Abstract:
In an injection molding apparatus comprising a clamp plate, a heated manifold and a mold, a system for mounting an actuator to the manifold and the clamp plate, the system comprising:
       a mount comprised of a thermally conductive material having first and second heat conductive surfaces disposed between the clamp plate and the actuator;   the first conductive surface being in heat conductive communication with the actuator, the second conductive surface being in heat conductive communication with the clamp plate;   the actuator being mounted in thermal communication with the manifold;   the mount being adjustably mounted to the actuator such that the second conductive surface can be adjusted in position toward and away from the actuator.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation of and claims the benefit of priority of and to PCT/US2011/029721 filed Mar. 24, 2011 which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/317,522 filed March 2010. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to injection molding equipment generally and more particularly to assemblies for mounting an actuator to a manifold. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Heated hotrunners, manifolds, nozzles, nozzle tips and gate areas that are used in injection molding systems serve to receive and route molten material, typically polymer or plastic, under conditions of high pressure and high temperature. A natural consequence of the use of such high temperatures under which the molten material is injected into the manifold or distribution system is that operating components of the system such as an actuator that are incidentally in thermal communication with or disposed in close proximity to such heated components are themselves subjected to such high temperatures. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    In accordance with the invention there is provided in an injection molding apparatus comprising a clamp plate, a heated manifold and a mold, a system for mounting an actuator to the manifold and the clamp plate, the system comprising: 
         [0005]    a mount comprised of a thermally conductive material having first and second opposing surfaces disposed between the heated manifold and the actuator, the actuator being mounted to the mount in thermal communication with the first opposing surface, the manifold being mounted in thermal communication with the second opposing surface of the mount; 
         [0006]    the mount having one or more third thermally conductive surfaces in thermal communication with the clamp plate. 
         [0007]    The clamp plate, manifold and mold are typically assembled together with the actuator and the mount in an assembled operating arrangement such that the third thermally conductive surfaces of the mount are in compressed contact with the clamp plate under a spring force. 
         [0008]    The spring force in such an embodiment is created by a deformation of a portion of the mount. 
         [0009]    The manifold is typically heated to an elevated temperature from between about 300 degrees and about 800 degrees F., typically to between about 400 and about 600 degrees F. The clamping plate is typically cooled to a temperature significantly less than about 300 degrees F. and typically to less than about 150 degrees F. 
         [0010]    The system preferably includes a thermally conductive cooling device having first and second mounting surfaces disposed between the second mounting surface of the mount and the heated manifold, the mount being mounted in thermally conductive communication with the first mounting surface of the cooling device and the manifold being mounted in thermally conductive communication with the second mounting surface of the cooling device. The cooling device typically comprises a thermally conductive metal device that is cooled to a temperature significantly less than about 300 degrees, typically to less than about 150 degrees F., preferably to less than about 100 degrees F. 
         [0011]    The actuator or a body surface thereof is typically mounted in thermally conductive contact engagement with the first opposing surface of the mount. The clamp plate or a body surface thereof is typically mounted in thermally conductive contact or engagement with the one or more third thermally conductive surfaces of the mount. The cooling device or a body surface thereof is typically mounted in thermally conductive contact or engagement with the second opposing surface of the mount. 
         [0012]    The mount typically comprises a plate having a primary mounting surface that receives and engages a body surface of the actuator. The plate typically has projections that are arranged and configured to extend beyond the engaged body surface of the actuator such that the projections of the plate are formed into the third surfaces of the plate that laterally extend into thermally conductive contact engagement with one or more body surfaces of the clamp plate. The engaged surfaces of the clamp plate and the mount cause the actuator to be cooled by conduction of heat from the actuator to the clamp plate through the thermally conductive mount. Similarly, the engaged surfaces of the cooling device and the mount further enable the mount to be cooled thus also serving to cool the actuator via conduction of heat from the actuator to the cooling device through the mount. 
         [0013]    In such an embodiment, the projections of the mount include a spring, the clamp plate, the mold, the manifold, the actuator and the mount being assembled together in an arrangement wherein the spring is loaded urging the third surfaces into compressed engagement with the clamp plate. 
         [0014]    The clamp plate is preferably mounted in a position upstream from and in spaced thermal isolation from the manifold. The clamp plate is most preferably cooled. 
