Patent ID: 7232538

Claim:
An injection molding coupling for use between a relatively movable injection unit and a relatively stationary unit base, comprising: a subplate configured to be relatively movable with respect to the unit base; and a flexible pad device configured to be disposed between said subplate and the injection unit, and configured to absorb shock and vibration during unit stroking; and a self aligning articulated joint configured to be disposed between the injection unit and a hot runner, said articulated joint comprising: a joint having first and second spherical surfaces and a melt channel therein, said joint being substantially fixedly coupled to one of the injection unit and the hot runner; and first and second concave pads respectively in contact with said first and second spherical surfaces and configured to be movable with respect thereto, at least one of said first and second concave pads being substantially fixedly coupled to the other one of the injection unit and the hot runner, said at least one of said first and second concave pads having a melt channel configured to be in fluid communication with said joint melt channel.