Hot Runner Nozzle

Abstract

Disclosed is a hot runner nozzle for injection molding tools, comprising a nozzle body having a passage channel for a melt. The nozzle body comprises a feed opening at a first end region and an outlet opening at a second end region. In addition to the passage channel and an optional guide channel for a closing needle, the nozzle body comprises at least one cavity.

1 .- 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . A hot runner nozzle for injection molding tools comprising a nozzle body with a nozzle tube having a passage channel for a melt, wherein the passage channel having at one first end region a feed opening and at a second end region an outlet opening, wherein the first end region has a nozzle seat and wherein the second end region is connected with an insulator, wherein the insulator has at least one first cavity that serves to reduce the thermal loss from the nozzle body into the injection molding tool. 
     
     
         12 . The hot runner nozzle according to  claim 11 , wherein the insulator is made of a material having a lower thermal conductivity than the material of the second end region. 
     
     
         13 . The hot runner nozzle according to  claim 11 , wherein the first cavity is evacuated or filled with a first medium having a lower thermal conductivity than the material of the wall of the nozzle body bordering the cavity. 
     
     
         14 . The hot runner nozzle according to  claim 12 , wherein the first medium includes air/gas. 
     
     
         15 . The hot runner nozzle according to  claim 11 , wherein the second end region has at least one second cavity filled with a second medium having a higher thermal conductivity than the material of the wall of the nozzle body bordering the second cavity. 
     
     
         16 . The hot runner nozzle according to  claim 11 , wherein the nozzle has a third cavity filled with a medium having a higher thermal conductivity than the material of the second end region bordering the third cavity. 
     
     
         17 . The hot runner nozzle according to  claim 11 , wherein the nozzle has a fourth cavity to limit the heat transfer from the nozzle to the molding tool. 
     
     
         18 . The hot runner nozzle according to  claim 11 , wherein the insulator is an insulating ring. 
     
     
         19 . The hot runner nozzle according to  claim 11 , wherein the nozzle body has a base body on which a partial region is applied in layers by means of a generative method, this region having the at least one cavity. 
     
     
         20 . A method of making a nozzle body having a cavity in a hot runner nozzle for injection molding tools, comprising the steps of:
 (a) applying a layer of powder material over an area;   (b) sintering the powder at one or more locations corresponding to where the nozzle body is to be created; and   (c) repeating steps (a) and (b) until the nozzle body with cavity is finished.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein in step (a) the powder material is applied in a thin layer on a base using a spreading knife. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein step (b) is carried out using a laser beam. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the laser beam is guided based on geometry data. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein in step (b) the powder is at least partially melted. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the base comprises a used hot runner nozzle. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the powder comprises material selected from one or more of the group consisting of steel, nonferrous metal, sinter metal and ceramic. 
     
     
         27 . A hot runner nozzle apparatus comprising:
 a nozzle body having a melt channel;   a nozzle head section coupled to a first end region of the nozzle body, the first end region including a nozzle carrier and a melt feed opening communicating with the melt channel;   a nozzle front section coupled to a second end region of the nozzle body the nozzle front section having a melt outlet opening;   a nozzle insulator ring coupled the nozzle body and located at the second end region of the nozzle body, where the insulator ring includes a cavity to reduce thermal flow from the nozzle body during operation of the hot runner nozzle, and where the cavity is generated by processing a powder material.   
     
     
         28 . The hot runner nozzle apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the cavity is filled with a gas. 
     
     
         29 . The hot runner nozzle apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the cavity is evacuated. 
     
     
         30 . The hot runner nozzle apparatus of  claim 27 , further comprising a nozzle seat coupled to the nozzle carrier having a lower thermal conductivity than the material of the nozzle carrier to reduce thermal flow from the nozzle seat during operation. 
     
     
         31 . The hot runner nozzle apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein the nozzle seat includes cavities to further reduce thermal flow from the nozzle seat during operation. 
     
     
         32 . The hot runner nozzle apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the nozzle body is made of first support material and of a second more thermally conductive material coupled to the first material and located only in some regions of the nozzle body. 
     
     
         33 . A hot runner nozzle apparatus comprising:
 a nozzle body having a melt channel;   a nozzle head section coupled to a first end region of the nozzle body, the first end region including a nozzle carrier and a melt feed opening communicating with the melt channel;   a nozzle front section coupled to a second end region of the nozzle body the nozzle front section having a melt outlet opening; and   a nozzle insulator ring coupled the nozzle body and located at the second end region of the nozzle body, where the insulator ring includes a cavity to reduce thermal flow from the nozzle body during operation of the hot runner nozzle, and where the cavity is filled with a gas.   
     
     
         34 . The hot runner nozzle apparatus of  claim 33 , wherein the cavity is generated by processing a powder material. 
     
     
         35 . The hot runner nozzle apparatus of  claim 33 , further comprising a nozzle seat coupled to the nozzle carrier having a lower thermal conductivity than the material of the nozzle carrier to reduce thermal flow from the nozzle seat during operation. 
     
     
         36 . The hot runner nozzle apparatus of  claim 35 , wherein the nozzle seat includes cavities to further reduce thermal flow from the nozzle seat during operation. 
     
     
         37 . The hot runner nozzle apparatus of  claim 33 , wherein the nozzle body is made of first support material and of a second more thermally conductive material coupled to the first material and located only in some regions of the nozzle body. 
     
     
         38 . A hot runner nozzle apparatus comprising:
 a nozzle body having a melt channel;   a nozzle head section coupled to a first end region of the nozzle body, the first end region including a nozzle carrier and a melt feed opening communicating with the melt channel;   a nozzle seat contacting the nozzle carrier having a lower thermal conductivity than the material of the nozzle carrier to reduce thermal flow from the nozzle seat during operation;   a nozzle front section coupled to a second end region of the nozzle body the nozzle front section having a melt outlet opening; and   a nozzle insulator coupled the nozzle body and located at the second end region of the nozzle body, where the insulator includes a cavity to reduce thermal flow from the nozzle body during operation of the hot runner nozzle.   
     
     
         39 . The hot runner nozzle apparatus of  claim 38 , wherein the cavity is generated by processing a powder material. 
     
     
         40 . The hot runner nozzle apparatus of  claim 38 , wherein the cavity is filled with a gas. 
     
     
         41 . The hot runner nozzle apparatus of  claim 38 , wherein the nozzle seat includes cavities to further reduce thermal flow from the nozzle seat during operation. 
     
     
         42 . The hot runner nozzle apparatus of  claim 33 , wherein the nozzle body is made of first support material and of a second more thermally conductive material coupled to the first material and located only in some regions of the nozzle body.