Patent ID: 7137807

Claim:
A nozzle for an injection molding apparatus, said injection molding apparatus including a manifold and a mold component, said mold component defining at least one mold cavity, said mold component defining a gate into each mold cavity, said gate defining an axis, said mold component having a mold component alignment surface thereon, said nozzle comprising: a nozzle body, wherein said nozzle body defines a nozzle body melt passage; a tip that is removably connected to said nozzle body, wherein said tip defines a tip melt passage, said tip melt passage is downstream from and in fluid communication with said nozzle body melt passage, and said tip melt passage is adapted to be upstream from and in fluid communication with said gate; a tip surrounding piece that is removably connected with respect to said nozzle body; and an alignment piece positioned between said tip and said tip surrounding piece and free from contact with said nozzle body, and wherein said tip contacts said alignment piece to align said tip with respect to said alignment piece, wherein said alignment piece contacts said tip surrounding piece to align said alignment piece with respect to said tip surrounding piece, and wherein said tip surrounding piece is adapted to contact said mold component to align said tip surrounding piece with respect to said gate, so that said tip is aligned with respect to said gate, and wherein said contact between said tip, said alignment piece, said tip surrounding piece and said mold component are all adapted to be axially proximate said gate.