         [0015]    The actuator is connected to a valve pin that extends through a fluid material feed bore in the manifold. The valve pin preferably extends from the actuator and is mounted to the manifold. 
         [0016]    In another aspect of the invention there is provided in an injection molding apparatus having a clamp plate and a heated manifold, a system for mounting an actuator to the manifold and the clamp plate, the system comprising: 
         [0017]    a mount comprised of a thermally conductive material having first and second opposing surfaces disposed between the heated manifold and the actuator, the actuator being mounted in thermally conductive contact with the first opposing surface and the manifold being in mounted in thermal communication with the second opposing surface of the mount; 
         [0018]    wherein the clamp plate is cooled to a substantially lower temperature than the heated manifold of at least about 100 degrees F.; 
         [0019]    the mount having one or more extensions in thermally conductive contact with the cooled clamp plate. 
         [0020]    In such an embodiment, the mount includes a spring, the clamp plate, the mold, the manifold, the actuator and the mount being assembled together in an arrangement wherein the spring is loaded urging the extensions into compressed engagement with the clamp plate. 
         [0021]    In another aspect of the invention there is provided in an injection molding apparatus having a clamp plate and a heated manifold, a system for mounting an actuator to the manifold and the clamp plate, the system comprising: 
         [0022]    a mount comprised of a thermally conductive material having first and second heat conductive surfaces disposed between the clamp plate and the actuator, the actuator being mounted in thermal communication with the first conductive surface and the clamp plate being in mounted in thermal communication with the second conductive surface; 
         [0023]    the actuator being mounted to the manifold; 
         [0024]    the second conductive surface of the mount being urged into contact with the clamp plate under a spring force exerted between the actuator and the mount. 
         [0025]    In such an embodiment, the apparatus preferably comprises a cooling device disposed between the actuator and the manifold and separating the actuator from direct contact with the manifold, the cooling device having a first mounting surface in thermally conductive communication with a mounting surface of the actuator and a second mounting surface in thermally conductive communication with a mounting surface of the manifold. The cooling device typically comprises a thermally conductive metal device that is cooled to a temperature significantly less than about 300 degrees, typically to less than about 150 degrees F., preferably to less than about 100 degrees F. 
         [0026]    In such an embodiment, the first conductive surface of the mount is adapted to be slidably engaged with an outside surface of the actuator, the second conductive surface of the mount being adjustable in distance toward and away from the actuator by sliding movement of the first conductive surface on the outside surface of the actuator. 
         [0027]    The first conductive surface of the mount is preferably maintained or secured in compressed contact with the outside surface of the actuator. 
         [0028]    The clamp plate is preferably mounted in a position upstream from and in spaced thermal isolation from the manifold. The clamp plate is most preferably cooled. 
         [0029]    In such an embodiment the mount can include a spring disposed between a body surface of the actuator and the mount, the clamp plate, the mold, the manifold, the actuator and the mount being assembled together in an arrangement wherein the spring is compressed urging the second conductive surface of the mount into compressed engagement with the clamp plate. 
         [0030]    In such an embodiment, the actuator is connected to a valve pin that extends through a fluid material feed bore in the manifold. The valve pin preferably extends from the actuator and is mounted to the manifold. 
         [0031]    In another aspect of the invention there is provided in an injection molding apparatus having a clamp plate and a heated manifold, a system for mounting an actuator to the manifold and the clamp plate, the system comprising: 
         [0032]    a mount comprised of a thermally conductive material having first and second heat conductive surfaces disposed between the clamp plate and the actuator, the actuator being mounted in thermal communication with the first conductive surface and the clamp plate being in mounted in thermal communication with the second conductive surface; 
         [0033]    the mount being adjustably mounted to the actuator such that the second conductive surface can be adjusted in position relative to the actuator for selectively engaging and disengaging from thermally conductive contact with the clamp plate. 
         [0034]    In such an embodiment the mount can include a spring disposed between a body surface of the actuator and the mount, the clamp plate, the mold, the manifold, the actuator and the mount being assembled together in an arrangement wherein the spring is compressed urging the second conductive surface of the mount into compressed engagement with the clamp plate. 
