Actuator cooling apparatus and method
First Claim
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1. An actuator cooling apparatus comprising:
- an actuator comprising an actuator housing containing a drive member interconnected to a valve pin having a drive axis, wherein the valve pin is drivable along the axis between an upstream gate open position and a downstream gate closed position for opening and closing a gate of a mold cavity,the actuator housing being mounted with respect to an upstream surface of a heated manifold such that a downstream surface of the actuator housing is spaced a selectable distance forming a gap between the downstream surface of the actuator housing and the upstream surface of the heated manifold,the actuator cooling apparatus including one or more heat convectors for maintaining the actuator in a relatively cool condition relative to the heated manifold, each heat convector comprised of;
a heat conductive leg disposed within the gap, the leg being isolated from direct metal-to-metal contact with the actuator housing and mounted in heat conductive communication with the heated manifold, thus maintaining the actuator in a relatively cool condition relative to the heated manifold, anda heat conductive arm extending distally away from the gap such that heat is conducted from the leg to the arm and away from the actuator housing.
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Abstract
An injection molding apparatus comprising a heated manifold, an actuator comprised of an actuator housing containing a drive member interconnected to a valve pin having a drive axis, one or more heat convectors each heat convector comprised of a heat conductive leg disposed within a gap disposed between the manifold and a downstream end of the actuator housing and a heat conductive arm extending distally upstream and away from the gap such that heat is conducted from the leg to the arm upstream and away from the downstream end of the actuator housing.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. An actuator cooling apparatus comprising:
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an actuator comprising an actuator housing containing a drive member interconnected to a valve pin having a drive axis, wherein the valve pin is drivable along the axis between an upstream gate open position and a downstream gate closed position for opening and closing a gate of a mold cavity, the actuator housing being mounted with respect to an upstream surface of a heated manifold such that a downstream surface of the actuator housing is spaced a selectable distance forming a gap between the downstream surface of the actuator housing and the upstream surface of the heated manifold, the actuator cooling apparatus including one or more heat convectors for maintaining the actuator in a relatively cool condition relative to the heated manifold, each heat convector comprised of; a heat conductive leg disposed within the gap, the leg being isolated from direct metal-to-metal contact with the actuator housing and mounted in heat conductive communication with the heated manifold, thus maintaining the actuator in a relatively cool condition relative to the heated manifold, and a heat conductive arm extending distally away from the gap such that heat is conducted from the leg to the arm and away from the actuator housing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. In an injection molding apparatus wherein a heated manifold receives an injection fluid material and delivers the injection fluid material under an injection pressure to a gate of a mold cavity, and
an actuator comprises an actuator housing containing a drive member interconnected to a valve pin having a drive axis and wherein the valve pin is drivable along the drive axis between an upstream gate open position and a downstream gate closed position for opening and closing the gate of the mold cavity, a downstream end of the actuator housing being spaced a selectable distance upstream of an upstream surface of the heated manifold forming a gap between the downstream end of the actuator housing and the upstream surface of the heated manifold, the improvement comprising an actuator cooling apparatus including one or more heat convectors for maintaining the actuator in a relatively cool condition relative to the heated manifold, each heat convector comprised of: -
a heat conductive leg configured to be disposed within the gap, the leg being isolated from direct metal-to-metal contact with the actuator housing and mounted in heat conductive communication with the heated manifold, thus maintaining the actuator in a relatively cool condition relative to the heated manifold, and a heat conductive arm configured to extend distally upstream and away from the gap, and spaced radially apart from the actuator housing relative to the drive axis, such that heat is conducted from the leg to the arm upstream and away from the downstream end of the actuator housing. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification