Patent ID: 7914271

Claim:
A gate insert of an injection mold, the gate insert comprising: a base member; the base member defines a nozzle interface for receiving, in use, a nozzle of a melt distribution system that is heated, in use, by a heater; the base member defines a gate, the gate configured to fluidly link, in use, a melt channel of the nozzle with a molding cavity; a thermal regulator associated with the base member; and the thermal regulator includes a direct energy conversion device that is capable of heating and cooling; wherein, the thermal regulator is controllably operable, in use, to control a temperature of the gate; and a controller is connected to the thermal regulator, the controller is configured to control, in use, the thermal regulator by varying polarity and magnitude of an applied current to the thermal regulator, the controller is connected to a temperature sensor, the temperature sensor is arranged in the base member, the temperature sensor monitors, in use, the temperature of the gate defined by the base member, the controller is operable for generating a first control signal at a first time and drive the thermal regulator with the first control signal for controlling the thermal regulator to heat the gate, the controller is operable for generating a second control signal at a second time and drive the thermal regulator with the second control signal for controlling the thermal regulator to cool the gate, and the temperature sensor is configured to: (i) generate, in use, a feedback signal to the controller, the feedback signal is representative of the temperature of the gate, and (ii) transmit the feedback signal to the controller, and the controller generates at least one of the first control signal and the second control signal responsive to the feedback signal, wherein the temperature of the gate is actively controlled.