Patent ID: 7435078

Claim:
A nozzle sleeve for surrounding a portion of an injection nozzle of a hot runner and extending at least partially into a nozzle-receiving cavity of a mold when the mold is engaged with the hot runner, wherein one of 1) the hot runner and 2) the mold includes a retainer for movingly retaining the nozzle sleeve, the nozzle sleeve comprising: a body having a longitudinal central axis and including: a nozzle-sealing opening for sealingly engaging the injection nozzle during molding; a cavity-sealing region for sealingly engaging the nozzle-receiving cavity of the mold during molding; and a stop configured for: engaging the retainer when the mold is disengaged from the hot runner and when the nozzle sleeve is secured to the one of 1) the hot runner and 2) the mold; and being spaced from the retainer during molding.