Patent ID: 8277213

Claim:
An adaptor bushing for use in an injection molding apparatus said injection molding apparatus comprising a material distributing manifold, at least one nozzle assembly and at least one nozzle retention device for threadably retaining a nozzle body comprising the nozzle assembly with the material distributing manifold, the nozzle retention device effective to clamp the adaptor bushing between the material distributing manifold and the nozzle assembly, the adaptor bushing comprising: a bushing passage for fluid communication between a communicating passage comprising a passage of the material distributing manifold and a nozzle passage comprising the nozzle assembly; at least one transition region joining portions of the bushing passage; and, at least one alignment surface effective for achieving alignment of the adaptor bushing to effect concentricity of the inlet and outlet of the bushing passage with, respectively, the outlet of the communicating passage and the inlet of the nozzle passage and to prevent, under normal operating conditions, leakage of material at the bushing inlet and outlet interfaces with, respectively the communicating passage and nozzle passage, and wherein one of the adaptor bushing and the retention device comprises alignment surfaces to align the longitudinal centerline of the nozzle passage with the longitudinal centerline of the bushing passage.