Patent ID: 7407379

Claim:
An injection molding apparatus comprising: a manifold having at least one manifold melt channel therethrough; a mold plate defining a gate for transmitting a melt flow to a mold cavity; at least one nozzle comprising a nozzle body having a nozzle melt channel in communication with the manifold melt channel, a nozzle tip including a substantially conical forward portion having a terminal end that is aligned with and spatially offset a predetermined distance “d” from the gate under operating conditions, the nozzle tip defining a central melt channel having a diverted melt channel end portion with a discharge opening that is located rearward of the terminal end for discharging the melt flow received from the nozzle melt channel towards the gate, and a thermally insulative tip retainer for securing the nozzle tip to the nozzle body, wherein the tip retainer includes an annular sealing surface that contacts the mold plate, wherein the predetermined distance “d” that the terminal end of the nozzle tip is set back from the gate creates a temperature gradient in the melt flow that permits the formation of a melt plug at the gate at the completion of an injection cycle to thereby permit a shearing separation of a molded part from the melt plug when the molded part is ejected at the end of the injection cycle.