         [0035]    In such an embodiment, the clamp plate is adapted to be mounted to the mold and the actuator is adapted to be mounted to the manifold in an arrangement such that a spring is compressed to exert the spring force on assembly and mounting of the clamp plate to the mold. 
         [0036]    In another aspect of the invention there is provided in an injection molding apparatus comprising a clamp plate, a heated manifold and a mold, a system for mounting an actuator to the manifold and the clamp plate, the system comprising: 
         [0037]    a mount comprised of a thermally conductive material having first and second heat conductive surfaces disposed between the clamp plate and the actuator, 
         [0038]    the clamp plate being mounted in substantial thermal isolation from the manifold; 
         [0039]    the actuator being mounted to the manifold; 
         [0040]    the first conductive surface of the mount being mounted in sliding conductive contact with a surface of the actuator, the second conductive surface of the mount being urged into contact with the clamp plate under a spring force exerted between the actuator and the mount, 
         [0041]    the first conductive surface of the mount being slidable against the surface of the actuator under the spring force while the second conductive surface of the mount is urged into contact with the clamp plate by the spring force. 
         [0042]    In such an embodiment the actuator is mounted in thermally conductive communication with the heated manifold. 
         [0043]    In such an embodiment, the clamp plate is adapted to be mounted to the mold and the actuator is adapted to be mounted to the manifold in an arrangement such that a spring is compressed to exert the spring force on assembly and mounting of the the clamp plate to the mold. 
         [0044]    In another aspect of the invention there is provided a method of mounting an actuator that drives a valve pin in an injection molding system comprising a manifold, a mold and a clamp plate, the method comprising: 
         [0045]    mounting the clamp plate to the mold in thermal isolation from the manifold; 
         [0046]    cooling the clamp plate; 
         [0047]    mounting the actuator in thermal communication with the manifold; 
         [0048]    heating the manifold; 
         [0049]    forming a heat transfer mount having a spring, a first conductive surface and a second conductive surface; 
         [0050]    assembling the clamp plate, the manifold, the actuator and the mold together such that the first conductive surface of the heat conductive mount is disposed in contact with a heat conductive surface of the actuator, the second conductive surface of the heat conductive mount is disposed in heat conductive contact with the clamp plate and the spring is compressed to urge the second conductive surface of the mount into thermally conductive contact with the clamp plate. 
         [0051]    Typically the method further comprises mounting the heat transfer mount to the heat conductive surface of the actuator such that the first conductive surface of the heat transfer mount is maintained in sliding heat conductive contact with the heat conductive surface of the actuator. 
         [0052]    The method preferably further comprises disposing a cooled plate between the actuator and the manifold in thermally conductive communication therewith. 
         [0053]    The method can further comprise driving the valve pin through a fluid feed bore within the manifold. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0054]      FIG. 1  is a schematic cross-sectional view of a hotrunner system incorporating an apparatus according to the invention; 
           [0055]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged detail view of a portion of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0056]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional plan view taken along line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0057]      FIG. 4  is a fragmentary cross-sectional side view taken along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0058]      FIG. 5  is an exploded top perspective view of the actuator, actuator mount system and hotrunner of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0059]      FIG. 6  is an exploded bottom perspective view of the system as shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0060]      FIG. 7  is a further exploded top perspective view of the system as shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0061]      FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional side perspective view of an alternate embodiment of a system according to the invention employing spacer bars; 
           [0062]      FIG. 9  is a bottom perspective view of the system as shown in  FIG. 8 ; 
           [0063]      FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional side view an alternate embodiment of the invention having a heat transfer plate engaging an upper end of the actuator component; 
           [0064]      FIG. 11  is a top perspective view of the system as shown in  FIG. 10 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0065]      FIGS. 1-9  show an actuator  40  comprised of a thermally conductive metal housing  45  having a bottom surface  41  mounted in compressed engagement/contact with a top surface  12  of a highly thermally conductive plate  10 . The actuator  40  is surrounded by and/or mounted within a complementary receiving recess CA of large thermally conductive metal clamp plate  20  which is proactively cooled with water pumped through cooling channels  25  during operation of the injection molding apparatus. The apparatus generally is comprised of an injection molding machine  70 ,  FIG. 1 , which injects fluid material into the flow channels  53  of a hotrunner or manifold  50  which is heated to an elevated temperature by heaters  55 . The hotrunner  50  is mounted between a cooled upstream clamping plate or clamp plate  20  and a downstream mold  500 . The fluid material is routed from the runners  53  of the hotrunner  50  into the cavity of a mold  500 , the mold typically being cooled in the same manner as the clamp plate  20  is cooled. 
