Patent ID: 6971869

Claim:
An injection molding apparatus comprising: a runner component including at least one runner that receives melt from a melt source; a nozzle in fluid communication with the runner, the nozzle comprising, a heated nozzle body, including a melt passage therethrough, a nozzle tip, including an outer surface and a tip melt passage therethrough, wherein the tip melt passage is in fluid communication with the melt passage of the nozzle body, and a thermally conductive tip surrounding piece that is removably coupled to the nozzle body and retains the nozzle tip in position with respect to the nozzle body, the tip surrounding piece including an inner surface, wherein at least a portion of the inner surface of the tip surrounding piece is spaced a distance from the outer surface of the nozzle tip to thereby define a chamber; a mold contacting piece that is proximate to the nozzle; and a mold component that is proximate to the mold contacting piece, the mold component including a mold cavity for receiving melt from said nozzle.