Gate Insert

Abstract

Disclosed, amongst other things, is a gate insert of an injection mold that includes a base member. The base member defines a nozzle interface for receiving, in use, a nozzle of a melt distribution system that is heated, in use, by a heater, and a gate, the gate configured to fluidly link, in use, a melt channel of the nozzle with a molding cavity. The gate insert further includes a thermal regulator associated with the base member, the thermal regulator includes a direct energy conversion device that is capable of heating and cooling, wherein the thermal regulator is controllably operable, in use, to control the temperature of the gate.

1 . A method of injection molding a molded article in an injection molding system, the injection molding system includes an injection mold with a gate insert, the gate insert including a base member that defines a nozzle interface and a gate, a nozzle registered with the nozzle interface, the nozzle including a heater, the gate configured to fluidly link a melt channel of the nozzle with a molding cavity defined by the injection mold, a thermal regulator associated with the base member and thermally linked thereto, the thermal regulator includes a direct energy conversion device that is capable of heating and cooling, the method of injection molding comprising:
 closing the injection mold;   driving the heater for heating the nozzle to maintain molding material in the melt channel at a molding temperature;   driving the thermal regulator at a first time to heat the gate to a first temperature;   injecting molding material through the gate from the melt channel and into the molding cavity to form the molded article;   cooling the molded article, at least in part, in the molding cavity;   driving the thermal regulator at a second time to cool the gate to a second temperature and substantially solidify any of the molding material therein;   opening the injection mold; and   removing the molded article from the injection mold.   
     
     
         2 . The method of injection molding of  claim 1 , wherein the injection molding system includes a controller, the method further comprising:
 the controller generating a first control signal at the first time for controlling the thermal regulator to heat the gate;   driving the thermal regulator with the first control signal;   the controller generating a second control signal at the second time for controlling the thermal regulator to cool the gate;   driving the thermal regulator with the second control signal;   wherein the driving the thermal regulator at the first time to heat the gate.   
     
     
         3 . The method of injection molding of  claim 2 , wherein the base member includes a temperature sensor arranged therein for monitoring a temperature of the gate, the controller connected to the temperature sensor, the method further comprising:
 generating a feedback signal at the temperature sensor representative of the temperature of the gate;   transmitting the feedback signal to the controller;   the controller generating at least one of the first control signal or the second control signal responsive to the feedback signal;   wherein the temperature of the gate is actively controlled.   
     
     
         4 . The method of injection molding of  claim 1 , wherein:
 driving the thermal regulator during at least one of the first time and the second time includes a pulsed operation of the thermal regulator.   
     
     
         5 . The method of injection molding of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 selecting the first temperature and the second temperature for operation of the gate for thermal shut-off.