are inserted into the heater cavity  30 , the nozzle is subjected to a swaging process.  
         [0016]     As is known in the art, a thermocouple and electrical in/out connectors (not shown) are provided in the nozzle head  12 . The connectors communicate with appropriate thermocouple and electrical insulated leads which are contained within a sheathed cable  36 .  
         [0017]     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the reference numerals  38  and  40  respectively designate first and second lateral sides or faces of the nozzle  10 . The opposing lateral faces  38  and  40  of the nozzle are generally flat and generally parallel to one another. In the illustrated embodiment, the nozzle also includes an arcuate back side  42 , an arcuate front side  44 , a top, flat end face  46 , and bottom, flat end face  48 . In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, all of the surfaces of the nozzle head  12  and nozzle body  14 , are of an integral, unitary, seamless construction, except for a metal cover plate  50  that seals the heater cavity and an access slot above the cover plate that is filled with metal. The cover plate  50  is attached to the nozzle by, e.g., welding and the access slot filled with molten metal. Then the entire nozzle is machined to shape and polished to give it a seamless appearance. As shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , a dowel pin  52  is provided to position and stabilize the nozzle in a mold.  
         [0018]     The locations of the heater core and melt duct relative to the associated portions of the surfaces of the nozzle body are an aspect of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 2 , letters designating particular dimensions are as follows:  
                                                       a   Distance between wall of heater cavity 30               and surface of back side 42           b   Distance between wall of melt duct 16 and               surface of heater cavity 30           c   Distance between wall of melt duct 16 and               surface of front side 44 of nozzle body           d   Distance between lateral faces 38 and 40               of the melt duct 16           e   Distance between lateral faces 38 and 40               and heater cavity 30                      
 
         [0019]     Referring to  FIG. 2 , in the illustrated embodiment, it will be noted that dimension “a” is generally less than dimension “c” which is generally less than dimension “b.” In one example, a=0.115 in., b=0.339 in., c=0.219 in., d=0.151 in., and e=0.113 in. While specific dimensions have been given, it will be appreciated that these dimensions can vary depending on the overall size of the nozzle and the operating parameters of the molding application in which the nozzle is to be used.  
         [0020]     It will be understood that the herein described embodiment of the present invention is merely illustrative and that modifications and variations may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.