Patent ID: 7252501

Claim:
A nozzle for controlling flow of melt through conduits of injection molding equipment, the nozzle comprising a nozzle body having a nozzle passage therethrough joining a nozzle inlet and a nozzle outlet, a valve pin movably supported within the nozzle passage and having a pin passage therethrough in communication with the nozzle passage and at least one contact arm transverse to and extending beyond the nozzle passage, sealing engagement of the valve pin and nozzle passage preventing melt bypassing the valve pin through the nozzle passage whereby melt is conducted through the pin passage between the nozzle inlet and the nozzle outlet, and a valve pin biasing means, the biasing means biasing the valve pin to a closed position for preventing passage of melt through the nozzle passage, the pin passage being in communication with the nozzle passage and the contact arm effecting movement of the valve pin relative to the nozzle body to an open position when forces acting on the contact arm are sufficient to overcome the biasing means, the open position enabling flow of melt through the nozzle body, the nozzle being mounted in the molding equipment so that the valve pin is displaced to the open position by forces applied to the contact arm as a result of closure of the mold assembly.