         [0066]    As shown in all of the embodiments of  FIGS. 1-11 , the actuator  40  is mounted to the manifold  50 , separated from direct contact with the manifold  50  in the  FIGS. 1-9  embodiments by both the mounting plate  10 , a cooling device  30  and mount  60  for the cooling device. In the  FIGS. 10 ,  11  embodiment, the actuator is separated from direct contact with the manifold by the cooling device  30  and the mount  60  for the cooling device. 
         [0067]    In the  FIGS. 1-9  embodiments, a bottom surface  41  of the body  45  of the actuator  40  is mounted in thermally conductive contact with a top surface  12  of the highly thermally conductive cooling or mounting plate  10 . The bottom or downstream surface  13  of the cooling or mount plate  10  is in turn mounted in compressed contact with the top or upstream facing surface  31  of highly thermally conductive metal cooling block  30 . The cooling block  30  is proactively cooled with water pumped through cooling channels  33  during active operation of the entire apparatus. As shown the cooling block is mounted on a mount  60  the bottom surfaces  63  of which are mounted in direct contact with the top surface  57  of the heated hotrunner  50 . During operation of the apparatus, the cooled cooling block  30  serves to maintain the actuator  40  cool and/or relatively insulated from the heated manifold  50 . In the embodiment shown in the Figures, the cooling block  30  is mounted on the intermediate mount  60  which itself is mounted in engagement contact with the body or top surface  57  of the heated manifold  50  via bolts  62 . Heat from the heated manifold  50  is thus thermally conducted or transferred through the bolts  62  and through the mount  60 , block  30  and mount  10  to the actuator  40 . 
         [0068]    As shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , the highly thermally conductive cooling mount  10  has lateral extensions or wings  14  that are configured and arranged to have an upper or upstream facing surface(s)  11  that make compressed contact with a lower surface  21  of the cooled clamp plate  20  thus enabling heat that may otherwise flow from the manifold  50  to/through the cooling block  30  and the plate  10  and the actuator  40  to be conductively transferred to the cooled clamp plate  20 . Once the actuator  40  together with winged cooling plate  10  and in the position shown in  FIGS. 1-9  on cooling device  30  and mount  60  onto surface  57 , the rest of the system is assembled and arranged such that the clamp plate  20  is mounted a spaced distance S upstream of the heated manifold  50 . The actuator  40  and its associated components plate  30  and mount  60  collectively have a mounting height AH extending upstream from the surface  57  of the heated manifold  50 . The receiving cavity  20  of the clamp plate  20  has a receiving depth CH of sufficient size together with space S to accommodate receipt of the mounting height AH of the assembly of the actuator  40 , plates  100 , and cooling device  30 . 
         [0069]    Thus in the  FIGS. 1-9  embodiment, some portion of the heat that is conducted to the body of the actuator  40  from the heated manifold  50  is re-routed or conducted to the wings  14  via heat conductive engagement of the surfaces  13  and  31 . Such heat that is conducted to the wings  14  is in turn conducted to the clamp plate surface  21  via engagement with the spring-loaded heat conductive surface  11 , the clamp plate  20  acting as a heat sink to help lower the temperature of the body  45  of the actuator  40 . 
         [0070]    As shown the system is adapted and arranged so that when assembled, the clamp plate  20  is thermally isolated from the heated manifold by an insulating air space S by which the clamp plate  20  is spaced apart from the upstream surface  57  of the manifold  50 . Typically, the clamp plate  20  is maintained in such a thermally isolated position relative to the manifold  50 , the clamp plate having little to no direct thermally conductive contact with the manifold  50  other than incidentally through a less than about  2  inch square area of contact that may exist between a spacer  48  and the clamp plate  20  and between the spacer  48  and the manifold  50 , the spacer  48  being disposed between the clamp plate  20  and the manifold for purposes of ensuring proper positioning of the manifold  50  relative to the clamp plate  20 . The clamp plate  20  is typically cooled with a cooling fluid pumped and flowing through cooling channels  25  in the body of the clamp plate  20 . Thus, thermally conductive direct contact between the surfaces  11  and the clamp plate surface  21  enable heat to transfer from the body  45  of the actuator  40  to the clamp plate  20 , the heat being readily dissipated by the cooled clamp plate  20 . 
