Patent ID: 6962492

Claim:
A nozzle for an injection molding apparatus, comprising: a nozzle body, said nozzle body defining a nozzle body melt passage, said nozzle body melt passage having an inlet that is adapted to be downstream from and in fluid communication with a melt source; a heater that is connected to said body for heating melt in said nozzle body melt passage; a tip, said tip defining a tip melt passage that is downstream from and in communication with said nozzle body melt passage, and said tip melt passage having an outlet that is upstream from a gate in a mold component, said nozzle tip including a tip sealing surface; and a tip surrounding piece, said tip surrounding piece including a first tip surrounding piece sealing surface, wherein said first tip surrounding piece sealing surface and said tip sealing surface are separated by a gap, and said gap is sized to inhibit the flow of melt between said first tip surrounding piece sealing surface and said tip sealing surface.