Patent ID: 7462030

Claim:
An injection molding apparatus comprising: a manifold having a manifold channel; a nozzle having a nozzle body including an upstream nozzle body segment having an upstream melt channel, an intermediate nozzle body segment having an intermediate melt channel, and a downstream nozzle body segment having a downstream melt channel, said intermediate nozzle body segment disposed between said upstream nozzle body segment and said downstream nozzle body segment such that said upstream melt channel, intermediate melt channel and downstream melt channel collectively define a nozzle channel in fluid communication with said manifold channel; and means for connecting said intermediate nozzle body segment with said downstream nozzle body segment such that said intermediate nozzle body segment is not movable relative to said downstream nozzle body segment, wherein said upstream and downstream nozzle body segments are heated and said intermediate nozzle body segment is substantially devoid of a nozzle heater.