         [0071]    The winged cooling plate  10  is comprised of a highly thermally conductive material. The cooling plate assembly  10 ,  30 ,  60  has an assembled height ASH when mounted to the manifold surface  57  that extends from the downstream-most mounting surface  63  of the mount  60  to the upstream facing engagement surface  11  of the wings  14  of the cooling plate  10 ,  FIGS. 4-6 . The length of the spacing distance S is predetermined relative to the assembled height ASH such that when the components of the system including the clamp plate  20  and manifold  50  are assembled and connected together with the mold  500 , the upstream facing surfaces  11  of the wings  14  engage the downstream facing surface  21  of the clamp plate  20  under a selected amount of compression created by the downstream bending of wings  14  resulting in upward spring force SF being exerted by wings  14  urging surfaces  11  in an upstream direction into compressed engagement with surface  21  of cooled clamp plate  20 . Thus the system is adapted to have an assembled configuration where on assembly together of the clamp plate  20 , mold  500 , manifold  50 , actuator  40  and mount  10 , the spring force in the wings  14  is loaded thus urging the surfaces  11  into thermally conductive compressed engagement with the surface  21 . 
         [0072]    The compressed contact between thermally conductive metal surfaces  11  and  21  enables heat flow between the bodies  10 ,  20  having the metal surfaces. The cooling device  30  is typically cooled to less than about 100 degrees Fahrenheit and is actively cooled by water injection flow during an injection cycle. When the injection molding machine  70  is shut down, all of the other components of the apparatus including the cooling device are also typically shut down causing the actuator  40  to be more prone and subject to being heated up by the manifold  50 . The manifold  50  is very large in size and mass and thus takes a longer time to cool down on shutting the apparatus down. Thus immediately after shut down of the apparatus, the cooling block  30  is not proactively working to maintain the actuator  40  cool while the manifold  50  simultaneously remains at a very high temperature thus causing elevated heat transfer from the manifold  50  through the mount  60  and the block  30  to the actuator  40 . The thermally conductive plate-mount  10  serves to divert the manifold heat via the wings  14  to the relatively cool clamp plate  20  which is itself a very large mass of material which is not easily heated up by the hot manifold on shut down. The thermally conductive mount  10  thus essentially cools the actuator  40  or at least works to minimize or lessen the amount of heat transfer from the manifold  50  to the actuator  40  without active cooling by the cooling device  30 . 
         [0073]    In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 8 ,  9 , a spacer  80  is compressibly connected to selected position on the downstream facing surface  21  of the clamp plate  20  such that the upstream facing surface  11  of the wings  14  engage a downstream facing surface  83  of the spacers  80  rather than directly to the clamp plate surface  21 . The spacers  80  are comprised of a highly thermally conductive material so that heat conducts readily from the wings  14  to the spacers  80  and in turn from the spacers to the clamp plate body  20 . The spacers  80  can be employed to increase the size of the insulating air space S 1  or for otherwise accommodating thickness, height or other size variations in the components  10 ,  30 ,  60  or other components that may be employed to assemble and mount the cooling plate  10 . As in the  FIGS. 1-7  embodiment, the size, depth and height of the various components of the system shown in  FIGS. 8 ,  9  are preselected such that when the components of the system are all assembled, in particular when the clamp plate  20  and manifold are mounted to the mold  500  and the spacers  48  and  80  are assembled and connected to the clamp plate  20 , the upstream facing surfaces  11  of the wings  14  engage the downstream facing surface  83  of the spacers  80  under a selected amount of compression created by the downstream bending of wings  14  resulting in upward spring force SF being exerted by wings  14  urging surfaces  11  in an upstream direction into compressed engagement with surfaces  83  of spacers  80 . As in other embodiments, the clamp plate  20  is preferably thermally isolated from the heated manifold  50 . 
