Patent ID: 7575428

Claim:
A molding system for filling a mold with a molding material, the molding system comprising: an extruder, including: (i) a barrel, the barrel configured to process the molding material, the molding material being pushable from the barrel; (ii) a barrel head, the barrel head operatively attached to the barrel; (iii) a screw disposed, at least in part, in the barrel, the screw configured to process the molding material disposed in the barrel; and (iv) a screw drive connected to the screw, the screw drive configured to drive the screw; a stationary platen configured to support a stationary mold portion of the mold, the stationary mold portion configured to receive the molding material from the barrel head; a movable platen configured to be movable relative to the stationary platen, the movable platen configured to support a movable mold portion of the mold; and a body, the body including: a flange being received, at least in part, at an interface between the barrel and the barrel head, the flange abutting the end of the barrel, the flange also abutting the end of the barrel head; and an outer circumferential surface protruding from the flange into an interior space of the barrel, the outer circumferential surface also protruding from the flange into an interior space of the barrel head, the outer circumferential surface sealing and overlapping against, at least in part, (i) an inner circumferential surface of the barrel, and (ii) an inner circumferential surface of the barrel head; and the body having a coefficient of thermal expansion being: (i) greater than that of the barrel, and (ii) greater than that of the barrel head.