Patent ID: 7134868

Claim:
An injection molding apparatus, comprising: a hot runner manifold, at least one nozzle, and a mold, wherein the mold defines a mold cavity and a gate into the mold cavity for receiving melt from the nozzle, wherein the nozzle comprises a nozzle body, a rip, and a nozzle seal attached to the nozzle body and surrounding the tip, wherein the nozzle body comprises a melt channel therethrough for receiving melt from the manifold, wherein the tip comprises a tip melt channel therethrough that is downstream from and in fluid communication with the nozzle body melt channel, and is positioned upstream from and in fluid communication with the gate, wherein the nozzle seal contacts the mold adjacent the gate such that the mold, the nozzle seal and the tip define an annular melt space adjacent the gate through which melt can flow from the tip melt channel to the gate, and wherein the tip comprises a first material including an exterior surface in the annular melt space, and wherein at least a portion of the exterior surface is coated with a first diamond or diamond-like coating.