         [0074]    In an alternative embodiment shown in  FIGS. 10 ,  11 , the actuator  40  is mounted to the manifold  50 , separated from direct contact with the manifold  50  by the cooling device  30  and the mount  60  for the cooling device. The  FIGS. 10 ,  11  apparatus has cooling or heat deflector plates  100  which are flanged as shown. The plates  100  have one or more slots  150  that slidably receive projections  160  from a sidewall  43  of the actuator  40  such that the plates  150  can be slid or moved in an upstream or downstream direction  180  relative to the actuator  40 . The projections  160  comprise a bolt  160   b  that extends laterally through the slots  150 , the bolts having a diameter that is complementary to the width W of the slots  150  so that the plate  100  is prevented from travelling in front to back direction T and is slidable in an up and down direction UD. The projections  160  preferably have a head portion  160   h  having a diameter that is wider than the width W of the slot  150 , the head portion  160   h  having an inwardly facing surface  160   a  that engages the outwardly facing edge surfaces  150   a  of the slots  150  thus preventing the plates  100  from moving in a lateral direction L away from the outside lateral surface  43  of the body of the actuator  40 . As shown, the bolts  160   b  are screwed and secured a selected distance into the depth of the body of the actuator  40  as shown in  FIG. 10  so as to stably position the projections  160  and the head  160   h  and inwardly facing surface  160   a  relative to the the side edges  150   a  of the slots  150  such the inside surfaces  104   i  of the sides  104  of the plates  100  are held in engaged contact with the outside surface  43  of the actuator  40 . 
         [0075]    The inside surfaces  104   i  that are engaged with the outside surface  43  of the actuator are thus in heat conductive contact with the sidewall  43  or other outside surface of the actuator  40  as may alternatively be selected for engagement of the plates  100  therewith. As shown, the plates  100  have a top flanged portion  106  that extends and is disposed between a top end surface  47  of the actuator  40  and a downstream facing surface  140  of the top clamp plate  20 . The top flanged portion  106  of the cooling or deflector plates  100  have a top or upstream facing surface  130  that is urged by spring force  128  of spring  120  into engagement and heat conductive contact with the downstream facing surface  140  of the top clamp plate. A plate or leaf spring  120  is disposed in engagement with the top surface  47  of the actuator  40 . The leaf spring  120  is configured and arranged having a pair of laterally extending arms  120  having terminal ends  122  that engage with a pair of receiving or bearing surfaces  102  of the plate(s)  100 . 
         [0076]    As shown in  FIGS. 10 ,  11 , the ends  122  of the spring  120  engage with the plates at about the area of the bend in the plates  100  that forms the flange. When the arms  120  of the springs are compressed, the ends  122  of the arms exert an upstream directed spring force  128  against the plates  100  that urges the upstream facing surfaces  130  of the plates  100  into heat conductive engagement with the downstream facing surface  140  of the top clamp plate. 
         [0077]    In such an alternative embodiment, heat that is conducted to the body of the actuator  40  from the heated manifold  50  is re-routed or conducted to the side portions  104  of the plates  100  via heat conductive engagement of the inside surfaces  104   i  of the sides  104  with the outside surfaces  43  of the actuator  40 . Such heat that is conducted to the side portions  104  is in turn conducted to the top portions  106  which is in turn conducted to the body of the clamp plate  20  via the spring-loaded  128  heat conductive contact between the top surface  130  of the top portions  106  with the surface  140  of the top clamp plate  20 . 
         [0078]    As shown in  FIGS. 10 ,  11 , the body of the actuator  40  is mounted directly on and in heat conductive engagement with the cooling block  30 . The actuator  40  in combination with the cooling plates  100  and cooling device is mounted and secured via bolts  62  onto the upstream facing surface  57  of the heated manifold  50 . As shown the actuator  40  and associated components have a certain height AH that they extend upstream from the surface  57 . Once the actuator  40  together with its accompanying plates  100  and spring  120  has been mounted in the position shown in  FIGS. 10 ,  11  on cooling device  30  and surface  57 , the rest of the system is assembled such that the clamp plate  20  is mounted a spaced distance S upstream of the heated manifold  50 . The mounting height AH of the assembly of the actuator  40 , plates  100 , and cooling device  30  and the depth CH of the receiving aperture CA in the clamp plate  20  are preselected so that when the components of the system including the clamp plate  20  and manifold  50  are assembled and connected together with the mold  500 , the upstream facing surface  130  of the plates  100  engage the downstream facing surface  140  of the clamp plate  20  under compression created by compression of springs  120  resulting in the spring force  128  urging surface  130  in an upstream direction into compressed engagement with surface  140 . 
