Patent ID: 7025585

Claim:
An injection molding apparatus comprising: a manifold having a manifold channel for receiving a melt stream of moldable material under pressure; a nozzle having a nozzle tip and a nozzle channel, the nozzle channel is in communication with the manifold channel for receiving the melt stream from the manifold channel, wherein the nozzle is positioned within a nozzle bore of a mold plate such that an insulation air space surrounds the nozzle; a seal coupled to the nozzle, the seal having an outer surface; and a mold gate insert surrounding the nozzle tip, the mold gate insert including a mold gate to allow melt to flow from the nozzle channel into a mold cavity, a flange extending from an inner surface of the mold gate insert, a surface of the flange being in abutment with the outer surface of the seal, and a groove provided in the mold gate insert, the groove being located adjacent the flange, wherein the groove provides a thermally insulative barrier between the nozzle tip and a remainder of the mold gate insert by decreasing the amount of heat that is transferred through the flange of the mold gate insert.