         [0079]    When the system is assembled as described with the upstream surface  130  of the plates engaging the downstream surface  140  of the clamp plate under compression  128 , the inside surfaces  104   i  of the plates  100  are free to slide upstream and downstream UD against the outside surface  43  of the actuator  40 , the plates themselves being free to slide upstream and downstream UD to accommodate any changes in the distance AH that can or may occur as a result of expansion or contraction of the length, width or depth of the manifold  50 , plates  30 ,  60  or  20  or the actuator body  40  or other components of the system when the assembled system is raised to elevated operating temperature or lowered from operating temperature to room temperature. 
         [0080]    As shown in  FIGS. 10 ,  11  the system is adapted and arranged so that when assembled, the clamp plate  20  is thermally isolated from the heated manifold by an insulating space S by which the clamp plate is spaced apart from the manifold. The insulating space S results from the pre-selection of the actuator height AH relative to the cavity height CH where the spring force  128  occurs on assembly of the clamp plate  20  together with the mold  500  and manifold  50 . Typically, the clamp plate  20  is isolated from and mounted to either or both the mold  500  and manifold  50  such that the clamp plate  20  is maintained in a thermally isolated position relative to the manifold  50  spaced by S, the clamp plate having little to no direct thermally conductive contact with the manifold  50  other than incidentally through a less than about  2  inch square area of contact that may exist between a spacer  48  or other component and the clamp plate  20 , the spacer  48  being in similar conductive contact with the manifold  50 . The spacer  48  is disposed between the clamp plate  20  and the manifold  50  for purposes of ensuring the proper positioning of the manifold  50  relative to the clamp plate  20 . The clamp plate  20  may alternatively be mounted to the mold  500  without conductive contact with the manifold  50  such that insulating space S is maintained. 
         [0081]    The clamp plate  20  is typically cooled with a cooling fluid disposed and flowing through cooling channels  25  in the body of the clamp plate  20 . Thus, thermally conductive direct contact between the slidable plates  100  and the clamp plate  20  enable heat to transfer from the body of the actuator  40  to the clamp plate, the heat being readily dissipated by the cooled clamp plate  20 . 
         [0082]    As shown in  FIGS. 10 ,  11 , the downstream facing surfaces  60   a  of a downstream mount  60  for the cooling device  30  are mounted in compressed contact with the top surface  57  of the manifold  50  when the system is fully assembled. The cooling block  30  is proactively cooled with water pumped through cooling channels  33  during active operation of the entire apparatus. During operation of the apparatus, the cooled cooling block  30  serves to maintain the actuator  40  cool and/or relatively insulated from the heated manifold  50 . In the embodiment shown, the cooling block  30  is mounted on an intermediate mount  60  which itself is mounted in engagement contact with the body or upstream facing surface  57  of the heated manifold  50  via bolts  62 . Heat from the heated manifold  50  is thus thermally conducted or transferred to the actuator  40  through the bolts  62 , mount  60  and block  30 . 
         [0083]    In all embodiments of the invention, the mold  500  is preferably also thermally isolated from the manifold, there being on incidental contact between certain components such as an injection nozzle with both the manifold and the mold. 
         [0084]    Further in all of the embodiments shown, a valve pin  400  is interconnected at an upstream end to a piston of the actuator  40 . The valve pin  400  extends from the actuator  40  first into and through a fluid material feed bore  53  in the manifold  50  itself (as opposed to directly into the bore of the nozzle  58 ), the manifold bore  53  communicating with and feeding molten fluid material into the bore of the nozzle  58  that leads to and feeds into the cavity of the mold  500 . The valve pin  400  is typically mounted to the manifold  50  such that the valve pin  400  moves laterally with the manifold  50  as the manifold expands on heating to operating temperature. As shown, the valve pin  400  is mounted to the manifold  50  via a bushing  420  or alternatively by extending through a complementary aperture (embodiment not shown) provided in the body of the manifold  50  itself that receives the valve pin  400 .